| (a) General requirements. This course is recommended
for students in Grade 12. Prerequisite: a minimum of two high school
information technology (IT) courses. Students shall be awarded two
credits for successful completion of this course. A student may repeat
this course once for credit provided that the student is experiencing
different aspects of the industry and demonstrating proficiency in
additional and more advanced knowledge and skills.
(b) Introduction.
(1) Career and technical education instruction provides
content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical
knowledge and skills for students to further their education and succeed
in current or emerging professions.
(2) The Information Technology (IT) Career Cluster
focuses on building linkages in IT occupations for entry level, technical,
and professional careers related to the design, development, support,
and management of hardware, software, multimedia, and systems integration
services.
(3) In the Practicum in Information Technology, students
will gain advanced knowledge and skills in the application, design,
production, implementation, maintenance, evaluation, and assessment
of products, services, and systems. Knowledge and skills in the proper
use of analytical skills and application of IT concepts and standards
are essential to prepare students for success in a technology-driven
society. Critical thinking, IT experience, and product development
may be conducted in a classroom setting with an industry mentor, as
an unpaid or paid internship, as part of a capstone project, or as
career preparation.
(4) Students are encouraged to participate in extended
learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations
and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.
(5) Statements that contain the word "including" reference
content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such
as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability
skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected
to:
(A) identify and demonstrate work behaviors that enhance
employability and job advancement such as regular attendance, promptness,
attention to proper attire, maintenance of a clean and safe work environment,
appropriate voice, and pride in work;
(B) identify and demonstrate qualities such as flexibility,
open-mindedness, initiative, listening attentively to speakers, and
willingness to learn new knowledge and skills;
(C) employ effective reading and writing skills;
(D) employ effective verbal and nonverbal communication
skills;
(E) solve problems and think critically;
(F) demonstrate leadership skills and function effectively
as a team member;
(G) identify and implement proper safety procedures;
(H) demonstrate an understanding of legal and ethical
responsibilities in relation to the field of IT; and
(I) demonstrate planning and time-management skills
such as storyboarding and project management, including initiating,
planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing a project.
(2) The student identifies various employment opportunities
in the IT field. The student is expected to:
(A) improve on a personal career plan along with education,
job skills, and experience necessary to achieve career goals;
(B) develop a resume that includes letters of recommendation
and a portfolio appropriate to a chosen career plan; and
(C) illustrate interview skills for successful job
placement.
(3) The student applies academic knowledge and skills
to research and develop projects. The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate proper use of written, verbal, and
visual communication techniques consistent with IT industry standards;
(B) demonstrate proper use of mathematics concepts
in the development of products or services; and
(C) demonstrate proper use of science principles in
the development of products or services.
(4) The student selects an approach for conducting
research to discover a problem in the field of IT with the appropriate
supervision and guidance. The student is expected to:
(A) identify a problem relating to information technology;
and
(B) describe and use an approach such as top-down or
bottom-up for conducting a research activity.
(5) The student creates a technological solution for
a problem in the field of IT. The student is expected to:
(A) apply critical-thinking strategies to develop a
solution using appropriate technologies and resources, IT concepts,
and industry standards;
(B) apply decision-making techniques to the selection
of technological solutions; and
(C) explain how the proposed technological solution
will resolve the problem.
(6) The student designs, creates, and implements a
product or service that addresses a problem in the field of IT and
incorporates the solution. The student is expected to:
(A) work closely with a mentor throughout the design,
creation, and implementation process;
(B) develop a product or service that meets a specified
need following a problem-solving strategy;
(C) identify areas where quality, reliability, and
safety can be designed into a product or service;
(D) develop and implement a security management plan
to address security requirements;
(E) develop a sustainability plan for the product or
service;
(F) develop an evaluation method for analyzing the
effect of the product or service on client satisfaction and problem
resolution;
(G) develop a project portfolio that documents the
research and development process; and
(H) present the portfolio to a panel of professionals
using formal presentation skills.
(7) The student creates a personal portfolio. The student
is expected to:
(A) create a portfolio that documents all projects
and accomplishments such as academics, volunteer experience, employment
experience, awards, and certifications;
(B) organize and prioritize information within the
portfolio; and
(C) use written, verbal, and visual communication techniques
consistent with IT industry standards.
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