Digital Technologies / Year 5 and 6 / Processes and production skills / Investigating and defining

Curriculum content descriptions

define problems with given or co-developed design criteria and by creating user stories (AC9TDI6P01)

Elaborations
  • using provided stimulus to identify an issue and writing a user story in groups, for example using a newspaper article to develop a user story, such as: a family in a bushfire or flood-prone environment needs a way to ensure they are prepared in case of an emergency
  • discussing possible design criteria based on a stimulus, for example the cost, sustainability and timeliness for a roadside bushfire or flood risk rating system
  • investigating the impact that feral animals have on native flora and fauna and how this problem has led to economic development opportunities for groups such as the Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
ScOT terms

Design thinking,  Problem solving

Online

Sydney Metro – a 3D design focused inquiry – Stage 3

This inquiry-based unit of work was created, trialled and peer reviewed as part of a professional learning program in inquiry-based learning for school teachers. The professional learning courses were part of a pilot partnership between the NSW Government’s Sydney Metro transport agency and Western Sydney University.

Online

Home energy use

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions and sustainable energy use and are two of the major issues facing the world today. This project explores energy use in homes, and compares individual energy use with the class average and calculate and graph CO2 emissions.

Video

Telling robots what to do

If you were programming a robot to play a competitive game of soccer, what are some of the things you would consider? Think about some of the most basic functions of a robot, like walking, stopping and turning, to more complicated functions like recognising objects and reacting to them in a specific way.

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What skills are important for programming robots?

Listen as David McKinnon from UNSW describes some of the skills that are useful to have if you want to program robots. David explains an activity that exercises problem solving skills. Why don't you try doing it? Look at a map and find some towns that are close to yours. Use the scale on the map to work out the distances ...

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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.

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Bethany Christian School – Progress report 2

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

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Micro:bit missions: Take a chance on me (Integrating Mathematics): years 6-8

This resource comprises two activities that allow students to explore the concept of chance in Mathematics. Students use computational thinking while using a micro:bit as a digital system to generate and collect data. Students implement programs involving branching and iteration in visual and general-purpose programming languages.

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Scratch 3.0 tutorial

This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions to support the learning of Scratch, a visual programming language. The tutorial is designed for educators who would like to learn how to use Scratch.

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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

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South Kalgoorlie Primary School – Project proposal

This PDF outlines South Kalgoorlie Primary School's proposal to participate in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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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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St Mary’s Primary School

St Mary’s Primary School, Moruya, is a small school on the south coast of New South Wales on the Traditional Lands of the Yuin Peoples. Established in 1847, it has about 250 students enrolled, 15 per cent of whom identify as Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander. Kim Vernon is the curriculum officer who works with the ...

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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 ...

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Mossman State School

Mossman State School is a government school located in Mossman, Queensland, on the Traditional Lands of the Kuku Yalanji Peoples. Beth Claydon is the curriculum officer who works directly with the school to support the implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies. Teachers at the school have chosen ...

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Mossman State School – Timeline

This document presents the milestones in Mossman State School's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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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 ...

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Wodonga South Primary School – Progress report 4

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

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Wodonga South Primary School – Timeline

This document presents the milestones in Wodonga South Primary School's participation in the Digital Technologies in Focus project.

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.

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.