PAT - Marking the PAT

I had a long hard look at the PAT and how to assess it. Questions were asked by students about the assessment and doing the work. Have a look at the numbered assessment tool (rubric) and comments on the assessment. I am more and more impressed by this tool which teaches (and assesses) how to find a solution to a problem in a world of info glut. Thank you to the CPUT ACE students who asked the questions!

Gr 12 Exam guidelines

The Department supplied a document on guidelines for examinations which I made into a PPT.  The CPUT ACE students found it useful so here it is for all to see.

Excel - How to prevent a formula from displaying in the formula bar

Such a nice feature. I somehow missed it!

How to prevent a formula from displaying in the formula bar.
Caution - This procedure also prevents the cells that contain the formula from being edited.

1. Select the range of cells whose formulas you want to hide.
   
2. On the Format menu, click Cells, and then click the Protection tab.
   
3. Select the Hidden check box. Click OK.
   
4. On the Tools menu, point to Protection and then click Protect Sheet.
   
5. Make sure the Protect worksheet and contents of locked cells check box is selected.

Exam considerations

I have been looking at old exam papers. Problems come to mind:

• Our learners do not have bank accounts where they can experience Internet banking. We should teach it using real banking, but keeping our financial details private – tricky!
• Our learners have not experienced dot matrix printers, something all older CAT teachers know – how do we show it to our learners or how do we demonstrate it?
• Our learners have not experienced stiffy disks, something all those from affluent schools and ‘modern’ homes do not know – how do we show it to our learners or how do we demonstrate it?

These are all questions which older CAT teachers know and regularly put in examination papers, but have difficulty teaching to our young people.
And found on a paper – May a school … Learners mix it with Can a school … Learners should know the difference between Can and May!

Ability

Today I turned 60. The learners were amazed that someone of 60, could use the computer. Age is no limit.

• Age does not influence your thinking ability - Sydney Flowers (Gr 10)
• Age is nothing but a number - Cindy Julie (Gr 10)
• You are only as old as you feel - Keenan Sass (Gr 10)
• Just because computers are new and modern, it does not mean that old people cannot use them - Nicole Fester (Gr 10)
• You may be old in years but young in spirit - Nadia Khan (Gr 10)

Gr 12 PAT - Phase 1

Thank goodness for long weekends. I have finished marking Phase 1 of the Gr 12 PAT and have had time for reflection. What is clear is that the learners did not research their subject, and many created stupid questions. So many had the question ‘What will happen if all the appliances are switched off?’ Well, the answer – they CANNOT all be switched off – what about the freezer and security system? I had hoped that the work would be checked by someone who could think! I had hoped that by the time they reached me basic errors would have been corrected.
Marking this phase took a great deal of concentration and thought, and time. I have changed many many questions, and the learners will have to fix many more questions now in Phase 2. Well I am glad that the learners at least have begun.
It was not a good idea to have marked this with a 'let us see how weak/clever the learners are' attitude as the work is being marked in phases. They have to start and this got them going. My grade average was 66%. When the marks are accumulated the weak and bright learners will be obvious.

Order form for exam papers

Please complete this order form for exams and fax to Sandra. It is so nice to get good exam papers!

Pictures from my holiday in Sudan

My Grade 11 learners are busy doing the section on Housekeeping and keeping files and folder neat, page 41. I gave the learners all the pictures I had taken on my recent trip to Sudan. We had a wonderful time looking at the pictures, renaming them and putting them into meaningful folders. A good lesson.
My Grade 10 learners are doing the section on the digital camera and where they work with Paint. We discussed my digital camera and how I used it on my holiday. They fiddled with Paint and the pictures.
I had a grand time showing my pictures and applying skills in a meaningful way.
I have started putting the pictures online - have a look for the link at the bottom of my web page. It is not finished yet!

Exam papers - Length

Have a look at the document about the length of exam papers.

