BUSINESS EDUCATION & INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

 

The Richmond Secondary School Business Education and Information Technology courses fit under the Applied Design, Skills and Technologies curriculum.  In Business Education and ICT, we encourage:

• Creative/critical thinking in both independent & cooperative activities
• Decision making about Canada’s role as a member of a global, international, & independent economy
• Incorporating major goals of education into the context of a business environment
• Application of problem-solving, decision making, entrepreneurial and critical thinking skills to a variety of Canadian, Pacific Rim, & international business-related situations, and to innovate and communicate solutions to these problems.
• Familiarity with a diverse range of software applications, computer programs, web design and programming strategies.
• Building technological literacy and computational thinking skills.
• Growth in self-esteem, in leadership & positive attitude toward self and others
• Developing relevant, needed skills for your life now and in the future

 

Why take Business Education or Information Technology Courses?
It doesn’t matter what grade you’re in – these courses will prepare you with relevant professional and technical skills that are helpful in all careers and future pathways.

 

What will you learn?
We start with basic skills: written and oral communication and numeracy. Then we go from there: uses of technology, research, problem solving & critical thinking skills, consumer & business economic concepts and career and life exploration skills.

How are the courses evaluated?

Individual/group research and presentations, individual assignments, class work, participation, homework, quizzes, exams are all taken into consideration to assess student mastery.

 

BUSINESS EDUCATION

 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & MARKETING 9-10

Entrepreneurship & Marketing 9-10 will introduce students to a variety of Business topics.  Students will learn about opportunities in entrepreneurship and what it means to own and run a business.  Students will explore a variety of start-ups and how these companies are solving real-world problems.  Students will explore problems and frustrations and find possible and probable solutions.  Students will be introduced to the different forms of marketing and have the opportunity to create marketing materials using various forms of technology.  Students will participate in designing, ordering and selling school related merchandise. 

 

ACCOUNTING 11 or

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING 12

Open to all students in Grades 10-12. This is an introductory course to basic accounting concepts, principles, and procedures. An overview of the accounting cycle will be explored, from journalizing entries to creating and producing financial statements. Students will prepare and analyze professional accounting records and be able to evaluate the operations of a business. Excel & Accounting Software may be used to enhance some of the units in this course. This course is a prerequisite for Accounting 12 and students planning on entering post-secondary in any business area should consider taking this course or for those who wish to gain a fundamental understanding of accounting practices. Students who are in Grades 10-11 will be given credit for Accounting 11 while those in Grade 12 will earn credit in Financial Accounting 12.

 

ACCOUNTING 12

Open to all students in Grades 11 and 12. Accounting 12 builds upon the principles taught in Accounting 11/Financial Accounting 12 and provides opportunities for practical application. Advanced procedures and techniques are used in learning accounts receivable, accounts payable, merchandise/inventory accounting, cash control procedures, and other important concepts. This course is highly recommended for those who wish to complete a university/college business program. It is accepted as a Grade 12 academic course at post-secondary institutions such as Simon Fraser University, McGill University, Capilano University, and Emily Carr University of Art & Design.

 

MARKETING & PROMOTION 11
This is an introductory course open to all students in grades 10, 11 and 12. The course will explore a variety of areas: Market Research, Product Planning, Pricing, Sales, Promotion + Distribution. Students will have the opportunity to create advertisements and commercials. Students will use ‘real’ money to create, order and sell Colts merchandise. Business situations involving 'real money' and integrating technology (social media, computer, digital cameras (still+video), software) to market products. This course is ideal for those with interest in advertising, product development and product distribution.

 

ECONOMICS 12

Open to all students in Grades 11 and 12. This course is highly recommended for students pursuing a career in commerce, economics, political science, or international relations. Topics include: microeconomics, important Canadian industries, role of multinational corporations, supply/demand, inflation, unemployment, and world trade. Students will demonstrate an understanding of human behaviour in a financial context, using foundational economic theories, applied research, role of markets, and the role of government. Interactive activities in class are intended to help students better understand economics and financial topics in their own lives and in the media, as well as, make educated predictions about the business world. Economics 12 is accepted as a Grade 12 academic course at post-secondary institutions, such as, SFU, UVic, Waterloo, and McGill.

 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP 12

This course explores the personal characteristics and skills required to become an entrepreneur in all formats of business. Students will have opportunities to try out new ideas, develop creative thinking skills, learn to recognize entrepreneurial opportunities and create innovative solutions to existing problems. The course provides students with 'real money' to take risks and explore business ventures. Students will also meet and learn from local business people as well as entrepreneurial series such as the Dragon’s Den and the Shark Tank.

