One of the biggest shifts in the late 20th Century has been the shift to the knowledge society.
The theme of the new Business Education program, "A Partnership For the Future: The Classroom and Business," shows the new focus of the secondary program. The challenge is to provide students with a basic understanding of the world of economics while assuring that the business and education partnership is based on sound educational values and serves clear educational purposes.
Where does Business Education at the Secondary Level fit into this workplace revolution? The plan is to integrate basic life skills as identified by the Goals of Education for Saskatchewan and the Goals of Business Education into business courses and across the curriculum. Computers will be used as a tool to help satisfy these established goals. Figure 1 on the following page may help to explain this concept of integration.
Figure 1
| What is Information Processing? | Philosophy and Rationale | Broad Aim and Goals of Information Processing |
Information Processing includes more than typewriting, office procedures, or computer applications. This curriculum outlines a new program that uses the computer as a tool to integrate important business components of these and other courses.
Information Processing provides students at the Secondary Level with the basic skills to use the computer to process many types of information effectively and efficiently. The Information Processing program is developed within four broad areas or strands that are integrated throughout the curriculum:
Each Information Processing course actively involves students in using the computer and learning the processes, skills, and attitudes necessary to follow the information processing cycle. The activities within the cycle include:
Information Processing is defined as a Practical and Applied Art at the Secondary Level. Information Processing 10 is the prerequisite course for Information Processing 20 and Information Processing 30 but Information Processing 20 is not a prerequisite for Information Processing 30. Therefore, students have the option of taking one or two Information Processing courses after earning credit for Information Processing 10.
| What is Information Processing? | Philosophy and Rationale | Broad Aim and Goals of Information Processing |
In 1988, the Business Education Curriculum Advisory Committee was activated and given the task of reviewing all Business Education courses currently offered and deciding which courses and components of the all-encompassing area would be preserved and updated under Core Curriculum. The Business Education policy document entitled Business Education: Policy Recommendations, A Partnership: The Classroom and Business was completed by January 1991. Its recommendations were the consensus of the Advisory Committee and the field reaction response. The policy document suggested that all Business Education subjects encompass education "about" business in its broadest sense as well as education "for" business. All too often Business Education had ignored the "about" business objective. By focusing just on skills, students were denied many of the concepts necessary to compete in the information society. Business Education must continue to make dramatic changes to meet present and future student educational needs.
All young people need to understand the interrelationship among individuals, the business world, and government. All young people need competencies that will enable them to manage their own lives and careers effectively. They should be able to manage personal finances; act appropriately according to their rights and responsibilities as citizens; process information effectively and efficiently; make sound decisions about life choices and careers; and, participate constructively as both consumers and producers. These general competencies should be coupled with those that may lead to employment in business and advanced business studies.
With the escalating availability of data and information, the Canadian marketplace is an increasingly complex and changing forum of which every member of society is a part. Individuals preparing for all types of adult responsibilities require a sound understanding of how to create, access, use, and manage information.
The Business Education Curriculum Advisory Committee proposed the basic format for the new Information Processing curriculum after considering the rapid changes in technology, the efficient use of technology, and the needs of society. The integration of keyboarding, communication, management, and computer applications offered in this program will assist students to ease into the transition to adulthood and lifelong learning.
One of the most important design features of the Information Processing 10, 20, 30 program is the modular approach, providing flexibility in offering a program suitable to students in all regions of the province. Modules also allow for ease in curriculum updating. Each of the grade levels in Information Processing contains a core module of 50 hours and two 25-hour optional modules, allowing 50 optional hours to be determined by the school division to best meet its needs. The core modules at each of the grade levels have a specific focus:
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Information Processing 10: Information Processing 20: Information Processing 30: |
Personal-Use Focus Business Focus Managerial Focus |
The keyboarding strand of the program is essential for the efficient use of the computer keyboard. Although keyboarding is a part of each Core module (50 hours at the 10, 20, and 30 level), these modules are designed to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of the school division, recognizing that more and more school divisions introduce touch keyboarding instruction at the elementary and middle years levels.