Gr 12 PAT Phase 1

I have started marking my Phase 1. It is obvious that many learners have not done their homework and read about the subject. Some of their questions are wrong, and the places where some find the answers are equally wrong. They seem to use 'survey' as an information source in the wrong places. Grrr!

I note that the rubric does not go into quality of the questions, or if the learners labeled their questions correctly. That is fine. We must stay with the rubric! But we can tweak the rubric and use an improved one with the grade 10s and 11s. At least we have got the kids working! I did like the table format for doing the work.

Gr 12 PAT Phase 1

For the PAT you have to find a solution to a local resource problem and present the solution to the local municipality. You need to investigate various solutions, and present them all showing the best solution for the local municipality.
When you do phase 1, you should have done a great deal of background reading and thought of 4-5 possible solutions to your problem. In phase 1 you plan how to get full detailed information about all of the solutions. This information must be proveable, i.e. the name of a person who made a statement, the results of a survey to prove a point, the URL where you found a fact. In order to get enough details to solve a problem you need to ask questions on at least 4 levels.
The application packages are not important yet – they will become obvious as you collect the information. We create clear questions so we do not waste time, so we know that we are investigating things that will help us solve the problem.
Second year students doing the CAT ACE course at CPUT were given the PPTs Information management and the PAT and Phase 1, and the Gr 12 PAT instructions. They had to do their PAT on printer problems in the CAT class using the rubrics from the Gr 12 PAT. Here are 3 examples of their Phase 1 – Shah, Van der Berg and Van Staden. Look at the Description of the task, Main question and then the Questions. All of the examples have good points!

Gr 12 PAT Phase 1

I have to help my learners move with their PAT! They need a plan if they are going to do something. They must know what they want to achieve else they will just go round in circles. The planning in phase 1 is so important.
So today I have calm music playing and the learners are calmly searching for statistical data to show that there is a problem in the focus area of their PAT.
They are struggling to create good questions. It is funny to think any person can just go and …

• search – search for what?
  
• collect data – on what?
• analyse data – on what?
• analyse data – for what?
• make graphs – for what?

Hopefully after this calm web/music time they will have statistics to prove there is a problem and improve their questions, and have their phase 1 ready to hand in to me next week.

Gr 12 PAT Phase 1

I introduced the PAT last week to my class. This week I am going to help them create their Phase 1 document based the following points.

1. I will ‘talk’ about what is a PAT.
   
2. I will talk about points 1 and 2 of page 2 of Learner Section of the PAT.
   
3. They will write down statistics to prove that there is a resource problem in their area.
   
4. We will look at Phase 1 on page 5 of the Learner Section of the PAT.
   
5. I will show them my Phase 1 PPT.
6. I will show them my main headings/topics on how to deal with the printer in my room.
   
7. I will give them the word template linked here, similar to the table in the Phase 1 PPT.
   
8. They will enter their headings/topics on the template.
   
9. They will create questions beginning with What? When? Where? Who? How many? Etc. to complete the table, to solve their problem, for ALL their headings/topics on the template.
   
10. They will create questions beginning with Why? How? Etc. to complete the table, to solve their problem, for ALL their headings/topics on the template.
    
11. They will create questions beginning with If, What if? Etc. to complete the table, to solve their problem, for ALL their headings/topics on the template.
    
12. They will create questions beginning with Would it be better if? What recommendation? How can I determine? What would be the best way? etc. to complete the table, to solve their problem, for ALL their headings/topics on the template.
    
13. They will then indicate where to find the answers for all their problems – they will look in many sources! - electronic encyclopedia such as Encarta, printed media such as magazines, brochures, newspapers, books, etc., opinion polls/surveys, interviews, e-mails, SMSs, telephone calls, etc.
14. They will then indicate how that question will help solve the problem!
    
