Digital Technologies

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  • Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum
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Foundation to Year 2  

Foundation to Year 2 Band Description

Learning in Digital Technologies builds on concepts, skills and processes developed in the Early Years Learning Framework. It focuses on developing foundational skills in computational thinking and an awareness of personal experiences using digital systems. By the end of Year 2, students will have had opportunities to create a range of digital solutions through guided play

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Learning in Digital Technologies builds on concepts, skills and processes developed in the Early Years Learning Framework. It focuses on developing foundational skills in computational thinking and an awareness of personal experiences using digital systems.

By the end of Year 2, students will have had opportunities to create a range of digital solutions through guided play and integrated learning, such as using robotic toys to navigate a map or recording science data with software applications.

In Foundation – Year 2, students begin to learn about common digital systems and patterns that exist within data they collect. Students organise, manipulate and present this data, including numerical, categorical, text, image, audio and video data, in creative ways to create meaning.

Students use the concept of abstraction when defining problems, to identify the most important information, such as the significant steps involved in making a sandwich. They begin to develop their design skills by conceptualising algorithms as a sequence of steps for carrying out instructions, such as identifying steps in a process or controlling robotic devices.

Students describe how information systems meet information, communication and/or recreational needs.

Through discussion with teachers, students learn to apply safe and ethical practices to protect themselves and others as they interact online for learning and communicating.

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Science, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) touch every aspect of our world, and the innovations that emerge from these fields underpin the global community.
Embedding Catholic perspectives in the teaching and learning of Technologies is grounded in the belief that each learner’s knowledge, deep understanding, skills and values about justice, peace and ecological stewardship are developed across the curriculum.

When embedding Catholic Perspectives in the Technologies curriculum teachers look for the most appropriate and powerful opportunity that develops a natural understanding of the connection between Technologies and Catholic teaching. 

On 18th November 2017, Pope Francis received the participants in the Plenary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, dedicated to the theme “The future of humanity: new challenges to anthropology”.
Pope Francis: Science and technology have helped us further the boundaries of knowledge of nature and, in particular, of the human being. But they alone are not enough to provide all the answers. Today, we increasingly realize that it is necessary to draw on the treasures of wisdom preserved in religious traditions, popular wisdom, literature and the arts, which touch the depths of the mystery of human existence, not forgetting, but rather rediscovering those contained in philosophy and in theology.

Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions

A Catholic Perspective emphasizes the importance of, and the needs of families, places and the environment. Students consider the concept of stewardship of God's creation as they explore and investigate technologies that meet the needs of the Common Good. Students learn to apply safe and ethical practices with digital technologies to protect themselves and others.

Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Recognise and explore digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose


Recognise and explore patterns inand representas pictures, symbols and diagrams

Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Collect, explore and sort data, and use digital systems to present thecreatively


Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems


Explore how people safely use common information systems to meet information, communication and recreation needs


Create and organise ideas and information using information systems independently and with others, and share these with known people in safe online environments

Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 2, students identify how common digital systems (hardware and software) are used to meet specific purposes. They use digital systems to represent simple patterns in data in different ways.

Students design solutions to simple problems using a sequence of steps and decisions. They collect familiar data and display them to convey meaning. They create and organise ideas and information using information systems, and share information in safe online environments.

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Foundation Year Work Sample Portfolios

 

Years 3 and 4  

Years 3 and 4 Band Description

Learning in Digital Technologies focuses on further developing understanding and skills in computational thinking, such as categorising and outlining procedures; and developing an increasing awareness of how digital systems are used and could be used at home, in school and the local community. By the end of Year 4, students will have had opportunities to create a range of di

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Learning in Digital Technologies focuses on further developing understanding and skills in computational thinking, such as categorising and outlining procedures; and developing an increasing awareness of how digital systems are used and could be used at home, in school and the local community.

By the end of Year 4, students will have had opportunities to create a range of digital solutions, such as interactive adventures that involve user choice, modelling simplified real world systems and simple guessing games.

In Year 3 and 4, students explore digital systems in terms of their components, and peripheral devices such as digital microscopes, cameras and interactive whiteboards. They collect, manipulate and interpret data, developing an understanding of the characteristics of data and their representation.

Using the concept of abstraction, students define simple problems using techniques such as summarising facts to deduce conclusions. They record simple solutions to problems through text and diagrams and develop their designing skills from initially following prepared algorithms to describing their own that support branching (choice of options) and user input. Their solutions are implemented using appropriate software including visual programming languages that use graphical elements rather than text instructions. They explain, in general terms, how their solutions meet specific needs and consider how society may use digital systems to meet needs in environmentally sustainable ways.

