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D. Topics in Computer Science · Topics in Computer Science: Sustainability, Emerging Research and Careers

Topics in Computer Science: Sustainability, Emerging Research and Careers: Unit Review

D1.1 D1.2 D1.3 D1.4 D2.1 D2.2 D2.3 D3.1 D3.2 D3.3 D3.4 D3.5About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can describe the environmental and health effects of computers and the policies and agencies that reduce them.
  • I can explain key ideas in several emerging areas of computer science research and report on one.
  • I can describe computing careers, trends, experiential learning, postsecondary pathways and supports.
  • I can describe the Essential Skills and Work Habits needed for success.

Words to know

e-waste
Discarded electronic devices.
producer responsibility
Producers must collect and recycle their products at end of life.
public-key cryptography
Encryption with a public key to lock and a private key to unlock.
machine learning
Computers learning patterns (a model) from examples.
Amdahl's law
The sequential part of a program limits parallel speedup.
Ontario Skills Passport
Ontario's description of Essential Skills and Work Habits.

Let's review!

This unit had three big parts. Environmental stewardship (D1): the environmental and health costs of computers, the policies that reduce them, the ways computers help save resources, and the agencies that reuse and recycle old equipment. Emerging research (D2): cryptography and security, artificial intelligence and data mining, robotics and computer vision, parallel and distributed computing, GIS and human–computer interaction, interdisciplinary research, and how to research and report on a topic. Postsecondary education and careers (D3): career trends, experiential learning and support networks, postsecondary pathways, and the Essential Skills and Work Habits of the Ontario Skills Passport.

D1 Environmental stewardshipEnvironmental costHealthGreen policiesSaving resourcesRecyclers and refurbishersD2 Emerging researchCryptography and securityAI and data miningRobotics and visionParallel and distributedGIS and HCIInterdisciplinary researchResearch reportD3 Postsecondary and careersCareers and trendsExperiential learning, supportsPostsecondary pathwaysEssential Skills, work habits
The whole unit at a glance: three overall expectations and sixteen lessons.

How to use this review

Do two or three sections at a time. Answer each question on paper first, then check. For questions with Python, type the code and run it to confirm. Each section is titled after its lesson; if you miss more than one question in a section, reread that lesson's explanation and worked example and redo its "Your turn" questions. Finish with the 10-question quiz. Aim for 8 or more, then go back to the lessons behind any questions you missed.

Energyenergy = power × timeWh ÷ 1000 = kWhCaesar ciphershift each letter by k(position + k) % 26Distance√((x₂ − x₁)² + (y₂ − y₁)²)used in k-NN and GISSpeeduptime on 1 ÷ time on nAmdahl: 1 ÷ ((1 − p) + p ÷ n)Fish modelgrowth = 0.4N(1 − N/1000)steady when growth = harvestVideo scriptabout 150 words per minute3 min ≈ 450 words
Key formulas and numbers from the unit. Check that you can use each one.
Just for fun

This unit in one sentence: computers can harm the planet, help the planet, keep secrets, learn from data, see, move, team up by the thousands, and map the world, and you could build a career doing any of it.

That is a lot of verbs for a box of sand. (Computer chips are made from silicon, which is refined from quartz sand.)

The Environmental Cost of Computing: E-Waste, Energy and Paper

1

A 250 W gaming computer runs 4 hours a day for 30 days. How much energy does it use in kWh?

2

Name the four stages of a device's life cycle.

3

Why is e-waste a problem? Give two reasons.

Computers and Your Health: Ergonomics, Eye Strain and Balance

1

Describe a neutral posture at a computer, from head to feet.

2

State the 20-20-20 rule.

3

Who sets RF exposure limits in Canada, and in what guideline?

Green Computing Policies: Rules That Reduce the Harm

1

Rewrite as a specific, checkable rule: "Save energy in the lab."

2

How many sheets are needed to print jobs of 3, 8 and 11 pages double-sided?

3

Who runs ENERGY STAR in Canada, and what does the symbol mean?

Computers That Save Resources: Modelling, Simulation and Managing Nature

1

Give one example of computer modelling that saves physical resources.

2

In the fish model, find the stock after one year starting at 400 t with a harvest of 90 t.

3

Why should a real harvest limit be set below a model's maximum?

Where Old Computers Go: Recyclers, Refurbishers and Stewardship Programs

1

Put in order from best to worst: recycle, reduce, dispose, refurbish, reuse and repair.

2

What is producer responsibility, and who oversees it in Ontario?

3

List the four steps before donating a phone.

Cryptography and Security: Keeping Secrets with Mathematics

1

Encrypt SNOW with a Caesar shift of 4.

2

Why is AES not breakable by brute force the way a Caesar cipher is?

3

Why do websites store password hashes?

4

In public-key cryptography, what can the public key do and what can only the private key do?

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Mining

1

How is machine learning different from traditional programming?

2

With 3-NN, the nearest neighbours are closed, open, closed. What is the prediction?

