Randwick Boys High School

An exclusive education in an inclusive environment

Telephone02 9399 3122

Emailrandwickb-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Computing

Computing

Coding

Students choosing to study the subject in years 11-12 continue their learning with more advanced capabilities in using multimedia. Both the Preliminary and HSC courses are organised around four sections:

·         Industry Study

·         Design, Management and Communication

·         Production

·         Industry Related Manufacturing Technology.

Students are provided opportunity to visit an industry area to help them understand the mechanics of multimedia.

The year 7 students start their digital journey with coding using the Micro:Bit microprocessor. They learn about computational processes and write code using an online platform provided by Microsoft, Makecode, using coding languages ranging from Blockly, Python to JavaScript. They learn to deconstruct a given problem, write algorithms, and design a solution.

Information and Software Technology (IST)

Information Software and Technology (IST) focuses on developing computer skills through the completion of a variety of projects each term through years 9-10. These term long projects form the basis for assessment and develop student’s techniques and knowledge of core content mixed with an option strand. IST aims to equip students with the ability to use computers as problem solving tools.

Our school is equipped with current and conventional technology that helps our students advance their skills in using and providing creative solutions to real world problems.

Students start their journey learning about digital media and multimedia using movie making and projection techniques through creative designing using the Adobe suite. HTML and CSS coding allows them to create webpages. Many enjoy the coding techniques learnt to design database systems, robots, games and help solve real world problems.

Excursion opportunities

Our students were provided with some added development opportunities through competitions like the Game Changer, AI for Good, and the YICTE Challenges. A team of our willing year 10 students had entered their project idea into the YICTE competition this year despite the COVID challenges. Their idea was to create an app “Worksheet generator for Dyslexic Students” that could help in the learning and teaching of dyslexic students. 

One of the feedbacks provided by the judges included “Useful solution for targeting 1 on 1 Mentoring with students. How would this solution apply to learning in a whole class environment? The app looks usable and a plausible solution to dyslexic learning. Will love to see user testing and how people interact with it.” - Ben Gonzalez - Data Scientist, MaxusAI.

ICAS-Technologies proves beneficial to our younger cohorts of 7-10 years.

Information Processes and Technology (IPT)

Information Processing and Technology engages students in a variety of practical and theoretical learning experiences. These might include retrieving information from databases; designing, implementing, testing, evaluating and writing documentation for databases, algorithms and expert systems; participating in class discussions, role plays, dilemmas and scenarios; examining and investigating programs they learn; critically evaluating media reports and advertisements and undertaking case studies to investigate existing or proposed systems.

Information Processing and Technology has the following topics through Years 11-12:

Student putting his technoligical skills to the test

Year 11 (Preliminary) – Students learn fundamental concepts on computer hardware, software, technology, social & ethical issues, Information systems, processes involved in using data like collecting, organizing, analysing, storing & retrieving, processing, transmitting and receiving, and displaying.

Project design

Year 12 (HSC) – Students start to understand the management of project design and development through the study of three core topics of Project management, Information Systems using databases, Communication Systems; and a choice of any two option topics from Transaction Processing Systems, Decision Support Systems, Expert Systems and Multimedia Systems.

Student achievement is assessed on the basis of two criteria: Knowledge (both declarative and procedural knowledge) and Research and Development techniques. Student responses to objective testing (trial exam), writing tasks and projects are the principal sources of assessment data. Students may also be required to undertake practical exercises, oral presentations and collections of annotated media articles.

Software Design and Development (SDD)

SDD provides students with the opportunity to develop skills in designing and developing software solutions, project management and communication. It does this by looking at the different ways in which software can be developed, the tools that can be used to assist in this process and by considering the interaction between software and other components of computer systems. Students apply a systematic approach to develop and document software solutions using a variety of data structures and language facilities.

Software Design and Development has two strands of study:

Under each strand, students learn to and gather skills in:

-         Use technology to help solve real world problems

-         Defining and understanding the problem

-         Planning and designing software solutions observing social and ethical guidelines.

-         Implementing software solutions

-         Testing and evaluating software solutions

-         Maintaining software solutions

Data structures

The Preliminary course introduces students to the basic concepts of computer software design and development. It does this by looking at the different ways in which software can be developed, the tools that can be used to assist in this process and by considering the interaction between software and the other components of the computer system.

The HSC course builds on the Preliminary course and involves the development and documentation of software using a variety of data structures and language facilities. Students learn to solve a number of interesting and relevant software problems.