Curriculum Coordinator and Learning Strategist

Dr. Karen McCloskey

MA, PhD, QM Quality Matters

HSB4U

Grade 12

University Preparation

Challenge and Change in Society

Find additional course details below, including delivery format, course availability, course duration, prerequisite, tuition fee, hardware/software requirements, etc.

HSB4U

Grade 12

University Preparation

Challenge and Change in Society

Find additional course details below, including delivery format, course availability, course duration, prerequisite, tuition fee, hardware/software requirements, etc.

Course Details

Course Code

HSB4U

Course Name

Challenge and Change in Society

Grade

Grade 12

Course Type

University Preparation

Format

Asynchronous Delivery

Prerequisite

Any university or university/college preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and world studies

Tuition Fee

$500.00

Course Duration

At Your Own Pace (4 weeks to 12 months)

Credit Value

1.0

Availability

Start Anytime

Course Reviser/Developer

Dr. Karen McCloskey

Latest Revision Date

August 2024

Curriculum

HSB4U – The Ontario Curriculum, Social Sciences and Humanities, Grades 11 and 12, 2013 (Revised)

Course Description, Unit Overview, Timeline

This course focuses on the use of social science theories, perspectives, and methodologies to investigate and explain shifts in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour and their impact on society. Students will critically analyse how and why cultural, social, and behavioural patterns change over time. They will explore the ideas of social theorists and use those ideas to analyse causes of and responses to challenges such as technological change, deviance, and global inequalities. Students will explore ways in which social science research methods can be used to study social change.

Prerequisite: Any university or university/college preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and world studies

Outlined below is a description of each unit, including what students will learn and the recommended hours for completion.

Unit Title & Description

Time Allocated

Unit 1: Introduction to Social Change

In this unit, you’ll explore the foundations of social change. You’ll learn about key social science theories, concepts, and methods that explain how societies evolve over time. Activities include reading case studies on past social movements and using visual organizers to compare social theories. You’ll also develop your research skills by identifying research questions and creating a research plan for your inquiry project.

12 Hours

Unit 2: Theories of Social Change

This unit dives deeper into the major theories of social change. You’ll examine how different theoretical perspectives explain the causes and effects of societal shifts. Through documentary analysis and theory comparison, you’ll develop a comprehensive understanding of the forces driving social transformation. Expect to engage with interactive content and participate in auto-graded quizzes to reinforce your learning.

14 Hours

Unit 3: Investigating Social Change: Research Skills

Research is at the core of understanding social change. In this unit, you’ll learn to create research plans, gather and analyze data, and draw conclusions based on your findings. You’ll practice these skills by working on your own research project, using online tools like Google Forms for surveys and Lucidchart for visual data presentation. The unit includes reflective exercises and self-assessment quizzes to monitor your progress.

16 Hours

Unit 4: Social Trends and Patterns

Discover the importance of demographics in studying social patterns and trends. This unit covers topics like population trends, the impact of immigration, and the role of socio-economic factors in shaping society. You’ll work with real-world data to identify and analyze trends, and use digital tools to create visual representations of your findings. The unit ends with an auto-graded quiz to check your understanding.

12 Hours

Unit 5: Causes and Effects of Social Change

In this unit, you’ll explore the causes and effects of significant social changes. You’ll study influential Canadian leaders and the movements they led, as well as the impact of technological advancements and cultural shifts. The unit features a CloudLabs simulation on the impact of technology on society, as well as documentary analysis and a reflective journal exercise on the role of social movements.

14 Hours

Unit 6: Social Deviance and the Forces Shaping Social Trends

This unit examines social deviance and the factors that shape social trends. You’ll analyze the Stanford Prison Experiment case study and explore socio-economic factors that influence social behaviors. You’ll also create visual organizers to map out these factors and develop a research plan for investigating a related topic. The unit includes a quiz to assess your understanding of key concepts.

15 Hours

Unit 7: Global Social Challenges: Understanding Exploitation and Inequality

Global inequalities and exploitation are the focus of this unit. You’ll analyze the documentary “The True Cost” to understand how global exploitation affects individuals and societies. The unit also includes a CloudLabs simulation on environmental sustainability and a discussion on the impact of globalization. Expect a variety of activities, including a quiz based on the CloudLabs simulation, to reinforce your learning.

16 Hours

Unit 8: Review and Final Exam Preparation

Prepare for your final exam with comprehensive review activities and practice questions. You’ll complete self-assessment quizzes to revisit key concepts from all units, and work through practice questions to get comfortable with the exam format. The review is designed to help you identify areas where you need additional study time. The final exam will be a comprehensive test of everything you’ve learned in the course.

9 Hours

Final Exam

Comprehensive assessment of all specific expectations covered in the course. Activities and Assessments: Cumulative final exam to assess overall understanding and application of course concepts.

20 Hours

Total Hours

120 Hours

Teaching and Learning Strategies

At Royal Ontario Academy, our asynchronous, self-paced courses are crafted to engage students actively, encouraging deep learning and self-reflection. Our online OSSD courses are normally divided into 8-10 smaller sections to help students learn content in manageable portions. Lessons connect concepts to practical, relatable social, environmental, and economic issues, fostering lifelong learning by helping students apply knowledge to real-life contexts.

