Introduction

Purpose of this document

This teacher support material was prepared with the assistance of the senior examining team. It should be read in conjunction with the Diploma Programme Information technology in a global society guide (published January 2010 for first examinations in 2012).

This support material consists of three main parts.

The examples of work provided in this teacher support material are combinations of actual student work and material that has been developed specifically for this publication. They are presented in their original styles, which may include spelling, grammatical and other errors. The samples have been anonymized where necessary.

Delivering the ITGS course

Guidance is given on delivering the course to assist both those teachers familiar with ITGS and those new to the subject. Many teachers of ITGS do not have a background that covers the two distinct aspects of the subject (technical knowledge and discursive writing) and this teacher support material is designed to offer support to those teachers. It should also be noted that teachers should make use of the online curriculum centre (OCC) at http://occ.ibo.org, which provides a free and lively forum for the sharing of ideas and resources relevant to the subject.

The guidance within this section consists of questions relating to the delivery of the ITGS course.

External assessment

This section introduces the new SL/HL paper 2, which uses specific criteria for the assessment of student work.

The information within this section of the teacher support material provides teachers with:

Internal assessment

In addition to the samples of work by students, there are further notes for guidance. These include:

The information provided in this teacher support material must be read in conjunction with the Information technology in a global society guide (published January 2010 for first examinations in 2012), as the teacher support material is designed to supplement information in the guide.

Delivering the ITGS course

Course management questions

Is there a recommended order for the teaching of ITGS?

There is no recommended order, but within this publication there is a suggested timeline for the delivery of the subject over two years at both SL and HL. Teachers should note that this is advisory and local factors will need to be taken into account when teachers develop their own schemes of work.

Can the ITGS syllabus be divided and taught by a team?

Yes, this would work if the ITGS teacher feels that he or she does not have sufficient technical IT knowledge to be able to address the knowledge and understanding of IT systems required in strand 3 of the syllabus details. This strand could be taught by another member of staff. The ITGS teacher would then ensure that the other two strands are delivered.

Should teachers attend a workshop prior to teaching the course?

Yes. Attendance at either face-to-face or online workshops is strongly recommended.

What information do I need to teach ITGS?

All information is available to download from the main ITGS subject page on the OCC.

  1. Prior to first teaching of the course

    • Access to the online curriculum centre (OCC)

    • Information technology in a global society guide (January 2010)

    • Information technology in a global society teacher support material (January 2010)

    • A list of appropriate techniques for the development of the project

    • Grade descriptors

    • Case studies from previous years

    • Specimen papers and markschemes

  2. During the first examination cycle (prior to any actual student work being assessed)

    • Any subject-specific information published in Coordinator’s notes

    • Any clarifications to the Information technology in a global society guide published on the OCC

    • Access to the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme for submission of internally assessed work (ITGS project)

  3. After first examination session (in addition to the resources listed in point 2)

    • Examination papers and markschemes from May 2012 onwards (purchased from the online IB store)

    • Subject reports from May 2012 onwards (available on the ITGS subject page on the OCC)

    • Internal assessment feedback from May 2012 onwards (sent to the school’s IB coordinator)

Is there a preferred order of delivery of the course?

No, but the example of the teaching order for the SL course below could be used as a starting point.

Year 1

Outline

Comments

First semester

Introduction to course

Strand 1 (Social and ethical significance)

Introduction to social and ethical issues through scenarios.

Introduction to collaborative tools: use of Web 2.0 tools (for example, set up bookmarks in Delicious, GoogleDocs, use a wiki to collaborate).

Strand 3 (IT systems)

Personal and public communications (assumed knowledge of the internet).

Strand 3

Hardware, software and networks.

Strand 1 and strand 2 (Application to specific scenarios)

Use of specific scenarios developing social and ethical issues further. Business and employment.

Approaches to paper 2

Introducing the nature of the paper and discussing relevant articles.

Strand 3

Spreadsheets and databases.

Provides a general introduction to the course and uses a known situation to show links between the three strands of the subject.

Introduces the ITGS triangle and provides the students with a basic understanding of information technologies.

Throughout the course students are encouraged to discuss news articles focusing on ITGS terminology.

Introduction to familiar applications.

Study of necessary communication technologies, leading into business and employment.

Second semester

Strands 1 and 2

Use of specific scenarios developing social and ethical issues further. Health.

Strand 3

Internet and multimedia/digital media.

Strands 1 and 2

Use of specific scenarios developing social and ethical issues further. Home and leisure.

Approaches to paper 2

Introduction to news items for common paper 2.

Strands 1 and 2

Use of specific scenarios developing social and ethical issues further. Environment.

Practical linked to above: Databases, spreadsheets.

Strand 3 and internal assessment

Introduction to project management to enable the completion of the project.

Complete proposal for project and ensure criteria A and B are met.

Starts to develop ideas and skills for students to use in their project.

Paper 2 exercises will show how the three strands of the subject tie together.

Addresses three more themes in strand 2, relating them to the other strands.

Students should have technical skills (strand 3) to be able to complete the project.

Year 2

Outline

Comments

First semester

Internal assessment Complete product and develop the documentation. First draft.

Strands 1 and 2

Use of specific scenarios developing social and ethical issues further. Education and training.

Strand 3

Modelling and simulation.

Approaches to paper 2

Further use of news items for common paper 2.

Strands 1 and 2

Use of specific scenarios developing social and ethical issues further. Politics and government.

Internal assessment

Complete project.

Completion of first draft of project.

Completion of other two themes from strand 2.

Appropriate coverage of social and ethical issues and a suitable range of specific situations are addressed.

Second semester

Mock examinations

Internal assessment

Final submission of project by students.

Marking and submitting the project.

Approaches to paper 2

Further use of articles for common paper 2.

Examination practice.

Final preparation for external examinations.

Technical content is now complete.

Focus switches to completion of final version of project and preparation of students for external examinations.

Should ITGS be taught in one year?

The ITGS course is designed and intended to be taught in two years in order to adequately investigate the topics in the guide and complete the ITGS project. The following information should be considered if teachers are intending to teach the course in one year.

What practical elements of ITGS should be taught?

It is envisaged that there is a practical element to the course and teachers should use hands-on activities, wherever possible, to support the theoretical content of the course. It should be noted that the topics “Multimedia/digital media”, “Databases”, “Spreadsheets, modelling and simulations” and “Introduction to project management” include the use of practical techniques.

Although IT skills are not practically assessed in the externally assessed components, they may be assessed theoretically. For example, if a student who attempts a question on spreadsheets has created a spreadsheet that uses the function being assessed, that student will probably do better than one who has not, as the practical exercises will reinforce the theory addressed in class.

The practical activities carried out in these topics may also help the student in their choice of software for the development of the project.

Where will I find resources for IT systems in organizations?

The internet, where information can be accessed either from online encyclopedias or industry-recognized providers, or textbooks, which may include a bibliography listing further sources. It is strongly recommended that teachers do not rely only on one source, but strive to keep up to date with developments in methodologies and thinking.

What is the difference between the product development life cycle (PDLC) in “Introduction to project management” and the system development life cycle (SDLC) in “IT systems in organizations”?

The product development life cycle (PDLC) in “Introduction to project management” (topic 3.9) refers to the development of a specified single product, whereas the system development life cycle (SDLC) in “IT systems in organizations” (topic 3.10) refers to the development process itself and may be linked to a range of different IT solutions across a range of different organizations.

External assessment

To view the various elements of this example, please use the icons at the side of the screen.

You can use the blank assessment sheet if you would like to assess the work yourself before viewing the examiner’s marks and comments.

Teachers may simply wish to see how a project was assessed by an examiner. Using the icons it is possible to compare the unmarked student work with that where annotations have been added.

Alternatively teachers may wish to mark the student work themselves. Using the icons on the side of the screen, the unmarked student work and a blank assessment sheet can be accessed. Teachers can then compare their own marking to that of the examiner and go on to look at the annotated student work.

Assessed student work

Overview

The four examples included in this section are designed to show good practice as well as typical errors that students may make when attempting this paper.

Each example includes the following information.

Example

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

Example 1

News article (PDF)

Question paper (PDF)

Markscheme (PDF)

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work (PDF)

Student work (PDF)

Examiner’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

Total

Marks available

4

6

8

8

26

Marks awarded

2

2

5

0

9
General comments

Low marks have resulted from a misunderstanding of the requirements of some criteria.

