C—Web science

C.1 Creating the web (8 hours)

Students will be expected to have completed practical activities linked to developing different types of web pages and be able to evaluate when a
particular type of web page is most appropriate.

Computer Science Illuminated ch 15, 16

Assessment statement Obj Teacher’s notes Explanations

C.1.1 Distinguish between the internet and 2 Webopedia Definition

World Wide Web (web). How Internet Works (5 min)

C.1.2 Describe how the web is constantly 2 Students will be expected to be aware of the Web 1.0 / 2.0 / 3.0 / 4.0
evolving. major differences between the early forms of the Web 1.0 to 2.0 to 3.0 video
web, Web 2.0, the semantic web and later WWW Foundation History
developments. Time Brief Internet History|
MYP Technology: searching the internet. History of Internet Video
AIM 9 Develop an appreciation of the PDF Brief Internet History
possibilities and limitations associated with the
evolution of the web.

C.1.3 Identify the characteristics of the 2 protocols w3schools

following:hypertext transfer protocol
(HTTP)
● hypertext transfer protocol secure
(HTTPS)
● hypertext mark-up language
(HTML)
● uniform resource locator (URL)
● extensible mark-up language
(XML)
 ● extensible stylesheet language
transformations (XSLT)
● JavaScript.
● cascading style sheet (CSS).

C.1.4 Identify the characteristics of the 2 URI vs URL vs URN

following:
● uniform resource identifier (URI)
● URL.

C.1.5 Describe the purpose of a URL. 2

C.1.6 Describe how a domain name server 2 DNS Simple Explanation

functions.

C.1.7 Identify the characteristics of: 2 Protocol Details

● internet protocol (IP)
● transmission control protocol
(TCP)
● file transfer protocol (FTP).

C.1.8 Outline the different components of a 2 To include features such as meta-tags, title, etc. Simple HTML Editor online
web page. Basic HTML Tags
History of HTML versions
Metatags
HTML Timeline
HTML 1 Spec
HTML 2 Spec
HTML 3 Spec
HTML 3.2 Spec
HTML 4 Spec
HTML 5 Spec
C.1.9 Explain the importance of protocols and 3 INT Protocols enable compatibility through a Layers and Protocols Book
standards on the web. common “language” internationally. or at SlideShare

C.1.10 Describe the different types of web page. 2 This should include examples such as personal
pages, blogs, search engine pages, forums.

C.1.11 Explain the differences between a static 3 To include analysis of static HTML web pages Static vs Dynamic Web Pages
web page and a dynamic web page. and dynamic web pages, eg PHP, [Link], Should include AJAX here?
Java Servlets.

` Explain the functions of a browser. 3 Parts of a browser

C.1.13 Evaluate the use of client-side scripting 3 Client side vs Server Side
and server-side scripting in web pages.

C.1.14 Describe how web pages can be 2 Students will not be expected to write code to Data Driven Web-sites
connected to underlying data sources. indicate how the connection is made, but should
understand the principles of connecting to an
underlying data source.

C.1.15 Describe the function of the common 2 How CGI Scripting Works
gateway interface (CGI).

C.1.16 Evaluate the structure of different types 3 html, asp, pdf, flash, javascript (ajax), Various web-page extenstions
of web pages. multimedia, cms, data-driven
C.2 Searching the web (6 hours)

Assessment statement Obj Teacher’s notes Explanations

C.2.1 Define the term search 1 Notes about Webopedia Definition

engine. HOW GOOGLE SEARCH WORKS
How Google Search Works

C.2.2 Distinguish between the 2 TOK Data is always accessible. Deep Web (also called the Deepnet,[1] Invisible Web,[2]
surface web and the deep or Hidden Web[3]) is the portion of World Wide Web
web.
content that is not indexed by standard search engines.
(Wikipedia Article)

