Algorithmics vs Software Development

[Aaron]

This is an example of one of the worksheets through Distance Ed. Obviously doesn't reflect the entire course but one of the things you might be expected to do (attached).

Source

https://sites.google.com/site/msgvce/home/year-12-algorithmics, publically found via Google

[bedigursimran]

This is an example of one of the worksheets through Distance Ed. Obviously doesn't reflect the entire course but one of the things you might be expected to do (attached).

Source

https://sites.google.com/site/msgvce/home/year-12-algorithmics, publically found via Google

Looks fun.

[Aaron]

Looks fun.

Check out the source i've given for that as well. Hopefully that will give you a better insight into its difficulty.

[bedigursimran]

Check out the source i've given for that as well. Hopefully that will give you a better insight into its difficulty.

I checked both out. It doesn't look as hard as I thought. I think I should stick to Algorithmics and not look back at Software dev.

[Hutchoo]

I'd say just do the subject that will net you a higher score. If SD gets you a higher study score and takes less time than Algorithmics, then do that for sure.

Whatever you might learn next year, you will re-learn anyway at university. Getting into the course (and maybe with a scholarship) should be first on the priority list.

This

[GeniDoi]

Look, algorithmics isn't easy. It's not a bludge subject at all and requires a lot of dedication. If you're genuinely interested in the content and are up to date you should sail reasonably smoothly. Personally, having several years of java and python experience helped me because the subject involves a lot of pseudo code that needs to be analyzed, and a lot of the subconscious logic (for example, loop invariants) that comes easily to you if you have ever programmed before needs to be learnt if you haven't. I'm not saying you need programming experience, and VCAA certainly doesn't, but if you have even the basics under your belt a lot of the subject will have comforting moments where you say "Oh, I know that". Other than that, there's a lot you can actually learn before you begin the subject, such as all the different algorithms (check the study design) involved and such, which are splendidly documented on youtube. All this stuff helps you when the subject gets a little trickier, such as time complexity analysis.

I found it to be an interesting experience being in a subject that runs for the first year. Our teacher, who explained the content really well, was still learning the course and developing content for it while it was running, so a lot of times there were these moments where we genuinely discussed something before looking it up because none of us were sure of the real answer. It was unlike any other subject because of that, in a good way. Next year the resources will exist and the knowledge will be more established so I'm not sure if it'll be the same.

I can't comment on scaling, I think it'll be great, but we can only speculate. Do the subject because you want a strong foundation for C.S / I.T. in uni and the rest will (hopefully) follow.

[bedigursimran]

Look, algorithmics isn't easy. It's not a bludge subject at all and requires a lot of dedication. If you're genuinely interested in the content and are up to date you should sail reasonably smoothly. Personally, having several years of java and python experience helped me because the subject involves a lot of pseudo code that needs to be analyzed, and a lot of the subconscious logic (for example, loop invariants) that comes easily to you if you have ever programmed before needs to be learnt if you haven't. I'm not saying you need programming experience, and VCAA certainly doesn't, but if you have even the basics under your belt a lot of the subject will have comforting moments where you say "Oh, I know that". Other than that, there's a lot you can actually learn before you begin the subject, such as all the different algorithms (check the study design) involved and such, which are splendidly documented on youtube. All this stuff helps you when the subject gets a little trickier, such as time complexity analysis.

I found it to be an interesting experience being in a subject that runs for the first year. Our teacher, who explained the content really well, was still learning the course and developing content for it while it was running, so a lot of times there were these moments where we genuinely discussed something before looking it up because none of us were sure of the real answer. It was unlike any other subject because of that, in a good way. Next year the resources will exist and the knowledge will be more established so I'm not sure if it'll be the same.

I can't comment on scaling, I think it'll be great, but we can only speculate. Do the subject because you want a strong foundation for C.S / I.T. in uni and the rest will (hopefully) follow.

I have done a lot of coding in my spare time too. Like developing android apps. I am going to be doing it over Distance Education too so I will have minimal help from actual teacher. What subjects are you doing currently?

[GeniDoi]

I have done a lot of coding in my spare time too. Like developing android apps. I am going to be doing it over Distance Education too so I will have minimal help from actual teacher. What subjects are you doing currently?

Specialist/Algo/English/Physics/Psych and did mathmeth last year.

If you want to get a head start, focus on understanding the algorithms. If you can get an implementation going of all of them, everything from bellman ford, to prims to pagerank, you're going to have an edge. Play around with the IDE that your school uses (ours use edgy... https://github.com/snapapps/edgy0 though I think all of them might). There's a lot you can do before you've started to understand what the subject will be like.

[bedigursimran]

Specialist/Algo/English/Physics/Psych and did mathmeth last year.

If you want to get a head start, focus on understanding the algorithms. If you can get an implementation going of all of them, everything from bellman ford, to prims to pagerank, you're going to have an edge. Play around with the IDE that your school uses (ours use edgy... https://github.com/snapapps/edgy0 though I think all of them might). There's a lot you can do before you've started to understand what the subject will be like.

BTW that link doesn't work. How are you finding algorithmics? Are you doing algorithmics over Distance Ed? Yeah I'll look at getting a head start over the term 3 holidays.

[Schoyo]

BTW that link doesn't work.

A working link to Edgy just for anyone who's interested in the future:
http://snapapps.github.io/edgy/app/edgy.html

It's used by all the schools (including Distance Ed) as a teaching tool for Algorithmics at the moment.

[Hutchoo]

I haven't looked into the VCE Algorithms syllabus, but do you guys 'code' in those drag and drop IDEs?

[SayJay]

I haven't looked into the VCE Algorithms syllabus, but do you guys 'code' in those drag and drop IDEs?

Yes  , but it's only for Unit 3. There are two alternative programming languages (python and the Wolfram language according to this link: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/correspondence/bulletins/2015/February/vce_curriculum.aspx#16), but using any one of these languages have to be approved by the school teacher. In Unit 4, we only look at how to formally analyse algorithms, some of algorithm design patterns (e.g. "dynamic programming" and "divide and conquer"), and the limits of computability. So there's no need to use Edgy for those areas of study.

As much as I hate it, I think it suits for academic purposes.

[Hutchoo]

Yes  , but it's only for Unit 3. There are two alternative programming languages (python and the Wolfram language according to this link: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/correspondence/bulletins/2015/February/vce_curriculum.aspx#16), but using any one of these languages have to be approved by the school teacher. In Unit 4, we only look at how to formally analyse algorithms, some of algorithm design patterns (e.g. "dynamic programming" and "divide and conquer"), and the limits of computability. So there's no need to use Edgy for those areas of study.

As much as I hate it, I think it suits for academic purposes.

I just looked at the past exam, and this subject looks surprisingly good. Assuming you do some Python stuff and implement your own algorithms (and don't rely on cut and pasting of code off Wikipedia), this is essentially an intro to basic comp sci. They really cover a wide range of topics too, so I think this unit has huge potential.

If I was in VCE, I would definitely do this subject.

[GeniDoi]

I just looked at the past exam, and this subject looks surprisingly good. Assuming you do some Python stuff and implement your own algorithms (and don't rely on cut and pasting of code off Wikipedia), this is essentially an intro to basic comp sci. They really cover a wide range of topics too, so I think this unit has huge potential.

If I was in VCE, I would definitely do this subject.

No past exam yet, only the sample one.

It's a pretty good subject just the lack of resources make it harder... but it will improve as more cohorts go through it, already loads of school made practice exams floating around.