Digital technologies / Year 5 and 6 / Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Curriculum content descriptions

Define problems in terms of data and functional requirements drawing on previously solved problems (ACTDIP017)

Elaborations
  • checking existing solutions to identify features that are transferable to new but similar digital solutions, for example identifying if there are any similarities (such as user age and special requirements) between an existing game and a new game to be created – in terms of the types of data and the needs of the users
  • investigating characteristics of user interfaces that are common for particular types of problems, for example, touch screens – many people respond more intuitively than when using a keyboard or stylus; and the consistent placement of symbols helps with performing actions that require speed, for example in games
  • using and interpreting data, establishing the root cause of a problem, for example using an annotated diagram to identify omissions, duplications or mismatches of data
  • describing in simple terms the nature of a problem and what a solution needs to achieve, for example what need the problem is associated with, who the solution is needed for, what data are needed and what features the solution would need to include
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • ICT capability Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
ScOT terms

Problem solving,  Functionality

Video

DTiF Classroom Exploring AI in the Classroom: Teacher debrief

Digital Technologies in Focus curriculum officers discuss a lesson about Artificial Intelligence and curriculum links for teachers

Video

Expert Webinar video: Professor Stephen Heppel: The impact of environmental factors on learning

In this video Professor Stephen Heppell, discusses the aggregation of marginal gains in learning environments. He provides examples from the Learnometer project, designed to help students monitor their classroom environment for factors that may hinder learning.

Video

Expert webinar video: Andrew Harris - Lead Teacher, Agricultural Education, Hagley Farm Primary School

Andrew Harris from the Hagley Farm School in Tasmania shares ways in which the school is teaching Digital Technologies and its meaningful use in agriculture . For example, Andrew provides examples of ways students learn about digital systems and data collection.

Video

Computational thinking in the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies

This video provides an overview of computational thinking and how it can be taught in the context of other learning areas.

Video

Expert webinar video: Jennifer Hemer: Tasmanian Smart Seafood Partnership

Jennifer Hemer from Natural Resource Management Tasmania explains what's happening in the seafood industry in her state and how digital technologies are used to make the industry more sustainable.

Video

Expert webinar video: Professor Tim Bell – Computational thinking

In this video, Professor Tim Bell discusses helpful ways of understanding and teaching computational thinking, a key idea of the Australian Curriculum: Technologies.

Online

Project Quantum: Online assessment system

Project Quantum helps computing teachers check their students’ understanding, and support their progress, by providing free access to an online multiple-choice assessment system and question bank. To use Project Quantum, you will need to create a free account.

Video

Expert webinar video: In conversation with Paul Mead from She Maps: A wide-ranging discussion from women in Technology and unconscious bias to digital systems and the ethical and safety considerations of using drone technologies

Paul Mead, from STEM education provider She Maps, discusses unconscious bias in young students and how She Maps is spreading the word about women who work with technologies in the field. He discusses digital systems and explains how geospatial systems and geographical information systems are used to collect, analyse and ...

Text

Voskoglou & Buckley review: Problem solving and computational thinking

This article explores the relationship between computational and critical thinking as it applies to solving technological problems. Research evidence derived from classroom experiments strongly suggests that using computers to solve problems enhances students’ abilities in solving real-world problems involving mathematical ...

Video

DTiF Classroom Exploring AI in the Classroom: Activity

Simon Collier, Digital Technologies in Focus Curriculum Officer, takes viewers though a lesson from the Digital Technologies Hub exploring how machine learning can be used to organise photographs.

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Lockwood & Mooney review: Computational thinking

This article provides a literature review of how computational thinking fits into a school curriculum. The aim of the report is to provide educators with an overview of the current research in this field and the work that is being done in teaching computational thinking.

Video

Expert webinar video: Nathan Alison, Digital Learning and Teaching Victoria (DLTV): Focus on systems thinking. How do we teach it well?

Nathan Alison from Digital Learning and Teaching Victoria (DLTV) explains what systems thinking is and how it is used in the context of Digital Technologies. Nathan explains what we need to consider when teaching digital systems, covering topics such as networks, hardware and software protocols, people and processes.

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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.

Video

Expert webinar video: Dr Karen Joyce: Map my school

Dr Karen Joyce from STEM education provider She Maps discusses geospatial mapping and methods for teaching underpinning concepts to primary, secondary and tertiary students. Her presentation provides opportunities to think about how we might teach digital systems, data collection and interpretation to our students in context.

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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Faith Lutheran College – Timeline

This document presents the milestones in Faith Lutheran College's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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Asunda review: STEM integration

This article explores the benefits of an interdisciplinary STEM program in the quest for providing students with a holistic approach to problem-solving that reflects real-world practice. This is supported by a conceptual framework that comprises four constructs: systems thinking, situation learning theory, constructivism ...

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Faith Lutheran College – PL ecosystem

This document illustrates the network of people and resources that make up Faith Lutheran College's Professional Learning ecosystem.