15. Someone will then check their work.
16. The learners will check the rubric making sure that they get full marks.
    
17. They will submit their individual work.

Gr 12 PAT

The PAT is based on the Research Cycle http://fno.org/oct97/researchcycle.html or the Big 6 Information Management Model http://www.big6.com/
The students doing the Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) in CAT at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology have created some PPTs to shortly explain the Research Cycle or the Big 6. Please have a look and possibly use them with a class to introduce the PAT. If you use them perhaps you can thank the creator – their email is in the Slide 1 notes page. Please email me PRIVATELY telling me which is the best PPT and why – Thanks.
Barbara Anyster, Johan Barkhuizen, Sandra Botha, Patricia Carelse, Andile Desha, Pumza Dinga, Oscar Lang, Thabisa Matwa, Beauty Mxuma-Nongogo, Nomasomi Nongoko, Tertia Shah, Lindsay Van der Berg, Alexander Van Stade, Dawood Wakefield, Russel Williams

Designated subjects

Why is CAT not recognised as one of the ‘designated’ subjects for university? Have a look at the official list of designated subjects. http://www.hesa-enrol.ac.za/nishe/faqs.htm
We have spoken about this before, and not had the answers we believe are correct.
We must get our PARENTS and PRINCIPALS to write to the Higher Education South Africa (HESA) board to relook at and revise the subjects required to get access to universities. Their web site is http://www.hesa.org.za/hesa/
WHEN is HESA going to relook at and revise the ‘designated’ subjects required to get access to universities? After the election?
Information management is what we teach! University students need information management.

Gr 12 Survey or any other Survey - Evidence

As part of Information Management we must teach learners to make statements based on EVIDENCE collected and processed, not on gut feelings. Their opinion must be able to stand up in a court of law - the evidence for each statement must be there. In their Conclusion or Summary slide for their Survey many learners have made statements that have no relation to what was asked in the survey.

Gr 12 PAT

Have a look at the free monthly glossy magazine called Full Circle. Each month from about June 2008 there has been an article on Sustainable Living. A number of these would provide useful starting resources for getting the learners to start thinking about their projects. The URL is http://www.fullcirclemagazine.co.za/magazine.html. The following URL has an interesting contribution about electricity shortages: http://www.fullcirclemagazine.co.za/sustainable0806.php

Thank you Peter Davidson for this contribution.

Experience helps

I am getting better at teaching this subject! Experience does help.

• The Grade 10s have been doing the Integrated Task on pages S8 of the textbook. They are doing it in groups, which has resulted in so much learning, i.e. organising the fonts, layout, line spacing, tabs, borders, and then the information! They were given a rubric which the group used while they were doing the work, and then on which the group had to evaluate themselves. I decide to do it this way as the learners must learn to READ the evaluation rubric and instructions. I will now go through the work and find faults with their work before I jump on them and find faults with their evaluations. This task was due on Friday and the learners are doing their term test on the same work on Monday.
  
• The Grade 11s have just finished the Integrated task on page S8 of their books. I made the learners use their own home address for the work. So many cannot write their own address! And creating an agenda is also a problem!I walked the class watching and helping during the task. So much help and guidance seemed to be needed.
  

Gr 10 book

The new Grade 10 book has many new exercises which are so challenging. The new edition is great!

Exam guidelines

2009 Exam guidelines from the Department of National Education - Important reading

Competition / Vocabulary

I did say that if nothing was submitted for the competition, from a province, I would indicate as such.
Nothing was submitted for the competition by the Western Cape.
Nothing was submitted from the Northern Cape.

I must check my mail to see if there was anything from the Northern Cape.

Then next is Mpumalanga.

This is rather embarrassing.

Microsoft Office 2007

Have you started using Office 2007? I have found it most frustrating.
I have grown up on the ‘normal’ interface used by XyWrite in the old days, then MSWorks and then various versions of Office until 2003.
We have loaded 2007 on our network as many learners have it at home, and we have to keep up with the (Microsoft) times. It is taking me ages to learn to use this new office software. The frustrating part for me is the different meanings of commands on the Toolbar. Nothing seems to mean the same as it did in 2003.
But in the age of ‘life-long learning’ we must continue to learn.

