Computing

HEAD TEACHER

Ms. Sue Smythe

COMPUTING STUDIES & I.C.T
Fairvale High School is in the unique position of having a designated ICT faculty and Head Teacher. Fairvale High was the first school to roll out the D.E.R laptops in 2009 with Politicians Mrs Julia Gillard, Ms Verity Firth and Mr Joe Tripodi attending the launch.

In 2010 Fairvale High had 255 Year 10 students sitting the School Certificate Computer Skills examination. This was the largest candidature in NSW. Fairvale High is also a pilot and mentor school for many DET Computer and ICT initiatives.


Fairvale High is committed to providing all students with the essential ICT skills they need to be well equipped and prepared for the digital world of the 21st century. These skills are developed in numerous courses offered across the junior and senior year groups.

All students are also given access to the school E-Learning system which allows them to access resources and course materials any part of the day; at school and at home. This type of technology is the same that Universities have implemented within their institutions.

Education Minister Julia Gillard, Verity Firth and Joe Tripodi Launching the NSW DER Laptop scheme at Fairvale High in 2009

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The courses offered in the Computing faculty include: 

• Year 7 Information Computing Technology (ICT) 
• Year 9 and 10 - Information Software Technology (IST)
• Year 10 School Certificate – Computing Skills Test
• Year 11 and 12 Software Design and Development (SDD)
• Year 11 and 12 Information Processes and Technology (IPT)
• VET Year 11 and 12 – Information Technology (IT)

• Year 7 Information Computing Technology (ICT) 
  

Students in the Year 7 ICT course will be exposed to the world of networks, multimedia and Information Technology. They will be introduced to the Fairvale networking system that allows them to gain the vital theoretical and practical knowledge behind what a network is and how it works. 
The course will also cover vital skill development using Microsoft and Adobe software and other specialised applications. These skills are delivered over each term and include some of the following activities:

• animations,
• the development and management of a personal website on the school Intranet system,
• manipulating photographs,
• creating Flash slide shows and graphics.

• Year 9 and 10 Information Software Technology (IST) 

Students are given the opportunity to select this course as an elective for their School Certificate. They will develop and gain fundamental skills outlined in the Board of Studies syllabus which include: 

• Website development that focuses on students developing a fully functional website promoting a holiday destination.
• Artificial Intelligence (Simulation and Modelling) whereby students are able to create an expert system for a real world application. Students are able to re-program the world of a “LEGO programmable brick”. This programmable brick is built into a vehicle, and the students are given the task to program the vehicle to find its way out of a maze using touch and distance sensors.
• Students also complete a unit of work based on authoring and multimedia and finish a project based around the development and screening of a cartoon (character) animation.

• Year 11 and 12 Information Processes and Technology (IPT)

The Senior Information Processes and Technology (IPT) course provides students with a range of ICT skills that can be used in the real world. These skills can be utilised and applied to many career pathways.

Different types of information systems are studied including banking, retailing and entertainment The importance of ICT systems in these systems is highlighted along with the social and ethical issues created by the increased use of computers and technology in our day to day world. Through project work students create their own information systems to meet a set of requirements. 

• Year 11 and 12 Software Design and Development (SDD) 
  

In this course students are introduced to the design and development of software through the use of diverse applications such as Visual Basic (VB) QBasic and Flash. This course provides students with a systematic approach to problem solving and an opportunity to be creative. Students demonstrate their skills in project work where they can choose to develop their own chance games, screen savers, booking systems and entertainment applications.

• Year 11 and 12 – Information Technology (IT VET)

Information Technology (IT VET) has been developed to provide students with the opportunity to gain credit towards both the HSC and national vocational  (TAFE) qualifications in Information Technology. It is an ideal subject choice for students who wish to pursue a career in IT and gain certification while still at school.