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| Academics - COMPUTER APPLICATIONS CONTEST |
Linda Tarrant, State Contest Director
hexco@hexco.com
1-800-PAJAMAS (800-725-2627)
Spring, 2007 and into 2008...
As the Computer Applications contest has evolved, many changes have occurred. These changes are intended to make the instructions more graphic and the grading more succinct. A greater emphasis is now put on students' ability to use features, functions and integration, and less emphasis is placed on simple formatting and typing.
What to expect at the higher levels of competition for 2007 and 2008...
At the higher rungs of competition, competitors will be expected to be able to work with more advanced features in Access and Excel this year. In Access, this will include more extensive knowledge of relational databases, more complicated and more different kinds of queries, more significant changes to a report after it is created with the Wizard, more printing of formulas, and generally a higher level of knowledge. For Excel, this will entail more complicated functions and charts, multiple worksheets, goal seeking, consolidation, and more interaction between Excel and Access. For Word, this will mean using more of the features of this application from tables, calculations in tables, columns, and other unique features, plus more interaction from Excel and/or Access with Word.
New in 2007...
Flash drives that plug into the USB port (aka keychain drives, thumb drives, pen drives, stick drives, etc.) may be used in lieu of diskettes or CDs for storing files during contests. These will have to be left with graders, and it will be the responsibility of each student to tape over any school identification and identify the flash drive with his/her Contestant Number and retrieve the unit at the appropriate time. External hard drives or external floppy or CD drives are prohibited, and internal timers that make any kind of noise are prohibited.
Microsoft Office...
Contestants are restricted to the use of only Microsoft Office, using a current or near-current version. This means that spreadsheet elements must be done in Excel, database elements in Access, and word processing elements in Word. This also means that graders may check diskettes or CDs to be certain that the appropriate element of the test was done in the appropriate application package. If a database element was executed in Excel, it should not be graded. However, some students may choose to start in Excel, manipulate calculations, and then take the output of the spreadsheet to Access to complete processing. This is acceptable unless a test specifically asks that formulas for calculations in Access Queries be printed. In this case a formula from Excel will not be acceptable.
Microsoft Office 2007...
Just recently available, we are in the process of reviewing this new version. It is a very different format from the 2003 version of Office, and there will be quite a learning curve. There are no longer pull-down menus, and these have been replaced by tabs at the top of the document that are not organized the same way as the 2003 menu system. For 2007-08, tests will be written in 2003 Office, but they will be tested in 2007. Initial reaction is that the reports for Access are very different from those used in Office 2003. This will entail making adjustments to reports after they are generated to have more of the same formatting. It will also mean that some formatting features, such as generated bars in reports, will be optional on printouts for Access reports. In Excel, some of the features will not produce identical results so adjustments will have to be made so that pivot tables or charts are modified to match those created by Office 2003.
Publications...
Computer Applications Handbook – Be certain that all competitors and coaches read and learn “Instructions for Conducting a Contest.” This handbook changes somewhat annually. It accompanies all tests sent out, and all contest directors should be adhering to the specifications herein.
All Excel functions in MS Office are listed. Students should learn to use them all. Most translate directly to functions in Access, but some have a different name than in Excel, such as IF is IIF, FIND is InStr, etc. All functions in Access should also be learned.
Constitution & Contest Rules – The following changes have been included in the C&CR: All coaches are expected to serve as graders. Networked systems are not allowed. Each contestant must have a laptop or notebook computer plus a printer. No sharing is allowed. An optional mouse and/or keyboard unit is acceptable.
Contact Information...
On most Saturdays while you're grading invitational tests, I'm available in my office (1-800-PAJAMAS, you'll never forget it), or the phone message will direct you to my cell phone. If you hit a roadblock in your grading and want a mediator, don't hesitate to call. Remember that the point is to have a level playing field, make the tests difficult enough so that the cream rises to the top and the top places are earned, not just decided with a tiebreaker, and help the students become very, very competent in this powerful package.
I'm also available during the week at the same number or by email: hexco@hexco.com.
This is your contest. We listen to all the input from both the competitors and the coaches. We want to wield this into the best possible contest, and we know there will be some growing pains again this year. There were actually fewer growing pains than we anticipated last year, and that is thanks to the cooperation from the coaches from all over Texas. Let's continue working together to make this a positive experience as we tread through this continuing transition.
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