PATs

I have gone through the documentation for the grades 10 and 11 and 12 PATs very carefully. I believe the following presentations will be useful:

• Information management and the PAT
• Phase 1
• Phase 2
• Phase 3

Exam papers

Exam papers will be available in 2009. Please have a look at the details. How to apply and payment information will be available beginning of the second term - not necessary to do so now. Now you need to plan exam dates. Read the document.

Gr 12 Module 1.2

The file Computer Adverts 2009 is available and the solutions to the module.

Rules of my room

In all humility I share with you the PPT that I used with my classes at the beginning of the year. Maybe you can get ideas from it and create and use your own.

PowerPoints on CDs

The CDs from Study Opportunities have PowerPoints and lesson plans, etc. as well as data files. Western Cape schools only start next week but training / enrichment workshops are already taking place, during the teachers’s holidays! At a CAT course one of the teachers showed me how she had adapted the PPTs adding text and images. Most impressive!

Competition / Vocabulary

It became apparent from marking the Gr 12 Written examinations in 2008 that many learners have difficulty expressing themselves when answering examination questions and explaining things. In order to improve matters and hence the matric results in 2009, I propose that learners in class be encouraged to verbally define or explain computer terms:

• In their own words.
• Clearly and logically
• Without the use of hands

To further encourage learners I propose that teachers from designated provinces get their learners to practice defining specified words in their own words, clearly and logically without the use of hands, and then create a sound or video file saying it. Then teachers can send me at docpam@gmail.com this file by a specified date as an email attachment to be uploaded and listened to / viewed from the blog.
How cool to have a link to a sound file / video by a learner!

Remember, using quality reference material invariably results in a quality product, i.e. use computer dictionaries, textbooks, etc. to get the correct definitions, but it must be in the learner’s own words.

Rules:

1. Any teacher/school from a designated province may send a file.
2. If no teacher/school from the province sends the file, it will be published that no one from that province submitted a file.
   
3. The file must be submitted via the teacher on behalf of the learner and school.
   
4. A school may only submit one file (else my mail box may crash).
   
5. Teacher guidance is encouraged to attain a good product.
   
6. It must be ONE learner defining the word/s and not a group, ensemble or choir.
   
7. The name of the learner, school and province must be sent with the file, to be added with the file.
   
8. The selected file will be chosen by me and my decision will be final.
   
9. There is and will be no payment to the learner/school, and no learner/school will be charged to have their file on the blog.
   
10. Learners will lose their rights to the copyright of the material the moment it is uploaded, so must not be surprised to find the sound or video file being viewed across the country.
    
11. The work must be in English or Afrikaans, the language of the examination papers.
    
12. The file must be less than 10 MG in size.
    
13. The sound file should preferably be mp3 format. I have found the free software Audacity, the best for recording and editing sound files.
    
14. A digital camera or a video camera must be used for the video clip, not a cell phone.

Here are the words, provinces and dates.
Term – Define, or give the difference between … - Province - Due date
Absolute and relative cell references - Western Cape - 30 Jan - NOTHING submitted
Icon and thumbnail - Northern Cape - 6 Feb
Mailmerge - North West Province - 13 Feb
Memory and storage - Mpumalanga - 20 Feb
Office suite - Limpopo - 27 Feb
Open source and proprietary software - KwaZulu-Natal - 6 March
Server and computer - Gauteng - 13 March
Template - Free State - 20 March
Text file - Eastern Cape - 27 March

PAT based on Xmas shopping, or very similar to a PAT

Before you turn immediately to Amazon, or your favorite online shopping source, think briefly about your gift giving goals and prepare to make some considered decisions! Quick review….