C.2.3 Outline the principles of 2 Students will be expected to understand PageRank works by counting the number and quality of
searching algorithms used only the principles of the PageRank and links to a page to determine a rough estimate of how
by search engines. HITS algorithms. important the website is. The underlying assumption is
LINK General principles of computational that more important websites are likely to receive more
thinking, connecting computational thinking links from other websites. (Wikipedia Article)
and program design.
Hyperlink-Induced Topic Search (HITS; also known as
hubs and authorities) is a link analysis algorithm that
rates Web pages, developed by Jon Kleinberg. The idea
behind Hubs and Authorities stemmed from a particular
insight into the creation of web pages when the Internet
was originally forming; that is, certain web pages, known
as hubs, served as large directories that were not
actually authoritative in the information that it held, but
were used as compilations of a broad catalog of
information that led users directly to other authoritative
pages. In other words, a good hub represented a page
that pointed to many other pages, and a good authority
represented a page that was linked by many different
 hubs.
(Wikipedia)

HITS presentation

C.2.4 Describe how a web crawler 2 Teachers should be aware of the range of How Google Works
functions. terms that can be associated with web
crawlers such as bots, web spiders, web Google's servers must "crawl" (examine) "all" the
robots. web-pages in the entire web (visible pages) -
at least that is the goal. The servers run "spider"
programs that "visit" a web-page, then follow
all the links on that page, and then follow all the links on
those pages (recursively).
Eventually the spider must stop - maybe after "10
iterations" - and then "return home".
At each web-page, the spider does some or all of the
following:
- make a list of all the words appearing on that page
- save the list of all the words (or important words) in the
INDEX servers, along with the URL of the page
- make a copy of the page and store it in Google's "cache"
- the spider doesn't do this, but some part of Google
makes a list of
all the pages that LINK TO the current page

C.2.5 Discuss the relationship 3 Students should be aware that this is not A special HTML tag that provides information about a
between data in a meta-tag always a transitive relationship. Web page. Unlike normal HTML tags, meta tags do not
and how it is accessed by a TOK Data may not always have the affect how the page is displayed. Instead, they provide
web crawler. intended meaning. information such as who created the page, how often it is
updated, what the page is about, and which keywords
 represent the page's content. Many search enginesuse
this information when building their indices. (Webopedia)

C.2.6 Discuss the use of parallel 3 Distributed web crawling is a distributed computing
web crawling. technique whereby Internet search engines employ many
computers to index the Internet via web crawling. Such
systems may allow for users to voluntarily offer their own
computing and bandwidth resources towards crawling
web pages. By spreading the load of these tasks across
many computers, costs that would otherwise be spent on
maintaining large computing clusters are avoided.
(Wikipedia article)

C.2.7 Outline the purpose of 2 Web indexing (or Internet indexing) refers to various
web-indexing in search methods for indexing the contents of a website or of the
engines. Internet as a whole. Individual websites or intranets may
use a back-of-the-book index, while search engines
usually use keywords and metadata to provide a more
useful vocabulary for Internet or onsite searching. With
the increase in the number of periodicals that have
articles online, web indexing is also becoming important
for periodical websites. (Wikipedia article)

C.2.8 Suggest how web 3 Students will be expected to test specific Search engine optimization is a methodology of
developers can create data in a range of search engines, for strategies, techniques and tactics used to increase the
pages that appear more example examining time taken, number of amount of visitors to awebsite by obtaining a
prominently in search hits, quality of returns. high-ranking placement in the search results page of a
search engine (SERP) -- including Google, Bing, Yahoo
engine results.
and other search engines.
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
SEO helps to ensure that a site is accessible to a search
engine and improves the chances
(Webopedia)
C.2.9 Describe the different 2 Students will be expected to test specific This article has WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION
metrics used by search data in a range of search engines, for but contains some nice diagrams.
engines. example examining time taken, number of Page 23 contains a list of metric concepts.
hits, quality of returns.
LINK General principles of computational Make sure you are talking about metrics for
thinking. Connecting computational thinking measuring SEARCH ENGINE PERFORMANCE,
and program design. as opposed to metrics for SEO.
S/E, AIM 8 An understanding of search
engine metrics could lead to exploitation.

