2013 POST MOCK EXAMINATIONS REMEDIAL CONFERENCE
COMPUTER STUDIES, ORDINARY AND ADVANCED LEVEL
WEAKNESSES DISCOVERED
Question selection. It was realized that students do not know how to select questions. A student is supposed to read all
the questions twice ticking the ones that are within reach. This is followed by counting the ticked questions to confirm if
they are as indicated by the instructions. If the questions are more you should read the selected ones and eliminate
some. If less, you should read and add. Most students make the mistake of choosing questions without reading it all.
Immediately a student’s sees that he knows the “A” part, they select the question. In the cause of answering they then
realized that they cannot answer the other sections. This is because different parts of a question often test different
topics of the syllabus in computer studies.
Time management. It was realized that students do not know how to distribute the allocated time to the questions
selected to answer. They waste most of the time answering the questions that they know the answers. It is advisable
that the students should distribute time equitably to the questions and respect it. This will help them answer the
required number of questions within the time allocated. The sub mark allocations give a hint as to the level of
details required for the sub questions. More marks imply greater details.
Respect of question rubric. Some students do not number the questions as they answer. The situation is further
complicated when the questions are structured. When answering you should make sure that you number the questions
as on the question paper. In Paper 1 and 2 the questions carry equal marks but in P3 Practical the tasks are weighted
differently. The sub marks may guide you on the time to be spent on each task.
Candidates avoided questions on programming/calculations: findings indicated that teacher/candidates are deficient in
these topics and had not taught it. It is advisable that teachers and candidates should acquire the required text book and
also contact the pedagogic office for details.
Course material: students concentrated on work done in examination classes ignoring work done in the elementary
classes which is equally tested.
Programming languages .At AL Candidates should make a comparison study of the syntax of two or more programming
languages. Typical environments are C, C++, Java and a lesser extend Pascal.
Practical task. This will require that you make a choice of software. This will depend on the category of software and the
specific one that you have available in your lab and have practiced on. In Practical Work you may be required to print
(give hard copies of) your work. Always preview the work, and reconcile the paper and the printer settings. This will
avoid waste of time and paper. You will be required to provide evidence that you have carried out the task: This will
come from the material written in the Answer Booklet (sketches of diagrams, Formulae, and other short answers),
Screens printed, and the work saved. Also ensure that you save the work regularly in case of interruptions. Candidates
should take note of when to draw / insert an object.
Software to be used. Candidates who are to carry out their practical’s in a different Accommodation center should
make sure that they visit the center in question and acquaint themselves with the hardware and software in that center.
They should make at least two visits to the center. Word processor is a category of software, examples are WordPad,
Notepad, Ms Word, Open office.org Writer, Knome Word (K Word), etc. and examples of spreadsheet are Ms Excel,
Lotus 123, Openoffice.org Calc, etc. Candidates should be familiar with one example for each category and master the
interface. E.g Ms Word and Ms Excel are the Word Processor and Spreadsheet, respectively, which are very popular.
Typing speed. Most candidates are very slow in typing. They waste most of the time keying in the text and are caught by
time when they have not done the formatting. Students are advised to practice typing at home to increase their speed.
Lab manuals. Some students do not know the importance of the lab manuals. Lab manuals are supposed to be put in
use as from form four. Students should make sure that the manuals are corrected by their teacher who should sign and
date it. Take them along. The project carries 5% of the total mark for the subject.
Prepared by
RPI Computer Studies
and
COSTA
REPORT for COSTA
(Send to RPI Computer Science, TRC Bamenda)
A. Division ________________________________ School ________________________________
B. Number of schools that participated ______________________________________________
C. Number of students (gen) _______________ Computer Sc. __________________________
D. Rate participation (√) V Good______ Good ________ AV. ________ Poor ______________
E. Suggest Areas for improvements on remedial conferences
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