PREFACE: USING THIS INTEGRATED RESOURCES PACKAGE

Implementation of Information Technology K to 7, 8 to 10, and 11 and 12 will begin in September 1996, with full implementation in September 1997. The K to 12 Education Plan requires the integration of Information Technology K to 7 and 8 to 10 with other curricular areas. Information Technology 11 and 12 is a stand-alone course. This Integrated Resource Package (IRP) provides some of the basic information that teachers will require to implement the curriculum. The information contained in this IRP is also available through the Internet. Contact the Ministry of Education's home page: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca

The Introduction

The Introduction provides general information about Information Technology 8 to 10, including special features and requirements. It also provides a rationale for the subject - why information technology is taught in BC schools - and an explanation of the curriculum organizers.

The Information Technology 8 to 10 Curriculum

The provincially prescribed curriculum for Information Technology 8 to 10 is structured in terms of curriculum organizers. The main body of this IRP consists of four columns of information for each organizer. These columns describe:

• provincially prescribed learning outcome statements for Information Technology 8 to 10
• suggested instructional strategies for achieving the outcomes
• suggested assessment strategies for determining how well students are achieving the outcomes
• provincially recommended learning resources

Learning outcome statements are content standards for the provincial education system. Learning outcomes set out the knowledge, enduring ideas, issues, concepts, skills, and attitudes for each subject. They are statements of what students are expected to know and be able to do in each grade. Learning outcomes are clearly stated and expressed in measurable terms. All learning outcomes complete this stem: "It is expected that students will. . . . " Outcome statements have been written to enable teachers to use their experience and professional judgment when planning and evaluating. The outcomes are benchmarks that will permit the use of criterion-referenced performance standards. It is expected that actual student performance will vary. Evaluation, reporting, and student placement with respect to these outcomes depends on the professional judgment of teachers, guided by provincial policy.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Instruction involves the use of techniques, activities, and methods that can be employed to meet diverse student needs and to deliver the prescribed curriculum. Teachers are free to adapt the suggested instructional strategies or substitute others that will enable their students to achieve the prescribed outcomes. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

The assessment strategies suggest a variety of ways to gather information about student performance. Some assessment strategies relate to specific activities; others are general. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Provincially Recommended Learning Resources

Provincially recommended learning resources are materials that have been reviewed and evaluated by British Columbia teachers in collaboration with the Ministry of Education according to a stringent set of criteria. They are typically materials suitable for student use, but they may also include information primarily intended for teachers. Teachers and school districts are encouraged to select those resources that they find most relevant and useful for their students, and to supplement these with locally approved materials and resources to meet specific local needs. The recommended resources listed in the main body of this IRP are those that have a comprehensive coverage of significant portions of the curriculum, or those that provide a unique support to a specific segment of the curriculum. Appendix B contains a complete listing of provincially recommended learning resources to support this curriculum.

The Appendices

A series of appendices provides additional information about the curriculum and further support for the teacher.

• Appendix A  contains a listing of the prescribed learning outcomes for the curriculum, arranged by curriculum organizer and by grade.

• Appendix B  contains a comprehensive listing of the provincially recommended learning resources for this curriculum. As new resources are evaluated, this appendix will be updated.

• Appendix C  outlines the cross-curricular reviews used to ensure that concerns such as equity, access, and the inclusion of specific topics are addressed by all components of the IRP.

• Appendix D   contains assistance for teachers related to provincial evaluation and reporting policy. Curriculum outcomes have been used as the source for sample criterion-referenced evaluations.

• Appendix E   acknowledges the many people and organizations that have been involved in the development of this IRP.

• Appendix F   contains a glossary of terms specific to the Information Technology 8 to 10 curriculum.

• Appendix G   contains a planning guide and suggestions on how to integrate Information Technology 8 to 10 into a classroom setting.

