Yeah, don't take a taxi. It's quite far from ITM to Kyoto. The bus would be way cheaper, but honestly it would also be very boring -- you will only see the walls of freeways. Personally, I prefer trains to buses, but there is no way to get from ITM to Kyoto without making at least one transfer which involves stairs and lots of walking, so if you have heavy luggage it's probably better to take the bus.

That said, if you're willing to ship your bags ahead by takkyubin, the train is much more fun. Q Shoe Guy suggests taking two trains to downtown Osaka, then another train back out to Kyoto. If you're going to do this, the first route through Juso is easier and cheaper but boring, while the second route through Umeda is more confusing but would let you enjoy the bustle of downtown Osaka for a while before heading on to Kyoto.

You can just as easily take the monorail directly to either one of the two private Osaka-Kyoto lines (Hankyu Kyoto Line at Minami-Ibaraki, Keihan Main Line at Kadoma-shi). The two lines terminate in different parts of Kyoto, so which is best really depends on your exact destination. The extended ride on the monorail is slow and somewhat expensive compared to most Japanese trains, but particularly fun because the line is elevated above a freeway, so you get great views of the sprawl of northern Osaka, including the Expo Park with its famous "sun god" statue. The Keihan line is also interesting in that it runs on a very narrow right-of-way essentially through people's backyards, so sitting near the front of the train is an experience akin to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.