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. |
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)
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:
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- Year 9 and 10 Information Software Technology (IST)
- 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)
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)
- Year 11 and 12 – Information Technology (IT VET)