Studying for IT (2 Viewers)

[cerebrum]

How is everyone studying for Information technology? I'm finding it difficult as the subject isn't as simple to study for as BIO or even ENG. The syllabus is very difficult to understand and to base my studies on. CAn anyone please help, I really want a good UAI.

 

[Casmira]

to be dead honest i never really studied for IT because i thought of it as a common sense subject, but after getting my ass handed back to me on a silver plate in the half yearlies (only got 78%) I figured out methods to study

now as far as i know, you have to understand definitions and concepts, our teacher is a champ and she gives us booklets on each module, and i connect whats in the syllabus for that module to what my teacher is added and then put together what is required

you can work off excel too, but you'll find excel goes on and on about it extensively

 

[Sorcererbob]

Casmira, I find that method unbelievably painful; theory is bog anyway.

My method has been to go through the past exam papers because they are the best representation of what will probably be in the HSC.

- Sorcerer

 

[Casmira]

3/4 of the IT test is easy, but see people get shot down in extended response, reinforce your extended response with the theory that you are taught and watch your marks soar

 

[cerebrum]

to be dead honest i never really studied for IT because i thought of it as a common sense subject, but after getting my ass handed back to me on a silver plate in the half yearlies (only got 78%) I figured out methods to study

now as far as i know, you have to understand definitions and concepts, our teacher is a champ and she gives us booklets on each module, and i connect whats in the syllabus for that module to what my teacher is added and then put together what is required

you can work off excel too, but you'll find excel goes on and on about it extensively

Excel? Is that a book source. I never found any books or anything on studying for It except past HSC exams... unfortunately its difficult to practice HSC questions when you don't have information to study first and revise. Does anyone know any source in which I can collect information and study from????

 

[Casmira]

Excel is a publisher they make a wide range of HSC courses, they aren't the very best but they give you some ground to stand on, you can purchase it from any book store but they are a little bit rare, i was lucky to find mine on shelf, a girl in my IT class ordered hers its roughly $30, basically thats all the available sources, plus any work given ... the book is quite thick and on top of that provides HEAPS of questions

I will start IT study very soon, and im going to write the notes then type it, i'll be more than happy to share it with others, but give me at least a week i still have too finish SDD/Chem/BS

 

[cerebrum]

Its dissapointing to hear that its 'rare' or difficult to track down because I need alot of help with IT. Thanks alot, at least I have something to study on now except basic knowledge.

 

[cerebrum]

Excel is a publisher they make a wide range of HSC courses, they aren't the very best but they give you some ground to stand on, you can purchase it from any book store but they are a little bit rare, i was lucky to find mine on shelf, a girl in my IT class ordered hers its roughly $30, basically thats all the available sources, plus any work given ... the book is quite thick and on top of that provides HEAPS of questions

I will start IT study very soon, and im going to write the notes then type it, i'll be more than happy to share it with others, but give me at least a week i still have too finish SDD/Chem/BS

By the way, do you know the exact title of that 'Information technology' book? Maybe I can track it on the net if I can't find it in the book stores.

 

[Blushfulsilvi]

haya ppl....i've got my half yearly exams cummin up...i was wondering if any1 had any notes to give me on I.T. (even if its juss terms) my teachers been away on holiday and i really need help!!!! thankz alot!!!!!

 

[sinist4]

hey guys
is it hard to achive high marks in the hsc exam ?, i mean if you know your stuff...
ta

 

[busterblues]

Hey everyone,

I just thought I could answer a few questions for you.

First off im Bryce, I was first in the state in Info Tech in 2004 and worked as an freelance IT Technician and Systems Engineer for government, large, medium and small business in 2005. I am at the University of Newcastle studying Computer Science and will be majoring in Software Engineering (possibly double major).

To answer a few of your questions.. (sorry i am a longwinded typest )

cerebrum: Yes this is a difficult course to study for, not because the content is hard, but it is not theoretical. Its is practical skill. As I have been telling everyone in Computer Science...you can't learn anything to do with Information Technology from a book. It is impossible. Nothing beats hands on experience. You should have built up enough experience through doing your competencies to get the basics of IT.

What you need to do, as with any HSC exam, is refine your exam skill. Do the practice exams. Not just once, but over and over again until you get every question perfectly right. Understand your mistakes, talk them over with your teacher/demonstrator and you will not make the errors again i can guarantee it. But dont sweep them under the carpet as this wont get you anywhere.

Understand your key HSC terms! Analyze, Compare etc (i cant remember all of them it has been so long). But you should definately know these! It is necessary for any course not just IT!

The difference between a big mark and a small mark will be the long answer questions. Learn how to be articulate when discussing IT and IT concepts. Use IT terminology, but explain terminology. Be articulate, but not long winded and use jargon appropriate for the situation you are writing for (eg. for another IT technician, for a manager, for a client etc).

EXCEL FOR IT WONT TEACH YOU ANYTHING

And why is that?

CAUSE YOU CANNOT LEARN IT FROM A BOOK!!!

