Unit 1: Studio Onboarding

Welcome to the studio. Before you touch any of the tools you'll use for the rest of the semester, you get onboarded the way any new hire would: understanding how the technology you depend on actually works, learning the studio's ground rules for working responsibly — with each other and with AI — and getting the logistics sorted so nothing gets lost across the semester. Nothing here is about building yet; it's about being ready to build.

Your New Hire Packet

Unit 1 doesn't end in one big project. Instead, you'll build a New Hire Packet — a small set of artifacts that together prove you're fully onboarded and ready for real studio work in Unit 2. You'll assemble it piece by piece across the four weeks and submit it as one packet at the end of Week 4.

  • Signed Acceptable Use & AI Use Agreement
  • Organized ICT 9 folder (OneDrive / H-drive)
  • Typing baseline score (Typing Club)
  • Binary worksheet
  • Network map + reflection
  • Digital identity one-pager

Learning Goals

  • Explain how computers represent data in binary, and why it matters.
  • Describe how networks connect devices — hardware, topology, and the client-server model.
  • Identify core operating system functions across device types (mobile, open-source, proprietary).
  • Apply responsible digital citizenship practices, including AI use norms.
  • Organize digital files and folders consistently.
  • Build typing accuracy and speed through daily practice.

Unit Sequence

Week 1 — Studio Onboarding (3-Day Block: Wed / Thu / Fri)

This block runs before the regular weekly rhythm starts. It's logistics-heavy by design — accounts, norms, and culture — so that Week 2 can open straight into content.

Day Lesson Focus & Key Activities Deliverable
Day 1 (Wed) 1.1 Welcome to the Studio Studio frame & the four departments; Employee Handbook (Respect, Accountability, Independence); environment setup; launch the New Hire ID Card. ID Card started (due start of Day 2)
Day 2 (Thu) 1.2 Setting Up Shop ID Card due; Typing Club baseline test + daily warm-up routine; finish folder setup; sign the Acceptable Use & AI Use Agreement; Get to Know You survey. Signed AUA + organized folder + typing baseline + survey submitted
Day 3 (Fri) 1.3 Ready for Day One ID cards go up on the "meet the team" wall; Studio Bingo icebreaker; course site orientation; readiness self-check; preview Week 2. Completed readiness checklist

Weeks 2–4 — Regular Weekly Rhythm

Monday direct teach → Wednesday dig lit mini-lesson → Friday product due. This is where the onboarding content itself — binary, networking, citizenship & AI, OS — lives, building toward your packet.

Week Focus Key Concepts Deliverable
2 How Computers Think Binary representation, number systems, why it matters to everyday tech. Binary worksheet + short reflection
3 Networking & the Internet Hardware, topology, client-server model. Hand-drawn network map + reflection
4 Digital Citizenship, AI Norms & OS Online identity, AI use norms, OS functions, file/cloud management. Digital identity one-pager + AI Use Agreement + New Hire Packet submitted

BC ADST 9 Alignment

Big Ideas Curricular Competencies Content Connections
Complex tasks require the sequencing of skills. Understand context before creating; research and define a problem. Binary representation of data; functions of operating systems.
Social, ethical, and sustainability considerations impact design. Use technology safely, ethically, and responsibly. Digital citizenship, AI ethics, online identity and footprint.
Complex tasks require different technologies and tools at different stages. Choose and adapt appropriate tools and technologies. Networking hardware and topology; client-server relationships; keyboarding technique.

Assessment

One rubric at the end of the unit, not daily marking — same as the rest of ICT 9. You'll self-assess against the checklist first, and your teacher moderates. Week 1's onboarding block (ID card, AUA, folder setup, typing baseline) is completion-based and feeds the "Organization & habits" row below, rather than being marked on its own.

Criteria Emerging Developing Proficient Extending
Technical literacy (binary, networking, OS) Limited understanding; worksheet/map incomplete or unclear. Partial understanding; some gaps in explanation. Clear, accurate explanation of how the concepts work. Connects concepts to real examples beyond what was taught.
Digital citizenship & AI norms Minimal engagement with AUA/AI norms. Basic compliance; limited reflection. Thoughtful, specific reflection on responsible use. Identifies nuanced ethical considerations unprompted.
Organization & habits Folder/files disorganized; typing routine inconsistent. Mostly organized; typing practice inconsistent. Consistently organized; steady typing improvement. Systems clearly built to last the whole semester.

Tools & Resources