Page 17 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Technological Education, 2009 (revised)

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | Technological Education
Many of the specific expectations are accompanied by examples, which are given in parentheses and italicized. These examples are meant to illustrate the kind of knowledge or skill, the specific area of learning, the depth of learning, and/or the level of complexity that the expectation entails. In addition, the examples provided within a broad-based technological education course may collectively reflect the range of areas represented within a given subject (e.g., a construction technology course may include examples
that are applicable to plumbing, electrical/network cabling, masonry, heating and cooling, and carpentry).
The examples are intended as a guide for teachers rather than as an exhaustive or manda- tory list. Teachers can choose to use the examples that are appropriate for their class- rooms or they may develop their own approaches that reflect a similar level of complexi- ty. Whatever the specific ways in which the requirements outlined in the expectations are implemented in the classroom, they must, wherever possible, be inclusive and reflect the diversity of the student population and the population of the province.
STRANDS IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM
The overall and specific expectations for each course in the technological education cur- riculum are typically organized in four distinct but related strands. As students move up through the grades, the expectations within these strands will increase in complexity and depth. These strands are as follows:
Fundamentals: Students develop foundational knowledge and skills related to the design and fabrication of products or the provision of services in the particular broad-based tech- nological subject area.
Skills: Students develop the technological skills required for responding to a variety of practical challenges.
Technology, the Environment, and Society: Students develop an understanding of the interrelationship between the technology or industry sector and the environment, and between the technology and various aspects of society. (In subject areas that relate to serv- ices, this strand is entitled Industry Practices, the Environment, and Society.)
Professional Practice and Career Opportunities: Students develop an understanding
of health and safety standards in the industry, professional concerns and issues, and the Essential Skills and work habits valued in the sector, and explore career opportunities and the education and training required for them.
PROBLEM SOLVING IN TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION
An approach to learning that emphasizes problem solving is the best way to prepare stu- dents for the challenges they will face in the world beyond school. In the workplace, proj- ects or tasks may not always be clearly defined or have prescribed solutions. Students who have a strong background in problem solving will be more confident and better equipped to address new challenges in a variety of contexts.
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