Course Description: 

Information and Software Technologies (IST) is a new course, which replaces the old Computing Studies Course in years 9 and 10.  The course caters for all students including Gifted and Talented students.  The Project based approach used in this course quickly teach students to become independent learners.  All tasks have been purposefully designed following Quality Teaching principles. Each project has a different focus but all projects are designed to teach students how to make effective use of computer technology in solving problems.  Students have choice in the projects they work on.  Higher ability students are encouraged to tackle more complex problems. Students design graphics, build their own website, created movies or animations, build database solutions and develop their own software.

Intranet and internet resources are used extensively throughout the course.  Hundreds on hours have been spent designing our own online resources for this course so that students will not require textbooks and notebooks.

The course provides students with the opportunities to reinforce and build on those core computer competencies (ICT skills) undertaken in other courses, but these ICT skills are explicitly addressed in this course. 

Assessment:

Inclass project work forms the bulk of the assessment. Each topic also includes either a practical or theory test.

Suggested Prerequisites:  

There are no prerequisites for this course, but it is assumed that students will have basic computer literacy.  

Topics covered

In Year 9   the main topics include:

• Digital Graphics Processing
• Database Solutions
• Software, Algorithms and Programming

In Year 10 the main topics include:

Particular Course Requirements:

Students electing this course should enjoy using computers as well as the challenges solving problems, working with others and sharing ideas.

Course Fees:  $85.