Software Design & Development Exam Predictions/Thoughts (1 Viewer)

[Drdusk]

For the exam on 12th November

Good luck with the exam Class of 2021, on behalf of us all on BOS!

You can share your thoughts here on how you found it.

 

[Yakult1]

GLAD YOU MADE THIS THREAD BECAUSE SDD IS THE MOST UNDER APPRECIATED SUBJECT IN THE HSC

Besides that, I think this exam will be much more algorithm focused than previous years? My teacher who is a marker reckons that we should be brushing up on our knowledge about file types and ebnf as well. What is everyone else thinking?

 

[heatblaster34]

I hope it cointains more of dfd and story board type of questions, as I really seem to mess up the ones about structure charts. Also, what are the sdd options you guys are doing?

 

[Yakult1]

I hope it cointains more of dfd and story board type of questions, as I really seem to mess up the ones about structure charts. Also, what are the sdd options you guys are doing?

I'm doing programming paradigms, but I don't know if thats what a majority do or if thats just my school. Hbu?

 

[heatblaster34]

I'm doing programming paradigms, but I don't know if thats what a majority do or if thats just my school. Hbu?

Yeah, I agree that most schools do the Programming Paradigms. However, our school tended to choose ‘The interrelationship between software and hardware’ option- which i think overlaps a bit with the engo studies (the logic gates).

 

[Drdusk]

GLAD YOU MADE THIS THREAD BECAUSE SDD IS THE MOST UNDER APPRECIATED SUBJECT IN THE HSC

Besides that, I think this exam will be much more algorithm focused than previous years? My teacher who is a marker reckons that we should be brushing up on our knowledge about file types and ebnf as well. What is everyone else thinking?

Yep the past 2-3 years they’ve focused much more on algorithms. It’s like they had a sudden shift starting from 2018.

I hope it cointains more of dfd and story board type of questions, as I really seem to mess up the ones about structure charts. Also, what are the sdd options you guys are doing?

You’re pretty much guaranteed to get at least one of these.

 

[Yakult1]

Yeah, I agree that most schools do the Programming Paradigms. However, our school tended to choose ‘The interrelationship between software and hardware’ option- which i think overlaps a bit with the engo studies (the logic gates).

Oh okay, that option seems very in depth and much more difficult than our one. Do you have to do things like binary to hexadecimal conversions?

 

[Yakult1]

Yep the past 2-3 years they’ve focused much more on algorithms. It’s like they had a sudden shift starting from 2018.

Coming from someone who loves the programming aspect of the course, I really wish they allowed us to solve the algorithms in the language we learnt. Maybe they could give a list of "prescribed programming languages" that your teachers could choose. Idk it seems so counterintuitive to be programming all these projects in python and learning django + rest apis and such only to write fkn pseudocode in the exams.

Also, I noticed you are doing cs at unsw (my dream course ), do you do any pseudocode stuff or is it all just math and programming? How are the exams as well, do you think the hsc could employ some of the strategies they use for those exams and possibly move the sdd exam to a computer based exam like science extension? Sorry for all the questions, i'm just really intrigued..

 

[heatblaster34]

Oh okay, that option seems very in depth and much more difficult than our one. Do you have to do things like binary to hexadecimal conversions?

Its pretty difficult at first, like as you stated - converting binary to hexadecimal and doing logic gates and whole lot of stuff with ieee 754. But, as you learn and practise them for a long time, they kind of turn into maths questions. Like you know what to do with them as soon as you see them.

What about paradigms, is it more theory based?

 

[heatblaster34]

A question here, do we even need to study context diagrams anymore? Like most of the symbols are now outdated and its really similar to flowcharts in its core.

 

[Yakult1]

Its pretty difficult at first, like as you stated - converting binary to hexadecimal and doing logic gates and whole lot of stuff with ieee 754. But, as you learn and practise them for a long time, they kind of turn into maths questions. Like you know what to do with them as soon as you see them.

What about paradigms, is it more theory based?

Yeah paradigms has a lot of theory to it, and the practical aspect is basically an extension of pseudocode lol, just making rules and stuff with arbitrary syntax that doesn't seem to have much benefit when doing actual programming. I'd much prefer to do the software & hardware option, but it is what it is I guess.