C.2.10 Explain why the 3 Students will be expected to understand that Google and other "normal" search engines assume that
effectiveness of a search the ability of the search engine to produce web-sites are connected, which means they cannot index
engine is determined by the the required results is based primarily on the the "deep web".
assumptions made when assumptions used when developing the
developing it. algorithms that underpin it. Some search engines focus on topics:
LINK Connecting computational thinking - [Link] is a search engine that
and program design. concentrates on academic papers,
- WAP search engines focus on results for
Smartphone users
- [Link] concentrates
on social-networking sites

C.2.11 Discuss the use of white hat 3 S/E, AIM 8 Developers of search engines Black hat SEO refers to attempts to improve rankings in
and black hat search engine should have a moral responsibility to ways that are not approved by search engines and
optimization. produce an objective page ranking. involve deception. They go against current search engine
guidelines. White hat SEO refers to use of good practice
methods to achieve high search engine rankings. They
comply with search engine guidelines. (Diffen
explanation)

C.2.12 Outline future challenges to 2 Issues such as error management, lack of Possible issues:
search engines as the web quality assurance of information uploaded. ● Web mining.
continues to grow. ● Use of fuzzy logic.
AIM 9 Develop an appreciation that search ● User interfaces.
engines will need to evolve to remain ● Web semantics.
effective as the web grows. (Darlene Canning)
C.3 Distributed approaches to the web (6 hours)

Assessment statement Obj Teacher’s notes Explanations

C.3.1 Define the terms: mobile computing, 1 mobile computing - typically a peer-2-peer- when "equal" client devices exchange
ubiquitous computing, peer-2-peer Smartphone- using a portable device data directly, without using a server. Commonly
network, grid computing. without being stuck at a desk with a big used for illegal exchange of media files or software
machine
grid computing -
ubiquitous computing - when computing Grid computing (or the use of a
devices and systems are available computational grid) is applying the resources of
"everywhere", and probably "invisible" or many computers in a network to a single problem at
the same time - usually to a scientific or technical
unnoticed or "taken for granted"
problem that requires a great number of computer
processing cycles or access to large amounts of
data .. e.g. SETI (TechTarget)

C.3.2 Compare the major features of: 3 LINK Networks. Mobile Computing - HowStuffWorks
● mobile computing
● ubiquitous computing Ubiquitous Computing - HowStuffWorks
● peer-2-peer network
● grid computing. Things You Should Know about P2P

Grid Computing - HowStuffWorks

C.3.3 Distinguish between interoperability 2 Interoperability must be distinguished from open

and open standards. standards. Although the goal of each is to provide
effective and efficient exchange between computer
systems, the mechanisms for accomplishing that
goal differ. Open standards imply interoperability
ab-initio, i.e. by definition, while interoperability
does not, by itself, imply wider exchange between a
range of products, or similar products from several
 different vendors, or even between past and future
revisions of the same product. Interoperability may
be developed post-facto, as a special measure
between two products, while excluding the rest, or
when a vendor is forced to adapt its system to
make it interoperable with a dominant system.
(Wikipedia Article)

C.3.4 Describe the range of hardware 2 Students should be aware of Taxonomy of Distributed Systems
used by distributed networks. developments in mobile technology that
have facilitated the growth of distributed
networks.

C.3.5 Explain why distributed systems 3 INT Decentralization has increased Decentralization in Distributed Systems
may act as a catalyst to a greater international-mindedness.
decentralization of the web.

C.3.6 Distinguish between lossless and 2 Students will not be required to study the Compression - HowStuffWorks (p. 2-3)
lossy compression. detailed compression algorithms.

C.3.7 Evaluate the use of decompression 3 Students can test different compression Advantages/Disadvantages of Compression
software in the transfer of methods to evaluate their effectiveness. Examples:
information. - compression of music (mp3, aiff)
- compression of videos (mp4, flv)
- compression of software (.zip)
C.4 The evolving web (10 hours) -- LOTS OF DISCUSSION, NOT SO MANY "FACTS"

