Digital technologies / Year 5 and 6 / Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Curriculum content descriptions

Examine the main components of common digital systems and how they may connect together to form networks to transmit data (ACTDIK014)

Elaborations
  • describing digital systems as having internal and external components that perform different functions, for example external components for inputting data including keyboard, microphone, stylus; internal processing components including the central processing unit; external output components including speakers, projector, screen; and data and information storage components including cloud and external devices
  • explaining how data may be transmitted between two digital systems in different ways, for example that wires or cables are used in wired networks to transfer data from one digital system to another, and radio waves are used to transmit data in wireless or mobile networks
  • investigating how the internal and external components of digital systems are coordinated to handle data, for example how a keyboard, central processing unit and screen work together to accept, manipulate and present data and information
  • investigating how emerging digital systems work, for example using an augmented reality app (or blended reality) and considering how images of real-world objects can be blended with computer-generated information to produce a virtual reality
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • ICT capability Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
ScOT terms

Software,  User interfaces,  Computers,  Internet

Video

How 'binary information' is communicated via the internet

Ever wondered how your photos, emails and messages get sent between devices? Watch as software engineer Tess Winlock explains what binary information is, and how it gets from one place to another. Can you explain what 'bits' are? How about 'bytes'? In the past, binary information was sent using physical systems like semaphore ...

Online

Collaborative project

This is a unit for Year 6 from the Scope and sequence resources from the DT Hub. The topic of collaboration and protocols is organised into four key elements. Use this flow of activities to plan and assess students against the relevant achievement standards. Using a relevant context such as disaster management, students ...

Online

Connecting digital components

This is a unit for Year 6 from the Scope and sequence resources from the DT Hub. The topic of digital systems is organised into four key elements. Use this flow of activities to plan and assess students against the relevant achievement standards. Students learn about input and output devices and then use Makey Makey boards ...

Audio

Casino West Public School reflects on learning during the DTiF project

In this audio file teachers from Casino West PS share their experiences in developing a Digital Technologies program in the school, They chose to focus on creative and critical thinking.

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Newsletter – July 2018

This newsletter from the Digital Technologies in Focus project includes information about schools' projects, the Australian Curriculum and useful resources.

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Mossman State School – Project proposal

This PDF outlines Mossman State School's proposal to participate in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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St James Catholic College – PL ecosystem

This document illustrates the network of people and resources that make up St James Catholic College's Professional Learning ecosystem.

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South Kalgoorlie Primary School – PL ecosystem

This document illustrates the network of people and resources that make up South Kalgoorlie Primary School's Professional Learning ecosystem.

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St Mary’s Primary School – PL ecosystem

This document illustrates the network of people and resources that make up St Mary's Primary School's Professional Learning ecosystem.

Video

Wodonga South Primary School – Progress report 1

This video explains the progress that Wodonga South Primary School has made in the Digital Technologies in Focus project. It is the first in a series of four.

Audio

Wodonga South Primary School – Podcast

This podcast includes information about the aims, challenges, insights and accomplishments of Wodonga South Primary School's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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Miller & Boix-Mansilla review: Thinking across perspectives and disciplines

This article explores the challenges associated with using knowledge from different domains (and people) to work on a common problem, issue or puzzle. It acknowledges that the differences in how disciplines structure their knowledge raise challenges when working across disciplinary boundaries. The article identifies these ...

Online

Learning environments

This sequence of lessons explores how conditions in the environment can impact on learning. Through investigating the environmental influences on our classroom, and learning environments such as light, noise and temperature, students collect data and identify the optimal learning environment.

Video

Expert webinar video: Dr Rebecca Vivian - The CSER Digital Technologies Education Program

Dr Rebecca Vivian provides an overview of the CSER Digital Technologies Education Project from The University of Adelaide. The project includes free professional learning, a digital equipment lending library and a range of resources designed to support teachers in the implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital ...

Video

Supporting implementation of Digital Technologies and the ICT Capability: part 2

This video explains ways in which the Digital Technologies curriculum and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) General Capability can be implemented in schools. This video is the second in a series of three.

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Bethany Christian School

Bethany Christian School is an independent school just north of Adelaide located in Paralowie, South Australia on the Traditional Lands of the Kaurna People. It is an F-6 school, with 543 students, and of those, approximately 48% are EAL/D. Steve Grant is the curriculum officer who works with the school to support implementation ...

Audio

Green Hill Public School – Podcast

This podcast includes information about the aims, challenges, insights and accomplishments of Green Hill Public School's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

Video

South Kalgoorlie Primary School – Progress report 4

This video explains the progress that South Kalgoorlie Primary School has made in the Digital Technologies in Focus project. It is the last in a series of four.

Video

St Mary’s Primary School – Progress report 4

This video explains the progress that Bethany Christian School has made in the Digital Technologies in Focus project. It is the last in a series of four.

Online

Home automation with AI

Home automation is all the rage. You talk to your mobile phone to control the lights, the fan, the air conditioner, or your pool pump. But how does it work? In this lesson, we explore the AI that could power a home automation system.