The concern in criterion A must relate to the IT system in the article and the solution in criterion D must solve a problem relating to this IT system.

In criterion B, students are expected to draw upon their coursework throughout the two years in order to describe how the IT system works. This should involve an understanding of how users interact with hardware and software to convert data into meaningful information.

Criterion A: The issue and stakeholder(s)

The student has described the problems facing a person with diabetes rather than a social or ethical issue related to an IT system.

The student has identified the patient as a primary stakeholder. The relationship between the patient and the IT system is described: the patient logs blood sugar levels online and feedback on these levels is provided by medical experts.

Criterion B: The IT concepts and processes

The response in relation to this criterion is weak. The information is correct but simply copied from the article. There is no interpretation of the likely step-by-step process involved in this IT system.

As there was no concern identified in criterion A, the student has not been able to identify the relationship between the IT system and the concern.

Criterion C: The impact of the social/ethical issue(s) on stakeholders

There is very good analysis but no evaluation. Some time spent on analysis should have been spent evaluating the impact of the issue(s).

Criterion D: A solution to a problem arising from the article

No solution has been proposed. There was no concern identified in criterion A and this has affected criterion D, as no problem has been addressed here. The student has discussed problems for diabetics rather than solving a problem relating to the IT system, for example, reliability.

Example 2

News article (PDF)

Question paper (PDF)

Markscheme (PDF)

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work (PDF)

Student work (PDF)

Examiner’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

Total

Marks available

4

6

8

8

26

Marks awarded

4

6

4

1

15
General comments

This student has thoroughly addressed criterion A and criterion B.

Criterion C could be improved with more depth, additional IT concepts and evaluation.

Many feasible solutions have been provided in criterion D. Only one solution is required but there needs to be a detailed explanation of how it would work plus an evaluation of its effectiveness.

Criterion A: The issue and stakeholder(s)

Privacy has been identified and this concern has been described in the context of the IT system; privacy could be invaded by hackers during the transfer of medical data.

The student has identified the patient as a primary stakeholder. The relationship between the patient and the IT system is described; their sensitive medical data is stored on a site that may not be secure.

Criterion B: The IT concepts and processes

The first paragraph uses terminology correctly to give a step-by-step description of the IT process.

The second paragraph explains the relationship between the privacy issue (identified in criterion A) and the IT system.

Criterion C: The impact of the social/ethical issue(s) on stakeholders

Two stakeholders are considered (patients and doctors). There is a balanced examination that considers positive and negative impacts on both stakeholders. The examination lacks depth.

Further reference to IT concepts and an evaluation of the impact of the issue would improve this answer.

Criterion D: A solution to a problem arising from the article

Many solutions have been given but each is only identified. Some are very vague. Only one solution is required. It is not clear that the student understands the IT terminology. The student should be using terms such as “audit trail” and “file permissions”.

Example 3

News article (PDF)

Question paper (PDF)

Markscheme (PDF)

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work (PDF)

Student work (PDF)

Examiner’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

Total

Marks available

4

6

8

8

26

Marks awarded

4

4

6

3

17
General comments

In criterion B the step-by-step process needs more detail beyond that given in the article. The relationship between the IT system and the concern needs to be explained.

Criterion C marks could be improved with more depth on concerns and further evaluation of the impact of the issue on the stakeholders.

Criterion D should focus on one solution, explain it in more depth and then evaluate its effectiveness.

Criterion A: The issue and stakeholder(s)

The issue of privacy has been described in relation to this IT system.

The patient has been identified as a primary stakeholder and there is a description of how the patient interacts with the IT system.

Criterion B: The IT concepts and processes

The student has shown some understanding beyond the material in the article. Appropriate components of the IT system and the relationship between the IT system and the concern have been identified.

Criterion C: The impact of the social/ethical issue(s) on stakeholders

The student has considered both stakeholders, focusing mainly on the advantages of the IT system. Unauthorized access is mentioned and could be developed further. There is evidence of analysis and evaluation. There is knowledge of relevant IT concepts.

Criterion D: A solution to a problem arising from the article

There is a description rather than an explanation of password protection. Firewalls and SSL have not been described. Further explanation is needed.

Example 4

News article (PDF)

Question paper (PDF)

Markscheme (PDF)

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work (PDF)

Student work (PDF)

Examiner’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

Total

Marks available

4

6

8

8

26

Marks awarded

4

4

8

8

24
General comments

Criterion B requires more depth in the description of the process.

Criterion C and criterion D are well done.

Criterion A: The issue and stakeholder(s)

The issue of privacy has been described. The patient has been identified as the primary stakeholder and the relationship of the patient to the IT system has been described.

Criterion B: The IT concepts and processes

There is not a lot of information about IT concepts beyond the article but a reasonable attempt has been made to relate the IT system to the issue presented in criterion A.

Using the “best-fit” approach to marking, 4 marks are awarded.

Criterion C: The impact of the social/ethical issue(s) on stakeholders

Overall, a balanced, detailed consideration of the advantages and limitations from the viewpoints of various stakeholders. The impacts have been analysed and evaluated. ITGS terminology has been used appropriately.

Criterion D: A solution to a problem arising from the article

Encryption has been explained as a solution to safeguard the patients’ privacy against hackers. The evaluation addresses both its strengths and possible weaknesses. Appropriate and concise use of IT terms.

Frequently asked questions

At what point in the delivery of the course should I introduce practice for paper 2 to my students?

It is possible for a variety of approaches to be adopted. Some teachers may wish to allow their students to gain experience of different aspects of the course before introducing paper 2 examples to them. Others may wish to introduce brief examples after a shorter period of the course, so that students get an idea of what to look out for as the course unfolds. It is entirely up to teachers which approach they adopt.

How often should I offer practice examples to my students?

As often as you consider appropriate, but it is strongly recommended that students analyse news articles similar to that expected in the examination throughout the duration of the course.

How much time in the course should I assign to preparing for paper 2?

No fixed time has been assigned to the preparation of students for it. This is because while preparing students for the various parts of the course, aspects relevant to paper 2 will simultaneously be covered.

Where can I find advice, information and assistance on finding material that can help to prepare my students for paper 2?

The OCC offers teachers the chance to share good practice, and to access and contribute resources to help prepare students for the paper 2 examination.

Will my students have enough time to read the unseen text in the examination before writing their response?

As with all written examination papers, a 5-minute period of reading time is provided before the examination begins. The 1 hour 15 minutes allowed for this paper includes time for an additional recommended 15-minute period of reading and planning before students write their response.

What is meant by an issue in criterion A?

An issue is a concern that is addressed by strand 1 (“Social and ethical significance”).

For example, unauthorized access to patients’ medical records (1.3 “Privacy and anonymity”) would be considered an issue.

How many marks can a student gain under criterion B if the description of the IT processes does not go beyond the information in the article?

Using best fit a student may achieve more than 2 marks but it is unlikely that they will gain more than 4 marks.

How much depth is expected in the description of the technology in criterion B?

The student is expected to draw upon knowledge of IT hardware, software, systems and processes studied throughout the course in order to explain the step-by-step process of how the IT system works.

How many solutions are expected in criterion D?

Only one solution is required. No marks will be awarded for extra solutions.

Is there a suggested word count?

Yes. Students should write approximately 750 words and base the depth of their response on the requirements of the command terms and the mark allocations across the paper.

What are the “best practices” to ensure that students do well on paper 2?

Students should be able to do the following.

Internal assessment

Purpose of the internal assessment

Internal assessment is an integral part of the course and is compulsory for both SL and HL students. It enables students to demonstrate the application of their skills and knowledge, and to pursue their personal interests, without the time limitations and other constraints that are associated with written examinations. The internal assessment should, as far as possible, be woven into normal classroom teaching over a period of time and not be a short intensive activity in the course or after the course has been taught.

The internal assessment requirements at SL and at HL are the same. However, it contributes to a different percentage of the overall mark. Students are required to produce a project that consists of a cover page, the product (IT solution) and documentation. The focus of the ITGS project is on providing an original IT solution for a client.

The internal assessment component, as well as being interesting, practical and productive, forms an important part of the assessment of the ITGS course. It is imperative, therefore, that the teacher provides appropriate guidance to students.