1. Big6 #1 - Task Definition - Select a suitable and pleasing gift for friends and family, on time and within budget.
2. Big6 #2 - Information Seeking Strategies - Do you need gift advice? See online wish lists? Email a relative for ideas? Gather gift idea suggestions? Check what’s hot this year? Consult online sale flyers?
3. Big6 #3 - Location and Access - Do you know where to find the gift? Narrow the possible online locations, check who has the item in stock? Compare pricing?
4. Big6 #4 - Use of Information - Read online reviews, check prices, colors, sizes, determine if items are available or on back order?
5. Big6 #5 - Synthesis - Add items to your online shopping cart! Select quantities, colors, and sizes if necessary. Be prepared with your plastic cards and specific shipping address information for online shopping. Select delivery timelines to meet your goals.
6. Big6 #6 - Evaluation - Whew! You did it! Now you have time to get those other things done before the unwrapping big day!

Found at <http://www.big6.com/>

Qualifications for a teacher or subject advisor

The 2008 Matric results will be released soon. I have no idea what they will be like but may I propose the following qualification for every CAT

• teacher - Basic ICDL qualification OR a B.Ed. in CAT OR an ACE course in CAT, as a minimum
• subject advisor or facilitator or whatever name the boss goes under - Advanced ICDL qualification in 4 packages, as well as management qualifications

I am aware that CAT is not ICDL but that is a starting point with respect to skills. The ICDL is my preferred qualification as it is recognised and valid. (My certificate number is ADV001 - passed Basic, and Advanced spreadsheets, Advanced presentations, Advanced databases and Advanced word processing.)

Here is hoping the results are …

Examination dates

The Grade 12 dates for the final CAT examinations in 2009 have been announced:
Wednesday 07/10 - Speed Test (Optional) 8h00
Thursday 08/10 - Paper 1 (3hrs), Practical Speed Test (Optional) 8h00
Thursday 05/11 - Paper 2 (3hrs) 14h00
Here is a copy of the full timetable.

Examinations

Marking of the Gr 12 CAT examinations is taking place around the country. I am part of a group marking the Theory paper. What a wonderful experience it has been so far! So much bonding and learning about the subject and answering examination questions. I am sure that everyone is going to go home at the end of the period having benefited from the experience.
Here is a picture of the group of teachers in the Western Cape who marked the Theory Gr 12 paper in 2008.

Gr 10 and 11 examinations - Results

The CAT November examination results at my school:
Gr 10 - Theory 60% and Practical 66%
Gr 11 - Theory 42% and Practical 43%
In general one grade did little work, did not complete their class work, left their textbooks at home, did not complete nor hand in their PATs, spoke during my teaching - you guess which class.
In general one class did a great deal of work at home, brought their textbook to class, handed in their PATs and listened in class - you guess which class.
The learner's individual results accurately reflect what the examination was meant to assess. Hopefully the weak grade will take note of their results and take corrective actions.

I am looking forward to getting the 2009 PATs and planning my work for next year making sure all my learners work and the low marks are not repeated.

Enjoy the holidays when they start.

Gr 10 Written examination

Poorly answered questions
4.8 The question asks for Function but very few learners gave the function of the different kinds of memory.
7.1.a) The question asks the learners to fit the table on a single page. In this question it became apparent that many learners do not know the terms – change the orientation to 'Landscape’, and ‘narrow’ or ‘widen’ the columns.
7.4.b) The question asks for ‘other factors that could be considered to ensure that the secretary’s health is not compromised.’ Now it asks for ‘factors’. It does not ask how to prevent problems.

Learners need to pay close attention to the phrasing in the questions.

Gr 11 Theory examination memo

Gr 11 Theory examination memos - Afrikaans and English

Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Teachers Awards 2008 - Hong Kong

Congratulations to Sarietjie Musgrave of Eunice High School: Free State for her project Spread the Sunshine which gained her runner up position in the Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Teachers Awards 2008, category Innovation in Community Category. It was awarded in Hong Kong early this month.
The project for Grade 10 Computer Applications Technology involved learners investigating the needs of disabled people and then using their skills to create useful ICT based artefacts for disabled people. A range of applications were used including an animation package to design a public awareness campaign and Clicker to design software to support the disabled.