Assessment statement Obj Teacher’s notes Explanations

C.4.1 Discuss how the web has 3 Students should be aware of issues linked to the "..social networking establishes interconnected
supported new methods of growth of new internet technologies such as Web Internet communities (sometimes known as
online interaction such as 2.0 and how they have shaped interactions personal networks) that help people make contacts
social networking. between different stakeholders of the web. that would be good for them to know, but that they
S/E, AIM 8 Emerging technologies are modifying would be unlikely to have met otherwise."(WhatIs)
users’ behaviour.
For example:
- Facebook - LInkedIn - Twitter

Social Networks - HowStuffWorks

C.4.2 Describe how cloud 2 Student should address the major differences Cloud replacing Client-Server
computing is different from a only.
client-server architecture. LINK Networks. From Client-Server to Cloud Computing

C.4.3 Discuss the effects of the use 3 To include public and private clouds. Security Implications of Public vs Private Cloud
of cloud computing for S/E, AIM 8 Cloud computing could potentially
specified organizations. conflict with privacy. 8 Ways Cloud Computing will Change Businesses

C.4.4 Discuss the management of 3 Students should investigate sites such as lots of discussion
issues such as copyright and TurnItIn and Creative Commons.
intellectual property on the
web.

C.4.5 Describe the interrelationship 2 ID, Authentication & Anonymity in Legal Context
between privacy,
identification and
authentication.
C.4.6 Describe the role of network 2 LINK Networks. IPv6, QOS
architecture, protocols and AIM 9 Develop an appreciation that the future Internet Of Things (IOT)
standards in the future development of the web will have an effect on the Communications Protocol (TMI)
development of the web. rules and structures that support it. Internet Control Plane Protocols

C.4.7 Explain why the web may be 3 INT, S/E, AIM 8 The web is creating new Economic-Coporate Oligarchy
creating unregulated multinational online oligarchies.
monopolies.

C.4.8 Discuss the effects of a S/E, INT The web has changed users’ behaviours Free and Open Web Under Threat
decentralized and democratic and “removed” international boundaries. Initiative to Decentralize Internet
web.
==== HL Extension (15 hours) ==================================================================

C.5 Analysing the web (5 hours)

Assessment statement Obj Teacher’s notes

C.5.1 Describe how the web can be represented 2 The vertices (nodes) represent web Directed Graphs and Bow Tie Figures (TMI)
as a directed graph. pages and the edges represent
hyperlinks.
It is not a complete graph.
The directed graph formed by the
web is known as the web graph.
LINK Mathematics: graph theory.

C.5.2 Outline the difference between the web 2 A sub-graph will be assumed to be A sub-graph is just part of a graph -
graph and sub-graphs. a set of pages linked to one specific e.g. the Autobahns in Germany are a subset
topic. of the entire road system.

C.5.3 Describe the main features of the web 2 Students must be aware the web Short Explanation of the Bowtie
graph such as bowtie structure, strongly has a structure that has emerged
connected core (SCC), diameter. from the behaviour of web users.
 C.5.4 Explain the role of graph theory in 3 LINK Mathematics: graph theory. Brief Intro to Graph Theory
determining the connectivity of the web. Another Intro to Graph Theory

C.5.5 Explain that search engines and web 3 Students should be aware of the Matt Cutts Explains Pagerank
crawling use the web graph to access Page Rank algorithm and explain
information. how it works.
No calculations are required.

C.5.6 Discuss whether power laws are 3 Power Laws Chapter

appropriate to predict the development of especially section 18.5 - The Long Tail
the web. Video about the Long Tail

C.6 The intelligent web (10 hours)

Assessment statement Obj Teacher’s notes Tim Berners Lee's Ted Speech

C.6.1 Define the term semantic web. 1 Brief intro to Semantic Web
A Story about Semantic Web (more detail)
The Semantic Web is an idea of World Wide
Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee that the Web as
a whole can be made more intelligent and
perhaps even intuitive about how to serve a
user's needs. Berners-Lee observes that
although search engines index much of the
Web's content, they have little ability to select
the pages that a user really wants or needs. He
foresees a number of ways in which
developers and authors, singly or in
collaborations, can use self-descriptions and
other techniques so that context-understanding
 programs can selectively find what users want.
(TechTarget)

C.6.2 Distinguish between the text-web 2 The traditional web is seen as being text Text web refers to all the text based web-pages, like
and the multimedia-web. based, the semantic web is multimedia Wikipedia. Multimedia refers to pages that use
based. pictures, videos and sound, like YouTube. Notice
AIM 9 Develop an appreciation of the that it is much easier for Google to index the text
possibilities and limitations associated with web than it is to index the multimedia web. More
the continuing evolution of the web. sophisticated tools and techniques that link and
interpret the meaning of multimedia pages will
make the semantic web much more powerful than
Google searches.

