Newfoundland & Labrador

The Newfoundland Curriculum insists that technological competence is a present necessity within every subject area. Obviously, as the world continues to evolve, adapt and progress, this is becoming ever more true. Technology and its various uses, artifacts and applications continue to seep into every avenue of life and thus the many subjects a student can study in their secondary education. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)  has set standards for students of which the Newfoundland Curriculum hopes to achieve four out of the seven. Creating Empowered Learners, Knowledge Constructors, Innovative Designers, and Creative Communicators is what the Newfoundland Curriculum hopes to accomplish.

However, beyond simply fostering these abilities in students to make them better students, the Newfoundland Curriculum recognizes the value a technologically adept student has to the work force. The conference board of Canada Employability Skills Profile recognizes the use and communication with/through technology as an essential skill to be deemed employable. Thus, the Newfoundland Technology Curriculum seeks to create employable individuals.
Furthermore, a large part of this technology curriculum involves problem solving. Not only does the curriculum itself promote problem solving abilities within its content, but it also allows for options in the applications used for accomplishing the course outcomes. In the Newfoundland Curriculum, this is a way to further the student's problem solving skills, by allowing more freedom in selection of application, in order that students may learn how to be productive in those specific applications. This also helps students build practical skills as they produce technological (multimedia specifically) artefacts through various applications and methods. However, the software that is promoted for use must be free and open source. 

3.

How each document deals with the nature of technology.

Technology as solutions
As evidenced by GCO 1, technology is a solution to problems. Throughout the curriculum, problems are discussed in which students must utilize technology to create a solution.

Technology as ethics

As evidence by GCO 5, technology is utilized with an understanding of appropriate ethics. The curriculum discourages improper use of technology and the consequences of technology used unethically. "Technology education engages students directly in constructing technological solutions to everyday, real-world problems" (Department of Education and early childhood development of Newfoundland and Labrador, 2017)

Technology as process
GCO 2 speaks of technology as a system to be managed and as processes by which the student can understand and repeat or modify as necessary. Technology in this way is moldable and yet follows basic principles that are predetermined. 

The Newfoundland Curriculum leans heavily into the foundational concept of connectivity in learning. The document insists connection so much that almost every subtopic has a specific section for how students can connect what they learned to exterior projects, ideas, and interests. 

Similar to the New Brunswick curriculum, Newfoundland's communications technology course also utilizes constructivism and cognitive learning theory. Tasks and expectations of students involve self-evaluation and referencing their own thought-processes which relate to cognitive learning theory. Also, the Newfoundland document stresses a continual learning process, built upon earlier learning, for example, students are expected to continuously assess their work and modify and improve their designs based upon what they learn in previous experimentation. This continuous learning is key in skills-based learning.

Another fundamental philosophy of this technology course and the New Brunswick Course is experiential learning, as both courses focus on completing tasks, trial and error methods, as well as learning while doing.

Newfoundland's Communications Technology 2104 is separated into 5 general curriculum outcomes (GCO's). These GCO's are further divided into specific curriculum outcomes (SCO's).

The first GCO deals with actual production of technological artifacts to solve problems. The second GCO deals with the operation of technological systems in order that GCO 1 may occur. The curriculum also highlights, in the third GCO, the history and evolution of technology. Fourthly, students are expected to know about careers in technology and technology usage in the workplace. Lastly, the 5th outcome relates to ethics about the use of technology.

"GCO 1: Technological Problem Solving: Students will be expected to design, develop, evaluate, and articulate technological solutions. 

GCO 2: Technological Systems Students will be expected to operate and manage technological systems. 

GCO 3: History and Evolution of Technology Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the history and evolution of technology, and of its social and cultural implications. 

GCO 4: Technology and Careers Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of current and evolving careers and of the influence of technology on the nature of work. 

GCO 5: Technological Responsibility Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the consequences of their technological choices."

The Newfoundland communications technology curriculum matches, or comes close to, the New Brunswick curriculum in the areas of creating media, and ethics of technology use. However, the Newfoundland course puts less of a priority on exterior forces affecting design, such as audience, although these are mentioned throughout the document.

Newfoundland's curriculum, similar to New Brunswick's curriculum, is a project-based learning course. The teacher begins each unit with a clear directive in mind headed toward a unit project, or several, which will assess the student's abilities acquired for the unit, as seen clearly in some "consolidation" sections of the Newfoundland document.

The specific teaching methodology is a lot more diverse than New Brunswick's methodology which is narrowed down within the document. In Communications Technology, the teachers are encouraged to tap into the connectivity of students learning while also using scaffolding, and continuous learning strategies to promote an increasing knowledge and skill acquisition. 

Another frequent method utilized in the Newfoundland Curriculum document is active learning. The document encourages hands-on interactive assignments and activities with the various technological software's available within the unit's context so the students are free to learn by exploring (with help) .