Internal assessment and extended essays

The project submitted for internal assessment is different from the extended essay. The project is the development of an original product with supporting documentation, whereas the extended essay is about presenting a logical and coherent argument that is supported by secondary and primary research and the analysis of valid data. Students must be aware that it is not permissible for the same work to be submitted for more than one examination component.

Overview of internal assessment

Summary of the internal assessment task

30 hours of class time

Individual collaboration with specified client

Individual documentation

2,000 words (maximum)

Marked by the teacher

Externally moderated

30% of total marks for SL; 20% of total marks for HL

Full details are provided in the “Internal assessment” section of the Information technology in a global society guide.

Stages in the process

Five stages are suggested here as essential procedures.

Stage 1: Planning and preparation

There are a number of steps in stage 1.

Background reading

Before starting the project, teachers must read the Information technology in a global society guide, referring specifically to the “Internal assessment” section. These pages give essential information on the nature of the internal assessment.

In addition, the following documents provide detailed information that teachers are strongly advised to read.

Integrating the project into the course for SL and HL students

The project is common to both SL and HL students.

It is recommended that 30 hours of teaching time is devoted to the project for both SL and HL students. This will enable adequate supervision and reduce the pressure on students in out-of-school hours.

Other demands of the Diploma Programme

Teachers should consider all the demands of the Diploma Programme. These become particularly acute during year 2, when the majority of students complete coursework in other subjects and the extended essay.

It is recommended that students submit the first draft of the project to teachers by the end of year 1. Alternatively, teachers could liaise with their IB coordinator and design a workable time frame that would ensure that their students have staggered deadlines for all internal assessment submissions.

Integrating the project into the course

Internal assessment work should be incorporated into normal classroom activities and be related clearly to the study of one of the parts of the course. It is recommended that 10 of the 30 hours allocated to the project are spent on introducing the product development life cycle.

The development of practical IT skills should be regarded as an integral part of teaching the course. In fact, practical IT skills often provide a good reinforcement of theoretical work in class and will enable students to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different software packages and their ability to use them effectively.

The topics on multimedia/digital media, databases and spreadsheets within the ITGS syllabus lend themselves to the development of practical IT skills and it may be helpful for students to be given the opportunity to practise these IT skills before embarking upon the project that will be used for final submission and assessment.

Suggested classroom activities

Some suggested activities that could be done during this time include:

Choice of client

The choice of a suitable client is a major contributing factor to the final success of the project. It is recommended that the client is either a teacher, with the exception of the ITGS teacher, within the school, a friend or member of the student’s family. Further information is available in the “Choice of topic” section of the guide.

Selecting a topic for the project

It is important that students, with the teacher’s guidance, choose an issue that:

Stage 2: Gathering information for the project

Meeting with the client

The student should ensure that the first, and any subsequent, meetings with the client are in an environment that is conducive to gathering the relevant information. The meetings should be scheduled at mutually convenient times.

Method(s) of information collection

Students may use a range of methods to gather information from the client. It must be remembered that evidence of the consultation must be included in the final submission of the project.

Additional information may need to be collected in the development of the project. For example, this may relate to hardware, software or techniques required to develop the product.

Stage 3: Preparing to develop the product

Follow-up work in class should be used to ensure that students have an opportunity to:

Stage 4: Creating the project

There are a number of steps in stage 4.

The information within this section should be read in conjunction with the following.

Using the criteria

It is the teacher’s role to inform the student fully of the internal assessment requirements, the assessment criteria, and the student’s responsibility to fulfill these requirements. Teachers should give all students a copy of the assessment criteria. This helps when students are developing the product and associated documentation because the criteria are a guide to the way in which marks are allocated and provide recommendations for further development of the product.

Teachers should advise students to follow closely all seven assessment criteria (A–G).

Individual work and authenticity

The project must be entirely the work of the individual student. Students should be given a strict timetable and internal deadline for the submission of the rough draft of the project.

Supervision by the teacher should be on an individual basis and the rough draft checked once only. Repeated submission, redrafting and remarking of the project is not permitted. Where there is evidence of collaboration and where there are strong similarities in the appearance of projects, the work should not be accepted in rough draft. The final draft should only be accepted if the teacher is convinced of its authenticity.

If teachers suspect that the student’s work is not individual or authentic and they have reasonable evidence, they should make the student redo his or her project. If time does not permit this, teachers must not sign Form 3/CS (described in stage 5) and must submit the reasons for their suspicion under the heading “Relevant information”.

Word limit

Students and teachers must ensure that the word limit is not exceeded. If a student does exceed the word limit of 2,000 words, the moderators are instructed not to read beyond this point. This means that students could potentially lose marks from the last sections of the project, such as in criteria E and F (potentially worth 12 marks). Regulations regarding the use of annotations and tables should be closely followed.

During the writing of the report, students should bear in mind the suggested word length for each section provided in this publication. Students should include the total number of words on the coversheet.

See the table in the section “Word count and format”.

Sources

Students must acknowledge all of the secondary sources they have used in the project in criterion E. These can include websites and any other published material. Students who fail to cite any of the sources they have used will lose some of the marks available in criterion E.

If students do not reference their work, they could be accused of malpractice.

Sources should be referred to in the text and a standard referencing format (title, author and date) should be used for bibliographies and footnotes. Students should ensure that their method of referencing is consistent throughout, that all relevant information is provided, and that their system enables the reader to locate their original sources.

Guidance on how to reference is provided in the section “Information sources for the project”.

Use of appendices

Appendices are not required.

Stage 5: Completion and submission

There are a number of steps in stage 5.

Marking and comments

Teachers should mark the written report for each student using criteria A–G as specified in the Information technology in a global society guide. The teacher-generated marks are then externally moderated. This external moderation may change the teacher-generated marks.

Teachers are advised to annotate the project with brief comments showing where the student’s work demonstrates a particular skill that is worthy of credit or has a serious omission or error. These comments are also extremely helpful to the moderator in understanding the rationale behind the teacher’s marking.

Annotations should be presented using a method that clearly indicates that they are by the teacher, such as comment boxes, highlighted text (with some explanation of the exact method used) or an additional linked document.

Teacher marking and moderation

The purpose of moderation is to confirm the marks awarded by the teacher with respect to a sample of students’ work. However, in some cases the marks given by the teacher are increased or reduced by the external moderator. The final mark given by the moderator to each of the students represented in the sample will affect the marks received by the rest of class.

Atypical projects may have been completed at a different time, may be unfinished, may be highly unusual, may be different from those produced by the rest of the class, may have had significant extra assistance given by the teacher, or the teacher may have experienced particular difficulty in assessing the work. Full details of atypical work are given in the section on “Internal assessment” in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme, which is available to the Diploma Programme coordinator in each school and on the OCC for teachers. Teachers must assess atypical work using the ITGS internal assessment criteria and the same standards as applied to the rest of the class, indicate that it is atypical, and state the nature of the problem.

Correct submission procedures

The Diploma Programme coordinator in each school is responsible for following the correct procedures in submitting the sample reports to moderators and predicted marks to the IB. Further information is found in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme.

Teachers should note that each report must be accompanied by the following form:

Each report should include this coversheet with details of the student’s name and number along with the marks awarded. The teacher and the student must sign this form.

The reports selected for moderation must also include:

The sample of projects selected to be sent for moderation must be accompanied by this summary sheet. This provides the total marks for each project in the sample together with additional details about the work undertaken. The teacher must sign this form.

The entry of marks on these forms must be in line with the procedures in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme.

The number of projects selected as a sample to be sent to the moderator will depend on the size of the group. Samples are automatically selected for each school. The samples should arrive with the moderators by 20 April for May examinations and by 20 October for November examinations. Predicted marks should be sent to the IB by 10 April for May examinations or 10 October for November examinations. In schools where more than one teacher assesses the work, internal moderation should take place before marks are submitted.

If the automatic selection process results in an atypical project being chosen, supplement the moderation sample with another more typical project, at or as close as possible to the same mark as the atypical project. The atypical work should still be included in the sample to the moderator with a note of explanation on the form provided.

Teachers are advised that either they or the student should make a copy of the project before it is sent for moderation as a contingency measure and for future reference. After the process of moderation, the coursework is kept for several months by the moderator and then disposed of or deleted.

Information sources for the project

Using the library

The school library should be used actively to enable students to acquire the skills of individual research through a variety of media such as books, periodicals and electronic databases. The ability to locate and use appropriate sources effectively is essential for worthwhile research in ITGS.

