ICS4U Computer Science is entirely online and does not require or rely on any textbook. Students may obtain appropriate books as reference texts for the Grade 12 Computer Science, but any text is optional. Not optional, however, is an internet connection.

• ICS4U Computer Studies courses lend themselves to a wide range of approaches in that they require students to discuss issues, solve problems, plan solutions, participate in the development of solutions, conduct research, think critically, and work cooperatively.
• In Computer Studies, students are required to learn concepts, skills, procedures, and processes. They develop competence in these various areas with the aid of instructional and learning strategies that are suited to the particular type of learning.
• Scaffolding is an instructional approach that involves breaking down tasks so that students can concentrate on specific, manageable objectives and gradually build understanding and skill, with the aid of modeling by the teacher and ample opportunity for practice.
• Students’ attitudes towards computer studies can have a significant effect on their achievement of expectations. Teaching methods and learning activities that encourage students to recognize the value and relevance of what they are learning will go a long way toward motivating them to work and learn effectively.

At Spadina International School all ICS4U curriculum overall expectations outlined by the Ontario Ministry of Education are accounted for instruction and accordingly for evaluation. A student’s achievement of the overall expectations is evaluated on the basis of his or her achievement of related specific expectations. Likewise, SIS Teachers develop learning goals based on the curriculum expectations for Grade 12 Computer Science and share them with students through the Introduction to Computer Science Syllabus. 

Evidence of SIS student achievement for evaluation is continually collected on every lesson from three different sources: observations, conversations, and student products. Observations are gathered from discussion areas or video evidence. Effective conversations will be fostered through apps that enable forums, discussions, or feedback. Student products may be in the form of tests or exams and/or assignments for evaluation. Assignments for evaluation may include rich performance tasks, demonstrations, projects, and/or essays, contributions to online discussions, completion of online assignments, portfolio submissions, projects and presentations, website development, electronic presentations, Online collaborative projects, oral presentations, interviews, dissertations or Student-led conferencing or Student-led conferencing.

 

Achievement Chart

Spadina International School student learning is assessed and evaluated in a balanced manner with respect to four levels of the achievement chart, defined as follows:

Level Below 50%: represents achievement way below the provincial standard 

Level 1 represents achievement that falls much below the provincial standard, obtained if Performance is under 59% of marks. 

Level 2 represents achievement that approaches the provincial standard, obtained if performance is between 60% and 69% of marks.

Level 3 represents the provincial standard for achievement, attained if performance is between 70% and 79% of marks.

Level 4 identifies achievement that surpasses the provincial standard,  reached if performance is over 80% of marks

 

Categories of Knowledge and Skills

The following are the four broad areas of knowledge and skills within which SIS subject/course expectations are organized. The categories are to be considered interrelated, reflecting the wholeness and interconnectedness of learning, therefore each one accounts for 25%:

1. Knowledge and Understanding: Subject-specific content acquired in each grade/course (knowledge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding)
2. Thinking: The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes
3. Communication: The conveying of meaning through various forms
4. Application: The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts 

 

Learning Skills and Work Habits

The development of learning skills and work habits is an integral part of a Spadina International School student’s learning, and are Responsibility, Organization,  Independent Work, Collaboration, Initiative, and Self-regulation, and will be evaluated and reported as E – Excellent, G Good, S Satisfactory, N Needs improvement.

SIS students will develop most of their duties and responsibilities online, such as consulting the ICS4U course syllabus, accessing the reading material and teacher’s lectures, watching videos or conferences, participating in forums or discussions, uploading student products, and writing exams. Students’ products and homework assignments could be developed offline depending on the task but will have an online component to upload the results.

The evaluation for Grade 12 ICS4U Computer Science is based on the student’s achievement of Ontario curriculum expectations and the demonstrated skills required for effective learning. The final percentage grade represents the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations for the Computer Science ICS4U  and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline. A credit is granted and recorded for Grade 12 ICS4U if the student’s grade is 50% or higher. The final grade will be determined as follows:

• 70% of the grade will be based on evaluations conducted throughout the ICS4U Computer course. This portion of the grade will reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the ICS4U Computer Science, although special consideration will be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
• 30% of the grade will be based on final evaluations administered at the end of the Grade 12 ICS4U Computer Studies. The final assessment may be a final exam, a final project, or a combination of both an exam and a project.

Spadina International School will issue a Report Card following the guidelines of the Ontario Ministry of Education. It will contain information about the ICS4U Computer Science Grade 12, the percentage mark, the evaluation of the six learning skills and work habits, strengths, and steps for improvement. The report card will be issued once the SIS Student has completed 50% of the Computer Studies ICS4U, or at the end.

