Digital technologies / Year 7 and 8 / Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Curriculum content descriptions

Investigate how data is transmitted and secured in wired, wireless and mobile networks, and how the specifications affect performance (ACTDIK023)

Elaborations
  • explaining that networks have components that control the movement of data, for example routers, hubs, switches and bridges manage data traffic and that the characteristics of these components impact on the operation (speed and security) of networks
  • explaining how cellular radio towers (transceivers) and mobile phones work together to create mobile networks
  • comparing the reliability and speed of transmitting data through wireless, wired and mobile networks
  • recognising that there are different communications protocols for transmitting data in networks, for example hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) is used for transferring web page files in a browser, file transfer protocol (FTP) is used for sending and receiving any files over a network and transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) is used for controlling file transfers over the internet
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • ICT capability Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
ScOT terms

User interfaces,  Computers,  Transmission control protocols,  Internet,  Data security

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Systems thinking

Find out about Systems thinking. Use this topic from the Digital Technologies Hub to learn more, get ideas about how to teach about it, find out what other schools are doing and use the applications and games in the classroom.

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Digital systems

Find out about Digital systems. Use this topic from the Digital Technologies Hub to learn more, get ideas about how to teach about it, find out what other schools are doing and use the applications and games in the classroom.

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User interface

Find out about User interface. Use this topic from the Digital Technologies Hub to learn more, get ideas about how to teach about it, find out what other schools are doing and use the applications and games in the classroom.

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Classroom ideas F-10: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander connections to Digital Technologies

This resource provides examples of ways Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures can be integrated into Digital Technologies. Examples include 'classification and sorting data' and 'designing solutions'.

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Good teaching practice with Digital Technologies

This PDF lists seven characteristics of good teaching practice in the Digital Technologies curriculum.

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Kim review: Systems thinking

This article explores the types of systems in our world, their characteristics and how our behaviour can initiate and respond to changes in their performance. The author differentiates between systems thinking and a system and elaborates on those factors that contribute to systemic behaviour.

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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Newsletters

This webpage features newsletters from the Digital Technologies in Focus project. The newsletters include information about schools' projects, assessment tasks, the Australian Curriculum and resources.

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Newsletter – April 2020

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

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Newsletter – December 2018

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

Audio

Faith Lutheran College – Podcast

This podcast includes information about the aims, challenges, insights and accomplishments of Faith Lutheran College's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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St James Catholic College – Podcast

This podcast includes information about the aims, challenges, insights and accomplishments of St James Catholic College's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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DTiF Project report

The Leading Curriculum Change Using an Ecosystem Approach: Digital Technologies in focus: Supporting implementation of Digital Technologies evaluation report (June 2021) reports on ACARA’s National Innovation and Science Agenda funded project for the period June 2016 to June 2021. This report is highly relevant to those ...

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Planning an action research project to facilitate implementation of Digital Technologies

This document includes ideas for planning and developing action research projects to facilitate implementation of digital technologies.

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Supporting Implementation of Digital Technologies: Progress report – Focus on curriculum and pedagogy and learning outcomes (2019)

This PDF is an extensive report on the success of the Digital Technologies in Focus (DTiF) project, with a focus on curriculum and pedagogy and learning outcomes. The evaluation gathered qualitative data to create rich case study accounts of six schools' engagement in the project and its impacts and outcomes.

Video

Supporting implementation of Digital Technologies and the ICT Capability: part 3

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 last in a series of three.

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Newsletter – October 2020

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

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Newsletter – July 2019

This newsletter from the Digital Technologies in Focus project includes information about an On Country staff development day with Leonara District High School, cybersecurity, the Australian Curriculum, and useful resources.

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Faith Lutheran College – – Final report

This report provides details of Faith Lutheran College's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project, including a Research question, criteria for success, data collection, resources, challenges, milestones and next steps.

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A–Z Digital Technologies vocabulary F–6

This PDF assists teachers in thinking about when and how to introduce Digital Technologies discipline-specific vocabulary.