Course Outline: HZT4U

The following document is the course outline for the HZT4U course offered by Christian Virtual School. It contains the course description, unit outline, teaching & learning strategies, and the curriculum expectations addressed. This outline can also be viewed as a PDF using the download link provided.

Philosophy: Questions and Theories, Grade 12, University Preparation

Course Code: HZT4U

Grade: 12

Course Type: University Preparation

Credit Value: 1.0 

Prerequisite(s): Any university (U) or university/college (M) preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and world studies 

Curriculum Document: Social Sciences and Humanities, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12, 2013 (Revised)

Developed By: Andre Iarusso

Department: Social Sciences and Humanities

Development Date: February 2024

Most Recent Revision Date: February 2024

Teacher(s):

Andre graduated from King’s College in 2007 with a major in history and minors in Religious Studies and Political Science. He attended D’Youville teachers’ college in Buffalo, New York and began teaching with the Thames Valley District School board in 2009. 

He initially began working extensively with English Language Learners and teaching the language to those with limited proficiency all the way to grade 12 university English.  The last five years he has been teaching Cooperative Education and teaching online in various capacities.   

Aside from teaching, he enjoys working out and spending time with his wife and 4 kids.  He is looking forward to working at CVS to meld his faith with my passion for teaching!  

Course Description:

This course enables students to acquire an understanding of the nature of philosophy and philosophical reasoning skills and to develop and apply their knowledge and skills while exploring specialized branches of philosophy (the course will cover at least three of the following branches: metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, philosophy of science, social and political philosophy, aesthetics). Students will develop critical thinking and philosophical reasoning skills as they formulate and evaluate arguments related to a variety of philosophical questions and theories. They will also develop research and inquiry skills related to the study and practice of philosophy.

Overall Curriculum Expectations
Research and Inquiry Skills
  1. Exploring: explore topics related to philosophy, and formulate questions to guide their research;
  2. Investigating: create research plans, and locate and select information relevant to their chosen topics, using appropriate philosophical research and inquiry methods;
  3. Processing Information: assess, record, analyse, and synthesize information gathered through research and inquiry;
  4. Communicating and Reflecting: communicate the results of their research and inquiry clearly and effectively, and reflect on and evaluate their research, inquiry, and communication skills.

Philosophical Foundations

  1. The Nature of Philosophy: demonstrate an understanding of the main areas of philosophy, periods of philosophical development, and the differences between philosophy and other areas of inquiry;
  2. Philosophical Reasoning: demonstrate an understanding of philosophical reasoning and critical thinking skills, including skills required to identify and avoid common fallacies of reasoning, and demonstrate the ability to apply these skills in various contexts.

Core Topics: Metaphysics

  1. Understanding Metaphysics: demonstrate an understanding of the main questions in metaphysics, and of the positions of major philosophers and schools of philosophy with respect to some of these questions;
  2. Exploring Metaphysics: demonstrate an understanding of metaphysical theories, and evaluate responses to some of the main questions in metaphysics by major philosophers and schools of philosophy;
  3. Making Connections to Metaphysics: demonstrate an understanding of connections between metaphysics and other areas of philosophy, other subject areas, and various aspects of society, including everyday life;
  4. Philosophical Reasoning in Metaphysics: use philosophical reasoning skills to develop, communicate, and defend their own responses to metaphysical questions.

Core Topics: Ethics

  1. Understanding Ethics: demonstrate an understanding of the main questions in ethics, and of the positions of major philosophers and schools of philosophy with respect to some of these questions;
  2. Exploring Ethics: demonstrate an understanding of theories in ethics, and evaluate responses to some of the main questions in ethics by major philosophers and schools of philosophy;
  3. Making Connections to Ethics: demonstrate an understanding of connections between ethics and other areas of philosophy, other subject areas, and various aspects of society, including everyday life;
  4. Philosophical Reasoning in Ethics: use philosophical reasoning skills to develop, communicate, and defend their own responses to philosophical questions in ethics.