 

E-COMMERCE 12

This course explores the technical and creative thinking skills required to become successful in local and global e-commerce environments. Students will have opportunities to learn about the economics of e-commerce, the development and evolution of the expanding digital retail environment and become familiar with a wide range of digital and cloud based technologies. Students will consider ethical challenges such as intellectual property in a global marketplace as well as cyber marketing concepts and strategies. Students will learn more about the incredible range of emerging and still undiscovered opportunities in the global e-commerce marketplace.

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

 

WEB DEVELOPMENT 9-10

The Information Technology (IT) sector is a rapidly growing industry. This course offers students an introduction into the world of computers and web development. Students are not required to have any previous experiences or knowledge. Students will explore the basics of computer hardware and software, troubleshooting skills, basic coding concepts including HTML, CSS and Python, web design, design thinking process, and issues surrounding digital literacy, cyber security risks, and ethics.

 

MEDIA DESIGN 9-10

MEDIA DESIGN 11

MEDIA DESIGN 12

Refining your message is crucial in communication. In this course, students will be using the design cycle to explore different digital mediums of design. This course will explore media production and look at designing works for targeted audiences. Students will have the opportunity to develop digital skills using industry standard design software. Students will explore graphic design, video production, video effects, audio production, digital photography, and mixed media. Students will further develop these essential design skills with greater sophistication while engaging in new design projects as they progress through the years. This course will focus on the following industry applications: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition, Adobe Indesign. 

 

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS 11

The use of the internet and social media as mediums to communicate has become general practice in all forms of business. Through examples of digital journalism, social media, and other technology platforms, we will explore topics of digital communication such as social impact, risks, ethics, and career opportunities. Students will have the opportunity to create their own digital portfolio featuring promotional material, infographics and graphic design. This course will focus on the following industry applications: Adobe: Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, basic coding concepts (HTML, CSS) and Wix.

 

DIGITAL MEDIA DEVELOPMENT 12

This course focuses on developing digital content with an exploration of 2D and 3D design software. Students will be presented with various career opportunities and design challenges in video effects, 2D animation. 3D graphic design. This course will focus on the following industry applications: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Animate, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Premiere Pro.

 

Computer Programming 11/12

 

Computer Programming 11/12 provides students with a comprehensive understanding of programming languages, algorithms, and advanced problem-solving. We are going to code in Python and potentially other coding languages. The course aims to cultivate proficiency in standardized source code documentation and interpersonal skills crucial for effective collaboration within the IT sector. It emphasizes critical thinking, systematic problem analysis, and efficient coding solutions. Students are encouraged to express creativity and innovation through hands-on coding projects, preparing them for success in the dynamic field of computer programming.

 

 

CATEGORY 3 - Individuals and Societies

COURSES IN THE I.B. DIPLOMA PROGRAMME:

 

IB DIGITAL SOCIETY (SL) 11
IB DIGITAL SOCIETY (SL) 12

IB DIGITAL SOCIETY (HL) 11
IB DIGITAL SOCIETY (HL) 12

 

Digital society welcomes students with interests ranging from history, IT, media, economics, philosophy, film and beyond. Digital Society links perspectives of the social sciences and humanities through the technology lens. There will be practical explorations of ethical policies tied to real-world digital dilemmas from privacy and security to gaming culture and algorithmic bias. Some of the topics we will explore include how does Artificial Intelligence work? Will AI replace human labour and so forth.

 

IB BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT (SL) 11
IB BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT (SL) 12

IB BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT (HL) 11
IB BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT (HL) 12A

 

Students learn to analyse, discuss and evaluate business activities at local, national and international levels. The course covers a range of organizations from all sectors, as well as the socio-cultural and economic contexts in which those organizations operate. The course covers the key characteristics of business organizations and environments, including the business functions of human resource management, finance and accounts, marketing and operations management. Links between the topics are central to the course. Through the exploration of six underpinning concepts (change, culture, ethics, globalization, innovation and strategy), the course allows students to develop a holistic understanding of today’s complex and dynamic business environment. The conceptual learning is firmly anchored in business management theories, tools and techniques and placed in the context of real world examples and case studies. Students will learn:

 

• Organized interaction decision making
• The business decision making process, and how these decisions affect/are affected by internal/external environments
• How individuals and groups interact in an organization
• An understanding of business theory and the ability to apply these to actual business practices
• The understandings and implications of business activities in a global market

 

*Both IB courses mentioned above are two year courses, available in both SL & HL (for more information, see Mr. Szeto or visit the IBO website).