Students are encouraged to explore, investigate, and think critically as they progress independently. This approach emphasizes problem-solving skills, guiding students to persist through challenges, reason through complex ideas, and explore alternative solutions on their own, building resilience and independence essential for success beyond the classroom.

Our virtual high school courses provide a variety of learning experiences through virtual labs, simulations, knowledge checks, reflections, and videos. Interactive activities and discussion forums are designed to draw on students’ prior knowledge, keeping them engaged and actively participating. These tools enable OSSD students to practice, reflect, and apply concepts flexibly at their own pace, creating a personalized learning journey tailored to each students’ interests and goals.

Assessment and Evaluation

A wide variety of assessment and evaluation tools will be used to earn credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma at Royal Ontario Academy including quizzes, tests, projects, essays, journals, and final assessments.
The final exam is a closed book, online test that is proctored and has a time limit. Students may also be required to appear on video for other assessments in certain courses.

All OSSD courses follow a simple evaluation breakdown at our virtual high school:
70% of the grade will be based on evaluations conducted throughout the online course. The remaining 30% of the grade will be based on a final evaluation or exam. This may be a final exam, a final project/report, or a combination of both an exam and a project.

Students will receive two reports per course:

First Mid Term Report: Reflects achievement and development after the first 4 Units.

Final Report: Reflects overall achievement and development for the entire course.

According to Growing Success First Edition, Grades 1 to 12, 2010, the primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. To ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of learning for all students, Royal Ontario Academy teachers use practices and procedures that:

are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
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;
are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
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;
provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement;
develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.

Accommodations and IEP for Students

At Royal Ontario Academy, we believe that all OSSD students can benefit from a more accommodating online learning experience Accommodations allow for increased access to the course, without any changes to the knowledge and skills the student is expected to demonstrate.

An Individual Education Plan (IEP)is a personalized document that outlines a students’ learning needs, as well as the accommodations or services they require to succeed in their courses. At Royal Ontario Academy, our flexible online learning environment already addresses many common accommodation needs, but if a student requires additional support, our Principal is ready to help you!

– Students with Existing IEP: If a student has an existing IEP from another elementary or secondary school, Royal Ontario Academy can implement the listed accommodations, provided they are applicable within our online learning environment. To do so, a copy of the students’ IEP must be submitted to our Principal for review.

– Students Without IEP: If a student requires accommodations but does not currently have an IEP, our Principal will work with the student to assess their learning needs and develop a path forward. In this case, students will need to submit supporting documentation to help determine the appropriate accommodations.

– English Language Learners:– English Language Learners: Students who enroll at Royal Ontario Academy can provide information about their English language proficiency during the registration process. This information helps our teachers and Principal to tailor their teaching strategies and implement accommodations that support English language learners effectively.

For students and parents wishing to submit IEP documentation or request accommodations, please contact our Principal at info@royalontarioacademy.com

Resources Required by the Student

Students Should Have Access To:

Microphone: For presentations and participating in any interactive activities requiring audio input.
Google Docs or similar: For creating and submitting reports and projects.
Google Slides or similar: For presentations.
Notebook and Writing Tools: For taking notes during readings and lectures.
Optional: Headphones for listening to audio resources without disturbances.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is HSB4U?
HSB4U is a Grade 12 Challenge and Change in Society course at University Preparation level.

2. What are 4U – (eg: 3M in AWQ3M (HSB4U))
4U for the HSB4U refers to the grade level and the course type. 4 refers to the 12th Grade and the second digit refers to the University Preparation course type.

3. What is the prerequisite for HSB4U?
The prerequisite for Challenge and Change in Society is Any university or university/college preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and world studies

4. How long does it take to complete the HSB4U online course?
The completion of the HSB4U course varies depending on the availability and pace of each student. However, the course can be completed in minimum of 4 weeks to maximum of 12 months.

5. Will my marks be sent directly to OUAC or OCAS?
Yes. We can send your HSB4U online course marks to OUAC (Ontario University’ Application Centre) or OCAS (Ontario College Application Service).

6. How lessons are delivered for the HSB4U?
At Royal Ontario Academy, course learning is asynchronously delivered for the HSB4U in various formats such as videos, question and answers, interactive tools, written notes, simulations, presentations, and external websites/links depending on the subject material of the course.

7. What is the withdrawal policy?
For students registered in Grade 9 and 10 courses, withdrawals can be made at any time and are not recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript (OST).
For students registered in Grade 11 and 12 courses, withdrawals made within 5 days of the issuance of the first (mid-term) report card from Royal Ontario Academy will result in the mark not being recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript (OST). Withdrawals after 5 days of the issuance of the first (mid term) report card will result in a “W” being entered in the “Credit” column of the OST, along with the mark at the time of withdrawal.

8. What is the due date of my course?
Since your course is self-paced, there are no set due dates, allowing you to progress at your own speed. However, please be mindful of any deadlines for university or college applications.

9. Can I earn my OSSD (Ontario secondary school diploma) credits through online courses?
Yes, you can earn your Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) credits fully online through Royal Ontario Academy. To earn OSSD credits, you will need to complete 30 credits (18 compulsory and 12 optional), pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, and fulfill 40 hours of community involvement.

Price Detail

$500

/ 1 Course

$800

/ 2 Course

$1050

/ 3 Course

Start your learning journey with us.

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Challenge and Change in Society