IB ITGS Information Technology in a Global Society

Mr Goodwin Subject Leader for Computing and ICT I have been teaching Computer Science and ICT at NSFG for 6 years, but before that I completed my degree in Computer Science at the University of Kent, including spending a year working for Cisco Systems in Silicon Valley, California. IT is a very broad subject, and I’m interested in a large number of areas of technological news and development and look forward to discussing these topics with likewise enthusiastic students. Unsurprisingly, I enjoy playing video games and 3 D printing outside of work, but alongside these stereotypical hobbies I also have a keen interest in motorsport too.

Why study ITGS The ITGS course aims to provide students with a strong technical knowledge of IT systems and a deep appreciation for the impact that they have on the human users. You are encouraged to engage in wider reading and understanding of technological issues in societies and cultures across the globe. By the end of the course you should be comfortable in creating and engaging with IT systems for specified clients, and have the skills to continue studying or have the skills to assist in a technology-enabled career.

IB Learner Profile

Course structure The course has 3 strands, all with equal weighting: • Social and ethical significance • Application to specified scenarios • IT systems Both standard level and higher level follow the same majority of topics. The difference is in the depth and application of the knowledge.

Strand 1: Social and ethical significance • Strand 1 incorporates: • • • Reliability and integrity Security Privacy and anonymity Intellectual property Authenticity The digital divide and equality of access • Surveillance • Globalisation and cultural diversity • Policies • Standards and protocols • People and machines • Digital citizenship

Strand 2: Application to specified scenarios • Strand 2 incorporates: • Business and employment • Education and training • Environment • Health • Home and leisure • Politics and government

Strand 3: IT systems • Strand 3 incorporates (HL): • • • Hardware Software Networks Internet Personal and public communications • Multimedia/ digital media • Databases • Spreadsheets, modelling and simulations • Introduction to project management • IT systems in organisations • Robotics, artificial intelligence and expert systems

Assessment Standard Level • 2 external assessments, 1 internal • External: Paper 1 (1 h 45 m) – 40% • External: Paper 2 (1 h 15 m) – 30% • Internal: Project based (30 h) – 30% Higher Level • 3 external assessments, 1 internal • External: Paper 1 (2 h 15 m) – 35% • External: Paper 2 (1 h 15 m) – 20% • External: Paper 3 (1 h 15 m) – 25% • Internal: Project based (30 h) – 20%

Expectations In school expectations: • Attend all lessons on-time and fully equipped (including a laptop) • Complete work on time and catch up on all missed work promptly Outside school expectations: • Complete homework to the best of your ability • Independently research and recap topics studied • Keep up to date with technology related development and news

Wider reading/watching Tech. Linked is a 3 x a week technology news show. Crash. Course has some great courses, including: Computer Science, Study Hall: Data Literacy, and Navigating Digital Information. Vox Open Sourced is a series of articles and videos looking at the hidden consequences of technology. BBC’s Technology news page for latest on tech topics. Pictures are all hyperlinked. Click on a picture to find out more. Hannah Fry – Hello World: How to be Human in the Age of the Machine