| 1.1 |
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Changes to the mark allocation
In order to bring the CASS marks for Computer Studies HG into line with the suggested national requirements, the following changes are effective from 2003:
Paper 1: Theory 160 marks
Paper 2: External practical paper 80 marks
Paper 3: Project/Portfolio 60 marks
Paper 4: CASS 100 marks
TOTAL: 400 marks
The CASS marks will be compiled as follows:
Research project 20
Theory June and September formal examinations 15
At least 3 class tests (1 per term) 5
Practical: At least two class tests on each of the following:
Operating system 5
Utility software 5
Excel 10
Access (creation and manipulation of a database) 5
Programming (a variety of topics must be tested) 10
Programming questions in formal practical examinations 25
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TOTAL 100
* The marks given above are the final weights and are not an indication of the number of marks that must be allocated to each test/formal examination. In each case the marks for the tests and formal examinations must be adjusted to the marks indicated above. For example, a candidate obtaining 32 out of 40 marks (or 80%) for a class test on Access would have his or her mark adjusted to 80% of 5, i.e. 4 marks.
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| 1.2 |
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Changes to the content of the theory and external practical examination papers
Paper 1 (Theory paper)
For various reasons Boolean Logic has been left out of the new Computer Science subject. This means that the question on Boolean Logic will not appear in future examination papers. However, it does not mean that the topic should not be taught as aspects such as truth tables of AND, OR and NOT operators are required for selection queries in databases, in conditional formatting in spreadsheets and in selection statements in programming. The reduction by 40 of the total marks for this paper will be brought about largely by dropping the Boolean Logic question and reducing the mark for a multiple choice question from 3 to 2. The paper will remain a 3-hour paper.
Paper 2 (External practical paper)
The external practical paper will still include questions on programming, but will now also contain a question on the database application package. This question will initially be similar in nature to the more difficult database question in the Computer Studies SG paper, i.e. given a database, perform manipulations of the data, extract records, query the database, develop reports, etc.
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| 1.3 |
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External practical examination - change of dates
The practical examination will now take place during the official examination period and not during the third term as in the past. The marking of the practical examination will still be done at the schools, but it will now be possible for educators to do it during the time that they would normally have been teaching their Grade 12 classes.
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| 1.4 |
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Java programming for the practical examination
As the first external examination in Java will be written in 2003, the following Java programming environment MUST be used:
| Java IDE: |
Ready to program
Centres may use any IDE that they prefer, but the external examination will assume that Ready has been used.
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| Class libraries: |
hsa.*
The hsa class library comes standard with Ready and contains a number of standard routines that facilitate programming. The HSA Console Application boilerplate should therefore be used in preference to the Application boilerplate. In the boilerplate you will need to change hsa.console to hsa.* so that all the hsa classes can be used.
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| Java version: |
jdk1.3
You will need to install JDK1.3 in the default directory and then change the preferences in Ready so that JDK1.3 can be used.
To do this under <File>, <Preferences>, <Java>, in Ready, change the
"Alternate Java DLL" field to c:\jdk1.3\jre\bin\classic\jvm.dll
"Alternate Class Library" field to c:\jdk1.3\jre\lib\rt.jar
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| 2.1 |
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Paragraphs 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 of HG also apply to the programming module in SG. |
| 2.2 |
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The mark allocation for SG remains as it was.
Paper 1: Theory 100 marks
Paper 2: External practical paper 75 marks
Paper 3: Project/Portfolio 50 marks
Paper 4: CASS 75 marks
TOTAL 300 marks
The CASS marks will be compiled as follows:
APPLICATION PROGRAMMING
PACKAGES
Operating system (continuous assessment) 10 10
Utility software (continuous assessment) 10 10
Theory Formal examinations (June and Sept.) 10 10
At least 3 class tests (one per term) 5 5
Practical: Formal examination questions on
WORD 6
EXCEL 6
ACCESS 6 8
OPTIONAL APPLICATION 6
PROGRAMMING QUESTIONS 16
At least one class test in each of the following
(spread throughout the first three terms)
WORD 4
EXCEL 4 4
ACCESS 4 4
OPTIONAL APPLICATION 4
PROGRAMMING QUESTIONS (two tests) 8
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TOTAL 75 75
* The marks given above are the final weights and are not an indication of the number of marks that must be allocated to each test/formal examination. In each case the marks for the tests and formal examinations must be adjusted to the marks indicated above. For example, a candidate obtaining 30 out of 40 marks (or 75%) for a class test on Access would have his or her mark adjusted to 75% of 4, i.e. 3 marks.
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| 2.3 |
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External practical examination
The practical examination will now be conducted during the official examination period and not during the third term as in the past. The marking of the practical examination will still be done at the schools, but it will now be possible for educators to do it during the time that they would normally have been teaching their Grade 12 classes.
The question paper will be compiled as follows:
Section A - Basic functions of Word, Excel and Access. (40 marks)
Section B - Advanced functions of Word, Excel and Access. (35 marks)
Section C - Java programming (35 marks)
Section D - Pascal programming (35 marks)
All candidates must answer Section A and only one of the remaining sections.
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SIGNED: P.A. VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2003:02:21
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