IB DP- Information Technology in a Global Society
The IB DP information technology in a global society (ITGS) course is the study and evaluation of the impacts of information technology (IT) on individuals and society. It explores the advantages and disadvantages of the access and use of digitized information at the local and global level. ITGS provides a framework for the student to make informed judgments and decisions about the use of IT within social contexts.
Aims of the Course
The aims of the ITGS standard and high level courses, according to the official subject brief, are to-
• Enable the student to evaluate social and ethical considerations arising from the widespread use of IT by individuals, families, communities, organizations and societies at the local and global level
• Develop the student’s understanding of the capabilities of current and emerging IT systems and to evaluate their impact on a range of stakeholders
• Enable students to apply their knowledge of existing IT systems to various scenarios and to make informed judgments about the effects of IT developments on them
• Encourage students to use their knowledge of IT systems and practical IT skills to justify IT solutions for a specified client or end-user.
Key features of the curriculum
- Two courses are offered, Standard Level (SL) that requires 150 hours of teaching time over two years, and Higher Level (HL) that requires 240 hours.
- The ITGS course is based on three interconnected strands; Social and ethical significance, Application to specified scenarios, IT systems.
- The ITGS triangle lies at the heart of the pedagogy. With an understanding of the information technologies, students must be able to evaluate social/ethical issues in specified scenarios.
- ITGS requires students to have strong research and higher order thinking skills.
Curriculum Model Overview
Strand 1: Social and ethical significance (SL/HL core)
• Reliability and integrity
• Security, privacy and anonymity
• Intellectual property and authenticity
• The digital divide and access equality
• Surveillance
• Globalization and cultural diversity
• Policies, standards and protocols
• People and machines
• Digital citizenship
Reccomended teaching hours- 40/SL, 40/HL
HL extension
Social and ethical considerations linked to the two HL extension topics and annually issued case study.
Reccomended teaching hours- 20/HL
Strand 2: Application to specified scenarios (SL/HL core)
• Business and employment
• Education and training
• Environment
• Health
• Home and leisure
• Politics and government
Reccomended teaching hours- 40/SL, 40/HL
HL extension
Scenarios based on real-life situations used to address specified IT developments in the two HL extension topics and annually issued case study
Reccomended teaching hours- 35/HL
Strand 3: IT systems (SL/HL core)
• Hardware and oftware
• Networks and internet
• Personal and public communications
• Multimedia/digital media
• Databases, spreadsheets, modelling and simulations
• Introduction to project management
Reccomended teaching hours- 40/SL, 40/HL
HL extension
• IT systems in organizations
• Robotics, artificial intelligence and expert systems
• Information systems specific to the annually issued case study
Reccomended teaching hours- 35/HL
The project (practical application of IT skills)
The application of skills and knowledge to develop an original IT product for a specified client.
Reccomended teaching hours- 30/SL, 30/HL
Assessment Models
- Teachers may choose any relevant contemporary article to illustrate scenarios. A vibrant wiki has been developed to help teachers share resources.
- Collaboration between schools, teachers and students is encouraged. Teachers need to keep abreast of emerging online tools, applications and hardware.
- A component (HL only) is linked to the annually issued case study. This requires students to investigate a new topic related to the subject in greater depth.
- ITGS requires students to develop a product that would be suitable for a client. The aim of this assessment is to support and prepare students for the workplace.
Having followed the ITGS higher level course, the official subject brief states that students will be taught to demonstrate the following.
-
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of specified content
• IT applications and developments in specified scenarios
• The social and ethical significance of specified IT applications and developments
• Technical knowledge of ITGS terminology, concepts and tools
• Technical knowledge of IT systems
• Topics related to the annually issued case study -
Application and analysis
• Explain the impacts of IT applications and developments in specified scenarios
• Analyse the social and ethical significance of specified IT applications and developments
• Transfer IT knowledge and make connections between specific scenarios
• Apply technical knowledge of IT systems acquired through independent research to provide supporting evidence for possible decisions related to the annually issued case study -
Synthesis and evaluation
• Evaluate local and global impacts of specified IT developments through individually researched studies
• Evaluate a solution involving IT to a specified problem using knowledge of IT systems
• Discuss the social and ethical implications of specified IT policies and developments
• Evaluate, formulate and justify possible strategic courses of action related to the annually issued case study -
Use of ITGS skills
• Demonstrate evidence of project management in the development of a well-organized product to resolve a specific issue
• Use IT tools and the product development life cycle (PDLC) to create an original product in consultation with a client
• Demonstrate evidence of the use of appropriate techniques to develop an original IT product
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