HSC Information Processing and Technology/The Course

Aim

Information Processes and Technology Stage 6 is designed to enable students to become confident, competent, discriminating and ethical users of information technologies, to possess an understanding of information processes and to appreciate the effect of information systems on society.

Objectives

Students will develop:

knowledge and understanding of the nature and function of information systems
knowledge and understanding of interrelationships among information processes
an understanding and appreciation of social and ethical issues pertaining to information systems, technologies and processes
an understanding and appreciation of the emerging nature of information systems, technologies and processes within a historical context
skills in the discriminatory selection and ethical use of appropriate resources and tools to support information systems
skills and techniques to creatively and methodically plan, design and implement information systems to address needs
skills in management, communication and teamwork in relation to individual and group activities.

Course Structure

The arrangement and relationship between components of the Preliminary course and the HSC course for Information Processes and Technology Stage 6 are outlined below. The percentage values refer to indicative course time.

Preliminary Course

HSC Course

Introduction to Information Skills and Systems (20%)

Information Systems in Context
Information Processes
Digital Representation of Data
Classification of Information Systems
Social and Ethical Issues

Tools for Information Processes (40%)

Collecting
Organising
Analysing
Storing and Retrieving
Processing
Transmitting and Receiving
Displaying

Planning, Design and Implementation (20%)

Understanding the Problem to be Solved
Making Decisions
Designing Solutions
Implementing
Testing, Evaluating and Maintaining
Social and Ethical Issues

Personal and Group System Projects (20%)

Personal Information Systems
Group Information Systems

Project Work (20%)

Understanding the Problem
Making Decisions
Desiging Solutions
Project Management
Social and Ethical Design
Implementing
Testing, Evaluating and Maintaining

Information Systems and Databases (20%)

Information Systems
Examples of Database Information Systems
Organisation Methods
Storage and Retrieval
Other Information Processes
Issues Related to Information Systems

Communication Systems (20%)

Characteristics of Communication Systems
Examples of Communication Systems
Transmitting and Receiving in Communication Systems
Other Information Processes in Communication Systems
Issues Related to Communication Systems

Option Strands (40%)

Students will select TWO of the following options:

Transaction Processing Systems
Decision Support Systems
Automated Manufacturing Systems
Multimedia Systems

Objectives and Outcomes

Objectives Students will develop:	Preliminary Outcomes A student:	HSC Outcomes A student:
1. Knowledge and understanding of the nature and function of information systems.	P1.1 Describes the nature of information processes and information technology P1.2 classfies the functions and operations of information processes and information technology	H1.1 applies an understanding of the nature and function of information technologies to a specific practical situation H1.2 explains and justifies the way in which information systems relate to information processes in a specific context
2. knowledge and understanding of interrelationships among information processes	P2.1 identifies the information processes within an information system P2.2 recognises the interdependence between each of the information processes	H2.1 analyses and describes a system in terms of the information processes involved H2.2 develops solutions for an identified need which address all of the information processes
3. an understanding and appreciation of social and ethical issues pertaining to information systems, technologies and processes	P3.1 identifies social and ethical issues	H3.1 evaluates the effect of information systems on the individual, society and the environment H3.2 demonstrates ethical practice in the use of information systems, technologies and processes
4. an understanding and appreciation of the emerging nature of information systems, technologies and processes within a historical context	P4.1 describes the historical development of information systems and relates these to current and emerging technologies	H4.1 proposes ways in which information systems will meet emerging needs
5. skills in the discriminatory selection and ethical use of appropriate resources and tools to support information systems	P5.1 selects and ethically uses computer based and non-computer based resources and tools to process information	H5.1 justifies the selection and use of appropriate resources and tools to effectively develop and manage projects H5.2 assesses the ethical implications of selecting and using specific resources and tools
6. skills and techniques to creatively and methodically plan, design and implement information systems to address needs	P6.1 analyses and describes an identified need P6.2 generates ideas, considers alternatives and develops solutions for a defined need	H6.1 analyses situations, identifies a need and develops solutions H6.2 selects and applies a methodical approach to planning, designing or implementing a solution
7. skills in management, communication and teamwork in relation to individual and group activities	P7.1 recognises and applies management and communication techniques to project work P7.2 uses technology to support group work	H7.1 implements effective management techniques H7.2 uses methods to thoroughly document the development of individual and/or group projects

References

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/infoprotech_syl.pdf