With teacher guidance, students identify and list the major steps needed to complete a task or project. When sharing ideas and communicating in online environments they develop an understanding of why it is important to consider the feelings of their audiences and apply safe practices and social protocols agreed by the class that demonstrate respectful behaviour.

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Science, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) touch every aspect of our world, and the innovations that emerge from these fields underpin the global community.
Embedding Catholic perspectives in the teaching and learning of Technologies is grounded in the belief that each learner’s knowledge, deep understanding, skills and values about justice, peace and ecological stewardship are developed across the curriculum.

When embedding Catholic Perspectives in the Technologies curriculum teachers look for the most appropriate and powerful opportunity that develops a natural understanding of the connection between Technologies and Catholic teaching. 

On 18th November 2017, Pope Francis received the participants in the Plenary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, dedicated to the theme “The future of humanity: new challenges to anthropology”.
Pope Francis: Science and technology have helped us further the boundaries of knowledge of nature and, in particular, of the human being. But they alone are not enough to provide all the answers. Today, we increasingly realize that it is necessary to draw on the treasures of wisdom preserved in religious traditions, popular wisdom, literature and the arts, which touch the depths of the mystery of human existence, not forgetting, but rather rediscovering those contained in philosophy and in theology.

Years 3 and 4 Content Descriptions

A Catholic Perspective acknowledges that people are consumers. Students are encouraged to make good choices as consumers and consider how their solutions meet specific needs and how society may use digital systems to meet needs in environmentally sustainable ways. As students move beyond their understanding of their local community they can begin to see the wondrous diversity of all of God's creation and their special place in it.  They develop an understanding of human dignity and why it is important to consider the feelings of their audiences to apply safe practices and social protocols.

Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Identify and explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of


Recognise different types ofand explore how the samecan be represented in different ways

Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Collect, access and present different types ofusing simple software to create information and solve problems


Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them


Implement simple digital solutions as visual programs with algorithms involving(decisions) and user


Explain how student solutions and existing information systems meet common personal, school or community needs


Plan, create and communicate ideas and information independently and with others, applying agreed ethical and

Years 3 and 4 Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 4, students describe how a range of digital systems (hardware and software) and their peripheral devices can be used for different purposes. They explain how the same data sets can be represented in different ways.

Students define simple problems, design and implement digital solutions using algorithms that involve decision-making and user input. They explain how the solutions meet their purposes. They collect and manipulate different data when creating information and digital solutions. They safely use and manage information systems for identified needs using agreed protocols and describe how information systems are used.

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Year 3 Work Sample Portfolios

 

Years 5 and 6  

Years 5 and 6 Band Description

Learning in Digital Technologies focuses on further developing understanding and skills in computational thinking such as identifying similarities in different problems and describing smaller components of complex systems. It also focuses on the sustainability of information systems for current and future uses. By the end of Year 6, students will have had opportunities to c

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Learning in Digital Technologies focuses on further developing understanding and skills in computational thinking such as identifying similarities in different problems and describing smaller components of complex systems. It also focuses on the sustainability of information systems for current and future uses.

By the end of Year 6, students will have had opportunities to create a range of digital solutions, such as games or quizzes and interactive stories and animations.

In Year 5 and 6, students develop an understanding of the role individual components of digital systems play in the processing and representation of data. They acquire, validate, interpret, track and manage various types of data and are introduced to the concept of data states in digital systems and how data are transferred between systems.

They learn to further develop abstractions by identifying common elements across similar problems and systems and develop an understanding of the relationship between models and the real-world systems they represent.

When creating solutions, students define problems clearly by identifying appropriate data and requirements. When designing, they consider how users will interact with the solutions, and check and validate their designs to increase the likelihood of creating working solutions. Students increase the sophistication of their algorithms by identifying repetition and incorporate repeat instructions or structures when implementing their solutions through visual programming, such as reading user input until an answer is guessed correctly in a quiz. They evaluate their solutions and examine the sustainability of their own and existing information systems.

Students progress from managing the creation of their own ideas and information for sharing to working collaboratively. In doing so, they learn to negotiate and develop plans to complete tasks. When engaging with others, they take personal and physical safety into account, applying social and ethical protocols that acknowledge factors such as social differences and privacy of personal information. They also develop their skills in applying technical protocols such as devising file naming conventions that are meaningful and determining safe storage locations to protect data and information.