You may be fine here but in the real world, there is no 'book' that will allow you to become Info Tech minded. So therefore, this Vet based IT course wont let you get away with it either. Sorry to those who do learn by learning from a book, but you might find yourself in a little bit of trouble if you dont start doing more and more practical exercises.

Dont be afraid to extend yourselves either. If you ask yourself the question 'Why cant I do that'. Take the time to see if you can or not. You will learn lots more this way.

And no it is not hard to score high marks in this exam, if you have been doing your exercise. And you can write long responces. Practise writing out long responces and show it to your IT teacher.

And for an added advantage, ask someone from the English faculty (maybe English teacher) to look over the responce too. Cause even though you arent being marked on english explicitly, a better written responce will make you shine against other students answers.

Hope I was of some help. Send me a message if you have any questions!
Alternatively you can send me a line at Bryce.Robinson@studentmail.newcastle.edu.au

Cheers,

Bryce

 

[Archomi]

unfortuantely at my school we do jack~ from the start of last year till now~ We practicalarly played games and surfing on the net~
im near my tirals nows, not a pretty thing~
scored 65% during half yearly without studying ~(not a reasonable to get~ so dont try it~ i learnt my lesson~ ( :: ' A')
yes~, this subject is very hard to study for~ consider that you might think you know everything that is needed in the test~ but! questions just might pop up and supprise you~ so i agree to what busterblue said~ do more test papers and gain more exprience before HSC, and again thats probably the only method that you'll be able to study for this subject.
Mulitple choice pretty easy area to score marks amd its very true that~ you get shot down from extend response~ so make sure what you are reading and writing and go back have a read what you just wrote~ something just might suprise you(just like me)~ lol

 

[manoo]

How is everyone studying for Information technology? I'm finding it difficult as the subject isn't as simple to study for as BIO or even ENG. The syllabus is very difficult to understand and to base my studies on. CAn anyone please help, I really want a good UAI.

is it really that hard bcos i'm going to be doing information technology next year at TAFE, perhaps you could tell me what i'm in for.

 

[Starcraftmazter]

unfortuantely at my school we do jack~ from the start of last year till now~ We practicalarly played games and surfing on the net~

So did we, but that didn't stop me from getting like 90% or something in the trials.
IT is a very very easy subject if you know a lot about computers.

If you are compelled to study in some way, I suggest the following:
- Go on the BoS site and do past papers
- Take your computer completely apart, and put it back together. Time yourself, and see if you can beat that time. (Note, have some bandaids handy).
- Borrow books from your school or town library about repairing and upgrading PCs. Read them from cover to cover more than once. Alternatively, obtain eBooks from torrents.
- Go to wikipedia/howstuffworks and read up on hardware, ports, connectors, etc


Excel books are made of fail.

 

[ahen]

(using a friend's account to post here - i am not ahen)

Unfortunatly i disagree with Bryce a bit. You can learn MOST of it from books.

But just like everyone said, practical experience is a must.

I wouldnt of known what a hot swappable disk was if it wasn't for books since most people wouldnt be able to work closely to servers.

BTW: The Excel Information Technology book is quite interesting to read and i don't really see any other IT books which could be of use.

and...

WOW... you have got alot of credentials for IT
What advice can you give me to start my IT career. I'm really fascinated with computers/programming and etc. Plus i really want to do something maybe in security and networks. Any good credentials you can suggest and where can i get them?

 

[Starcraftmazter]

BTW: The Excel Information Technology book is quite interesting to read and i don't really see any other IT books which could be of use.

I've seen the Excel IT book, and briefly read through it, IMO, it has a LOT of information, 95% of which you are unlikely to need on the IT test, and much of the information in it is outdated.

If you read through it twice or so, not knowing much about IT, then I would say it will definately improve your chances a lot...providing you understand it.
But you'd have to deal with the fact that only a fraction of that information is going to be tested upon.

WOW... you have got alot of credentials for IT
What advice can you give me to start my IT career. I'm really fascinated with computers/programming and etc. Plus i really want to do something maybe in security and networks. Any good credentials you can suggest and where can i get them?

I'm not sure whom that was directed to, but if me, I would suggest a university course of the computing kind.

 

[ronnknee]

Like what someone else said, the syllabus is difficult to follow. It's unlike Physics or Chemistry where you can just learn about each dot point in sequence. The IT syllabus has like five columns and it's just plain confusing.

So what I do is just use the Excel textbook. It's detailed and yes, most of the content is unnecessary. 95% is a bit too high, I'd say 40%?

If you do enough past papers, you would know what sort of questions you should be expecting in the exam.

IT HSC next week =x

 

[Starcraftmazter]

When I said 95%, I was referring to the stuff that wouldn't be asked on the exam.

As it, all of it is examinable (in theory), but due to the high amount of content, it's only possible to test a very very small percentage of it - 5% was my blind estimate.

 

[ronnknee]

Fair enough.

I've done questions in the last section and some are just bs.

Good luck Starcraftmazter, I shall fight first place in state with you ;D

 

[Starcraftmazter]

Yeh. I think how well I do really depends on luck, that is what they ask.