Although the number of hours of keyboarding would be greatly reduced from the old Typewriting curriculum, it is assumed that students will have acquired keyboarding skills prior to Information Processing 10. Also, many keyboarding concepts would be integrated and used within other strands of the curriculum such as in communications and computer applications. With continued use throughout the program, touch keyboarding skills would continue to be refined and developed.
The management strand of Information Processing focuses on the management of the vast amounts and types of information. Management elements include time management (organizing and planning), ergonomics, filing, information access, records and information management, and others. Management is integrated within all modules with an optional module designed specifically for records and information management.
Effective communication is extremely important to ensure that appropriate information is accessed, processed, and/or distributed. The communications strand of Information Processing includes all forms of communication. Composition and written communications are integrated throughout the course. Oral communications can be accommodated through the use of various instructional approaches and student activities. Other forms of communication using various media including modems, telephones, facsimiles, and tele- or video-conferencing could be entertained with the use of various equipment and software programs.
Computers and computer applications software are the tools used to process information. The curriculum accommodates most hardware and software applications. This component of the program can be designed to meet the needs of students. Optional modules for the advanced use of various software applications and integrated software applications are included to accommodate these needs.
The optional work study module provides opportunity for students to gain actual experience in information processing in the business world. To accommodate technological advancements in the ways information is processed or to extend student knowledge and skills learned in Information Processing, a 25-hour optional module developed locally is included to allow schools to adapt the curriculum to immediate needs.
Teacher creativity and advances in technology will make the design and delivery of Information Processing futuristic. The curriculum allows teachers the flexibility to adapt and focus on generic skills as students complete activities following the information processing cycle throughout the Information Processing program. This will enhance students' abilities to adapt to future situations.
The activity-based learning and "process-oriented" approach to Information Processing provides opportunities for students to learn by doing, assessing, evaluating, and progressing from one step to another through the information processing cycle. Program organization and instructional strategies should simulate processes individuals use when dealing effectively with real life situations. The learning environment should support student activities by being organized to accommodate the use of computers, small and large group activity, and in-class and out-of-class activities such as field trips and job shadowing.
The assessment and evaluation of students will be designed to encourage students to apply their information processing skills continually to analyze real-life problems critically and to prepare solutions efficiently. Through their classroom experiences, students can build self-confidence and self-esteem by developing a greater awareness of their own expectations, attitudes, and perceptions of adapting to an information-based, technological society.
Teachers of Information Processing should be self-selected, preferably with some business or business education background. The teacher should work cooperatively with business and community associations, interest groups, and other individuals when planning units of study, activities, and applications.
Within the Information Processing curriculum guide, many references are made to business and the community. Individuals in the business community are closest to the changes that take place in the business environment and they are the individuals who will hire students from the education system. An open dialogue between business and education is advantageous to business education curriculum implementation.
Community involvement through the use of resources such as speakers, field trips, community-based research assignments, and cooperative work study programs should be incorporated into the program. Community involvement can increase public acceptance of educational offerings and ensure a more contemporary treatment of current trends, ideas, and technology.
Information Processing and Business Education in general will provide both broad, general skills for all students and specific skills for a select group of students who plan business careers. These skills and this knowledge will prepare students for a variety of everyday experiences in the economic sector, for employment after high school, for postsecondary pursuits, and lifelong learning.
The curriculum focuses on using the computer in creating, accessing, and processing information. With some adaptation, the electric or electronic typewriter may be used.
| What is Information Processing? | Philosophy and Rationale | Broad Aim and Goals of Information Processing |
The aim of Information Processing is to provide students at the Secondary Level with the basic skills to process information in four broad areas:
Awareness: To develop an awareness and understanding of the various information processing competencies required for personal economic decision making and problem solving.
Business Environment: To respond to learning, productivity, and change when processing information within the business environment.
Personal-Use Skills: To develop work habits, attitudes, communication, problem solving, and independent thinking skills that will enhance personal, school, and work experiences.
Self-Image and Business Attitudes: To develop a positive self-image and essential business attitudes necessary for the workplace.
Communications: To develop effective social and written communication skills desirable in the business environment.
Employment Skills: To acquire business skills to facilitate attendance in post secondary education or entrance into the work force.