Thamsanqa Makhathini of Mpophomeni High School: KwaZulu-Natal also went to the ceremony with his project Local is Lekker@Mpophomeni in the Innovation in Challenging Contexts category. Below is his description of his entry.
Groups of Grade 11 Computer Applications Technology learners designed research instruments and interviewed community members about pre- and post-1994. Findings, photographs and audio-clips (recorded using cell phones) were then used to create a website.

Congratulations to both. Information from http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf/index.htm and http://www.schoolnet.org.za/

Gr 10 Theory examination papers

Gr 10 November theory memos - Afrikaans and English

Gr 11 Theory examination

Theory papers - Afrikaans and English

Gr 10 Examinations

Gr 10 November Written - Afrikaans and English

Gr 11 Practical examinations

COMMENT from CAT teacher in Gauteng about Gr 11 Practical Paper from Study Opportunities:
I think the paper was: “doable”, Balanced, Different to the norm – this is a good aspect.
I also think it is a good thing that they have been exposed to a paper set by someone else and not by me. Every teacher has their own unique way of setting a paper and pupils get used to that way. They are then only exposed to a different way of setting in the matric exam and can then flounder.
It was in my opinion maybe about 30 minutes too long depending on the child. I am not worried about my pupils who have not been working during the year not finishing – they need a wake up call and would have still not finished even with extra time. But my top pupils should be able to finish and they battled hence my decision to give them an extra 20 minutes. As this is an internal exam, I think we as experienced educators should be able to use our discretion about increasing the time given during an internal exam. I have not marked any of my weaker pupils’ papers yet so I cannot comment on their results as yet. Maybe they are going to have been more affected by the length.
In my opinion, there was nothing “unseen” or extremely difficult and it was not unreasonable. The database form was more complicated than I had done in class with my pupils but my top pupils managed it well. It is something I will have to work on next year as I seem to never do enough work on forms. My pupils also seem to generally battle with Access in grade11 but with more exposure in grade 12 improve.
There was also quite a lot of reading which they have to get used to as it seems that this is the trend with most subjects in the new syllabus and a weakness of our “modern” pupils.
In my opinion it was a matric standard paper that grade 11’s had to write and they have not yet had as much exam practice as a matric child has had. My matric pupils found both the prelim practical exam and the final practical exam long, but my top pupils finished comfortably.
My top child has got a steady 91% per term this year. For her June prac she got 94% and for this exam 85%. When I asked her afterwards how she found the exam, she said she could do everything but she felt very rushed for time and hence made silly mistakes. When I marked her paper, I realised that she was correct as she made mistakes on sections she knows well and would not normally make mistakes on. She has never been rushed for time before as she always works quickly and efficiently and knows the applications very well. She did not have time to go back and check her work either.
My top 2 kids had just finished question 6 when they had 5 minutes left. I therefore gave them an extra 20 minutes. Once I have marked them all, I am going to look at their year marks and if I feel they are too low, I may moderate the prac slightly. However, an end of year exam mark is normally lower than during the year as it is set on a much larger section of work. When all the years’ tasks and PAT are added together, I am sure it will even out. I also don’t want to have my pupils arriving in matric with inflated grade 11 marks but at the same time would not want them to be demoralised.
The paper marks well (I have only marked 2) – the marking grid is great. I think that we should have the solutions printed out to see what certain documents should look like: for example the table in question 5. Just check the ticks as in one or two questions the number of ticks does not match the overall mark.
Question 6, the type of question I normally dislike marking as it usually takes so long, marks beautifully thanks to the way the memo is designed.
I also think for the second year of grade 11’s and a new syllabus, Study Opportunities has done very well to set a paper of such a good standard. I for one am very grateful not to have had to set CAT papers for my school but could rather spend my time on marking the PATs. Everyone knows how long it takes to set an exam paper.
CAT should not be seen as an “easy” option for the pupils and it should challenge the bright pupils who choose to take CAT rather than IT or other subjects. It is such a pity CAT is not yet recognized as a subject for university entrance as it is such a useful subject to study.

