Mr. Damon's terminale IB
ITGS

Graduating Class of 2011

This page is to inform you of your homework, exam revision and any other information you will need.  The assignments will be listed in reverse chronological order so that the most recent work will be on top of the list.  When it says "To Do for Week 2", that means that what is listed must be completed for the second lesson.  

(See below the box for homework)

To Do Every Week:

• Have a look at technology news on TV, in newspapers or on some of the sites listed above, notably the NPR Technology News podcasts.  Keep up-to-date on how information technology is being used to help businesses, hospitals, governments, schools, or the entertainment industry.  This will help you in your essay writing and class discussions because you will have a wide variety of real-life examples and you will build a collection of news items and vocabulary words

To Do for Friday 4 March 2011:

• Friday's lesson will be a Project work session so bring your USB key, logbook and anything else you need. 

Revision for the Bac Blanc Week in February 2011:

• All of Section 1:
  • All the social and ethical issues
  • Be sure to know the definitions given in the very beginning of the IB Programme Guide for ITGS - in the section called "Nature of the Subject", definitions are given for information technology, social impact, ethical considerations and what an information system is.
  • Also, the section called "Methodologies for analysing social impact and ethical considerations" on page 10 has examples of the key questions we have been asking when we look at an IT problem in a social context (such as "What are the advantages and disadvantages for the stakeholders?").  You should use these questions as models for how to write your answers on exams - it's the kind of thing to put on your scrap paper when you start thinking about your answers. 
• The following sections of Topic 2:
  • 2.1.1 Systems fundamentals
  • 2.1.2 Networks
  • 2.2.1 Software fundamentals
  • 2.2.2 Databases and spreadsheets
  • 2.2.3 Word Processing and Desktop Publishing
  • 2.2.4 Images, Sound and Presentations
  • 2.2.5 Modelling and simulations
  • 2.4.1 Robotics
  • 2.4.2 Artificial intelligence and expert systems

  Remember, when you study, always follow this order:

  1. start with the IB Programme Guide for ITGS to see what the assessment statements are (i.e. "evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of software..")
  2. use the guide to help you grasp the difference between each command term (define, identify, describe, outline, explain, evaluate...)
  3. refer to any class notes you have
  4. double check that you have memorized all the IT vocabulary terms (this is what the flash cards are for) - you should know them in both directions:  word to definition and definition to word. 

Have a look at my compositions groupées revision guide.  It contains suggestions for successful revision and test-taking skills. 

Revision for the Bac Blanc Week in November 2010:

• All of Section 1:
  • All the social and ethical issues
  • Be sure to know the definitions given in the very beginning of the IB Programme Guide for ITGS - in the section called "Nature of the Subject", definitions are given for information technology, social impact, ethical considerations and what an information system is.
  • Also, the section called "Methodologies for analysing social impact and ethical considerations" on page 10 has examples of the key questions we have been asking when we look at an IT problem in a social context (such as "What are the advantages and disadvantages for the stakeholders?").  You should use these questions as models for how to write your answers on exams - it's the kind of thing to put on your scrap paper when you start thinking about your answers. 
• The following sections of Topic 2:
  • 2.1.1 Systems fundamentals
  • 2.1.2 Networks
  • 2.2.1 Software fundamentals
  • 2.2.2 Databases and spreadsheets
  • 2.2.3 Word Processing and Desktop Publishing
  • 2.2.4 Images, Sound and Presentations

  Remember, when you study, always follow this order:

  1. start with the IB Programme Guide for ITGS to see what the assessment statements are (i.e. "evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of software..")
  2. use the guide to help you grasp the difference between each command term (define, identify, describe, outline, explain, evaluate...)
  3. refer to any class notes you have
  4. double check that you have memorized all the IT vocabulary terms (this is what the flash cards are for) - you should know them in both directions:  word to definition and definition to word. 

Have a look at my compositions groupées revision guide.  It contains suggestions for successful revision and test-taking skills. 

