Exam Preparation

[Lasercookie]

Less than 80 days left until the exam, wondering where everyone is up to in class and with their exam prep.

We finished our U4O1 sac last week and started on outcome 2. I've finished the 'test your knowledge questions' a while back, still got a few of the 'apply your knowledge' questions to do. I'm hoping I'll be able to get the practice exams that are available on the Nelson website soon, but my teacher doesn't have access to it for some reason

I've done VCAA 2009 and the 2011 sample exam questions. I intend on writing up my post-trial exam analysis (since this is IT, might as well follow the PSM and call it evaluation) of the 2009 and sample exam questions sometime this week. That's really just to pinpoint the errors I made (marking as harshly as possible), writing down my thought process, putting in the notes from the Assessor/Mark Kelly reports and also summarise all the information provided in that exam (e.g. providing a definition for pretty much everything mentioned). I figure if I do that for every IT apps exam, I should end up having a damn good understanding of the course. I might upload them on here if they end up being coherent.

I don't plan on doing anymore exams until September 24th, upon which I plan on doing a trial exam a day until the exam (I'll redo exams once I run out). I've been scouring VN for as many practice exams as possible (doesn't seem to be much out there). Mainly been finding ~2008 ones, hopefully there'll be new study design ones (unlikely I'll get any from the school though ).

Before that date, I'll be finishing off my study design notes and reading vceit.com religiously. Basically trying to cram the course over the next ~4 weeks before the end of term. It's good that U4O2 is a theory-based one, it won't mean having to waste time studying up on the intricacies of Excel or Access when it could be spent doing exam revision.

So yeah, that's my plan. What's everyone else's plan?

[MJRomeo81]

We finished U401 last week as well. As you said, it's great how the last SAC is a written test because it kicks me into gear for exam preparation. My plan is to basically finish my study design notes and spam any prac exams I can find. It sucks that there's hardly any out there (it's even worse for Software Development).

[Lasercookie]

We finished U401 last week as well. As you said, it's great how the last SAC is a written test because it kicks me into gear for exam preparation. My plan is to basically finish my study design notes and spam any prac exams I can find. It sucks that there's hardly any out there (it's even worse for Software Development).

So the previous IT Applications study design was 2007 to 2010?
Before that was IPM - which is apparently a lot easier than Apps and not worth bothering with those exams.

I've got a few 2007 to 2009 exams, but no 2010 or 2011 exams :/

[MJRomeo81]

Correct. IPM and the old course is not worth it. Reading Mark Kelly's tips though are beneficial since VCAA still employ similar tricks in their questions.

I'm just glad that 10 period SACs are over.

[Camo]

Correct. IPM and the old course is not worth it. Reading Mark Kelly's tips though are beneficial since VCAA still employ similar tricks in their questions.

I'm just glad that 10 period SACs are over.

I feel that.

So sick of making 30 page documents. -.- (Relating to VET I.T though.)

[Lasercookie]

Correct. IPM and the old course is not worth it. Reading Mark Kelly's tips though are beneficial since VCAA still employ similar tricks in their questions.

I'm just glad that 10 period SACs are over.

I'm still going to go through the old course exams - due to my teachers suggestion. There is a lot of similarities between the 2007-2010 course and the new one. You just have to ignore any questions that aren't on the new course, particularly the GANNT/PERT chart ones. Since I never did the old course, I just have to skip any questions that are on stuff I never learnt about (which I guess is the advantage of study design notes, you get a damn good understanding of what is on course).

[huss48]

Here is a sample exam/questions by vcca 2011+

relevant to this 2011+ study design.

more exam prep resources will be up soon.

[Lasercookie]

http://www.vitta.org.au/students/asset_id/43/cid/12/parent/0/t/students/title/resources-from-the-student-exam-revision-lectures

I just found this. It's the lecture notes from the VITTA IT Applications session (I didn't go - it was a massive rip off, $35 for 1 hour). Take a look at the IT Applications powerpoint. It lists stuff that is new on the study design and also stuff that has been taken off. Also goes through a couple of questions and discusses changes to the type of questions that will be asked.