Core Topics: Epistemology

  1. Understanding Epistemology: demonstrate an understanding of the main questions in epistemology, and of the positions of major philosophers and schools of philosophy with respect to some of these questions;
  2. Exploring Epistemology: demonstrate an understanding of epistemological theories, and evaluate responses to some of the main questions in epistemology by major philosophers and schools of philosophy;
  3. Making Connections to Epistemology: demonstrate an understanding of connections between epistemology and other areas of philosophy, other subject areas, and various aspects of society, including everyday life;
  4. Philosophical Reasoning in Epistemology: use philosophical reasoning skills to develop, communicate, and defend their own responses to epistemological questions.

Supplementary Topics: Philosophy of Science

  1. Understanding the Philosophy of Science: demonstrate an understanding of the main questions in the philosophy of science, and of the positions of major philosophers and schools of philosophy with respect to some of these questions;
  2. Exploring the Philosophy of Science: demonstrate an understanding of theories in the philosophy of science, and evaluate responses to some of the main questions in the philosophy of science by major philosophers and schools of philosophy;
  3. Making Connections to the Philosophy of Science: demonstrate an understanding of connections between the philosophy of science and other areas of philosophy, other subject areas, and various aspects of society, including everyday life;
  4. Philosophical Reasoning in the Philosophy of Science: use philosophical reasoning skills to develop, communicate, and defend their own responses to questions in the philosophy of science.

Resources Required:

This course is entirely online and does not require nor rely on any textbook. The materials required for the course are:

  • A smart phone, camera, or similar device to record video and sound, 
  • Access to a webcam,
  • Up-to-date operating system,
  • Up-to-date browser.

Teaching and Learning Strategies:

The social sciences and humanities courses prepare students to build awareness and make decisions with respect to critical issues in our increasingly complex, multifaceted, and diverse society. Students are encouraged to explore a range of perspectives and approaches and to develop the habits of mind that enhance individual, family, and community well-being and contribute to lifelong learning. Philosophy involves critical and creative thinking about fundamental questions: questions about the meaning of life, the nature of good and evil, the reliability of knowledge, the bases of human rights and responsibilities, the functions of government, the nature and value of art. Some of the goals of the philosophy courses include:

  • developing an understanding of the nature of philosophy as a general discipline and specialized branches of philosophy
  • exploring a range of philosophical questions and learn how major philosophers and philosophical traditions have responded to these questions
  • developing philosophical reasoning skills
  • applying philosophical methods, questions, and insights to personal lives and broader social issues.

Assessment and Evaluation Strategies of Student Performance:

Every student attending Christian Virtual School is unique. We believe each student must have the opportunities to achieve success according to their own interests, abilities, and goals. Like the Ministry of Education, we have defined high expectations and standards for graduation, while introducing a range of options that allow students to learn in ways that suit them best and enable them to earn their diplomas. Christian Virtual School’s Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting Policy is based on seven fundamental principles, as outlined in the Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools document.

When these seven principles are fully understood and observed by all teachers, they guide the collection of meaningful information that helps inform instructional decisions, promote student engagement, and improve student learning. At Christian Virtual School, teachers use practices and procedures that:

  1. are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
  2. support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning English, and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
  3. are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
  4. are communicated clearly to students and parents or guardians at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
  5. are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
  6. provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement; and
  7. develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to access their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.

For more information on our assessment and evaluation strategies, refer to Section 6, Student Achievement, in the Course Calendar.

Program Planning Considerations:

Christian Virtual School is committed to ensuring that all students are provided with the learning opportunities and supports they require to succeed. Our courses are made to offer flexible, personalized learning experiences. By maintaining an asynchronous model, students can move through their courses at their own pace, ensuring they are able to take the time they need to understand concepts or work with their teacher if they hit roadblocks. Christian Virtual School courses also incorporate choice, allowing students to submit work in a variety of mediums or formats to communicate their ideas. 

In addition to the flexibility built into the courses, Christian Virtual School will implement the accommodations that are listed in a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) that are applicable to the online learning environment. In these cases, the learning expectations will be the same as or similar to the expectations outlined in the curriculum document but supports will be provided to help students achieve those expectations. Common accommodations in the environment are reducing the workload, simplifying tasks and materials, providing extra time for tests and exams, allowing scribing or the use of specialized equipment, and not deducting marks for spelling. 