Explanation of Section		Curriculum Sub-Organizer as seen on the World Wide Web
Grade and Curriculum Organizer		Grade 8 - Foundations This sub-organizer contains the following sections: Prescribed Learning Outcomes Suggested Instructional Strategies Suggested Assessment Strategies Recommended Learning Resources
Internal links to each section of the document
Prescribed Learning Outcomes		PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES It is expected that students will: identify information technology tools used to access information protect information using information technology tools enter information accurately using appropriate keyboarding techniques and software that allows for the storage, retrieval, and editing of material demonstrate the ability to formulate questions and to use a variety of sources and tools to access, capture, and store information use appropriate information technology terminology evaluate a variety of input and output devices demonstrate the ability to install software describe and practise appropriate safety procedures when working with information technology tools apply a variety of troubleshooting techniques related to information technology demonstrate an awareness of the impact of information technology tools on society identify careers and occupations that use information technology To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Foundations in other grades click on an icon below.
Navigational Links to similar sub-organizers
Suggested Instructional Strategies		SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Students need to understand how digital technology is changing organizations, commerce, politics, and social institutions. They need to acquire new technological and information technology literacy skills to succeed in today's world. While creating reports or documents in English, social studies, or math, have students review and practise keyboarding techniques (e.g., home-row placement, finger placement and reaches, correct posture, eyes-on-copy). When they are working on a research project or studying a specific topic, ask students to formulate several questions and then use a variety of information technology tools and correct keyboarding techniques to gather, capture, and store information to answer the questions. (For example, have students create a Middle Ages newspaper in social studies, a report on endangered species in science, or a chart or graph on careers in the career and personal planning program.) In business education or English, discuss with the class the role of passwords in the use of community-learning-network (CLN) accounts or bank ATM cards. Challenge students to explain why these systems are used. Discuss with the class the ethical issues involved in the use of passwords. Ask students to work in groups, with each to create a chart of information technology careers. Have them list occupational areas (e.g., telecommunications, the film or graphics industries) at the top of each chart and the employment fields in each area (e.g., research, design, repair, finance) at the side of each chart. Encourage students to discover and add to the list of occupational areas using electronic resources (e.g., the Internet, CD-ROMs). Ask each student in the class to install a program, ensure that it is operational, and determine the appropriate input and output devices.
Suggested Assessment Strategies		SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES As students become increasingly sophisticated in their use of information technology tools and begin to explore career opportunities, they are better able to meet the challenges of the Information Age. To assess students' abilities, observe them as they work and discuss with them their use of processes and strategies. After students have practised installing software, ask each to install a different program. Observe the extent to which they are able to: follow verbal, written, and on-screen instructions refer to technical manuals for clarification try alternative methods if they run into problems run the newly installed program to ensure that it works place the program in the correct folder or directory on the desktop Observe students practising their keyboarding skills and note the extent to which they: display correct posture (e.g., feet on the floor, back straight, correct hand and arm placement, appropriate proximity to the keyboard) to comply with ergonomic standards keep their eyes on the copy use home-row keys correctly use accurate key reaches, key combinations, and shift key use punctuation keys correctly Have students demonstrate their troubleshooting skills on a system that has been disabled. As students work through the troubleshooting process, have them complete learning logs to explain their thinking. Provide students with prompts such as: What did you do first? Why did you choose to try that solution? Was it successful? Where or how did you find helpful suggestions? What would you do differently next time?
Provincially Recommended Learning Resources		RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES Print Material All About Computers Communicating With Computers Computers: A Visual Encyclopedia Computers Illustrated How the Internet Works How to Use THE INTERNET How Virtual Reality Works The Internet by E-Mail Microsoft Press Computer Dictionary: The Comprehensive Standard for Business, School, Library and Home, Second Edition More Data Processing Applications Que's 1996 Computer & Internet Dictionary, 6th Edition The Technological Classroom Video Highway to Cyberia The Paperback Computer Software All the Right Type The Cruncher Digital Chisel Graph Links Looking Ahead: Earning, Spending, Saving UltraKey CD-ROM PC/Computing: How Computers Work
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