Project work Calendar & Deadlines:

• Tuesday  October 5th - draft of criterion G and criterion H of the report.
  • use your logbooks and my comments to get inspiration for what to write
  • use the checklist to make sure you don't forget anything - also, look at the official ITGS Program Guide to see how you will be graded for the report. (starting on page 45 "Assessment criteria for the project")
  • write in prose as much as possible but tables and screenshots are also expected
  • G (identifying the problem) should be about 300 words long.  Use the following heading for this section:  "Identifying the problem within a social context"
  • H (feasibility study) should be about 350 words long. Use the following heading for this section:  "Analysis and feasibility study"
• Friday October 8th - logbooks checked for criterion J (testing)
  • check the checklist to make sure you have done everything
  • Remember the order: technical tester > refinements > testing with client > refinements > testing with end users
  • be sure to have "before" & "after" screenshots for each refinement as well as a justification for each refinement
• Tuesday October 12th - draft of criterion I due.
  • I (planning) should be about 1000 words long. Use the following heading for this section:  "Planning and developing the chosen IT solution"
• Tuesday October 19th - draft of criterion J due & product given in on CD
  • J (testing) should be about 550 words long.  Use the following heading for this section:  "Testing and evaluating the solution"
  • burn your product onto a CD and bring it to class.  The CD should have the following things: 
    • a working version of your product as it was shown during the end-user testing
    • a "readme.txt" file for information about what is on the disk
    • if you made a web page, a link to the site
• Friday 5th of November - logbooks will be checked for the last criterion - K (assessing the social significance of the project).  See checklist for details.
• Tuesday November 9th - draft of criterion K due. 
  • K (social significance) should be about 300 words long.  Use the following heading for this section:  "Assessing the social significance of the product".
• Once you get back all the comments for the drafts, we can proceed with the final report.  The final report will most likely be due at the end of November / beginning of December and will be collected in Homeroom.  (Date to be annouced later).

• students should be finishing up the Beta Testing phase soon.  Remember the order:
  technical tester > refinements > testing with client > refinements > testing with end users
• At each of the steps, you need screenshots (before and after refinements) which will be included in your final report.  Also, each of the 3 sets of testers should have questionnaires which have been filled out (by hand, preferably).  These should be scanned and included in the final report. 
• Next time in class we will go over a calendar of when I check log books next and when I will start asking for rough drafts of each section of the report.  I like to break up the rough draft into chunks so that you don't have to do it all at once. 

ITGS Exended Essay work in September:

• follow the suggestions we went over in our meeting and go through the EE checklist
• be sure that your primary research is used to either support or refute what your secondary research says
•  

• This weekend is the Festival du Jeu Vidéo at the Porte de Versailles Expo center from 10:00 to 19:00.  Check out the official web site here.  Tickets are less than 10€ and are available at the door or in advance from ticket agencies such as the Fnac. 
• There is a series of conferences on Saturday and one which would be interesting for ITGS is at 14:00 called "the History of Video Games".  There are also opportunities to meet the men and women who create the games.

Back to School 2010

I hope you have all had an excellent summer. 

Our objectives for this year in ITGS are the following:

• finish up IA Project work
• complete the coverage of the program
• become experts in answering Paper 1-type questions and Paper 2-type questions
• for those of you who are doing Extended Essays with me, we need to complete them!

From Première:

Revision for the Testing Week in May 2010:

• All of Section 1:
  • All the social and ethical issues
  • Be sure to know the definitions given in the very beginning of the IB Programme Guide for ITGS - in the section called "Nature of the Subject", definitions are given for information technology, social impact, ethical considerations and what an information system is.
  • Also, the section called "Methodologies for analysing social impact and ethical considerations" on page 10 has examples of the key questions we have been asking when we look at an IT problem in a social context (such as "What are the advantages and disadvantages for the stakeholders?").  You should use these questions as models for how to write your answers on exams - it's the kind of thing to put on your scrap paper when you start thinking about your answers. 
• The following sections of Topic 2:
  • 2.1.1 Systems fundamentals
  • 2.1.2 Networks
  • 2.2.1 Software fundamentals
  • 2.2.2 Databases and spreadsheets (which we will finish in class)
  • some of 2.2.4 Images, sound and presentations notably issues such as intellectual property and copyright as well as IT terms such as pixel, resolution, bitmap vs. vectorial drawing, or the use of virtual actors in films.

  Remember, when you study, always follow this order:

  1. start with the IB Programme Guide for ITGS to see what the assessment statements are (i.e. "evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of software..")
  2. use the guide to help you grasp the difference between each command term (define, identify, describe, outline, explain, evaluate...)
  3. refer to any class notes you have
  4. double check that you have memorized all the IT vocabulary terms (this is what the flash cards are for) - you should know them in both directions:  word to definition and definition to word. 

Have a look at my compositions groupées revision guide.  It contains suggestions for successful revision and test-taking skills. 
 

