Computer Science Analysis

Analyse an area of computer science

Digital Technologies | Level 3 | AS 91908 (3.9) | 3 Credits

This external is a Digital Technologies (DT) common assessment tasks (CATs) and is completed online. This DCAT asks you to respond to a series of prompts or questions drawn from the achievement standards.

You should aim to write between 800 and 1500 words in total, in about 1.5hrs.

In each following year, the questions, prompts and range of samples may change.

Only work directly keyed by the candidate into their computer or device during the assessment session will be used in the assessment response.

91909 DCAT | What & How

Candidates will be required to respond in short and/or extended answers (800–1500 words in total) to questions relating to their choice of ONE of the following areas of computer science:

big data
network communication protocols
computer graphics.

Resources (case studies and / or other information) will be provided, and the questions will refer to these. Candidates may use words, numerical workings, and diagrams in their responses to show their reasoning.

For big data, questions may cover: characteristics of big data (volume, variety, velocity, etc.), generation, analysis, representation (bias and display).

For network communication protocols, questions may cover: the Internet protocol suite and its four abstraction layers (application, transport, internet, and link), application layer protocols (HTTP and IRC), transport layer protocols (TCP and UDP).

For computer graphics, questions may cover: matrices and transformations, line and circle drawing, line and circle algorithms, graphics algorithms, image rendering, lighting.

RESOURCES FOR L3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS

Task 1 - What is Computer Graphics

First you need to understand what Computer Graphics entails.

The GOAT: The CSField Guide: Computer Graphics Watch the video and read through the material. If you learn this stuff inside out and you'll smash it.

This powerpoint covers the whole teaching and learning materials

Computer Graphics Year 13.pptx

Task 2 - Really Understand Vector vs Raster

You should have already read through this in the task above but you really need to understand vector vs raster, the similarities and differences.

https://www.csfieldguide.org.nz/en/chapters/computer-graphics/drawing-lines-and-circles/

Task 3 - Really Understand Computer Graphics Transformations

Scaling rotation, translation, Focus on translation

Complete the Year 13 Worksheet transformations. https://www.csfieldguide.org.nz/en/chapters/computer-graphics/graphics-transformations/
Then complete these interactivc tasks

Task 4 - Really Understand Computer Lines

Bresenhams Line algorithm. The videos below will help support your understanding.

You need to be able to do it :

https://www.csfieldguide.org.nz/en/chapters/computer-graphics/drawing-lines-and-circles/#line-drawing

Task 5 - What the markers are looking for....

--- COMMENTS FROM THE 2022 DCAT --- (drop down)

Candidates’ knowledge and understanding of content, skills, and complexities must be at Level 8 of the New Zealand Curriculum.

Candidates who had a comprehensive understanding of computer science, or had completed an authentic and appropriately levelled project, were able to apply their knowledge and achieve well.

Candidates who lacked confidence with the material tended to either repeat their answers without adding information or were unable to provide a sufficient response.

Candidates who were able to give clear explanations and make links to examples, or who referenced their project work thoroughly, achieved higher grades than those who wrote indiscriminately or without precision.

Candidates who understood the content of their chosen topic, or who understood the intricacies of their decision-making processes, tended to write more succinct and relevant responses. Students who attempted to write as much as possible to answer a question often ended up demonstrating a lack of understanding or a lack of good decision-making in their workflows.

Candidates were required to choose a question on one of three areas of computer science (formal languages, computer graphics, and computer vision). Resource materials were provided to support the questions.

Candidates needed to understand the computer science components of the topic they intended to answer, and to be familiar with how to explain these computer science fundamentals.

Candidates who appeared unfamiliar with the underlying computer science struggled to understand or answer the questions at the level required.

Candidates that answered questions without specific reference to algorithms or techniques involved were unable to demonstrate understanding. Each question followed the same general format:

the initial part required candidates to accurately apply their understanding of the basic concepts of each topic, either by determining sequence outcomes or concisely explaining relevant concepts and then demonstrating how they determined their answer
the later part required candidates to consider the impact of the concept on humans and perspectives around the concepts, using resource materials provided
the final part asked candidates to answer in a more in-depth way and to provide justification or reasoning. Teachers should refer to accurate guidance resources to support their candidates’ learning. For example, The Computer Science Field Guide is an online interactive resource for high school candidates learning about computer science. https://www.csfieldguide.org.nz/.

Check out the 91908 Assessment Report 2022 if you want some more specifics about what was done to meet each level of achievement.

Task 6 - Practice Task

You may have already completed this. Go back and have a look at what your answers were. Or have another go. (don't worry about circle)

Are there any gaps? Have you taken on the markers comments?

To be successful you must be able to do:

Transformations: Translation Scaling Rotation: Similarities and Differences
How would these be used by people and affect people positive and negative.
How are computer graphics changing the way we live and work look up examples

BHS DCAT DERIVED GRADE Exam

Term 3 Week 8 - Monday 4 OR Tuesday 5 September 2023

(you will complete this during your timetabled class)

Additional instructions for exam

Only work directly keyed by the candidate into their computer or device during the assessment session will be used in the assessment response. You will not use hard copy, online course resources, or notes of any type, to complete this assessment. You will not access internet resources, except the CAT.