Where do I start
Yes, the course is in fact "bullshit", but don't let that deter you from studying or trying your best. Half of the questions are common sense, but there are a handful of subjects that I could name which have concepts/ideas that are also "common sense" and "bullshit".
Being a scaled subject doesn't necessarily mean that you'll get a bad mark. What happens if you've got a student on 100%, who is in the top 1% of the state? Would be still be scaled just as "badly" as another student sitting on 75%?
Not all teachers are the best, and I've had my teacher for 4 years now. The teaching method is simple, and I don't really have a problem with the style, because I'm used to it. Reading, answering questions, if you need help, ask. Go home, answer questions, read, sleep, wake up, repeat
That's easy for me. But I like to answer questions for students who may have difficulty with the subject. At the HSC marking centre, nobody will be marking, say, every second IPT paper as generously as another paper. It's all the same!
Hehe, I don't mind having competition, it only means that I've got to extend the lead and broaden the gap. That, in effect, will help you as an IPT student, and myself in understanding and realising more about myself.
IPT isn't an "easy" subject - you've still got to work for your marks as in any other subject. (I am defending IPT
) I understand where you're coming from when you say "it's bullshit and it is mainly common sense" -- this is true, but only to a certain extent. If you sit for your Trial HSC paper or the HSC exam, you will probably
just pass if you talk in the broad or generic sense. Without using any IPT terminology, references to IPT, concepts, and so on, you'll be getting half-marks for every full mark, I would say.
For example, given a 4 or 6 mark question, you couldn't possibly answer the entire question with a 6/6 response, without having known a little bit about IPT, or even some of the methods/ideas in IPT. If you're doing pretty well at the subject, try and extend that lead. See how far you can go in comparison to other students. If you're already 1st, then there's nothing you can really do because your rank is all that matters and the relative differences between students. This doesn't mean that coming 1st in IPT with a mark of 60% will equal another student, at another school, also undertaking IPT with a mark of 90%.
It is true, given last year's 2002 HSC scaled means, that IPT lies in the 23/50 range. Now, if you're a top student, in the top 1 or 2% of the state in IPT, then that's saying something about you as an individual. What this means effectively is that you will have a better advantage when it comes to scaling. I'm not an afficionado when it comes to the HSC, but I know there are benefits in breaking the gap between an 'average' performance and an above-average performance.
For example, when it comes to rankings for IPT
The first ranking student can be on: 90%
2nd: 80%
3rd: 75%
4th: 64%
5th: 50%
.
.
.
Last: 15%
Your performance, in comparison to other students, will be far superior to the average. Let's say you were 1, 2, or even 3 standard deviations above the average, you can't tell me that it's not going to benefit you when it comes to scaling/your UAI.
I'll reiterate my points. Yes, the course isn't exciting or the best HSC subject out there. But if you're putting in the effort, you'll get what you deserve in the end. It is common sense, but you can't get by on common sense alone. If you're coming second, why not aim for 1st place? Just because a subject is perceived to have 'bad scaling' doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot make a difference. You are relying on past/previous HSC year's with different candidatures. Maybe this year is different? Who knows? You might even see IPT sky-rocket to 30/50 as a scaled mean mark
(Fingers crossed?).
If you haven't learnt anything which is useful to a real-world scenario, what have you learnt about yourself as an individual? Any realisations? accomplishments? achievements? personal goals? What have you learned about your peer group? How are they coping with stress, how are you coping with it? How is your time management? What about assessments? What were they like? If your teacher sucks, why don't you attempt to ask some other students who are more capable (say the 1st ranking student, or if you're 1st, extend yourself beyond your own potential - if that made any sense
). If your entire class sucks, and you're performing well above the average, (by 20, 30, 40 or even 50 marks) -- you'll benefit in the end. If your teacher is marking everybody way too highly and generously, you can't complain! Until it comes time for the HSC, then you'll be having HSC markers, who don't know who you are, marking your paper against criteria/outcomes/guidelines and sample answers. They won't look at your Student Number and think: "WOW! This number is odd and ends in a 5, so I'll give it an extra 10 marks". (I have lame jokes, I know). If your UAI is going to suffer, then you can always focus on the HSC exam, it's not impossible to achieve 100% in the HSC examination. What will that mean for your assessment mark? How does that affect your overall scaling for IPT as a subject? Who'll reap the benefits?
I'm not really interested in the IT career/path, or even Computing in general, but it's a subject that I do, just to see how well I am, what I can do, in comparison to other students. Afterall, the UAI is a ranking, not a mark.
I'll shut up now,
Good luck in your studies, especially IPT
