by Mark Kelly

Yes, it's the time of year again when this exam cell migrates to the top of the page.

ITA exam - Tuesday 11 November 2008, 3:00 to 5:15

SD exam  - Thursday 13 November 2008, 11:45 - 2:00

IT Exams - how to approach them without screaming

POST MORTEMS	IPM/IS courses				ITA/SD
IPM/ITA	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
My IS / SoD exam post mortems	-	-	-	2006	2007
VCAA IPM exams online	2003	2004	2005	2006
Examiners' reports online	2003	2004	2005	2006
Sample solutions to Sample ITA questions from VCAA Sample solutions to Sample SD questions from VCAA
Historical fans might want to see post mortems from the ancient course, pre-2003 in The Archive.

And VCAA feedback on the 2007 audit of the new ITA and SD courses is available. Very useful information for anyone writing or adopting someone else's SAC... and that's most of us!

• IT Applications http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/it-applications/sacs.html
• IT Software Development http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/softwaredevel/sacs.html

	IT Applications revision summary
	Software Development revision summary
	Exam Tips and hints
	A dedicated Software Development Grotto including the Software Development study design 2007-2010
	VCE IT Units 1 and 2 study design summary 2007-2010
	IT Applications Study Design 2007-2010
	IT glossary 2007-2010 (official VCAA - they write the course!)
	All sorts of downloads - often my presenation powerpoints
	Don't know what an IT term means? Check these reference sites
	Resources to check out - useful links and free goodies
	How To... A series of notes on How To Do Stuff, including the popular Excel Nested IF Challenge!
	Unedited, unrehearsed video tutorials, starting with an introduction to Filemaker Pro 8.5 - and maybe ending there too.  Beware: LARGE file sizes!
	News clippings related to IT. Useful for U1O3

Databases

• See the Downloads page for database presentations
• Some database introductory theory. Unfinished!

Virtual Teams

• What are virtual teams?
• Tools for virtual teams, and their advantages and disadvantages
• Video demonstration of an ITA prototype website for a virtual team (29M, DivX)

VCE Software Development

• The 80/20 rule - and bloatware, liteware, feature sets, and code optimisation
• VCE Software Development Study Design
• SD Course Revision
• Software Development models - SDLC, RAD, Agile . Details of the SDLC
• Data flow diagrams
• Fun with Algorithms - brain food for when things get dull
• Programming for portable devices (SD U3O2)
• Software Interface Design
• Binary trees
• Index files
• Binary and hexadecimal numbering
• A little page on desk-checks

Networking

Note - ITA's networking theory has been considerably reduced since IPM in 2006.
The more advanced topics here are of more interest to year 11 and SD students.

• Networks and networking - an introduction
• Wireless networking - and Bluetooth, WAP and 3G
• The Internet - a history
• Judging the value of information on the internet
• TCP/IP - the protocol at the heart of the internet and many networks.
• Bits of the Internet: DNS, WWW, Email, Usenet, Search Engines etc
• Servers, blades, info appliances, peer-to-peer
• Building a file server - its components and decisions to be made
• Netiquette: keeping yourself nice on the net
• Search engines - how they work, social implications
• Internet tools you have on your computer
• See a sample LAN being designed and justified
• Get my Networking Powerpoint - version 10.

Hardware-related

• Hardware: what all the bits in the box do
• IT numbers: from kilobyte to zettabyte
• Building a file server - its components and decisions to be made.
• Ergonomics

Acquiring hardware and software

• Acquiring hardware and software
• Factors affecting the suitability of alternative designs
• A case study: acquiring a digital camera
• Paying for it all: Leasing vs Buying equipment

Graphics

• Image formats and compression - a comparison of JPG, GIF etc
• Digital Video - a war zone of formats and settings
• Image enlargement - why it's not a good idea

Design Tools

• Documentation Tools : flowchart, N-S, data structure chart etc
• Nassi-Shneiderman (N-S) chart tutorial

Problem Solving: SDLC and PSM

• SDLC - System / Software Development Life Cycle, Waterfall model (5 step version "ADDIE") : Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation
• Agile
• RAD
• Scope
• Top/Down, Bottom/Up
• Information Problems

The study design, in its wisdom, does not refer to the SDLC for ITA. It uses the Problem Solving Methodology (PSM) which uses a 6 step model which looks like the SDLC, smells like the SDLC and smells like the the SDLC if you tread in it. The only difference is the inclusion of Testing ("ADDTIE") in one outcome and Testing & Documentation ("ADDTDIE") in another outcome. Why? Answers on the back of an envelope to the VCAA and you could win an exciting prize!

In year year 11 they use the 6 step "ADDTIE" PSM. Why not use the SDLC? Same envelope, same address, same prize.

• The making of the Barton TAFE slideshows: a problem-solving case study

Project Management

• Gantt and PERT introduction
• Gantt chart tutorial
• PERT chart tutorial
• Project management
• Problem solving - and the System Development Life Cycle
• The making of slideshows: a problem-solving case study
• Download the Gantt and PERT powerpoint 800K

Privacy and Copyright Legislation

Note! You do not refer to the Private Sector Amendment or the Copright Digital Agenda Amendments in any VCE IT unit!
Just refer to the Privacy Act and Copyright Act! The Amendments now belong to their parent acts. Refer to the VCE IT Glossary, page 50.

• Privacy issues and legislation - a summary of the laws
• Copyright legislation
• Commonwealth Government website all about copyright

Data Security

The Data Security Index Page leads to...

• The value of data (also see the value of information)
• Backups - equipment and schemes
• Threats to data
• Passwords - pros and cons (also see Biometrics)
• Physical security
• RAID
• Biometrics - Devices - Facial Scanning - Social Issues - Fighting Crime and Terrorism
• A sample data disaster recovery plan (DDRP)
• CASE STUDY ARTICLE - Fail Safe System
• Really bad phishing attempts!

Information and Information Systems

• What is an information problem?
• Types of information systems
• Components of info systems: people, equipment, procedures, data
• The value of inforrmation
• Judging the value of information on the internet
• The value of data
• Effectiveness vs Efficiency
• Causes of change to info systems, and the effects of change
• The Information Processing Cycle
• Organisations: structures, info use and decision-making
• How Information systems help orgs achieve org goals

User Documentation
Training
Electronic Publishing

• Electronic publications - how to make good ones
• Learning to Love Powerpoint - from Wired News
• Powerpoint is Evil - from Wired News
• A web page gone very wrong
• VCAA Conventions for formatting documents of all sorts
• Australia Post Guidelines for addressing envelopes
• Software Interface Design
• Characteristics of Audiences
• Training and documentation index page leads to...
  • Onscreen Documentation
  • Details on Training
  • Details on Documentation
  • How to write user documentation for Unit 4 Outcome 1 SAC
  • The challenge of writing documentation for international audiences
  • Why people don't read instruction manuals - and what you can do about it

• Mail Merge tutorials - basic and advanced.  May be useful when producing output from Excel.

   

What the icons mean

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In Brief. Where I try to explain main points quickly