Spadina International School report cards ensure that all SIS Students and their parents receive standard, clear, detailed, and straightforward information about student progress and achievement based on the expectations and standards outlined in the Ontario curriculum.

Classroom teachers are the key educators of students who have special education needs. They have a responsibility to help all students learn, and they work collaboratively with special education resource teachers, where appropriate, to achieve this goal. Special Education Transformation: The Report of the Co-Chairs With the Recommendations of the Working Table on Special Education, 2006 endorses a set of beliefs that should guide program planning for students with special education needs in all disciplines.

In Online High Schools in Canada classroom, students may demonstrate various strengths and needs. Teachers plan programs that recognize this diversity and give students perform tasks that respect their particular abilities so that all students can derive the most significant possible benefit from the teaching and learning process at the best high school in Canada. The use of flexible groupings for instruction and the provision of ongoing assessment are essential elements of programs that accommodate diverse learning needs.

Spadina International School is the best high school in Canada, and as such delivers English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for students whose first language is a language other than English, or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction.  Appropriate adaptations include:

1. Modification of some or all of the subject expectations so that they are challenging but attainable for the learner at his or her present level of English proficiency, given the necessary support from the teacher;

2. Use of a variety of instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers, scaffolding; previewing of textbooks, pre-teaching of key vocabulary; peer tutoring; strategic use of students’ first languages);

3. Use of a variety of learning resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingual dictionaries, and materials that reflect cultural diversity);

4. Use of assessment accommodations (e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral interviews, demonstrations or visual representations, or tasks requiring completion of graphic organizers or close sentences instead of essay questions and other assessment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English).

When learning expectations in any course are modified for an English language learner, this information must be clearly indicated on the student’s report card.

The implementation of antidiscrimination principles in Spadina International school influences all aspects of school life. It promotes a school climate that encourages all students to work to attain high standards, affirms the worth of all students, and helps students strengthen their sense of identity and develop a positive self-image. SIS encourages staff and students alike to value and show respect for diversity in the school and the wider society. As the best high school in Canada, SIS adopts measures to provide a safe environment for learning, free from harassment, violence, and expressions of hate.

Antidiscrimination education encourages Spadina students to think critically about themselves and others in the world around them in order to promote fairness, healthy relationships, and active, responsible citizenship.

Financial literacy strategy is a fundamental component to gaining the OSSD diploma in  Spadina International School by covering OSSD diploma requirements and includes the four key components of citizenship, economic understanding, personal finances, and consumer awareness. Financial literacy builds students’ understanding of personal finances, the local and global economy, and the results of their choices as consumers.

Financial literacy means having the knowledge and skills to make responsible economic and financial decisions with confidence. In today’s complex world, young people need a wide range of skills and knowledge to make informed choices. Financial literacy will help students to:

• Carefully consider their financial choices. This can apply to everyday decisions, like buying groceries to bigger investments, like paying for tuition or buying a car.

• Understand basic money management.

• Develop their own perspectives on financial matters, such as interest rates, mortgage rules or the Canadian or global economy.

• Participate fully in society as knowledgeable, responsible citizens who can confidently make decisions about where and how to invest their money.

• Stay financially stable and healthy throughout life.

• Understand the impact of economic choices on the world they live

Teachers who are planning a program in Marketing Goods, Services, and Events – BMI3C will make an effort to take into account considerations for Gaining the accredited high school diploma online, which aligns with the Ontario Ministry of Education policy and initiatives in a number of important areas. The Ontario curriculum also builds on and reinforces certain aspects of the Mathematics curriculum. For example, clear, concise communication involves the use of various diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs to organize, interpret, and present information.

In Marketing studies courses, students will develop their ability to ask questions and conduct research as they plan and manage projects. They need to learn a variety of research methods in
order to carry out their investigations and to know which methods to use in a particular inquiry. Students need to learn how to locate relevant information in a variety of print and
electronic sources, including books and articles, manuals, newspapers, websites, databases, tables, diagrams, and charts. As they advance through the grades, students will be expected to use these sources with increasing sophistication. They will also be expected to distinguish between primary and secondary sources, to determine their validity and relevance, and to use them inappropriate ways. This is especially true with respect to electronic research sources.

Critical thinking is the process of thinking about ideas or situations in order to understand them fully, identify their implications, and/or make a judgement about what is sensible or reasonable to believe or do. Critical thinking includes skills such as questioning, predicting, hypothesizing, analysing, synthesizing, examining opinions, identifying values and issues, detecting bias, and distinguishing between alternatives.