A question here, do we even need to study context diagrams anymore? Like most of the symbols are now outdated and its really similar to flowcharts in its core.

Idk I haven't really studied them much throughout my sdd experience besides the few lessons when we learnt about them and I've been doing just fine. I guess it wouldnt hurt to brush up your knowledge though.

 

[heatblaster34]

Yeah. I would feel much better if the layout of 2020’s sdd paper is used for this year, altho I hope its not the same for the options lol.

 

[A highschool student]

Yeah, I agree that most schools do the Programming Paradigms. However, our school tended to choose ‘The interrelationship between software and hardware’ option- which i think overlaps a bit with the engo studies (the logic gates).

Ayo I'm doing this option topic too. I'm doing Software through distance ed so I'm pretty much in the dark about paper predictions and what other people be doing

 

[Drdusk]

Coming from someone who loves the programming aspect of the course, I really wish they allowed us to solve the algorithms in the language we learnt. Maybe they could give a list of "prescribed programming languages" that your teachers could choose. Idk it seems so counterintuitive to be programming all these projects in python and learning django + rest apis and such only to write fkn pseudocode in the exams.

Also, I noticed you are doing cs at unsw (my dream course ), do you do any pseudocode stuff or is it all just math and programming? How are the exams as well, do you think the hsc could employ some of the strategies they use for those exams and possibly move the sdd exam to a computer based exam like science extension? Sorry for all the questions, i'm just really intrigued..

Pseudocode isn't really done in any programming courses, however you do some form of it or another in algorithms courses. These are courses focused entirely on the design and construction of algorithms to very unique problems. I did an algorithms course last term and loved it.

As for the SDD syllabus, it is kinda outdated considering the last time it was amended was in like 2001 and computing has evolved tremendously since then. I don't think you could make SDD exams like actual CS exams, partly because the course would then have to be just entirely focused on programming which is not the sole focus of the course. It would be cool though if they had a set of 'prescribed programming languages' because the algorithms questions in SDD are extremely basic in comparison and so I don't see any marker having trouble understanding the logic there if they know anything about programming.

 

[heatblaster34]

Ayo I'm doing this option topic too. I'm doing Software through distance ed so I'm pretty much in the dark about paper predictions and what other people be doing

Hey there! I think you could get a better understanding of what could possibly come in the exam by looking at the previous sdd papers, otherwise you got this forum for everyone’s thought about it!

Also as a general question, whats your experience studying through distance education?

 

[abstractaviator]

Yo what’s this subject like? I never even knew it existed and I’d love to learn how to code lmao

 

[A highschool student]

Hey there! I think you could get a better understanding of what could possibly come in the exam by looking at the previous sdd papers, otherwise you got this forum for everyone’s thought about it!

Also as a general question, whats your experience studying through distance education?

Yup, I've been going thru a few of them for revision. They seem mostly like the trial so hopefully it'll be okay.

Distance Education is okay but I'd definitely have preferred the option of normal classes instead. The course however because it's online is very organised and gives a lot of work. I think I just like f2f interactions and class environments better but the actual learning of content is quite decent.

 

[A highschool student]

Yo what’s this subject like? I never even knew it existed and I’d love to learn how to code lmao

There's not really much focus on learning to code you're better off learning from self-study. The subject I find is a lot more theoretical and is based on the actual fundamentals of programming as a concept.

 

[WynCon]

How is everyone studying the subject?
And does anyone have any notes or are they regurgitating Samuel Davis's textbook?

Also @A highschool student you too are doing distanced learning damn. I had 1 hour a week of online lesson becuz my former teacher left the school after year 11 and our school couldn't find a replacement.

 

[A highschool student]

How is everyone studying the subject?
And does anyone have any notes or are they regurgitating Samuel Davis's textbook?

Also @A highschool student you too are doing distanced learning damn. I had 1 hour a week of online lesson becuz my former teacher left the school after year 11 and our school couldn't find a replacement.

Man that's rough but that was literally my scenario for English except I had 4 temps in 2 years and currently don't have an official teacher As for SDD our school literally just forgot to offer it as a subject and when I brought it up they said they'd add it but never did :/ and that's my story on why I'm doing distance ed lmfaoo