Big Ideas

Big Ideas

Design for the life cycle includes consideration of social and environmental impacts
including manufacturing, packaging, disposal, and recycling considerations
.
Personal design choices require self-exploration, collaboration, and evaluation and refinement of skills.
Tools and technologies can be adapted for specific purposes.

Content

Learning Standards

Content

design opportunities
evolution of computer technology, including hardware, software, networks, and the Internet
lab procedures, electrical safety, and appropriate tool use
internal and external components
functionality, and interdependence of internal and external components; for example, central processing units (CPUs), random access memory (RAM), video cards, printers, scanners
of computer systems, including peripheral devices
input/output devices, including devices to increase accessibility for those with physical challenges, 2D and 3D printers, scanners, and printers
computer troubleshooting
identify the problem, establish a theory of probable cause, test the theory to determine cause, determine the next steps to resolve problem, report findings
, including the incorporation of digital tools
for example, help and discussion forums, tutorial videos, online help databases, lists of frequently asked questions (FAQs)
to aid and assist with research and diagnostics
computer assembly and disassembly best practices
ongoing preventive maintenance
comprehensive backup plan, measures to secure the system against malicious exploits, periodic hardware and software maintenance, and steps to maintain general system tidiness. Goals of preventative maintenance are to reduce the likelihood of hardware failures, extend the useful life of the system, minimize system crashes caused by outdated drivers and other software problems, secure the system against viruses and other malware, and prevent data loss.
, including data security and online/offline backup solutions
installation and configuration of operating systems
proprietary versus open-source
software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance
applications
software installations and configurations
use of correct terminology to describe the units, rates, and encoding of data communication
network planning, setup, and diagnostics
key aspects of network protocols and standards
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the creation of open standards for networking; seven layers of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) reference model; “interoperability” in the functioning of the Internet; four layers of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP); model-wide area networks (WANs) and local area networks (LANs); logical and physical network topologies, including the segmentation of networks
laptops and mobile device technology
design for the life cycle
taking into account in the design process, economic costs, and social and environmental impacts of the product, from the extraction of raw materials to eventual reuse or recycling of component materials
careers in information and communication technology (ICT), including roles and responsibilities
for example, communication, articulation of problems, collaboration, conflict resolution, workplace courtesies, interpersonal relations within digital platforms
of ICT professionals
future technologies and potential societal impacts
appropriate use of technology, including digital citizenship, etiquette, and literacy

Curricular Competency

Learning Standards

Curricular Competency

Applied Design

Understanding context
  • Conduct user-centred research
    research done directly with potential users to understand how they do things and why, their physical and emotional needs, how they think about the world, and what is meaningful to them
    to determine technology design opportunities and barriers
Defining
  • Establish a point of view for a chosen design opportunity
  • Identify potential users, intended impact, and possible unintended negative consequences
  • Make inferences about premises and constraints
    limiting factors, such as available technology, expense, environmental impact, copyright
    that define the technologies
Ideating
  • Identify gaps to explore a design
  • Critically analyze how competing social, ethical, and sustainability considerations impact design
  • Generate ideas and add to others’ ideas to create possibilities, and prioritize them for prototyping
  • Work with users throughout the design process
Prototyping          
  • Analyze the design for life cycle and evaluate its impacts
    including the social and environmental impacts of extraction and transportation of raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, transportation to markets, servicing or providing replacement parts, expected usable lifetime, and reuse or recycling of component materials
  • Construct prototypes, making changes to tools, materials, and procedures as needed
  • Record iterations
    repetitions of a process with the aim of approaching a desired result
    of prototyping
Testing
  • Identify most appropriate feedback and possible sources of feedback
    may include peers; users; First Nations, Métis, or Inuit community experts; other experts and professionals both online and offline
  • Develop an appropriate test
    includes evaluating the degree of authenticity required for the setting of the test, deciding on an appropriate type and number of trials, and collecting and compiling data
    of the prototype
  • Collect feedback to critically evaluate design and make changes to product design or processes
  • Iterate the prototype or abandon the design idea
Making
  • Identify appropriate tools, technologies, materials, processes, and time needed for production, and where/how these could be available
  • Use project management processes
    setting goals, planning, organizing, constructing, monitoring, and leading during execution
    when working individually or collaboratively to coordinate production
Sharing
  • Share
    may include showing to others, use by others, giving away, or marketing and selling
    progress while creating to increase opportunities for feedback
  • Critically reflect on their design thinking and processes, and identify new design goals
  • Assess ability to work effectively both as individuals and collaboratively while implementing project management processes

Applied Skills

Apply safety procedures for themselves, co-workers, and users in both physical and digital environments
Identify and assess skills needed for design interests, and develop specific plans to learn or refine them over time

Applied Technologies

Explore existing, new, and emerging tools, technologies
tools that extend human capabilities
, and systems to evaluate their suitability for their design interests
Evaluate impacts, including unintended negative consequences, of choices made about technology use
Analyze the role technologies play in societal change