1988 School Magazine

N

The next priority is for Years Eleven and Twelve so that they may also experience as closely as possible what they will meet in the work place. At the beginning of the year, both Year Eleven and Twelve Communication students undertook a f our week intensive course on the use of the QText Word-Processing package on the PDP mini- computer. They became familiar with a wide range of f unctions and were awarded certificates to record the areas of their newly found expertise. Now that the IBM compatibles have arrived, the girls are learning to apply the skills learned previously to the Word-Perfect package. They are finding the new system exciting and are keen to maintain and improve upon their skills. All girls have at least one lesson a week on the computers to complete class writing exercises. The Integrated Studies students were pleased to receive their own IBM compatible computer through the year. With the purchase of several software packages for touch-typing skills and certificate-making, the girls will be kept busy in developing their computing prof iciency, a f undamental necessity for most employment situations outside the school. Next year the lntegrated Studies Program will introduce a two semester course in Computing Studies, further recognition of the computer in everyday life. Computer Literacy at B.C.G.S. is at the Year Eight level and its objective is to provide every student with a re- inforcement of the nature, scope and limitations of modern information technology. The course commences with f ifteen consecutive lessons of Keyboard awareness which next year will be using Typequick, a program that runs on the new IBM machines. All classes have one lesson each week on the PDP mini- computer and one lesson with the Tandy TRS-80 micro computers. They also have lessons in the Library with the Apple 11E's and with the IBM compatibles when other usage allows. ln Semester One they use Telewriter, a word processing program, on the Tandys. Simple BASIC, with the emphasis on interactive programming is taught, using the mini. They also have two lessons on mark sense cards as these are still used for competitions, multiple choice tests, and the A.S.A.T. tests in Year Twelve. ln Semester Two they work with the Dynacalc spreadsheet program, Logo, graphs and graphics on the Tandys. With the mini they work on QText, the word processing program, and Saturn-calc, a spreadsheet program. On the Aztec IBM compatibles they are introduced to Pascal programming, Word Perfect and Lotus. They have lessons on the use of a data-base using the Apples. The use of a modem is demonstrated by connecting with QNIS (Queensland Newspapers lnformation Service). Other aspects of social implications, history and components of computers are integrated with the lessons. 89

COru,{P[-JTING This year has seen the addition of a classroom set of 25 Aztec Computers. This was done through the generosity of the Parents and Friends' Association which donated the $70,000 that were required to do this. The aim in establishing this third room of computers was to provide the girls with access to business level software and the educational software that is available on the IBM compatible machines. The equipment that was purchased was: 25 Aztec Computers with colour monitors The software that was purchased with these computers was: Lotus'123 (Spreadsheet program) Word Perfect (Word processing) Turbo Pascal (Computer language) MS-DOS 3.3. (Disk operating system) plus other pieces o{ software such as PrintShop, PCTools and First Publisher. With all these more modern programs available this room is very popular but some classes still have to work on the Tandys and the PDP mini. The policy has been to give first priority to Accounting which has purchased Computer Accounting - An lntroductory Perspective that has been written for the text book being used and runs on IBM compatible machines. The implications of electronic data processing on accounting practices cannot be ignored, and at B.C.G.S. the Accounting students are certainly getting diverse opportunities to gain insight into "Computei Accounting". With the acquisition of the Aztec computers, students can now move very easily from spreadsheeting to report writing to analysis and lnterpretation, to graphical illustrations, and to using a program which encompasses many aspects of the two Year accounting courses. Now that three rooms of computers are available, it is possible to integrate into all topics of study rather than saturate, learn and forget. 20 Meg Hard Drives 101 key Keyboards 5 Printers Qapin) with automaticswitch box Cabling and wiring to outfit the room.