C.6.3 Describe the aims of the 2 S/E, AIM 8 Emerging technologies are To retrieve a larger variety of information in a
semantic web. modifying users’ behaviour. more "intelligent" way.

C.6.4 Distinguish between an ontology 2 An ontology is a system for classifying and

and folksonomy. organizing information. That organization must
follow the rules and systems required by the
ontology, and is probably performed by
"professional" workers, like web-developers.

Ontologies in Computer Science

A folksonomy may involve specific tools, like "LIKE"

buttons and tags, but without specific rules or
systems. Then normal "folks" take care of applying
tags to web-sites, without following any rules.

C.6.5 Describe how folksonomies and 2 S/E, AIM 8 Emerging technologies are Intro to Folksonomy
emergent social structures are modifying users’ behaviour. Folksonomies : users roll their own
changing the web.
C.6.6 Explain why there needs to be a 3 S/E, AIM 8 Emerging technologies are Multimedia vs Text
balance between expressivity modifying users’ behaviour. Categorization vs Content
and usability on the semantic Supply vs Distribution
web.

C.6.7 Evaluate methods of searching 3 Teachers must address issues relating to Google Image Search
for information on the web. searching for non-text based files/multimedia
files such as using feature analysis. Human Computation
from 7:00 to 20:00

C.6.8 Distinguish between ambient 2 Slide Show about Ambient Intelligence

intelligence and collective
intelligence. The Delphi Technique for Collective Intelligence

C.6.9 Discuss how ambient intelligence 3 Students will be expected to have examples
can be used to support people. researched examples such as biometrics,
nanotechnologies. Biometrics are ways of identifying you using your
AIM 9 Develop an appreciation of the unique physical characteristics, such as your:
possibilities that ambient intelligence ● fingerprints
provides in supporting people when carrying ● facial structure
out routine tasks. ● eye
● voice

Nanotechnology 101

What is a Nanocomputer?
C.6.10 Explain how collective 3 Students will be expected to have
intelligence can be applied to researched examples such as climate Collective Intelligence (Wikipedia)
complex issues. change, social bookmarking and stock
market fluctuations.
The Climate CoLab
AIM 5 Engender an awareness that effective
collaboration and communication can resolve The goal of the Climate CoLab is to harness the
complex problems. collective intelligence of thousands of people from
S/E, AIM 8 Emerging technologies are all around the world to address global climate
modifying users’ behaviour. change. Inspired by systems like Wikipedia and
TOK It is possible to have a collective Linux, the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence has
intelligence greater than the sum of the developed an on-line forum where citizens create,
contributors. analyze, and select detailed proposals for what to
do about climate change.

Social Bookmarking
In social bookmarking (also called collaborative
tagging), users assign tags to resources shared
with other users, which gives rise to a type of
information organisation that emerges from this
crowdsourcing process. The resulting information
structure can be seen as reflecting the collective
knowledge (or collective intelligence) of a
community of users and is commonly called a
"Folksonomy", and the process can be captured by
models of collaborative tagging.

Stock Market Predictions

Because of the Internet's ability to rapidly convey
large amounts of information throughout the world,
the use of collective intelligence to predict stock
prices and stock price direction has become
increasingly viable. Websites aggregate stock
market information that is as current as possible so
professional or amateur stock analysts can publish
their viewpoints, enabling amateur investors to
submit their financial opinions and create an
aggregate opinion. The opinion of all investor can
be weighed equally so that a pivotal premise of the
effective application of collective intelligence can be
applied: the masses, including a broad spectrum of
stock market expertise, can be utilized to more
accurately predict the behavior of financial markets.