Page 51 - Social Sciences Humanities - The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12 - 2013

• obtain access to programs, resources, and integrated technologies that support all curriculum areas;
• understand and value the role of public library systems as a resource for lifelong learning.
The school library program plays a key role in the development of information literacy and research skills. Teacher librarians, where available, collaborate with classroom or content-area teachers to design, teach, and provide students with authentic information and research tasks that foster learning, including the ability to:
• access, select, gather, process, critically evaluate, create, and communicate information;
• use the information obtained to explore and investigate issues, solve problems, make decisions, build knowledge, create personal meaning, and enrich their lives;
• communicate their findings to different audiences, using a variety of formats and technologies;
• use information and research with understanding, responsibility, and imagination. In addition, teacher librarians can work with teachers of social science and humanities
courses to help students:
• develop literacy in using non-print forms, such as the Internet, CDs, DVDs, and videos, in order to access information, databases, and demonstrations;
• design inquiry questions for research projects;
• create and produce single-medium or multimedia presentations.
Teachers need to discuss with students the concept of ownership of work and the impor­ tance of copyright in all forms of media.
THE ROLE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES PROGRAM
Information and communications technologies (ICT) provide a range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich teachers’ instructional strategies and support students’ learning. ICT tools include multimedia resources, databases, websites, digital cameras, and word-processing programs. Tools such as these can help students to collect, organize, and sort the data they gather, and to write, edit, and present reports on their findings. ICT can also be used to connect students to other schools, at home and abroad, and to bring the global community into the local classroom.
A wide range of technologies can be easily integrated into the social sciences and humanities curriculum. In food and nutrition courses, for example, students’ learning is enhanced through the use of Canadian nutrient databases and nutrition analysis software. In fashion and housing courses, computer assisted design (CAD) software provides opportunities to enrich students’ learning. Statistical analysis software and Statistics Canada databases can be used in all courses, especially when addressing expectations related to research and inquiry.
SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING
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