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Unpicking the Digital Technologies Hub

See also: teaching, teaching-digital-technologies

Resources and ideas "unpicked" from the Digital Technologies Hub.

Understanding DT#

Curriculum#

Strand Description
Knowledge & Understanding Information system components of data and digital systems
Processes and production skills Required to create digital solutions

DT Oz Curriculum Strands (source: Digital Technologies Hub)

Core Concepts#

Concept Definition
Digital systems And the components that make them up: hardware, software, networks, and the way data is transmitted - digital systems resources
Data representation How data is represented and structured symbolically for storage and communication by people and digital systems - data representation resources
Data acquisition Acquire, store, validate data from range of sources - linked with mathematics
Data interpretation Analyse and visualise data using a range of software to draw conclusions, make predictions, and identify trends - linked with mathematics
Abstraction ACARA defines it as "reducing complexity by hiding details so that the main idea, problem or solution can be defined and focus can be on the manageable number of aspects.
Specification (Problem decomposition) Defining a problem precisely and clearly, identifying requirements, and breaking the problem into manageable pieces
Algorithms Precise sequence of steps and decisions needed to solve a problem, often involving iterative processes - algorithm resources
Implementation (Programming) Automation of an algorithm, typically by writing a computer program or using appropriate software - visual programming and general purpose programming
Privacy and security Data is protected when it is stored or transmitted through digital systems. Privacy includes knowledge of the risks faced online and how to mitigate. Security covers the appropriate social, cognitive, communicative, and decision-making skills to address network security risks.

Overarching concepts#

Concept Definition
computational-thinking Helps organise data (sic1) by: breaking down problems into parts; defining abstract concepts; and designing & using algorithms, patterns and models - see computational thinking resources
Systems thinking Thinking holistically about the interactions and interconnections that shape the behaviour of systems - see systems thinking resources
Design thinking Helps empathise and understand needs, opportunities and problems; generate, iterate and represent innovative, user-centered ideas; and analyse and evaluate those ideas - see design thinking resources

Plan and Prepare#

Scope and sequence#

Offers suggestions for how to sequence topics

Years 7-8#

Recommendation is three topics per year e.g.

  • Year 7 (cycle one) - spread over the entire year

    • Binary numbers
    • Working with data
    • General-purpose programming

  • Year 8 (cycle two)

    • Hardware, networks and cyber threats
    • Collaborative data project
    • Creating a digital solution

School implementation#

Suggests starting with a whole school plan with possibilities

  • explicit/specialist model - i.e. me teaching, increases importance, means other students don't develop experience
  • integrated mode - e.g. integrated-computing - implement digital technologies into other subject areas

Teach and assess#

Starts with lesson ideas and self-paced courses (groups of lesson)

Topics - provide another way into resources/lessons

Classroom Resources#

Effective pedagogies#

Assessment overview#

CSER's 4 simple ideas for engaging students in assessment

  1. Reflect - students record reflections about their learning/design process - on their strategies etc.
  2. Self-rating - students rate their knowledge and confidence before and after... pre-tests
  3. Feed forward - students have opportunities to seek and provide feedback on digital solutions during instruction, they explain how they've used that feedback
  4. Co-construct - students co-create assessment instruments: checklists, rubrics

CSER's formative assessment

  1. Concept maps
  2. Checklists - use a checklist with defined skills or knowledge looked for and check off during classroom observations
  3. Think aloud - sit next to a student and ask them to explain work, prompt, look for evidence of understanding
  4. Quizzes - quizzes to monitor knowledge

CSER's summative assessment

  1. Test - at end of unit to test understanding of content knowledge, processes and production skills
  2. Final project - showcase a proejct including additional arterfacts
  3. Presentation - pitch/presentation on a digi tech topic - produce video
  4. Text production - narrative/procedural text demonstrating undersatnding of algorithms of explaining the digital solution they have created.

Assessment resources#

AI#

  1. Positioning it as a method to organise data is very, very narrow - see computational-thinking ↩