Revision for the Bac Blanc Week in February 2010:

• All of Section 1:
  • All the social and ethical issues
  • Be sure to know the definitions given in the very beginning of the IB Programme Guide for ITGS - in the section called "Nature of the Subject", definitions are given for information technology, social impact, ethical considerations and what an information system is.
  • Also, the section called "Methodologies for analysing social impact and ethical considerations" on page 10 has examples of the key questions we have been asking when we look at an IT problem in a social context (such as "What are the advantages and disadvantages for the stakeholders?").  You should use these questions as models for how to write your answers on exams - it's the kind of thing to put on your scrap paper when you start thinking about your answers. 
• The following sections of Topic 2:
  • 2.1.1 Systems fundamentals
  • 2.1.2 Networks
  • 2.2.1 Software fundamentals
  • some parts of section 2.2.2 Databases and spreadsheets - although we have not gone through the IT vocabulary, we have touched on a number of issues which are raised concerning databases. 

  Remember, when you study, always follow this order:

  1. start with the IB Programme Guide for ITGS to see what the assessment statements are (i.e. "evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of software..")
  2. use the guide to help you grasp the difference between each command term (define, identify, describe, outline, explain, evaluate...)
  3. refer to any class notes you have
  4. double check that you have memorized all the IT vocabulary terms (this is what the flash cards are for) - you should know them in both directions:  word to definition and definition to word. 

Have a look at my compositions groupées revision guide.  It contains suggestions for successful revision and test-taking skills. 
 

To Do for Friday 29 January 2010:

• Logbooks will be collected and checked for Criterion G (see pink box below). 

Project Work

Here is what you should be working on now for your Internal Assessment Project work:

• By now, you should already have a client who has a need for an IT solution
• You should be following the checklist which is printed in the log book for Criterion G
• This first criterion deals with the problem, not the solution.  You should be meeting with your client to find out how the current situation works and what is wrong with it (see the questions on the checklist to know what you should be saying in the logbook).
• Although you probably have a solution in mind, please do not talk about it yet.  Only use the term "IT solution".  So if your client says, "I think a web site would help raise awareness of my association," you write in your logbook under Criterion G that "the client thinks an IT solution would help raise awareness of her associaion."

Deadline:  Friday 29th of January - logbooks will be collected in class and checked to see if you have answered all the questions in the checklist under Criterion G.  Note that students participating in the HMUN need to pass their logbooks in earlier - for example, in class on Friday the 22nd or at the beginning of the following week (see my schedule to see where you can find me).

Revision for the Bac Blanc practice exams in November 2008:

• All of Section 1:
  • All the social and ethical issues
  • Be sure to know the definitions given in the very beginning of the IB Programme Guide for ITGS - in the section called "Nature of the Subject", definitions are given for information technology, social impact, ethical considerations and what an information system is.
  • Also, the section called "Methodologies for analysing social impact and ethical considerations" has examples of the key questions we have been asking when we look at an IT problem in a social context (such as "What are the advantages and disadvantages for the stakeholders?"). 
• The following sections of Topic 2:
  • 2.1.1 Systems fundamentals
  • 2.2.1 Software fundamentals (we will do this after the vacation)
• The Analysis Triangle - be sure to be familar with this way of analyzing ITGS issues in their proper context. 

Remember, when you study, always follow this order:

1. start with the IB Programme Guide for ITGS to see what the assessment statements are (i.e. "evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of software..")
2. use the guide to help you grasp the difference between each command term (define, identify, describe, outline, explain, evaluate...)
3. refer to any class notes you have
4. double check that you have memorized all the IT vocabulary terms (this is what flash cards are for) - you should have a few dozen by now and you should know them in both directions:  word to definition and definition to word. 

Have a look at my compositions groupées revision guide.  It contains suggestions for successful revision and test-taking skills. 
 

At the beginning of the year:

• Be sure you have iTunes on your computer and subscribe to the two podcasts at the top of this page.  Contact me by email if it does not work - see my How to Contact Mr. Damon page. 
• You will need an ITGS notebook, binder or folder.  It is up to you to decide how you want to organize your papers.  There will be notes, photocopies, homeworks and quizzes to keep organized. 
• Each student should have a USB thumb drive.  Be sure your name is on the outside somewhere.  We need to know whose is whose.  Also, if you lose it, we know who to return it to.  If you are buying a new one, I do not recommend the U3 Smart drives in class.  For the moment, they are not compatible with Mac or Vista.  Also, 2 or 4 Gb is enough - do not spend more than 25€ for this.

   

• Copy onto your USB drive the IB Programme Guide for ITGS.  You should also have the Academic Honesty guide and the Extended Essay guide on the USB drive.  I recommend that you create a folder for each subject.

© A.W. Damon 2010