Welcome to the first Digital Technologies Hub newsletter for 2018

We hope you’ve had an enjoyable start to the new year. We’ve been busy behind the scenes working on some new and exciting content for you, so keep checking our website for updates!

Scope and Sequence

Many schools across Australia have begun implementing the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies, or their state’s equivalent. Although implementation may have its challenges, it brings with it a way for schools to transform their learning experiences.

To assist you with the challenges of learning about a new curriculum, the Digital Technologies Hub has just released a Scope and Sequence.

This Scope and Sequence provides a possible set of sequenced topics for years F–10 that can be used in teaching the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies, addressing the various content descriptions. In total, there will be 40 sequences available across the year levels, with eight topics offered for each year.

Features of the Scope and Sequence

• Flexibility: Pick and choose relevant learning tasks from the suggested units to suit a limited timeframe, or progress through a sequence using a developmental approach.
• Easy-to-understand information: Each sequence includes a ‘What’s this about’ section, which offers information about what should be covered and clarifies the lesson focus.
• Learning tasks: A range of learning tasks enables you to select tasks relevant to your students’ needs. There is no expectation to do all of the tasks in a sequence.
• Targeted supporting resources: These resources are not an exhaustive list; however, they do target the approach to learning suggested in the learning tasks.
• Allows for differentiation: Differentiation is supported in each sequence through a matrix that describes what students can do based on the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) Taxonomy. It is a means of classifying learning outcomes in terms of their complexity.
• Planning and assessment: Each sequence contains a unit overview that includes curriculum alignment, and identifies the achievement standard being covered.
• Mind map: A visual map for each year band provides a quick overview of the key aspects underpinning each content description. You can also use these as a checklist as you cover aspects of the curriculum.

It’s up to you whether you dip your toe in the water, or dive right in! Either way, you can start today, by implementing an aspect of the Digital Technologies curriculum that suits your students’ needs and that you feel comfortable with.

In the coming months, we’ll be hosting webinars dedicated to the new Scope and Sequence, so keep an eye out for those. Follow us on Facebook to be notified of upcoming webinars and events.
 

Webinar: Introduction to Python

Presented by: Owen Brasier, Australian Computing Academy
28 February 2018, 4.30pm – 5.30pm AEDT

In this webinar we’ll give an introduction to Python programming, and how to teach it to students in the classroom. This is aimed at the years 7–8 band of the Australian Curriculum, focusing specifically on the Implementation thread and the requirements of the curriculum. The webinar is also relevant for primary teachers who want to see what comes after Scratch and block programming.

We’ll start from the beginning and go through to building our own guessing game using Python.
 

All of our previous webinars have been recorded, and can be found on the webinars page of our website, along with the handouts and/or slides from these sessions.

Upcoming events

• Bring coding into the classroom; 15 February – 8 November, NSW
• Australian STEM Video Game Challenge; 20 February – 3 August, National
• ICTNSW New Digital Technologies workshop; 23 February, NSW
• Be Prepared: Planning weekend for Digital Technologies and Stage 6; 23–25 February, NSW
• STEMaker Melbourne; 26–27 February, VIC
• Introduction to Digital Technologies: Brisbane; 26 February, QLD
• Digital Technologies workshop: Melbourne; 27–28 February, VIC
• Digital Technologies and the NSW Curriculum workshops; 28 February – 19 June, NSW
• STEMaker Sydney; 5–6 March, NSW
• Teacher professional learning: STEM in context with 3D printers and Fusion360; 5 March, VIC
• Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad (OzCLO): Round 1; 6–7 March, National
• Big Day In; 7 March, NSW
• Tech Girl Superhero; 8 March – 31 May, National
• FIRST Robotics Australia: Southern Cross Regional competition; 11–13 March, National
• STEMaker Brisbane; 12–13 March, QLD
• Bebras Australia Computational Thinking Challenge; 12–23 March, National
• Improving STEM Education conference; 14–15 March, NSW
• Digital Technologies Workshop: Canberra; 15–16 March, ACT

Have we missed any digital technologies events happening in your area? Let us know at: digitaltechnologieshub@esa.edu.au and we can add them to our calendar.