The professional librarian is a trained information specialist, whose knowledge of, and insight into, information will complement that of the subject specialist teacher. The librarian can help students and teachers with information gathering and research skills.

The teacher may wish to build on the work of the librarian with study skills sessions to ensure that students make the best use of their time. Noting down resources in a standard format, prescribed by the teacher, can be a useful starting point. In addition, teachers can give general guidance on information gathering, note-taking and the construction of a well organized file of preparatory material.

How to reference sources

Referencing

References must be included to show where statements, ideas and evidence come from. It is very important to cite all sources used. If students do not reference their work, issues about the authenticity of the work may be raised.

Sources should be referred to in the text, and a standard referencing format should be used for the bibliography and footnotes. Students should ensure that their method of referencing is consistent throughout, and that all the relevant information is provided. The referencing system must enable the reader to locate the original sources easily.

The following guidance is based on the Harvard author–date system. It is offered only as an example: the IB permits any accepted convention for citing and acknowledging sources.

Body text

Use brackets or parentheses to set off a reference in the text. Give the author’s last name, if it is not part of the text, the page number(s) and the date of publication.

(Johnson, p98, 2006)

A full reference should appear in the bibliography at the end of the piece of work.

Footnotes

Footnotes provide related information that does not belong in the text. There should be as few of these as possible and they should be identified with a superscript number (1) and placed at the bottom of the same page.

Bibliography

The bibliography, or list of references used, should appear at the end of the piece of work. In this case the bibliography can be accessed via a link on the cover page.

List sources alphabetically by the last names of authors or editors. If there is no author or editor, list sources by titles and put them in order by date.

Books: Author’s last name and first name, or initial if name is unknown. Date. Title (in italics). Place of publication. Publisher’s name.

Baase, S. 2009. A Gift of Fire (3rd edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Pearson International.

Articles in journals: Author. Date. Title of the article (in quotation marks). Name of the journal (in italics). Volume number, first and last pages.

Lawes, Sheila. July 2008. “Moving towards a new IT paradigm”. Journal of Information Technology. Volume 47 Number 3, pages 13–28.

Information from the internet: Author’s name if possible. Title (in italics). Date site was visited. URL (address for the home page). Heading as listed on the web page (if there is one).

Lindsay, Julie. Welcome to Flat Classroom Project 2007. Visited 17 July 2006. http://flatclassroomproject.wikispaces.com/

Unpublished interviews with a client and personal research such as questionnaires: Name (last name, first name). Type of source, pertinent identifying information. Date.

Student’s name. Initial consultation with Mr Roberts, a garage owner. 12 September 2008.

Guidance for the development of the project

Students should note the iterative nature of the development of the product and ensure that they continually refer back to the specific performance criteria during this process.

Word count and format

The word count figures in the table below are guidelines.

The overall word limit for the project is 2,000; however, it is possible to complete the project in 1,500 words without a significant loss of quality.

If students write extended prose in the sections where the word count does not apply, these words will be counted in the overall word count.

It is strongly recommended that the documentation is submitted in a commonly used format such as PDF, DOC or HTM/HTML.

There are no appendices.

Prescribed format(s) of presentation are indicated in bold.

Criterion

Recommended word count

Comments: Format of presentation

A: Initial investigation

Initial investigation of problem

200–250

Extended writing.

Initial consultation with client

n/a

A written record of an interview either as a summary or transcript, a sound file, a video or an exchange of emails that may be supported by a questionnaire, providing evidence of the initial consultation with client.

B: Analysis

Requirements specification

n/a

Requirements specification form with justification of proposed solution appended as extended writing.

Justification of proposed solution

250–350

C: Project schedule

Project schedule

n/a

Project schedule form. May be presented in the form of a table.

D: Product design

Product design

n/a

Product design form. Includes scanned sketches, lists or concise statements, table for assets and techniques and for test plan.

E: Product development

Product development

750–1,000

Extended writing. Justification of techniques used including annotated screenshots and sources where appropriate.

F: Product evaluation and future product development

Feedback from client

n/a

A written record of an interview either as a summary or transcript, a sound file, a video or an exchange of emails that may be supported by a questionnaire, providing evidence of the gathering of feedback from the client after the development of the product.

Product evaluation and future product development

300–400

Extended writing.

G: Formal requirements

Sufficient content to evaluate product

n/a

Sufficient data within product for tests/queries/links to be meaningful.

Use of cover page

n/a

Cover page form developed in HTM/HTML format including relative hyperlinks to product and documentation.

Folder and file management

n/a

Appropriate file naming and folder structure(s).

TOTAL

2,000

Framework of the project

A ZIP file (Forms.zip/Forms_OpenDocument.zip) is available that provides the basic structure of the project for students. This should be downloaded from the OCC and placed in an area of shared access. Students can copy the ZIP file into their workspace and extract the contents.

It is most strongly recommended that the contents of this ZIP file are used as the framework for the project.

The initial file format of the documentation files is RTF in order to ensure maximum compatibility with a range of different software types. However, particularly with the insertion of screenshots, the file size may increase to become unmanageable, so it is strongly recommended that the file type is saved as PDF, DOC or HTM/HTML. Guidance in modifying the links in the original cover page form is included later in this section.

The ZIP file unpacks as follows.

The documentation folder should contain the following files.

The links in the cover page (cover_page.htm) will not open the documentation files, as the links are based on these documents being saved as PDF files.

Using the forms

Students are required to use the following forms in the development of their project.

The forms are as follows.

Item

Criterion

Format

Cover page

G

TXT/HTM

Analysis

B

RTF

Project schedule

C

RTF

Product design

D

RTF

Blank RTF files for extended writing are also included in the ZIP file and may be used.

The files are for the following criteria.

Item

Criterion

Initial investigation

A

Consultation with client

A

Product development

E

Feedback from client

F

Product evaluation and future product development

F

Links on the cover page

During the development of the project the student may have converted the RTF files in the forms into other formats such as PDF, DOC or HTM/HTML. This will mean that the original links on the cover page will no longer function as intended.

Reasons for the conversion of the file type may include the following.

Where file extensions have changed, the HTML on the cover page must be edited to enable the links to function. For example, if the student has saved the initial investigation as a DOC file, the original link on the cover page does not function.

It is strongly recommended that students use a simple text editor such as Notepad or TextEdit to edit the cover page. This will ensure that the links are maintained as relative rather than absolute, which may occur if more complex word processing software is used.

The easiest method of doing this is to open the cover_page.htm page using the “Open With” option, as shown below.

This will allow the HTML code for the cover page to be edited easily. In this case, it is the link to the initial investigation that needs to be edited (see screenshot below).

It will be necessary to change the text in the screenshot highlighted in the screenshot above from rtf to doc. There is no need to change the name of the file in the code, only the file extension (see screenshot below).

On completion the file should be saved (see screenshot below) and cover_page.htm opened using a web browser to check all the links.

It is strongly recommended that students test the links from the cover page to the documentation files on different computers before the project is submitted. This will ensure that the links are relative and the project functions as intended.

Where the product cannot be opened directly from a link, this link on the cover page should be disabled.

Additional guidance for developing the product

Criterion D: Product design

Design tools

The student should use the following top-level design tools.

Product

Recommended top-level design tool

Multimedia: Website

Hierarchical navigation model/Site map

Multimedia: Presentation

Outline layout

Multimedia: Video

Storyboard

Multimedia: Sound

Storyboard

Desktop publishing

Page layout

Database

Entity relationship diagram (ERD)

Spreadsheet

Workbook layout

Criterion D: Product design

In order to ensure that equal levels of complexity are found between different product types, teachers should make students aware of this information when designing and developing their product. Examples of inappropriate products include:

Although there is no lower limit on the number of pages in a website or the duration of a video, sound clip or other digital product, it is important that there is sufficient scope within it for the student to use at least three advanced techniques. For example, if a student can use three advanced techniques in a four-page website without compromising its quality or functionality, this is acceptable. However, if a student submits a product of a limited extent, they will need to justify why this appropriate.

The key determinant of whether the product—for example, a website—is simple or complex is the number of advanced techniques used within it, not the number of web pages. Duplication of techniques used will not increase the complexity of the product.

The list of appropriate techniques and their complexity is located on the OCC and is updated annually.