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Science, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) touch every aspect of our world, and the innovations that emerge from these fields underpin the global community.
Embedding Catholic perspectives in the teaching and learning of Technologies is grounded in the belief that each learner’s knowledge, deep understanding, skills and values about justice, peace and ecological stewardship are developed across the curriculum.

When embedding Catholic Perspectives in the Technologies curriculum teachers look for the most appropriate and powerful opportunity that develops a natural understanding of the connection between Technologies and Catholic teaching. 

On 18th November 2017, Pope Francis received the participants in the Plenary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, dedicated to the theme “The future of humanity: new challenges to anthropology”.
Pope Francis: Science and technology have helped us further the boundaries of knowledge of nature and, in particular, of the human being. But they alone are not enough to provide all the answers. Today, we increasingly realize that it is necessary to draw on the treasures of wisdom preserved in religious traditions, popular wisdom, literature and the arts, which touch the depths of the mystery of human existence, not forgetting, but rather rediscovering those contained in philosophy and in theology.

Years 5 and 6 Content Descriptions

A Catholic Perspective emphasises Catholic Social Teaching on Human dignity, Common Good, Preferential Option for Poor & Vulnerable, Subsidiarity and Participation, and Stewardship of Creation,  as students critically examine technologies for a preferred future. Students understand their participation in society, as a responsible citizen, considering how their solutions meet the needs of others and is sustainable. Students recognise and use their giftedness and creativity,  thinking, creativity, analysis, problem-solving and make decisions and choices,  around ethical and agreed protocols.

Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Examine the mainof common digital systems and how they may connect together to form networks to transmit


Examine how whole numbers are used to represent allin digital systems

Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Acquire, store and validate different types of data, and use a range of software to interpret and visualiseto create information


Define problems in terms ofand functional requirements drawing on previously solved problems


Design afor a


Design, modify and follow simple algorithms involving sequences of steps, branching, and(repetition)


Implement digital solutions as simple visual programs involving branching,(repetition), and user


Explain how student solutions and existing information systems areand meet current and future local community needs


Plan, create and communicate ideas and information, including collaboratively online, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols

Years 5 and 6 Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 6, students explain the fundamentals of digital system components (hardware, software and networks) and how digital systems are connected to form networks. They explain how digital systems use whole numbers as a basis for representing a variety of data types.

Students define problems in terms of data and functional requirements and design solutions by developing algorithms to address the problems. They incorporate decision-making, repetition and user interface design into their designs and implement their digital solutions, including a visual program. They explain how information systems and their solutions meet needs and consider sustainability. Students manage the creation and communication of ideas and information in collaborative digital projects using validated data and agreed protocols.

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Year 5 Work Sample Portfolios

 

Years 7 and 8  

Years 7 and 8 Band Description

Learning in Digital Technologies focuses on further developing understanding and skills in computational thinking such as decomposing problems and prototyping; and engaging students with a wider range of information systems as they broaden their experiences and involvement in national, regional and global activities. By the end of Year 8, students will have had opportunities

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Learning in Digital Technologies focuses on further developing understanding and skills in computational thinking such as decomposing problems and prototyping; and engaging students with a wider range of information systems as they broaden their experiences and involvement in national, regional and global activities.

By the end of Year 8, students will have had opportunities to create a range of digital solutions, such as interactive web applications or programmable multimedia assets or simulations of relationships between objects in the real world.

In Year 7 and 8, students analyse the properties of networked systems and their suitability and use for the transmission of data types. They acquire, analyse, validate and evaluate various types of data, and appreciate the complexities of storing and transmitting that data in digital systems. Students use structured data to model objects and events that shape the communities they actively engage with. They further develop their understanding of the vital role that data plays in their lives, and how the data and related systems define and are limited by technical, environmental, economic and social constraints.

They further develop abstractions by identifying common elements while decomposing apparently different problems and systems to define requirements, and recognise that abstractions hide irrelevant details for particular purposes. When defining problems, students identify the key elements of the problems and the factors and constraints at play. They design increasingly complex algorithms that allow data to be manipulated automatically, and explore different ways of showing the relationship between data elements to help computation, such as using pivot tables, graphs and clearly defined mark-up or rules. They progress from designing the user interface to considering user experience factors such as user expertise, accessibility and usability requirements.

They broaden their programming experiences to include general-purpose programming languages, and incorporate subprograms into their solutions. They predict and evaluate their developed and existing solutions, considering time, tasks, data and the safe and sustainable use of information systems, and anticipate any risks associated with the use or adoption of such systems.

