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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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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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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Books for exploring Digital Technologies concepts

This PDF provides a list of suggested books or similar that identify and discuss key concepts, key ideas and related ways of thinking about Digital Technologies.

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Digital Technologies resource types and resource mapping template

This three-page document gives suggestions for selecting and organising Digital Technologies resources, including physical equipment, unplugged activities and online links. It includes a simple template that may be helpful in documenting these.

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Effective DTiF strategies

This PDF lists eight ways in which Digital Technologies in Focus (DTiF) supported the implementation of Digital Technologies in disadvantaged schools.

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Supporting implementation of Digital Technologies and the ICT Capability: part 1

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 first in a series of three.

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Newsletter – April 2019

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

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Alyangula Area School

Alyangula Area School is a government school located in Alyangula on Groote Eylandt, in the Northern Territory on the Traditional Lands of the Anindilyakwa People. Martin Levins is one of ACARA’s curriculum officers who works directly with the school to support the implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies. ...

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Kelley & Knowles review: STEM integration

This article explores ways of building integrated STEM programs so that students have opportunities to make connections to crosscutting concepts and real-world problems. This is proposed through the lens of a framework.

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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 ...

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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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St James Catholic College

St James Catholic College is a K–10 school located about 50 kilometres south of Hobart, Tasmania on the Traditional Lands of the Mellukurdee Peoples. Peter Lelong is the curriculum officer who works directly with the school to support the implementation of the Digital Technologies curriculum. Teachers at the school have ...

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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.

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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 – 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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Professional learning workshops

This webpage provides details of ten workshops that focus on understanding and implementing the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies. The workshops are provided for Digital Technologies in Focus project schools and, where possible, schools not involved in the project.

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ICT Proficiency Teacher self-assessment matrix

These matrices allow teachers to self-assess their ICT Capability and Digital Technologies proficiency. They include a notes section for teachers to plan future professional learning.

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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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School stories

This webpage provides users with a menu of schools whose experiences with Digital Technologies are described in detail.