Criterion E: Product development

The following are guidelines for the justification of the choice of techniques used in the development of the product.

Assessment criteria

Internal assessment criteria—SL and HL

Criterion A: Initial investigation

Marks

Level descriptor

0

The work does not reach the standard described by the descriptors below.

1

A client and a problem with the present situation are identified.

2–3

A client is identified.

The inadequacies of the present situation are explained with cited reference to the consultation with the client.

Criterion B: Analysis

Requirements specification

The specific performance criteria within the requirements specification will be used in criterion F to evaluate the effectiveness of the product.

Justification of proposed solution

This is completed in extended writing.

Marks

Level descriptor

0

The work does not reach the standard described by the descriptors below.

1

The analysis form is used, refers to the scenario described in criterion A and includes either a requirements specification that can be used to partially evaluate the effectiveness of the IT solution or a limited explanation of why the IT solution was chosen.

2–3

The analysis form is used, refers to the scenario described in criterion A and includes a requirements specification that can be used to partially evaluate the effectiveness of the IT solution and an adequate explanation of why the IT solution was chosen.

4–5

The analysis form is used, refers to the scenario described in criterion A and includes a requirements specification that can be used to effectively evaluate the success of the IT solution and a detailed justification of why the IT solution was chosen.

Criterion C: Project schedule

The project schedule must include the following.

Marks

Level descriptor

0

The work does not reach the standard described by the descriptors below.

1

The project schedule uses the project schedule form and refers to the proposed IT solution identified in criterion B, providing an outline schedule of the tasks involved in planning, designing, developing, testing and implementing the IT solution.

2–3

The project schedule uses the project schedule form and refers to the proposed IT solution identified in criterion B, providing a detailed schedule of the tasks involved in planning, designing, developing, testing and implementing the IT solution.

The project schedule can be used as a basis for the development of the IT solution.

Criterion D: Product design

There are four significant components to the product design.

The following information should also be included as part of the product design.

Marks

Level descriptor

0

The work does not reach the standard described by the descriptors below.

1–2

The product designs for the IT solution identified in criterion B use the product design form but have significant omissions. It is possible for the student to create the product from them, but they lack sufficient detail for an IT-literate third party to see how the product was created.

3–4

The product designs for the IT solution identified in criterion B use the product design form and include sufficient detail for an IT-literate third party to see how the product was created.

Criterion E: Product development

The student must demonstrate the techniques, with screenshots, that were used to develop the IT solution identified in criterion B for the client identified in criterion A and justify why they have been used.

A complex product is defined as one that includes at least three appropriate advanced techniques. The list of techniques will be posted on the OCC annually.

Marks

Level descriptor

0

The work does not reach the standard described by the descriptors below.

1–2

The IT solution identified in criterion B is created. The techniques used to develop the complex product are identified or the techniques used to develop the simple product are described.

3–4

The IT solution identified in criterion B is created. The structure of the complex product and the techniques used to develop it are described (with screenshots) or the structure of the simple product and the choice of techniques used to create it are justified (with screenshots).

5–6

The IT solution identified in criterion B is created. The structure of the complex product and the choice of techniques used to develop it have been explained (with screenshots), with minor omissions.

Sources have been acknowledged.

7–8

The IT solution identified in criterion B is created. The structure of the complex product and the choice of techniques used to develop it have been fully justified (with screenshots).

Sources are cited appropriately.

Criterion F: Product evaluation and future product development

The student must evaluate the effectiveness of the finished product, based on feedback from the client. This must include direct references to the specific performance criteria identified in the requirements specification as part of criterion B.

The student must recommend proposals for future improvements of the product.

Marks

Level descriptor

0

The work does not reach the standard described by the descriptors below.

1–2

A limited evaluation of the product, based on feedback from the client is completed, and superficial and impractical recommendations are made for its further development.

There is limited reference to the specific performance criteria identified in the requirements specification.

3–4

The product is evaluated, based on feedback from the client and the specific performance criteria identified in the requirements specification, and appropriate recommendation(s) are made for future development of the product.

Criterion G: Required elements

This criterion assesses the extent to which the three formal requirements are met.

Marks

Level descriptor

0

None of the formal requirements are met.

1

Any one of the formal requirements is met.

2

Any two of the formal requirements are met.

3

All three of the formal requirements are met.

Assessed student work

Overview

This section of the teacher support material includes a number of examples of actual student work and exemplar materials developed for this document.

The documentation has been developed in consultation with various members of the senior examining team to ensure its effectiveness as exemplar material and to provide guidance in the depth of the documentation that is required.

Example 1 provides teachers with a completed project, including the product and all the documentation required.

The subsequent examples provide a product and documentation for selected criteria only. These enable teachers to focus on the criteria where more guidance might be required, and in particular on criterion B, where the student must use the form provided in the ZIP file and add extended writing to justify the choice of IT solution. For this criterion, further examples are also provided to show where it is appropriate to consider only one possible solution. For criterion E, the examples indicate different methods that a student can use to justify the choice of techniques used in the development of the product. There may be inconsistencies between the forms in the examples of student work and the forms in the ZIP file.

The information provided in the teacher support material must be read in conjunction with the guide.

Example

Topic

Title

Example 1

Web authoring

Keith Findlater Photography

Example 2

Web 2.0

Digiteen Compass

Example 3

Desktop publishing

Florence History Booklet

Example 4

Database (OpenOffice)

Steve Roberts Garage

Example 5

Database (Access)

French DVD Library

Example 6

Multimedia

Spanish in Vienna

Each example includes the following information.

To view the various elements of this example, please use the icons at the side of the screen.

You can use the blank assessment sheet if you would like to assess the work yourself before viewing the examiner’s marks and comments.

Teachers may simply wish to see how a project was assessed by an examiner. Using the icons it is possible to compare the unmarked student work with that where annotations have been added.

Alternatively teachers may wish to mark the student work themselves. Using the icons on the side of the screen, the unmarked student work and a blank assessment sheet can be accessed. Teachers can then compare their own marking to that of the examiner and go on to look at the annotated student work.

Example 1

Background and description of the work

The website was developed for Keith Findlater, a professional photographer in York, England, to assist him with the marketing of his images.

The software used was Adobe® (formerly Macromedia®) Dreamweaver® and Adobe Photoshop®.

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work

Student work

Moderator’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Total

Marks available

3

5

3

4

8

4

3

30

Marks awarded

3

5

3

4

8

4

3

30
General comments

The website developed for Keith Findlater was developed according to the guidelines for internal assessment in the guide. This is the only complete example included of the six examples provided. Comments are based on the assessment criteria for the ITGS project.

Criterion A: Initial investigation

A client and a problem are clearly identified. The inadequacies of the present situation are explained. There is a clear cited reference to the interview with the client, Keith Findlater.

The interview contributes to both a description of the problems and inadequacies identified in criterion A and the analysis of possible IT solutions in criterion B.

Criterion B: Analysis

The analysis form has been used to complete this criterion.

The proposed solution refers to the scenario identified in criterion A.

A detailed justification of why the IT solution was chosen is provided.

Criterion C: Project schedule

The project schedule refers to the proposed IT solution identified in criterion B. The project schedule form has been used to complete this criterion and includes dates, actions and details. A detailed schedule of tasks involved in the planning, designing, developing, testing and implementing of the IT solution has been provided along with dates of completion and the criteria that were addressed.

Criterion D: Product design

The product design form was used and the four components (overall structure, internal structure, list of resources, and list of techniques) are included along with the test plan and agreement of the client.

Sketches of the overall structure are included and annotated with notes. Within the sketches and the internal structure, there is a clear indication of the advanced techniques used (such as cascading style sheets and JavaScript).

The internal structure shows a consistent approach to the design of the web pages and relates to the sketches for the overall structure.

Some of the resources are indicated, but not the source of the information for all of the web pages. In this case, it would come from the client, but this needs to be clearly stated.

A test plan has been devised and there is a clear indication that the test plan has been used.

Although there are minor omissions, the “best fit” is 4 marks.

Criterion E: Product development

There are at least three advanced techniques used in the development of the product. The structure of the complex product and the choice of techniques used to develop it have been justified, with screenshots. Sources are cited appropriately.

The word count for this criterion is approximately 960. This has been determined by including all extended text, either written in paragraphs or within tables, where it explains or justifies the selection or operation of a particular technique.