3

Give one ethical concern about AI and one way to reduce it.

Robotics, Computer Vision and Image Processing

1

Name the three parts of a robot's control loop.

2

A proportional controller with factor 0.5 is at 60 with target 100. Where is it after one step?

3

Threshold the row [130, 20, 250, 128] at > 128.

Parallel and Distributed Computing: Many Processors, One Problem

1

A job takes 90 s on one core and 30 s on four. What is the speedup?

2

Use Amdahl's law: p = 0.8, n = 8. Find the speedup.

3

What is the difference between parallel and distributed computing?

Geographic Information Systems and Human–Computer Interaction

1

Is elevation data usually vector or raster?

2

Write a spatial query a fire department might use.

3

Name three usability principles.

Computer Science Meets Other Fields: Interdisciplinary Research

1

What is the complement of CATG?

2

Find the GC content of GCGCAT.

3

Give two fields, other than biology, that combine with computer science, and an example for each.

Researching and Reporting on a Computer Science Topic

1

Turn "cybersecurity" into a focused research question.

2

What are the five parts of the CRAAP test?

3

About how many words does a 4-minute video script need?

Careers in Computer Science: Trends Near and Far

1

Give one local, one national and one global career trend.

2

What can you find on Job Bank?

3

Why do employers ask for communication skills in computing jobs?

Learning by Doing: Experiential Learning and Support Networks

1

Name four experiential learning opportunities.

2

What does "non-traditional career choice" mean?

3

Name the four kinds of support for non-traditional paths and one organization.

Postsecondary Pathways: Programs, Requirements and Costs

1

What are the typical minimum requirements for Ontario universities?

2

Give the typical length of a college diploma, an advanced diploma and a bachelor's degree.

3

Find total_cost(6000, 1200, 900, 12000, 3).

Essential Skills and Work Habits: The Ontario Skills Passport

1

Classify as Essential Skill or Work Habit: Document Use, Initiative, Numerical Estimation, Teamwork.

2

Write specific evidence for Reliability.

3

Which work habit is shown by asking for help after trying on your own?

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

A 50 W laptop runs 6 hours a day for 10 days. How much energy does it use?

2.

Which setup follows ergonomic guidelines?

3.

Which option ranks highest on the waste hierarchy for a working old laptop?

4.

What is HELLO with a Caesar shift of 1?

5.

In machine learning, the examples a model learns from are called:

6.

A program is 90% parallel. What is its maximum speedup with unlimited processors?

7.

Which is raster data in a GIS?

8.

Which is an example of interdisciplinary research?

9.

Where do students apply to Ontario universities?

10.

Which is an Ontario Skills Passport Work Habit?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: This review covers all of strand D, Topics in Computer Science: D1 (environmental stewardship), D2 (emerging research) and D3 (postsecondary education and careers).

How to help: Let your teen work through one or two sections at a time and explain their answers aloud. Ask them to run the Python questions. Use their mistakes to decide what to revisit:

  • Mistakes with watts, kWh or e-waste facts: revisit The Environmental Cost of Computing: E-Waste, Energy and Paper.
  • Posture, eye strain or screen-time guideline errors: revisit Computers and Your Health: Ergonomics, Eye Strain and Balance.
  • Vague policy rules or double-sided printing counts: revisit Green Computing Policies: Rules That Reduce the Harm.
  • Modelling or fish-model arithmetic errors: revisit Computers That Save Resources: Modelling, Simulation and Managing Nature.
  • Waste hierarchy order, producer responsibility or data-wiping steps: revisit Where Old Computers Go: Recyclers, Refurbishers and Stewardship Programs.
  • Caesar shifts, public and private keys, or hashing: revisit Cryptography and Security: Keeping Secrets with Mathematics.
  • Machine learning ideas, k-NN votes or the distance formula: revisit Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Mining.
  • Sensors versus actuators, controller steps or thresholding: revisit Robotics, Computer Vision and Image Processing.
  • Speedup or Amdahl's law: revisit Parallel and Distributed Computing: Many Processors, One Problem.
  • Vector versus raster, spatial queries or usability principles: revisit Geographic Information Systems and Human–Computer Interaction.
  • DNA complements, GC content or interdisciplinary examples: revisit Computer Science Meets Other Fields: Interdisciplinary Research.
  • Vague research questions, source evaluation or citations: revisit Researching and Reporting on a Computer Science Topic.
  • Career trends or labour market sources: revisit Careers in Computer Science: Trends Near and Far.
  • Co-op, SHSM, job shadowing or support programs: revisit Learning by Doing: Experiential Learning and Support Networks.
  • Entrance requirements, credentials or cost calculations: revisit Postsecondary Pathways: Programs, Requirements and Costs.
  • Essential Skills versus Work Habits, or vague evidence: revisit Essential Skills and Work Habits: The Ontario Skills Passport.

Tip: The research report (D2.3) and the career and pathway research (D3) are best judged on the finished products, not only on these questions. Ask to see the report, the program comparison and the skills evidence file.