Although all our courses are only offered in English at this time, Christian Virtual School welcomes students learning the English language. Students do need to meet a baseline proficiency level to access the content, but Christian Virtual School teachers are responsible for helping students develop their English literacy skills no matter the course they are enrolled in. 

Upon enrollment, students are asked if they would like to provide information about their English language background, and this information is used by our teachers to help them adjust their instruction and suggest accommodations within the courses. English language learners are encouraged to reach out to their teacher or the Christian Virtual School administration to talk about the accommodation options in their courses so that the appropriate opportunities are given to everyone. 

Christian Virtual School operates with 5 cores values: responsibility, perseverance, integrity, compassion, and community. These core values determine our business operations, as well as exemplify what we, as educations, want to instill in our students. Environmental education, among other causes, are important to us as a school and we strive to promote learning about these issues and solutions within our courses. We work to educate students on the environment, its threats, and the importance of sustainability. We also work to inspire students to make an impact within their community and identify an alignment between their passions and the local, or global, needs. 

Environmental education is woven throughout our course content, across all disciplines. Depending on the course and subject matter, this education can be subtle or explicit, but the goal is to ensure that students have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills, perspective and practices needed to become an environmentally literate citizen. 

Christian Virtual School stands on the belief that every person is unique and, regardless of ancestry, culture, ethnicity, sex, physical or intellectual ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or other similar factor, they are to be welcomed, included, accepted, treated fairly, and respected. As a school, we teach students about multiple worldviews, how to identify and acknowledge similarities and differences, and how to communicate with others in an inclusive, kind, loving, and compassionate way. 

Diversity is valued at Christian Virtual School, and it is our goal to ensure all members of the community feel safe, comfortable, and accepted. Our courses are written to draw attention to the contributions of men and woman alike, the different perspectives of various cultural, religious, and racial communities, and the beliefs and practices of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, to showcase a wide range of backgrounds and allow all of our students to see themselves reflected in the curriculum. 

As a school, we see and recognize the diversity of families, children, and people in the world in need of Christ’s love. We work every day to spread the love and acceptance of Christ. 

Whenever possible, Christian Virtual School emphasizes the importance of financial literacy. Making financial decisions has become an increasingly complex task, and students need to have knowledge in many areas and a wide range of skills in order to make informed decisions about financial matters. In addition to the concrete skills of numeracy and finances from a mathematical point of view, students need to develop an understanding of the economic forces and ways in which they can respond to those influences. 

Lessons that promote skill building in problem solving, inquiry, research, decision making, reflection, and critical thinking are present throughout Christian Virtual School courses. The goal is to help students acquire the knowledge and skills required to understand their own finances, as well as to develop an understanding of local and global effects of world economic forces and the social, environmental, and ethical implications of their own choices. 

Technology is rapidly changing, and the requirements for literacy in technology is growing just as quickly. Students entering the workforce are expected to have a firm grasp of information and communication technologies and be skilled their use.  

Due to the nature of Christian Virtual School courses, students are exposed to a wide range of technologies to both facilitate and communicate their learning. As a result, students will develop transferable skills through their experience with word processing, information processing, internet research, presentation software, communication tools, and more. 

Opportunities are present throughout Christian Virtual School courses to explore careers related to the different disciplines and subject areas. Students are exposed to a wide variety of modern careers, fields of study, and employment opportunities.  

In addition, teachers are available to help the student prepare for employment in a number of diverse areas. With the help of teachers, students will learn to set and achieve goals and gain experience in making meaningful decisions concerning career choices. The skills, knowledge, and creativity that students acquire through our course are essential for a wide range of careers

In order to provide a suitable learning environment for the Christian Virtual School staff and students, it is critical that the courses and the learning environment complies with relevant federal, provincial, and municipal health and safety legislation and by-laws, including, but not limited to, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), the Food and Drug Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act, the Ontario Building Code, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).  

Consideration of students’ health and safety is taken when planning activities, investigations, and experiments for our courses to ensure that proper safety precautions are communicated to and attainable for students.