The following are not included in the word count:

Teachers and moderators will be expected to use their professional judgment in determining what is included in the word count and will not be required to examine each piece of text.

Criterion F: Product evaluation and future product development

Direct references are made to the specific performance criteria that were identified in the requirements specification in criterion B. The client’s completed questionnaire is included and used in the evaluation of the product. There are recommendations for future development. Cross-references should be made on this page to the client’s responses on the questionnaire.

The questions are appropriate to support criterion F and specifically the requirement specification from criterion B.

Criterion G: Required elements

The content is sufficient to be reliably evaluated and functions as required.

The prescribed cover page is used and functions as required.

Appropriate file names and folder structures are used throughout the project.

Example 2

Background and description of the work

This Wikispaces website was developed for the head of IT as part of an initiative to develop digital citizenship in the school.

The software used included Apple GarageBand® to create the podcast, Microsoft Excel® to create the spreadsheet, and facilities offered by Wikispaces such as the Wikitext editor and widgets.

For this example, only criteria A, B, D and E have been developed for the teacher support material.

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work

Student work

Moderator’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Total

Marks available

3

5

n/a

4

8

n/a

n/a

20

Marks awarded

3

5

n/a

4

8

n/a

n/a

20
General comments

The Digiteen Compass website demonstrates the use of a wiki to solve a problem for the head of IT. The developer needed to consider the needs of the client and at the same time ensure that complex techniques were used in the development of the solution.

Criterion A: Initial investigation

The client, Mrs Haley Akmed, is identified and consulted regarding the inadequacies of the current situation. The requirements of the grade 8 team activity are described, but there is no indication of the solution at this point. The justification of a particular solution is addressed in criterion B.

A transcript of an interview and a summary of a meeting are used to support criterion A and criterion B. Formulating good questions for an interview with the client is important for these two criteria.

Criterion B: Analysis

The analysis form is used. There is a clear reference to the scenario described in criterion A. The requirements specification and the specific performance criteria can be used to evaluate the success of the IT solution. There is a detailed justification of why the IT solution was chosen, with screenshots.

Criterion C: Project schedule

Not provided for this example.

Criterion D: Product design

The product design form is used for criterion D. The site map and overall design for the actual web pages have sufficient detail for the wiki. The designs are accompanied by a listing of the pages and how they are structured. The tables for the list of resources and techniques and test plan have been completed with adequate detail. The test plan can be used as a basis for criterion F.

Criterion E: Product development

At least three complex techniques are used in the wiki. Other techniques that are important for the product are also identified. The first page provides a structured approach to the justification that follows. Arrows, circles and other indicators are used to show specific areas of the screenshots. Sufficient screenshots are used and each screenshot is referred to from the text. Sources are cited appropriately.

Criterion F: Product evaluation and future product development

Not provided for this example.

Criterion G: Required elements

Not provided for this example.

Example 3

Background and description of the work

The desktop-published document was developed for a school to assist the history department with their trip to Florence.

The software used was Adobe InDesign® and Adobe Photoshop®.

For this example, only criteria A, B and E have been developed for the teacher support material.

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work

Student work

Moderator’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Total

Marks available

3

5

n/a

n/a

8

n/a

n/a

16

Marks awarded

3

5

n/a

n/a

8

n/a

n/a

16
General comments

The Florence History Booklet consists of 77 pages including the front and back cover. Only a selection of pages is provided to demonstrate the quality of the entire booklet. All of the sources for the images and information are cited in the bibliography in the booklet.

The document must be submitted as a single PDF file and also in the original format if it is different.

Criterion A: Initial investigation

The client, Mr Clive Matthews, has been identified. There is a clear reference to the interview.

The present situation and the inadequacies are explained and there is a clear indication of the problems that a new solution should address.

Criterion B: Analysis

In this situation the client indicated that they felt that a desktop-published booklet would be the best solution for the problem. Other solutions were considered by the client not to be feasible.

The requirement specifications are clearly indicated and the specific performance criteria can be used to evaluate the success of the desktop-published booklet.

A range of detailed reasons justify why the solution was chosen. There is also an analysis of the feasibility of producing a desktop-published booklet.

Criterion C: Project schedule

Not provided for this example.

Criterion D: Product design

Not provided for this example.

Criterion E: Product development

The structure and organization of the Florence History Booklet are clearly indicated using diagrams accompanied by explanations.

At least three complex techniques are used to address the client’s requirements and are justified using screenshots accompanied by explanation. There are some minor omissions. However, using a “best-fit” approach, 8 marks are awarded. Sources are cited in the bibliography of the booklet for all of the content material (images and information). The source for the typography principles is also cited within the report as a resource.

The client was consulted throughout the development of the booklet.

The word count for this criterion is approximately 1,015 words and the student must ensure that the additional documentation for other criteria will enable it to conform to the overall limit of 2,000 words.

Criterion F: Product evaluation and future product development

Not provided for this example.

Criterion G: Required elements

Not provided for this example.

Example 4

Background and description of the work

The database was developed for Steve Roberts, a garage owner near Ross-on-Wye, England, to assist with the ordering of parts required in the repair of customers’ cars.

The software used was OpenOffice™ Base.

For this example only criteria A and E have been developed for the teacher support material.

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work

Student work

Moderator’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Total

Marks available

3

n/a

n/a

n/a

8

n/a

n/a

11

Marks awarded

3

n/a

n/a

n/a

7

n/a

n/a

10
General comments

The database for Steve Roberts has been developed in OpenOffice™, as an alternative to Microsoft Office®.

Only criterion E has been provided with this example. Notes are provided for understanding the client’s problem and inadequacies (criterion A). Some functionality of the product may be lost when copying or downloading it and will require the macros to be reattached. This information is available by following the link on the cover page for the student work.

Criterion A: Initial investigation

The client is identified. The present situation and the inadequacies are explained. The conversation that was held, with note-taking, can be considered to be a consultation. If it had not been recorded, it could not have been considered.

Criterion B: Analysis

Not provided for this example. Only notes are provided regarding the solution.

Criterion C: Project schedule

Not provided for this example.

Criterion D: Product design

Not provided for this example.

Criterion E: Product development

Complex and simple techniques are identified. The product development has been organized according to these techniques.

Three complex techniques have been justified. The relational database contains at least three related tables. Even though there are imperfections, the “best fit” is 7 marks.

Criterion F: Product evaluation and future product development

Not provided for this example.

Criterion G: Required elements

Not provided for this example.

Example 5

Background and description of the work

The database was developed for Nicole Martin, a French teacher in Melbourne, Australia, to assist with the tracking of DVDs that she uses as part of her teaching.

The software used was Microsoft Access®.

For this example only criteria A and E have been developed for the teacher support material.

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work

Student work

Moderator’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Total

Marks available

3

n/a

n/a

n/a

8

n/a

n/a

11

Marks awarded

3

n/a

n/a

n/a

8

n/a

n/a

11
General comments

The relational database is a type of ITGS product that emerges in a number of areas in a school. Caution needs to be exercised to ensure that the database is well structured, that complex techniques are used, and that the development process is well documented. Screenshots are most important and must be explained. The success of a database also depends upon a sufficient number of records being entered to demonstrate and test the database.

Criterion A: Initial investigation

A client is identified.

The problem and the inadequacies of the present situation are explained.

There are cited references to consultation with the client.

Criterion B: Analysis

Not provided for this example.

Criterion C: Project schedule

Not provided for this example.

Criterion D: Product design

Not provided for this example.

Criterion E: Product development

The structure of the product and the choice of techniques are justified.

There are at least three complex techniques explained among the six that were identified (more than three related tables, complex queries and calculated fields, proficient design of reports).

Screenshots are used to contribute to the justification.

Sources are cited where appropriate.

Criterion F: Product evaluation and future product development

Not provided for this example.

Criterion G: Required elements

Not provided for this example.

Example 6

Background and description of the work

The video was developed for Ms Gonzalez, a Spanish teacher in Vienna, to assist new students with living in the city.

The main software used was Apple iMovie®, with music added from iTunes®.

For this example only criteria A and B have been developed for the teacher support material.

Blank assessment sheet (Word)

Annotated student work

Student work

Moderator’s comments

Criterion

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Total

Marks available

3

5

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

8

Marks awarded

3

5

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

8
General comments

“Spanish in Vienna” is an example of how a video product can be a possible solution for a client. Producing a quality video can be a sizeable undertaking, considering all of the aspects of video-making. Although the video is not perfect, complex techniques were implemented in its production.

