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Science and Technology

We believe that the science and technology program should strive to help meet the needs of all students. We should prepare individuals to use science to improve their lives and cope with an increasingly technological society. We attempt to produce informed citizens who are prepared to deal responsibly with science related social issues. We make students aware of the nature and scope of a wide variety of science and technology-related careers. For those students who aspire to scientific and technological careers, we endeavor to provide the knowledge appropriate to their needs. In order to fulfill these needs, we revive and sustain in our students the young child's enthusiastic curiosity about his/her environment. Science is experimental by nature and inherently involves experimentation in the classroom. As educators, our goal is to foster scientific literacy in students that goes beyond the regurgitation of facts, figures, and word meanings. Our students must understand the process of scientific discovery and technological progress and its effects on society. A successful science and technology program should insure that all students see the need for competency in science and technology and understand that they are tools for solving everyday problems.

Course Descriptions
Applied Science and Technology / Science et Technologie (secondary IV)
The program recommends four different approaches to teaching science and technology. The democratic approach is concerned with developing citizenship skills. The humanist approach aims to help students develop their intellectual potential. The technocratic approach to teaching focuses on scientific skills, while the utilitarian approach is based on the everyday uses of science and technology. The Applied Science and Technology program pays specialattention to the technocratic and utilitarian approaches. The program creates a single discipline by integrating fivescientific fields (astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, physics) and technology. The curriculum is organized in thisway because it is often necessary to refer to subject matter and methods from several fields at once to solve problems or explore the different facets of the many applications of science and technology. The program focuses on the development of the same three competencies as the Secondary Cycle One program: – Seeks answers or solutions to scientific or technological problems – Makes the most of his/her knowledge of science and technology – Communicates in the languages used in science and technology.

Biology (secondary IV, V)
The student will investigate life and basic life processes as an introduction into the vast field of biology. The scientific method is used to carry on research on topics related to living things including ourselves. Laboratory work will help students to understand the diversity and inter connectivity of species found on this planet, as well as develop a method of work that is proper to science.

Chemistry (secondary V)
This secondary five science course is designed for students who plan on taking a science oriented post-secondary path. Through Mathematics, Science and experimentation, students will analyze various phenomena and relate it to their daily lives. Students will: 1) Use a knowledge base and analytical skills to problem solve; 2) Conduct experiments in a controlled setting to observe, analyze and verify various scientific principles. These experiments will be communicated in a formal lab write-up; 3) Discover the relationship between Mathematics and Science; Use target setting to foster achievement; and 4) View the world differently.

Physics (secondary V)
Physics 534 is an introductory course in mechanics, light, and optics. It builds on the students’ basic understanding of physics from previous science courses and challenges their understanding of the world around them. The course allows the students to take on more responsibility for their own learning through exploratory labs, demonstrations, and exercises. Physics 534 will allow students to enter a science stream at CEGEP and therefore should be considered by any student looking at following a career path in sciences. Math 434 and physical sciences 434 are prerequisites for this course.

Computer Science and Engineering I (secondary IV)
This course is a fusion of two independent fields of science and engineering studies: Computer Science and Computer Engineering. Although they are very much related in some aspects of their applications they will be offered as two separate modules. In the Computer Science module, students will be studying practical aspects and main functionalities of an operation system. Besides the direct usage of application software programs, they will also be learning basic programming techniques in which they will apply various strategies to problem solving, program testing and debugging. They will as well be applying the processes of designing computer software systems known as “Software Development Life Cycle” (SDLC) and the methodology tools widely used in the systems design world. In addition, some elements of software maintenance and technical support will be introduced. In the Computer Engineering module, the emphasis is more on the engineering hardware. This comprises of computer assembly, troubleshooting, and a basic understanding of the internal workings of a computer. Students will also have some exposure to computer communication and networking. The topics that will be studied in this course include: Fundamentals and applications of operating systems Software and database applications Computer programming principles and techniques using Visual Basic 6 Computer systems design and development Computer hardware components Assembling, disassembling, and troubleshooting computers Introduction to computer communication and networking

Computer Science and Engineering II (secondary V)
This course is a continuation of the grade 10 COM414 course. It is designed from a fusion of two independent fields of science and engineering studies: Computer Science and Computer Engineering. Although they are very much related in some aspects of their applications they will be offered as two separate modules. In the Computer Science module, students will be studying the fundamental concepts of an operating system (OS) as well as the main functionalities of well-known operating environments such as Windows, Macintosh, and Linux. They will also be learning fairly advanced programming techniques in which they will apply various strategies to problem solving, program testing and debugging. They will as well be studying on one hand the processes of designing computer software systems known as “Software Development Life Cycle” (SDLC) and on the other hand the methodology tools widely used in the systems design world. Additionally, software maintenance and technical support will be discussed in this module. Cont. next page…)In the Computer Engineering module, the emphasis is more on the engineering hardware. This comprises of computer assembly, troubleshooting, and a more advanced understanding of the internal workings of a computer. Students will also be learning about computer communication and networking and a more advanced knowledge of the hardware components related to communication and networking. In addition, a brief introduction to career development in the computer industry and an understanding of the most current job demands and the required skills will be discussed. The topics that will be studied in this course include: Object-oriented programming using Visual Basic 6, Java, and C++ Software development and database design Software design life cycle and design methodology tools Computer architecture and integrated circuits Computer communication and networking

Multi-Media and Internet Technology (Secondary V)
Given the fast changing pace of the internet technology and the needs of the business world communities, this course was designed to provide students some skills and knowledge of information and communication technology (ICT) in the areas of multimedia and the Internet and their applications in the business environment. The topics that will be studied in this course include: Overview of computer networking, Intranet, Extranet, and the Internet Multimedia and animation e-business concepts and e-commerce solutions, and web development team-based project management and collaboration the impact of information and communication technology

Science and Technology / Environmental science (secondary IV)
The program recommends four different approaches to teaching science and technology. The technocratic approach focuses on scientific skills. The democratic approach is more concerned with developing citizenship skills.The humanist perspective aims to help students develop their intellectual potential, while the utilitarian approach is based on the everyday uses of science and technology. The program creates a single discipline by integratingfive scientific fields (astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, physics) and technology. The curriculum is organized in this way because it is often necessary to refer to subject matter and methods from several fields at once to solve problems or form opinions about major scientific and technological issues.

Home Economics (secondary IV, V)
Home Economics class will be more than just a chance to do a little cooking and sewing, it will be an exploration of how the everyday choices we make affect the environment, our health and the well being of produces half a world away.

POP / PPO (Personal Orientation Project / Projet Personel d’Orientation) (secondary III)
POP will give students an opportunity to explore, reflect and discover various career fields that interest them, through the support of resources and hands on toolkits, as well as being able to do practical work experience/s. Keeping in mind that the goal of POP is not just for students to find one ultimate career at the end of this course or for them to find any employment, the focus of POP is more about the process in which the program will take you through. In order for students to be fully prepared when they leave education, it is important for them to go through the process to decide on a career that suits them and their skills, interests, values and personality. This process is a purposeful way of helping students identify their personal interests and values in relation to the kinds of work that will be most satisfying for them in the future.

Science and Technology News

Written by Administrator

Friday, 16 February 2007

Green technology

Live by example: "Project Better Place"

World known automakers Renault and Nissan have partenered in a joint green technology venture to built electric cars in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emission and to help make the world more environmentally friendly. See details.