The Australian Curriculum includes a new learning area called "Technologies". The Technologies curriculum has been published but is currently "awaiting final endorsement". You can read more about this learning area and view the content on ACARA's Australian Curriculum website. While BCE schools are not reporting in the Technologies area in 2014, it is not too early to begin laying the groundwork for what will be expected of students in coming years and in their future workplaces.
In the video below, you will hear some of the key concepts in Technologies curriculum explained. You will also notice that many of the projects exemplified involve activities that our teachers and students are already doing. Access to 1 to 1 devices will also make the Technologies curriculum much easier to implement.
Both subjects in the Technologies learning area - Digital Technologies and Design and Technology - will be compulsory from Prep to Year 8. Concepts within the Digital Technologies subject such as computational thinking can be supported using free apps such as those listed below.
While the above apps appear to be designed for younger users, we encourage our upper primary students to install these apps and begin exploring the user interfaces and digital systems which make these games function. If students can be encouraged to be metacognitive about the computational thinking required for success in these apps, they will be well-equipped with the skills required to design their own algorithms and digital solutions, as covered in the Technologies learning area.
AND... (drum roll please)...
Probably the most valuable Technologies learning tool for the iPad is Scratch Jnr. Recently released as a FREE iPad app, we strongly encourage students to install Scratch Jnr and to begin exploring it. Based on the Scratch programming language released by MIT, Scratch Jnr. makes coding accessible to students as young as 5 years of age. Students will hopefully enjoy creating interactive stories, games and animations with the specially modified programming language, developing valuable skills for successful achievement in an assessable learning area as well as for their future. After all...
In the video below, you will hear some of the key concepts in Technologies curriculum explained. You will also notice that many of the projects exemplified involve activities that our teachers and students are already doing. Access to 1 to 1 devices will also make the Technologies curriculum much easier to implement.
Both subjects in the Technologies learning area - Digital Technologies and Design and Technology - will be compulsory from Prep to Year 8. Concepts within the Digital Technologies subject such as computational thinking can be supported using free apps such as those listed below.
While the above apps appear to be designed for younger users, we encourage our upper primary students to install these apps and begin exploring the user interfaces and digital systems which make these games function. If students can be encouraged to be metacognitive about the computational thinking required for success in these apps, they will be well-equipped with the skills required to design their own algorithms and digital solutions, as covered in the Technologies learning area.
AND... (drum roll please)...
Saving the best for last...
Probably the most valuable Technologies learning tool for the iPad is Scratch Jnr. Recently released as a FREE iPad app, we strongly encourage students to install Scratch Jnr and to begin exploring it. Based on the Scratch programming language released by MIT, Scratch Jnr. makes coding accessible to students as young as 5 years of age. Students will hopefully enjoy creating interactive stories, games and animations with the specially modified programming language, developing valuable skills for successful achievement in an assessable learning area as well as for their future. After all...