In order to comply with copyright requirements, the soundtracks of four songs that provided incidental music between the students’ dialogues were removed prior to publication.

Only criteria A and B are provided for this example. Notes have been provided for criterion E.

Criterion A: Initial investigation

The client is identified and the present situation is explained. There are cited references to consultation with the client and this would be further substantiated with the transcript of an interview with the client.

Criterion B: Analysis

The analysis form has been used. Sufficient detail has been provided for the requirement specifications for developing the video. The specific performance criteria will be used as a basis for criterion F. Detailed justification for using video editing for the solution has been provided even though some of the description is not specific to video editing.

Criterion C: Project schedule

Not provided for this example.

Criterion D: Product design

Not provided for this example.

Criterion E: Product development

With detailed documentation for the structure and choice of techniques, the product could have achieved full marks, although there are areas where improvements could have been made. A storyboard indicating details such as scenes, angles, lighting, type of narration and music would be necessary. Screenshots demonstrating the techniques along with justification for their use is required.

Criterion F: Product evaluation and future product development

Not provided for this example.

Criterion G: Required elements

Not provided for this example.

Frequently asked questions

General

Are students allowed to submit group work for internal assessment?

No.

Are students allowed to do work in groups?

No.

Can the students in an ITGS class work on different parts of a larger IT development. For example, where a number of students are working on different sections of a school website?

No.

How much assistance and guidance should I give the students?

It is important that the project is the student’s own work, although some assistance and guidance is allowed. Most of this advice will be related to the choice of the client, proposed solution and resources used. When the first, and only, draft is submitted, this should not be heavily annotated or edited by the teacher.

Is it necessary for the students to have all the skills required for the development of a project, especially the product, before they start?

No. The student may have a fundamental understanding of the software and project management techniques required to complete the project at the start. However, they will acquire additional skills during this activity so that by the time of its submission they have developed the required skills.

What if the student does not know the software they need or want to use?

The student will either need to learn to use the software or adjust their IT solution or project idea. It is important for the students to ensure they have the necessary training in using hardware and software to fulfill criteria B, C, D and E. It is also strongly advised that criteria A, B, C and D should be approved before the student begins to make the product.

Can the same student reuse an extended essay title and topic for internal assessment?

No, this is not allowed, and in any case the extended essay is significantly different from the project.

What is the difference between the project and the product?

The project is the complete internally assessed work of the student and consists of three components.

What is a product?

A product refers to the end result of a solution (desktop-published document, animation, database, multimedia presentation, website or other agreed solution) that is used to address the problem that the student has identified. The product is a single item created using a range of applications that can be tested by the moderator from the required media.

Can the student make several products to satisfy the requirements for the product?

No. Only one product must be submitted, although students may integrate more than one software type within the solution. Examples may be a desktop-published document that uses underlying data from a spreadsheet or a website using multimedia components.

Does the product have to address a real problem?

Yes. The solution must be real, current and able to be implemented.

Do product ideas have to be related to school?

No. Clients can come from schools, businesses or other sources. It must be a real problem.

When choosing an idea for a product, is it sufficient that the solution benefits only the client?

Yes.

Does the student have to examine more than one possible solution?

No. It is not necessary to identify more than one possible solution in detail if the rationale for the proposed solution can be clearly justified.

Can the student use a questionnaire as the only source of information in the initial consultation (investigation) from the client?

No. A questionnaire is a static, non-interactive method of obtaining feedback and does not allow for the development of a discussion between the client and the student, thus not being a realistic scenario in the development of an IT solution. However, a questionnaire may be included as part of the initial consultation with the client.

When is the best time to start working on the project?

There is no date prescribed, but it is recommended that students have the necessary software, file and folder management skills to successfully complete the project. It is also advisable that the project is completed up to criterion D by the end the first year of study to allow the product to be completed independently in consultation with the client.

How much class time should be allowed for work on the project?

The guide suggests 30 class hours of the recommended 150 hours at SL and 240 hours at HL. Class time is necessary to provide adequate opportunity for the teacher to monitor a student’s progress and to ensure that all of the work is the student’s own. It is expected that students will spend time outside of class to complete the project.

Does the project require programming skills?

No, programming skills are not required.

Is a single web page enough?

No. A single web page does not constitute an appropriate product. Students using web-based solutions need to develop a website with multiple pages and active links that are clearly seen to address the outlined problem.

The student will not have met one of the required elements in criterion G, as the content within the product is insufficient to reliably evaluate its effectiveness.

The student will also lose marks under the following criteria.

Other marks might be lost under other criteria and these will be evident at submission.

Is a poster or brochure enough for the product?

A single poster is not sufficient. However, a series of posters using complex techniques and professional-looking design can be linked to a web page that allows access to each poster, for example, by the use of thumbnails, thus creating a single product.

A simple brochure is not sufficient. The product should be a substantial solution that clearly uses IT to address a problem.

If using the information on the OCC referring to product complexity leads the teacher to believe that the product is a trivial solution, an alternative problem or product needs to be considered.

Can a student use templates to produce a website?

No, if the primary product is a website and the template that is used completely determines its structure and layout.

Yes, if the primary product is a website, and the student has some control over the structure and layout. In this situation, it is expected that three advanced techniques would be used to develop a complex product.

Completing the project

Is a penalty imposed when a student does not follow the recommendation on the length of the project?

Yes. The maximum word limit for the project is 2,000 words. Once a student reaches this word limit no further work will be marked.

If forms, tables, bullet points or footnotes are used for extended text (for example, for explanation, analysis and evaluation), in an attempt to exclude it from the word count, this text will be included in the word count.

Is any data and information in appendices assessed?

No. There must not be any appendices included in the project.

Is a bibliography required?

No. However, if websites or other source material are used these should be cited in criterion E as part of the product development. See the section on “Internal assessment criteria” in the guide.

Do I need to cite sources within the product?

Yes. Any content included in the product that does not originate from the client or student needs to be cited within it. However, these citations may also appear in criterion E as part of the product development. See the section on “Internal assessment criteria” in the guide.

Must the student use the forms provided for the project?

Yes. If the student fails to use a template they will be awarded zero marks for the relevant section.

What happens if there are discrepancies between the work submitted for criteria B, C, D and E?

Moderators will examine the project and establish the appropriate outcome for the student if the teacher has incorrectly awarded marks for some criteria. If the project is different from that produced by the rest of the class it would be considered “atypical”. If the project is representative of the rest of the class it should be moderated as normal.

See the example below, where a student produces a project schedule (criterion C) and designs a product (criterion D) that is different from the solution identified (criterion B), and the product developed (criterion E) and evaluated (criterion F).

Criterion

Marks awarded by teacher

Marks awarded by moderator

Comments

B

4

4

Total of marks for criteria B, E and F is 14.

Total of marks for criteria C and D is 7.

Marks awarded for criteria B, E and F are used and those for criteria C and D are discarded.

C

3

0

D

4

0

E

7

7

F

3

3

What happens if the links from the cover page to the documentation and the product do not work?

Moderators can open and assess the documentation files, and the product where appropriate, providing that they are named as required and in the correct location. However, the student may be penalized under criterion G, as the project will lack functionality.

What happens if the links from the cover page to the documentation and the product do not work and the moderator cannot locate the documentation files after a reasonable amount of searching?

Moderators make a reasonable attempt to locate the documentation files. However, should the documentation files not be located after this period of searching it will be assumed that they do not exist and it is likely the project will score zero marks.

What happens if major parts of the product do not work?

Where one particular feature does not function as required, the student will not have met one of the required elements in criterion G. One mark will be lost.

In another scenario, a student states that the lightbox function was used and counted it as one of the advanced techniques enabling it to be considered as a complex product. However, when the product was tested by the moderator it did not work as intended. This may result in the product being downgraded to a simple solution, with the student losing 4 marks in criterion E. This is particularly important where a student is claiming the use of three advanced techniques.

Marks might also be lost in other criteria.

What happens if minor parts of the product do not work?

The student will not have met one of the required elements in criterion G. One mark will be lost.

What happens if not all of the product can be assessed using the required method of submission?

Some products may consist of components that cannot be assessed in the required method of submission. In this case this component must be presented separately to allow it to be assessed. Below are a couple of possible examples.

