Page 30 - The Ontario Curriculum Grades 10 to 12 Computer Studies - Revised (2008)

thE ontario curriculum, GradES 10 –12 | Computer Studies
Programming projects can be used to support these expectations. For example, students might program a survey to assess people’s knowledge of environmentally responsible strategies related to the use of computers. The program could be designed to calculate
the respondent’s “environmental awareness” grade and suggest additional strategies, or
it could be designed to provide feedback for each survey question. Students could also design surveys to assess the use of environmentally responsible practices in the classroom.
Environmental education can also be integrated into the design of other programming projects, such as simulations that model healthy ecosystems (showing the balance between plants and animals in an enclosed system); or the consequences of an environ- mental catastrophe such as an oil spill on a coastline (including the speed and depth of the oil spread and the impact of the oil on the area affected); or the social costs and ben- efits of designing energy-efficient buildings. The dynamic relationships resulting from human interaction with the environment provide a rich context for developing authentic learning activities within computer studies courses.
LITERACY, MATHEMATICAL LITERACY, AND INQUIRY/RESEARCH SKILLS
Literacy, mathematical literacy, and inquiry/research skills are critical to students’ success in all subjects of the curriculum and in all areas of their lives.
Many of the activities and tasks that students undertake in the computer studies cur- riculum involve literacy skills relating to oral, written, and visual communication.
For example, students use language to describe their observations, to describe their criti- cal analyses in both informal and formal contexts, and to present their findings in pres- entations and reports in oral, written, graphic, and multimedia forms. Computer studies also requires the use and understanding of specialized terminology. In all computer stud- ies courses, students are expected to use appropriate and correct terminology, and are encouraged to use language with care and precision in order to communicate effectively.
The computer studies program also builds on, reinforces, and enhances mathematical literacy. For example, clear, concise communication often involves the use of diagrams, tables, and graphs, and many components of the computer studies curriculum emphasize students’ ability to interpret and use symbols and charts.
Inquiry is at the heart of learning in all subject areas. In computer studies courses, stu- dents are encouraged to develop their ability to ask questions and to explore a variety of possible answers to those questions. As they advance through the grades, they acquire the skills to locate relevant information from a variety of sources, such as books, peri- odicals, dictionaries, encyclopedias, interviews, videos, and the Internet. The question- ing they practised in the early grades becomes more sophisticated as they learn that all sources of information have a particular point of view and that the recipient of the infor- mation has a responsibility to evaluate it, determine its validity and relevance, and use
it in appropriate ways. The ability to locate, question, and evaluate information allows a student to become an independent, lifelong learner.
THE ONTARIO SKILLS PASSPORT AND ESSENTIAL SKILLS
Teachers planning programs in computer studies need to be aware of the purpose and benefits of the Ontario Skills Passport (OSP). The OSP is a bilingual web-based resource that enhances the relevance of classroom learning for students and strengthens school–
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