May 29, 2024 by ezntek

Dear Grade 9 Computer Science

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COE Generation 3

We have a godsend. It was either some member of the administration or a member of the computer science team who decided it was a good idea to post…

a survey!

We thought our voices won’t ever be heard (and they never will be), but this is our chance at improving the course for everybody to come, and phasing out a certain person’s teaching practices.

NOTE: Please do not be extremely harsh towards the course, as the wrong people could be punished, and also because teachers are trained for MYP, not for skill. Sometimes, it is simply not their fault.

Here’s some things you can talk about:

  • Improper teaching of Python (quote: bad indentation, consistent syntax highlighting, no in-class sessions, vague homework posts.)
    • Bad teaching order (quote: teaching functions before control flow???? calling them sub-programs????)
  • Vague exam questions (e.g. barcodes and QR questions in semester two, USB 3-marker)
  • Non-inclusive markschemes (quote: bubble sort question in semester one, where the more standard implementation was marked wrong yet repeat-until cambridge implementation was only accepted)
  • Vague slides
  • An overfocus on computer science theory (Computer Science is more about programming, theory should be lightly balanced and mixed in, not our whole course)
  • Remnants of ICT (some things that are talked about in class is similar to ICT, echoes of it can be seen )

MYP

(yes, a whole subsection is required)

The lore

Once upon a time, the teacher writing our course decided it was a good idea to have shorter MYP reports, which are less similar to design. To be more specific, the old plan was to do something like this:

  • Criterion A (unsure): Get given a problem, describe it, do research required as to how one may solve the problem, design specifications as to how the solution should be after completion
  • Criterion B: Design test plan
  • Criterion C: Write solution and test plan
  • Criterion D: Use test plan, evaluate

How simple! and yet it was not followed for whatever reason. Optimally, our MYPs should be morelike side projects we do in our spare time, with two lessons per week programming, and one for theory. MYP lessons may replace one programming or one theory less on the submission date is near. MYP tasks should be trivial to complete in our free time, and they must actually align with our IGCSE course. Not only will this serve as great application of our content, this would also be a display of our skill.

What should you do

Since everybody agrees that MYP in computer science is highly irrelevant to our topics as of now, it would be great if you all suggested something similar to the original plan for MYP Computer Science, or at least, reducing the writing load on students and increasing the technical load, while also reducing overall task size. Aoutline of the original plan can be gieven as a pointy in order to at least try to improve our course.

You may also contact me for more information, but I will not help you as to how to argue. It is all up to you as to what you want to write.