Spadina International School is a Canadian online high school where Students use critical thinking skills in science when they assess, analyze, and/or evaluate the impact of something on society and the environment; when they form an opinion about something and support that opinion with logical reasons; or when they create personal plans of action with regard to making a difference. In order to do these things, students need to examine the opinions and values of others, detect bias, look for implied meaning in their readings, and use the information gathered to form a personal opinion or stance while availing of a High School Diploma.

The nature of Spadina International school is one of the Online High Schools in Canada, whose students´ personal computers and the internet become the most valuable lab and resource. SIS teachers will guide students to reach pedagogic, scientific, academic, and practical material on the internet. To follow the pedagogical approach of Spadina International school, students will develop skills to find updated statistical data produced by reliable public and private institutions, as well as current investigations published by recognized institutions such as research labs, universities, or recognized scholars.

Information and communications technology provide a range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich teachers’ instructional strategies and support students’ learning. For Spadina International school is the best high school in Canada, technology plays a fundamental role, and it’s inherent to its e-learning pedagogical model. The use of technology helps SIS students collect, organize, and sort the data they gather and write, edit, and present multimedia reports on their findings. Technology also makes it possible to use simulations – for instance, when field studies on a particular topic are not feasible. Students can also use digital or video cameras to record laboratory inquiries or findings on field trips, or for multimedia presentations on scientific issues.

Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, SIS students must be made aware of issues of privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred.

Cooperative education programs allow students to earn Ontario high school credits online while completing a work placement in the community. These programs complement students’ academic programs and are valuable for all students, whatever their post-secondary destination. A cooperative education program comprises, at a minimum, one cooperative education course and its related course on which the cooperative education course is based.

The cooperative education course consists of a classroom component and a placement component. The classroom component includes pre-placement sessions and classroom integration sessions. The pre-placement sessions prepare students for the workplace and include instruction in areas of key importance, such as health and safety. The classroom integration sessions provide opportunities for students to reflect on and reinforce their learning in the workplace as the program progresses.

A personalized placement learning plan (PPLP) must be developed for all students in a cooperative education program. A student’s progress in achieving the curriculum expectations and in meeting the requirements identified in the PPLP must be assessed and evaluated by a teacher through regular workplace monitoring meetings with the student and the student’s workplace supervisor.

Education and career/life planning helps students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed choices for their education, career, and life outside school. Spadina International School students get a chance to learn more about themselves and their opportunities, set goals, and make plans to achieve them, as part of their High School Diploma. This program helps students choose the courses and activities that support their goals and interests

The goals are to:

1. Ensure that students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed education and career/life choices through the effective application of a four-step inquiry process;

2. Provide opportunities for this learning both in and outside the classroom;

3. Engage parents and the broader community in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program, to support students in their learning.

The guidance and career education program have three areas of learning – student development (i.e., the development of habits and skills necessary for learning), interpersonal development (i.e., the development of the knowledge and skills needed in getting along with others), and career development (i.e., the development of the knowledge and skills needed to set short-term and long-term goals in planning for the future). Student development and interpersonal development areas are integrated within the learning skills and work habits in all the courses at Spadina International School.

Pursuing a High School Diploma at Spadina International School is a major challenge that must also include self-care. The major health and safety concerns associated with computer use are musculoskeletal injuries (including repetitive strain injuries) and eye strain. Teachers should not only ensure that workstations are ergonomically arranged but also encourage students to maintain good posture and to take regular breaks to stand and stretch. It is also important to inform students of the mental and emotional health risks associated with social isolation – a familiar condition among heavy computer users. Various kinds of health and safety issues can arise when learning involves field trips. Out-of-school field trips can provide an exciting and authentic dimension to students’ learning experiences. They also take the teacher and students out of the predictable classroom environment and into unfamiliar settings. Teachers must preview and plan these activities carefully to protect students’ health and safety.

Ontario curriculum provides varied opportunities for Spadina International School students to learn about ethical issues and explore the role of ethics in both public and personal decision-making. During the inquiry process, students may need to make ethical judgments when evaluating evidence and positions on various issues, and when drawing their own conclusions about issues, developments, and events.

Spadina International School teachers ensure that they thoroughly address the issue of plagiarism with students. In a digital world in which we have easy access to abundant information, it is very easy to copy the words of others and present them as one’s own. Students need to be reminded of the ethical issues surrounding plagiarism, and the consequences of plagiarism should be clearly discussed before students engage in an inquiry.