We offer two pathways in Information & Computer Technology

Pathway #1: Media Design

ADST – MEDIA DESIGN 9

This course will explore a variety of digital and physical media design related topics including 2D design using Photoshop and Illustrator; 3D design using Blender; Web design using HTML and CSS; Podcast using RØDECaster. The course will also allow students to realize their design into physical objects such as poster, cards, 3D printer, laser cutter, T-shirt prints, stickers, etc.

Note: There is a course fee of $25. The fee covers the cost of materials and resources that students consume or take home that enhance the experience of the course.

MEDIA DESIGN 10

This course will continue to build on the skills learned in ADST 9: Media Design including 2D design using various Adobe products; 3D design using Blender; Web design using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; Podcast using RØDECaster. The course will also allow students to realize their design into physical objects such as poster, cards, 3D printer, laser cutter, T-shirt prints, stickers, as well as publish their own websites and podcast series.

Note: There is a course fee of $25. The fee covers the cost of materials and resources that students consume or take home that enhance the experience of the course.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS 11:  Media Design

This course will continue to build on the skills learned in MEDIA DESIGN 10 and focus on utilizing the skills to plan and arrange projects of their own and with other people. The course will allow students to dive deeper into or widen their skills of graphic design and build experience in design and project management. Students will be making their own designs which will be part of their graphic design portfolio.

Note: There is a course fee of $25. The fee covers the cost of materials and resources that students consume or take home that enhance the experience of the course.

DIGITAL MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT 12: Media Design

This course will be an extension of Digital Communications 11 and will allow students to pursue their personal interest in the digital design field. Students will be expected to have a genuine interest and solid skills in this area and have the project management skills needed to carry out self-directed projects on their own or in small groups. Students will be making their own designs which will be part of their graphic design portfolio.

Note: There is a course fee of $25. The fee covers the cost of materials and resources that students consume or take home that enhance the experience of the course.

Pathway #2: Computer Studies

ADST- COMPUTER STUDIES  9

This course is a great next step for students that loved the programming part of the Robotics rotation in grade 8. Computer Science Discoveries (CS Discoveries) is an introductory computer science course covering problem solving, programming, physical computing, user centered design, data & society, digital citizenship, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity. The goal is to inspire students as they build their own websites, apps, animations, games, and physical computing systems. It empowers students to engage with computer science for creativity, communication, problem solving, and have fun doing so. No programming background is needed. A short video description is given here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4qfsH8bc8s.

Note: There is a course fee of $25. The fee covers the cost of materials and resources that students consume or take home that enhance the experience of the course.

COMPUTER STUDIES 10

This course will continue to build on the skills learned in Infotech – Computer Science Discoveries 9. This course introduces students to the foundations of computer science and gives them an opportunity to explore the impact of computing and technology to the world. Students learn programming skills using both blocks and text, and work on hands-on real-world projects that may be used as part of a portfolio when applying to universities. Some of the topics covered are binary numbers, how computers work, the internet, programming, algorithms, data visualization, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. If you are interested in designing & creating things, coding your own apps, and solving problems that will have a positive impact to changing the world, then this course is for you. No matter what your future career will be, Computer Science is for everyone!

A short video description is given here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQm0z894CG0

Note: There is a course fee of $25. The fee covers the cost of materials and resources that students consume or take home that enhance the experience of the course.

COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS – CYBERSECURITY & ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 12 – District Blended Course

This ADST 12 course will dive into Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. Both areas impact many aspects of our lives today, and demand for trained professionals in these areas is growing exponentially.  For example, in Canada, the unemployment rate for Cybersecurity professionals is 0%.

This course will be delivered in a blended format. This means that part of the course will be completed remotely either over Zoom or working independently. The in-person part will be scheduled at WVSS on Tuesday and Thursday between 3:30pm and 5pm.

Students will learn about Digital Citizenship, Cybersecurity, Cybercrimes, Viruses, DDoS, Phishing, Cryptography, the Internet, how to stay safe online, and ultimately get Cybersafe certified. In addition to learning about Cybersecurity, there will be an opportunity for students to compete in CyberTitan – one of Canada’s largest cyber defense competitions. The top 10 ranked Canadian Teams receive a trip to Ottawa to go head-to-head for the coveted title of CyberTitan National Champions.

Prerequisites

Students are required to have a genuine Interest in learning about Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. No prior programming experience needed. However, there is an expectation that students in the course would compete in the CyberTitan Competition. This course has an application process. Students will be emailed and application from the instructor and then informed later if they were successful.

Course Requirements:

Students who are selected for this course are required to have their once personal laptop with internet connection and Zoom installed. This course is a district course with limited spaces reserved for each of the four secondary schools.

Course Fee

The course fee is $200 for the year to cover the cost of the registration for the CyberTitan Competition. For more information please visit the District website under District Programs.

CERTIFICATION OPTIONS AT WEST VANCOUVER SECONDARY 

Focus on Information Technology (FIT) Certification, with a Business specialization

(http://www.focusit.ca/teacherseducators/)

FIT is an innovative certificate program that pathways students through ICT related courses and concentrations during their secondary school education. FIT brings an important real world perspective to business and technology teaching. It serves as a resource to help teachers and curriculum developers make business and technology courses more relevant to students, while showing them how they are all interconnected. It presents ICT in a holistic way – through real problem-solving situations, with real world examples. FIT gives students the opportunity to interact with industry experts and engages them in learning that will make a difference. Finally, FIT provides students with the knowledge they need to make informed choices about their future studies and career opportunities. FIT is sponsored by Canada’s Information and Communication Technology Council (https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/education-and-skills/).

Please contact Dr. Mahesh Chugani for more details. Email: mchugani@wvschools.ca

GitHub Education School  (https://education.github.com/partners/schools)

GitHub is the world’s leading software development platform, used by thousands of educational institutions, organizations, and companies worldwide.  We are one of a select number of schools around the world who have applied for, and have been accepted to be a GitHub Education School. Our students have access to the GitHub platform, and numerous industry-based software, at no cost.  We use GitHub extensively in the Robotics Academy. One of our Robotics students has also helped set up his technology class at Rockridge to incorporate GitHub, thereby providing the students a shared platform for working on code, and providing them with the skills and tools they will use when they graduate and go to University, or join the workforce. Please contact Dr. Mahesh Chugani for more details.

Email: mchugani@wvschools.ca