In both cases the student must not amend the website before the end of the particular examination session (15 September for the May session and 15 March for the November session).

What happens if there is no evidence of how the product was developed?

Zero marks are awarded in criterion E and possibly other criteria depending on the teacher’s comments.

Submitting the project

What do I do if I suspect that a student’s work is not his or her own?

When authenticity is in doubt, the teacher should first discuss this with the student. In addition, one or more of the following actions may be helpful.

If you have reasonable evidence that this is the case, make the student rewrite the project. If time does not permit this, then do not sign Form 3/CS and submit the reasons for your suspicion.

Should I include comments on Form 3/IA or Form 3/CS?

Yes, when appropriate. It is helpful to the external moderator.

Should the teacher make comments on the student’s documentation?

Yes. Teachers are encouraged to add their comments. It is of great value to the moderator to see how teachers have arrived at a student’s mark.

How are the marks submitted?

The internal assessment (IA) marks should be submitted to IB Cardiff electronically using the IA/PG marksheet, which can be accessed through consultation with the Diploma Programme coordinator. A selection of sample scripts to be sent to the external moderator will be generated electronically by IB Cardiff, and communicated to the teacher by the Diploma Programme coordinator.

What must I submit with the selected samples?

What is the IB moderator going to see?

The moderator will see the three required parts of the project on the required media plus any comments from the teacher on a separate document explaining the awarding of marks.

Should I make a copy of the students’ internal assessment pieces?

Yes. Back-up copies are useful as a contingency measure or for future reference. The teacher must submit the original pieces only.

Do I receive any feedback on the internal assessment undertaken by the school?

Yes. The moderator will write a report on the internal assessment submitted by each school. This will provide comments on the suitability and quality of the work. It will also give recommendations to the school for future internal assessment and address any problems that may have arisen. It is important that teachers follow the recommendations made in previous reports. It is also useful for teachers to read the subject report for ITGS. This gives an overview of student performance in the internal assessment component undertaken by all schools.

Is every student required to sign Form 3/CS?

Yes. Every student must authenticate his or her work by signing the following declaration: “I confirm that this work is my own work and is the final version. I have acknowledged each use of the words or ideas of another person, whether written or oral.” Once the sheet has been signed, the declaration cannot be retracted if plagiarism is suspected. If the teacher adds a comment on the sheet that the work may not be authentic, the student will not get a grade. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the work is authentic.

Using the assessment criteria

What happens if no client is identified?

No marks will be awarded for criterion A.

What happens if no problem is identified?

No marks will be awarded for criterion A.

What methods can be used to obtain information from the client in criteria A and E?

A written record of an interview either as a summary or transcript, a sound file, a video or an exchange of emails that may be supported by a questionnaire.

What happens if only one solution is identified in criterion B?

This is not a problem. In some cases, such as databases or wikis, there is only one logical solution. In this case the student must base the justification of this choice of software on the features that make it the only realistic choice.

Should the past, present or future tense be used in the project schedule for criterion C?

This is not a problem. The project schedule submitted is the final edited document. The key requirement is that there is clearly progression. Typically the first two columns (date, action proposed) are completed as part of a plan, the last four columns are completed as the student discusses the project with the ITGS teacher. The completion of the project schedule is an ongoing process.

Should the test plan in criterion D include every individual test?

It is not necessary to show evidence of every individual test that will be carried out in the development of the product; rather, an example of each specific type of test. These may include an internal hyperlink, email link, button click, sound clip, calculations in a derived field, loading of a form, printing of a report, correct insertion of text, to show evidence that it has been considered.

The functionality will be tested by the moderator. This will ensure that there is consistency between the testing regime in criterion D and the product submitted and will involve the testing of all the different parts of the product that need to be tested. For example, on a website all the hyperlinks will be tested, or in a database a query that specifies a particular criterion to be satisfied will be run and checked against a similar query that does not have any criteria specified to ensure the appropriate information is generated.

What happens if no specific performance criteria are stated in criterion B yet specific performance criteria are stated and evaluated in criterion F?

The student is not penalized in criterion F, but will be penalized in criterion B as they will not have fulfilled the requirement of developing specific performance criteria.

What happens if there are specific performance criteria identified in criterion F in addition to those already identified in criterion B, with all being evaluated?

This is acceptable and demonstrates the development of the product as an organic process.

What happens if there is a different set of specific performance criteria identified and evaluated in criterion F from those identified in criterion B?

The student is penalized in criterion F.

Checklists

Checklists for teachers

Checklists for students

Glossary/List of abbreviations

Hardware (storage and processing)

Glossary term

Glossary definition
CPU

Central processing unit
MHz

Megahertz
GHz

Gigahertz
THz

Terahertz
RAM

Random-access memory
ROM

Read-only memory
KB

Kilobyte
MB

Megabyte
GB

Gigabyte
TB

Terabyte
PB

Petabyte
EB

Exabyte
ZB

Zettabyte
YB

Yottabyte
PDA

Personal digital assistant

Software

Glossary term

Glossary definition
CAPTCHA

Completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart
CGI

Computer-generated imagery
CLI

Command line interface
GUI

Graphical user interface
MDI

Menu-driven interface
MICR

Magnetic ink character recognition
OCR

Optical character recognition
OMR

Optical mark reader
RFID

Radio frequency identification

Networks

Glossary term

Glossary definition
ACM

Association for Computing Machinery
LAN

Local area network
P2P

Peer-to-peer
RAID

Redundant array of inexpensive disks
SAN

Storage area network
UPS

Uninterruptible power supply
VLAN

Virtual local area network
VPN

Virtual private network
WAN

Wide area network
WiFi

Wireless fidelity
WiMax

Worldwide interoperability for microwave access
WLAN

Wireless local area network

Internet

Glossary term

Glossary definition
B2B

Business-to-business
B2C

Business-to-consumer
C2C

Consumer-to-consumer
CTR

Click-through rate
DNS

Domain name system
FTP

File transfer protocol
HTTP

Hypertext transfer protocol
HTTPS

Hypertext transfer protocol secure
ISP

Internet service provider
RSS

Really simple syndication
SSL

Secure sockets layer
TCP/IP

Transmission control protocol/internet protocol
URL

Uniform resource locator
VLE

Virtual learning environment
VOIP

Voice over internet protocol
W3C

World Wide Web Consortium
WWW

World Wide Web

File formats

Glossary term

Glossary definition
ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASPX

Active server page extended
AVI

Audio video interleave
CODECS

Video coder-decoders
CSV

Comma-separated values
DOC

Microsoft Word document
DTP

Desktop publishing
GIF

Graphics interchange format
HTM/HTML

Hypertext markup language
JPG/JPEG

Joint Photographic Experts Group
MIDI

Musical instrument digital interface
MOV

QuickTime®
MP3

MPEG-1 audio layer 3
MP4

MPEG-4 part 14
MPG/MPEG

Moving Picture Experts Group
PDF

Portable document format
PHP

Personal home page
PNG

Portable network graphics
RTF

Rich text format
SWF

Small web format
TIF/TIFF

Tagged image file format
TXT

Text file
WAV

Waveform audio format
XLS

Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet
ZIP

Zipped file

Miscellaneous

Glossary term

Glossary definition
AI

Artificial intelligence
ATM

Automated teller machine
BSA

Business Software Alliance
CD/CD-ROM

Compact disk/Compact disk read-only memory
CMMI

Capability maturity model integration
dpi

Dots per inch
DRM

Digital rights management
DVD

Digital versatile/video disk
EDI

Electronic data interchange
EFT

Electronic funds transfer
ERD

Entity relationship diagram
GIS

Geographic information system
GPS

Global positioning system
IS

Information system
MMORPG

Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
MPAA

Motion Picture Association of America
PDLC

Project development life cycle
PMBoK

Project management body of knowledge
PRINCE2

Projects in controlled environments 2
RIAA

Recording Industry Association of America
RSI

Repetitive strain injury
SDLC

System development life cycle
SSADM

Structured systems analysis and design method

VR

Virtual reality

Sample forms

Teachers may find examples of the relevant forms helpful for reference.

The forms below are available in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme, which is published annually, or on IBIS. They are reproduced here for information only and the forms for the current session must be used.

Please find below links to each of the sample forms.

Sample Form 3/CS (PDF)

Sample Form 3/IA (PDF)

Sample Form 3/IAF (PDF)