Students plan and manage individual and team projects with some autonomy. They consider ways of managing the exchange of ideas, tasks and files, and techniques for monitoring progress and feedback. When communicating and collaborating online, students develop an understanding of different social contexts, for example acknowledging cultural practices and meeting legal obligations.

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Science, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) touch every aspect of our world, and the innovations that emerge from these fields underpin the global community.
Embedding Catholic perspectives in the teaching and learning of Technologies is grounded in the belief that each learner’s knowledge, deep understanding, skills and values about justice, peace and ecological stewardship are developed across the curriculum.

When embedding Catholic Perspectives in the Technologies curriculum teachers look for the most appropriate and powerful opportunity that develops a natural understanding of the connection between Technologies and Catholic teaching. 

On 18th November 2017, Pope Francis received the participants in the Plenary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, dedicated to the theme “The future of humanity: new challenges to anthropology”.
Pope Francis: Science and technology have helped us further the boundaries of knowledge of nature and, in particular, of the human being. But they alone are not enough to provide all the answers. Today, we increasingly realize that it is necessary to draw on the treasures of wisdom preserved in religious traditions, popular wisdom, literature and the arts, which touch the depths of the mystery of human existence, not forgetting, but rather rediscovering those contained in philosophy and in theology.

Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Students engage with Catholic Social Teachings with a wider range of information systems as they broaden their experiences and involvement in national, regional and global activities, considering society and ethical factors, and economic justice

When students are asked to solve problems and understand social contexts through digital technologies they deepen their understanding of the world, the views of others and connect more authentically with their community and society. Developing suitable digital skills provides students with processes to understand and participate in different social contexts acknowledging cultural practices and meeting legal obligations. Catholic perspectives allow students a better understanding of the difference between human relationships and relationships with objects in the real world considering the safe and sustainable use of information systems.

Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Investigate howis transmitted and secured in wired, wireless and mobile networks, and how the specifications affect performance


Investigate how digital systems represent text, image and audioin

Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Acquirefrom a range of sources and evaluate authenticity, accuracy and timeliness


Analyse and visualiseusing a range of software to create information, and use structuredtoobjects or events


Define andreal-world problems taking into account functional requirements and economic, environmental, social, technical and usability constraints


Design the user experience of a digital system, generating,and communicating alternative designs


Design algorithms represented diagrammatically and in English, and trace algorithms to predictfor a givenand to identify errors


Implement and modify programs with user interfaces involving branching,and functions in a general-purpose programming language


Evaluate how student solutions and existing information systems meet needs, are innovative, and take account of future risks and sustainability


Plan and manage projects that create and communicate ideas and information collaboratively online, taking safety and social contexts into account

Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 8, students distinguish between different types of networks and defined purposes. They explain how text, image and audio data can be represented, secured and presented in digital systems.

Students plan and manage digital projects to create interactive information. They define and decompose problems in terms of functional requirements and constraints. Students design user experiences and algorithms incorporating branching and iterations, and test, modify and implement digital solutions. They evaluate information systems and their solutions in terms of meeting needs, innovation and sustainability. They analyse and evaluate data from a range of sources to model and create solutions. They use appropriate protocols when communicating and collaborating online.

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Year 7 Work Sample Portfolios

 

Years 9 and 10  

Years 9 and 10 Band Description

Learning in Digital Technologies focuses on further developing understanding and skills in computational thinking such as precisely and accurately describing problems and the use of modular approaches to solutions. It also focuses on engaging students with specialised learning in preparation for vocational training or learning in the senior secondary years. By the end of Year 10, student

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Learning in Digital Technologies focuses on further developing understanding and skills in computational thinking such as precisely and accurately describing problems and the use of modular approaches to solutions. It also focuses on engaging students with specialised learning in preparation for vocational training or learning in the senior secondary years.

By the end of Year 10, students will have had opportunities to analyse problems and design, implement and evaluate a range of digital solutions, such as database-driven websites and artificial intelligence engines and simulations.

In Year 9 and 10, students consider how human interaction with networked systems introduces complexities surrounding access to, and the security and privacy of, data of various types. They interrogate security practices and techniques used to compress data, and learn about the importance of separating content, presentation and behavioural elements for data integrity and maintenance purposes.

Students explore how bias can impact the results and value of data collection methods and they use structured data to analyse, visualise, model and evaluate objects and events.

They learn how to develop multilevel abstractions, identify standard elements such as searching and sorting in algorithms, and explore the trade-offs between the simplicity of a model and the faithfulness of its representation.

