Digital technologies

The digital technologies curriculum enables students to become confident and creative developers of digital solutions through the application of information systems and specific ways of thinking about problem-solving.

Students acquire a deep knowledge and understanding of digital systems, data and information and the processes associated with creating digital solutions so they can take up an active role in meeting current and future needs.

Learning and teaching support

Resources

CS Unplugged brings together a host of free teaching and learning materials to support learning about computer science. All learning activities can be taught without the use of computer and no expertise is needed to facilitate them. To access the complete series of activities, see: CS Unplugged – The Book

Scratch is visual programing software developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to teach students about programing. Find the software on the EduSTAR image or download it from the Scratch website. Use the resources in this FUSE package to get started and support your students: Scratch resources for schools and students

Computing At School provides extensive resources and a useful teacher community to support schools with teaching the curriculum.

Digital Learning and Teaching Victoria (DLTV) have created a range of videos and posters to support teachers with understanding the core principles of the Digital Technologies curriculum including algorithms and decomposition.

Professional learning

VCAA Digital Coding and STEM specialist teachers are offering support through scheduled professional learning sessions, or tailored sessions for school networks.

Computer Science Education Research Group (CSER) – CSER at Adelaide University has developed online courses to assist teachers in addressing the new Digital Technologies curriculum. Teachers will need to set up a Gmail account to log in and register. 

Digital Careers – Digital Careers is a national organisation working towards promoting and educating students about the diverse range of career options in the field of digital technologies. They also support teachers through the provision of helpful resources.

Computational Thinking Course for Educators - Google has developed a free online course to teach the core principles of computational thinking and how they can be integrated into subject areas.

Research and evidence

Computational Thinking in K-12: A Review of the State of Field by S Grover and R.D Pea – This paper addresses the importance of computational thinking being taught at school. It explains what computational thinking is and why these skills are essential for young people.

Australia’s Digital Pulse: Key Challenges for our nation – digital skills, jobs and education (2015)prepared for the Australian Computer Society by Deloitte Access Economics – This report examines the changing economic climate in Australia and the need for young people to have a better understanding about digital technologies to be successful in the future workplace.

The Australian Digital Technologies Curriculum: Challenge and Opportunity by K Falkner, R Vivian, and N Falkner – This paper examines the state of education both within Australia and internationally in regards to computational thinking and computer science and why it is important to implement it into our schools.

Why digital technologies?

Digital devices are all around us, yet we know very little about how they work and how to make them work. In our rapidly changing economy, it is more important than ever to support students to understand and shape the role of digital systems in their current and future world.  

It is vital students have the skills required to be effective problem solvers, enabling them to function at a higher level and process this information. Skills such as collaboration and effective communication have become essential for students to enable them to take on jobs that will be created in the future.

What are digital technologies? Watch this short video created by the Computer Science Education Research group at Adelaide University explaining what digital technologies are: what are digital technologies?

Why is computer science, including computational thinking important to teach in our schools? Simon Peyton Jones explains why young people need to learn about computer science at school. To view the TEDx talk, see: Teaching creative computer science: Simon Peyton Jones at TEDxExeter

Further information

For further information, contact: digital.learning@edumail.vic.gov.au