Resources from the Digital Technologies Hub, The GiST, Scootle and more.
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The Hour of Code (December 7–13) event encourages students across the world to try one hour of computer programming over the course of the week. In this edition of ESA News, we will demystify digital technologies with practical lesson ideas and teaching and careers resources to inspire your students.
Rediscover Digital Technologies
Digital Technologies Hub
Foundation – Year 2
Time to Rhyme
Retell a known nursery rhyme using ScratchJr to create an interactive animation. ScratchJr is a tablet application for children who are just starting to learn about block coding.
Years 3–4
Design a quiz
Try coding a simple game/quiz. This example is based on convict crimes and punishments. Try choosing your own context.
Years 3–6
Language translation
Have fun with language learning. Code your own program that translates a language – it’s easy and only takes a few minutes! Then add your own modifications.
Years 6–8
Visual text to coding
Try some of these self-paced challenges with your students. There are plenty of examples for students to code using Scratch, Python or JavaScript.
The Girls in STEM Toolkit
Image: Pixel-mixer/Pixabay
These engaging lessons for Years 9–10 are mapped to the Australian Curriculum and include an assessment rubric, as well as tips for creating a gender-neutral learning environment.
Green packaging lesson: Students explore the purpose of food packaging, the science of food spoilage, and investigate food packaging design.
Collisions and biomechanics lesson: Students investigate the forces involved in a collision and explore the role of biomechanical engineering in designing car safety features
Early Learning Languages Australia
Digital Technologies is an important subject in the early childhood curriculum. The ELLA program has been designed with an understanding of how children engage with digital technologies in order to support their play and cultural understandings. Combining both digital and traditional play as part of the ELLA program can stimulate children’s imagination and support learning outcomes. ELLA educators bring the tablet devices into physical spaces where they co-exist with other materials, enabling children to explore and experience language in new ways.
What’s new in Scootle?
This month finds a plethora of ideas and stimulus materials to develop student expression through the arts and English.
Image: Rainier Ridao on Unsplash
TikTok and libraries: a powerful partnership
Who knew that ‘mad TikTok skills’ would give students such pride in their library and librarian?
In the latest issue of SCIS’s Connections, Library Media Specialist Kelsey Bogan explains what TikTok is and why it has a place in school libraries.
Image: Solen Feyissa on Unsplash
Explore career options in digital technologies with myfuture
Image: REDPIXEL.PL/Shutterstock.com
In an increasingly digitised world, young people who develop the skills to use, design, integrate or manage digital systems and technologies can unlock an expanding range of career possibilities in virtually any industry.
Students with an interest or aptitude in this area can visit myfuture and learn about the many industries they can work in, and use the Career bullseyes to discover a range of occupations, education pathways and future employment prospects by selecting learning areas they enjoy, such as the Computing career bullseye.
To help you discuss options and opportunities with your students, myfuture has recently published a curated selection of resources for teachers on the future of work.
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