Gr 11 Practical examinations

English marksheet and solutions
Afrikaans marksheet and solutions
Addendum for question 3.4

Examination papers

There have been repeated requests to get the password for the exam papers. There is only one way to get them. You must have completed the document found on the studyopportunities.co.za web site and faxed it back to the correct place. The password would then have been SMSed to you. It is also pointless putting a request in a 'Comment' if you do not add contact details, and the password cannot be put onto the blog as that defeat the point of having a password.

Gr 10 November Practical examinations

English marksheet and solutions
Afrikaans marksheets and solutions

Gr 10 and 11 Written papers

Length of Written papers – next week:
We decided to stick to the SAG which specifies:
Gr 10: 100 marks, 2 hours
Gr 11: 150 marks, 3 hours.

Experience has however shown that many learners do not need the full time.

Gr 11 Practical Errata

Slegs AFRIKAANSE vraestel - Vraag 4, eerste bullet moet wees (R0-00 vir lede en R20-00 vir nie-lede).

Please open and fix the data files 6Answers.doc (English) and 6Antwoorde.doc. It should refer to Question 6, not Question 7.

Gr 11 Practical Exam Papers

The Grade 11 Practical examination paper in English with its data, and Afrikaans with its data files is now available.

Gr 10 Revision or Disaster

Did you do the Pug Dog Club set in 2006 question paper (data files and memo) as revision with your Gr 10 learners? Did you see the fat fawn pug who had to be taken for a walk, and was also used in other questions in the paper. Well, he is fat and this morning became even fatter.I could scream at him!
Long story. I managed to get some special green mealies from Gauteng. I made some special green mealie cake (not carrot cake, green mealie cake). I had it wrapped in heavy Alcan foil in a Checkers packet along with chips, peanuts, dips, biscuits, cooldrinks, etc. especially for our weekend in the Cedarberg. All the bags were on the floor in the garage ready for leaving straight after school today. This morning, I was busy dressing and organising the house. Friend went outside to open the garage door and get my car ready, not thinking of the contents of the carrier bags and the dogs. When it was time to lock the front door we looked for the dogs, and found the fawn pug with his nose in the bag and 3/4s of the cake gone! Thank goodness it was not the fruitcake which was still on the shelf in the kitchen. Now when you do that old exam paper, you know why he is fat!

Gr 10 PAT

I have just finished marking the Gr 10 PATs. I believe we have left out an important point, or we did not leave it out but we did not allocate enough marks and the learners ignored it. The learners did not properly draw the research project to a clear conclusion: do the public (not disabled people) have a clear idea of the abilities of the disabled and all the different kinds of disabled people, and are there facilities to help the disabled. I think we must allocate more marks to this section and perhaps give more criteria in the checklist. We gave 1 and 4 marks respectively to this and my learners seemed to ignore it, maybe because the rubric did not specify more criteria. Most learners did not answer the main question or problem.

Gr 10 November Practical examinations

The Gr 10 Study Opportunities Practical examination papers are now available in English and Afrikaans. The data files are available - English and Afrikaans. The password will probably be sent on Thursday or Friday. It may be a good idea to relook at the details on 15 June.

Gr 11 PAT Phases 5 and 6

I have just finished marking the Gr 11 PAT Phases 5 and 6 and certain aspects are common to most of the learner's work - in the handout they did not

• introduce the work
• properly explain how the particular technology works
• discuss/introduce/explain the database query and report
• draw the work to a clear conclusion.

Otherwise the handout was well done.