These general competencies should be coupled with those that may lead to employment in business and advanced business studies. With the escalating availability of data and information, the Canadian marketplace is an increasingly complex and changing forum of which every member of society is a part. Individuals preparing for all types of adult responsibilities require a sound understanding of how to create, access, use, and manage information. The Business Education Curriculum Advisory Committee proposed the basic format for the new Information Processing curriculum after considering the rapid changes in technology, the efficient use of technology, and the needs of society. The integration of keyboarding, communication, management, and computer applications offered in this program will assist students to ease into the transition to adulthood and lifelong learning.
Modules also allow for ease in curriculum updating.
Each of the grade levels in Information Processing contains a core module of 50 hours and two 25-hour optional modules, allowing 50 optional hours to be determined by the school division to best meet its needs. The keyboarding strand of the program is essential for the efficient use of the computer keyboard. Although the number of hours of keyboarding would be greatly reduced from the old Typewriting curriculum, it is assumed that students will have acquired keyboarding skills prior to Information Processing 10. Also, many keyboarding concepts would be integrated and used within other strands of the curriculum such as in communications and computer applications. With continued use throughout the program, touch keyboarding skills would continue to be refined and developed.