[jkarsz]

Thanks laseredd for the powerpoint, will be very usefull

[Lasercookie]

55 Days left until the exam.

I did a bit of looking into with Trial exams.

The available 2011 IT Applications trial exams are:

• 2 or 3 VITTA Exams (Priced for schools - something like $140)
• 2 QATs Exams (also priced for schools, $55 each)
• Insight (Only sells to schools)
• TSSM ($7 for the student paper)
• Kilbaha ($20 with Student discount [email them for the code])
• CSE/IARTV (Only sells to schools, hardcopy only)
• The 2 exams from the Nelson textbook (teacher access only).

My teacher will be giving us the Insight and QATS exams. I don't think he was able to get access to the Nelson ones for some reason (even though he booklisted the textbook).

I'll probably buy the TSSM paper, and possibly consider the Kilbaha paper as well.
I emailed Mark Kelly about the quality of these, and he said that TSSM "is not too bad" but deviates from VCAA style at times. He also said that he has heard that the Kilbaha exam is "generally ok".

If you looked at the PowerPoint I linked to, they say that ""Insight Publications exams are not valid for the current course." I'm not sure what was meant by that.

I'm not sure about the quality of VITTA. They seem to have the best reputation. I wouldn't mind obtaining them, but they're way too expensive to purchase (don't think my school will be getting them either :/).

For those that have bothered to invest in Checkpoints for IT Applications, can you confirm that they have bothered to adhere to the new study design (e.g. the new exam question styles as indicated by the sample questions provided by VCAA). I'm reluctant to invest in it, seems like a pretty useless book.

[huss48]

good work there laseredd

[Lasercookie]

good work there laseredd

Thanks. I think I managed to list all of them.
I ordered the TSSM one. It should be emailed to me in a couple of days. I'll post about if it's worth purchasing.

I'm probably not going to bother with Kilbaha. I can't be bothered dealing with PayPal. 

[observer7]

does anybody have any exam papers other than vcaa, nelson or tssm? if so, could you hook a brother up?

cheers

[Lasercookie]

http://education.theage.com.au/cmspage.php?intid=154&intversion=90

The Age exam guide for IT Applications. I love that first paragraph. Make sure you don't forget to "orient themselves towards the future" with your knowledge of spreadsheets and databases. The advice to take a look at some real websites (eBay, google etc.) is probably useful, might come in handy if we're asked to provide examples. The activities listed there seem decent, I guess it's an interesting approach to revision. I might do some of them if I can be bothered. If stuff like that is your thing, than the 'advice for teachers' section of the Study design is chock-full of suggested activities.

Mark Kelly's guide gives a better guide on how to approach the actual exam, rather than revision suggestions: http://www.vceit.com/examtips/examtips.htm

[nacho]

BTW guys, having done this subject,
get a teacher to mark some of your exams for you, so you know if your written responses are exam friendly,
furthermore,
learn how to answer questions, eg, "list" questions require only dotpoints.

VITTA Exams are fairly crap, but do them anyway if u have nothing left. I found them helpful for reinforcing my design elements knowledge (is that still in the course?)
Swinburne lecture - if it's coming up, i recommend you go to it, much better than the VITTA lecture, which was a complete waste of time >>> VITTA lecture advice :

"dont waste time looking at the roof during reading time.. reading time is crucial, dont look at the walls either. If you have a watch, dont look at your watch during reading time, read the question.... (40 mins later) and that's why you shouldn't waste reading time) Now, on to some difficult questions from past exa - Oh look at that, we're out of time!"

only study the study design, the rest is irrelevant and may not be asked. You could chop up last year's IT book in half and it'd still have more information than necessary.

BEST OF LUCK! I Revised the course in the term 4  two week term break so you should all be fine. (yr 11s)
aim for 10 exams and A+ is guaranteed, as long as u do them properly