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

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 ...

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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 ...

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Classroom ideas: Micro:bit environmental measurement (visual programming): years 5-6

This tutorial shows ways in which environmental factors such as lighting and temperature can be measured and improved using micro:bits and sensor boards, and programmed using pseudocode and visual programming.

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Literature reviews: what, why and how

This PowerPoint explains the benefits and techniques of literature reviews.

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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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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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Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies: years 5-6

This PDF provides a line of sight from content descriptions to achievement standards.

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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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Newsletter – December 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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Alyangula Area School – Progress report 1

This video is a summary of a progress report into the implementation of Digital Technologies in the Alyangula Area School.

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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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Bethany Christian School – Progress report 1

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

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Curzon & Bell et al. review: Computational thinking

This article explores the concept of computational thinking within computer science learning and in relation to other learning areas. The authors assert that because of its focus on analysis, computational thinking is not only suitable for computation but also the development of systems-based on computation.

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St Mary’s Primary School – Progress report 3

This video explains the progress that St Mary's Primary School, Moruya, has made in the Digital Technologies in Focus project. It is the third in a series of four.

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School stories

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

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St Mary’s Primary School – Final report

This report provides details of St Mary's Primary School'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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Books for exploring digital technologies concepts

This PDF provides a list of books that are useful for exploring key concepts and ideas in Digital Technologies.

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Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies years 5-6 Digital Systems assessment task: Staying fit, healthy and sun-safe: Teacher PowerPoint

This PowerPoint supports the assessment task, Staying fit, healthy and sun-safe. It is the last in a series of four resources.