Page 43 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008 (revised)

Whenever appropriate, therefore, students should be encouraged to use ICT to support and communicate their learning. For example, students working individually or in groups can use computers and portable storage devices, CD-ROM and DVD technologies, and/or Internet websites to gain access to science institutions in Canada and around the world. Students can also use digital or video cameras to record laboratory inquiries or findings on field trips, or for multimedia presentations on scientific issues.
Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, all students must be made aware of issues of privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred.
ICT tools are also useful for teachers in their teaching practice, both for whole class instruc- tion and for the design of curriculum units that contain varied approaches to learning to meet diverse student needs. A number of educational software programs to support science are licensed through the ministry and are listed at www.osapac.org/software.asp.
THE ONTARIO SKILLS PASSPORT AND ESSENTIAL SKILLS
Teachers planning programs in science 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–work connections. The OSP provides clear descriptions of Essential Skills such as Reading Text, Writing, Computer Use, Measurement and Calculation, and Problem Solving and includes an extensive data- base of occupation-specific workplace tasks that illustrate how workers use these skills on the job. The Essential Skills are transferable, in that they are used in virtually all occu- pations. The OSP also includes descriptions of important work habits, such as working safely, being reliable, and providing excellent customer service. The OSP is designed to help employers assess and record students’ demonstration of these skills and work hab- its during their cooperative education placements. Students can use the OSP to assess, practise, and build their Essential Skills and work habits and transfer them to a job or further education or training.
The skills described in the OSP are the Essential Skills that the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated, through extensive research, as the skills needed for work, learning, and life. These Essential Skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. For further information on the OSP and the Essential Skills, visit http://skills.edu.gov.on.ca.
CAREER EDUCATION
Ongoing scientific discoveries and innovations coupled with rapidly evolving technolo- gies have resulted in an exciting environment in which creativity and innovation thrive, bringing about new career opportunities. Today’s employers seek candidates with strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills and the ability to work cooperatively in a team – traits that are developed through participation in the science program. Through science courses, students will develop a variety of important capabilities, including the ability to identify issues, conduct research, carry out experiments, solve problems, pre- sent results, and work on projects both independently and as a team. Students are also given opportunities to explore various careers related to the areas of science under study
SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING
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