When defining problems students consider the functional and non-functional requirements of a solution through interacting with clients and regularly reviewing processes. They consolidate their algorithmic design skills to incorporate testing and review, and further develop their understanding of the user experience to incorporate a wider variety of user needs. Students develop modular solutions to complex problems using an object-oriented programming language where appropriate, and evaluate their solutions and existing information systems based on a broad set of criteria including connections to existing policies and their enterprise potential. They consider the privacy and security implications of how data are used and controlled, and suggest how policies and practices can be improved to ensure the sustainability and safety of information systems.

Students progressively become more skilled at identifying the steps involved in planning solutions and developing detailed plans that are mindful of risks and sustainability requirements. When creating solutions, both individually and collaboratively, students comply with legal obligations, particularly with respect to the ownership of information, and when creating interactive solutions for sharing in online environments.

Hide full description ›

Science, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) touch every aspect of our world, and the innovations that emerge from these fields underpin the global community.
Embedding Catholic perspectives in the teaching and learning of Technologies is grounded in the belief that each learner’s knowledge, deep understanding, skills and values about justice, peace and ecological stewardship are developed across the curriculum.

When embedding Catholic Perspectives in the Technologies curriculum teachers look for the most appropriate and powerful opportunity that develops a natural understanding of the connection between Technologies and Catholic teaching. 

On 18th November 2017, Pope Francis received the participants in the Plenary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, dedicated to the theme “The future of humanity: new challenges to anthropology”.
Pope Francis: Science and technology have helped us further the boundaries of knowledge of nature and, in particular, of the human being. But they alone are not enough to provide all the answers. Today, we increasingly realize that it is necessary to draw on the treasures of wisdom preserved in religious traditions, popular wisdom, literature and the arts, which touch the depths of the mystery of human existence, not forgetting, but rather rediscovering those contained in philosophy and in theology.

Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Students engage with Catholic Social Teachings with a wider range of information systems as they broaden their experiences and involvement in national, regional and global activities, considering society and ethical factors society and ethical factors, and economic justice society and ethical factors.  They consider how human interaction with networked systems introduces complexities surrounding access to, and the security and privacy of, data of various types with respect for human dignity.

Digital solutions should consider the complex interdependencies of society and ethical factors i.e. moral conscience society and ethical factors, freedom of responsibility society and ethical factors, moral decision making society and ethical factors, and opting for humanity that is truly good society and ethical factors.


When students are asked to solve problems and understand social contexts through digital technologies they deepen their understanding of the world, the views of others and connect more authentically with their community and society. Developing suitable digital skills provides students with processes to understand and participate in different social contexts acknowledging cultural practices and meeting legal obligations. Catholic perspectives allow students a better understanding of the difference between human relationships and relationships with objects in the real world considering the safe and sustainable use of information systems.  

Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Investigate the role of hardware and software in managing, controlling and securing the movement of and access toin networked digital systems


Analyse simpleofand how contentare separated from presentation

Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Develop techniques for acquiring, storing and validating quantitative and qualitativefrom a range of sources, considering privacy and security requirements


Analyse and visualiseto create information and address complex problems, andprocesses, entities and their relationships using structured


Define andreal-world problems precisely, taking into account functional and non-functional requirements and including interviewing stakeholders to identify needs


Design the user experience of abyalternative designs against criteria including functionality, accessibility, usability, and


Design algorithms represented diagrammatically and inand validate algorithms and programs through tracing and test cases


Implement modular programs, applying selected algorithms andstructures including using an object-oriented programming language


Evaluate critically how student solutions and existing information systems and policies, take account of future risks and sustainability and provide opportunities for innovation and


Create interactive solutions for sharing ideas and information online, taking into account safety, social contexts and legal responsibilities


Plan and manage projects using an iterative and collaborative approach, identifying risks and considering safety and sustainability

Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 10, students explain the control and management of networked digital systems and the security implications of the interaction between hardware, software and users. They explain simple data compression, and why content data are separated from presentation.

Students plan and manage digital projects using an iterative approach. They define and decompose complex problems in terms of functional and non-functional requirements. Students design and evaluate user experiences and algorithms. They design and implement modular programs, including an object-oriented program, using algorithms and data structures involving modular functions that reflect the relationships of real-world data and data entities. They take account of privacy and security requirements when selecting and validating data. Students test and predict results and implement digital solutions. They evaluate information systems and their solutions in terms of risk, sustainability and potential for innovation and enterprise. They share and collaborate online, establishing protocols for the use, transmission and maintenance of data and projects.

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Year 9 Work Sample Portfolios