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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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Hiding details of an idea, problem or solution that are not relevant, to focus on a manageable number of aspects.
Abstraction does not appear explicitly in the content descriptions.
However, abstraction underpins the design and progression of content descriptions between band levels for each concept.
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Explore digital systems with purpose
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Use digital systems in multiple ways.
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Students use systems differently depending on the demands of the task, and learn that many systems can perform multiple tasks (e.g. a tablet can take photos, record sound, find information, etc.).
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Peripherals and components
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Components are the parts included in a digital system. Peripherals connect to a digital system to extend its functionality.
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Students understand that external devices can be connected to digital systems to expand their functionality (e.g. a USB drive adds portable storage; a laptop can only print when connected to a printer).
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Transmit data
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Send and receive data to and from digital systems.
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Students understand that different types of data can be transferred between digital systems (e.g. streaming music from an online service to your computer, using a smartphone to video call a friend).
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The content descriptions do not explicitly address Security in band 3-4.
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Different representations
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The same data is represented differently depending on its purpose.
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Students explain how the same data can be represented in different ways (e.g. five vs 5 vs V vs |||| vs cinque) and why some are better than others in certain contexts (e.g. 5 is the best representation for calculation).
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Data types
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Data can be represented in many ways.
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Students describe different types of data (e.g. numbers, letters, pictures) and how they can be used.
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Collect data
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Gather and record data by counting and measuring.
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Students collect different types of data in different ways (e.g. tallying to record the number of cars that drive past the school; measuring the growth of school plants).
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The content descriptions do not explicitly address Manage data in band 3-4.
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Interpret data
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Organise data to answer questions.
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Students answer simple questions by classifying, grouping, and sorting data (e.g. what is the most common car colour? how many female convicts were in the First Fleet?)
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Visualise data
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Present data in various ways to summarise data.
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Students present acquired data in different ways to answer questions (e.g. graph plant height to determine if sunlight increases growth).
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Familiar problems
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Simple problems that are already familiar to students.
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Students recognise a range of problems, and can define achievable solutions to their own problems (e.g. buying presents for family members within a budget)
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Describe problems
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Determining the nature and description of a problem to be solved.
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Students answer guiding questions (e.g. which family members need presents? What is the budget?) and then write a problem statement (e.g. I need to buy presents for mum, dad and my sister for less than $30).
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The content descriptions do not explicitly address Constraints in band 3-4.
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The content descriptions do not explicitly address Decomposition in band 3-4.
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Follow algorithms
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Follow an ordered sequence of steps to solve a simple problem or complete a task.
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Students follow the steps and decisions of algorithms (e.g. follow rules to form progressive verbs such as eat to eating, run to running, make to making), and know what step they are up to (e.g. checking off items on a list as they are completed).
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Represent algorithms
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Represent a clear, ordered sequence of steps and decisions using words and images.
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Students describe algorithms using representations such as a list of steps or a diagram (e.g. drawing a diagram of a recipe involving decisions).
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The content descriptions do not explicitly address Design algorithms in band 3-4.
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Sequence of steps
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An sequence of steps (instructions) where order might or might not matter.
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Students understand there can be more than one sequence of steps to solve a problem, some are better than others, and the steps should be unambiguous (e.g. describing two different ways to get to the same location).
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Branching (decisions)
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Branching involves following different steps based on a yes/no decision.
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Students determine the decisions required to solve a problem. Decisions should include numerical and text comparisons (e.g. if the UV index is above 3, put on sunscreen and a hat).
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Implement Digital Solutions
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Translate an algorithm into a program (code) for a computer to run. Coding is a synonym for computer programming.
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Students can write the code to solve a simple problem.
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Test Digital Solutions
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Define the expected (correct) behaviour for given input and check a program against it.
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Students run a program and check it against a provided list of expected behaviour (e.g. the character: 1. moves forward, 2. turns left, 3. moves forward).
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Branching
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Branching involves making a decision in a program to choose which block of code is run.
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Students can create programs that include some form of decision, such as writing simple if-statements.
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Visual programming
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A computer program represented graphically in a block-based environment.
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Students can write code in a visual language such as Scratch or Blockly.
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Student solutions
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The answers and products students develop themselves as solutions to problems.
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Students can reflect upon the effectiveness of their own digital assets to address a problem they have identified, or how it helps them live their life.
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Information systems
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A combination of digital systems, data, processes, and people that interact to create, control, and communicate information.
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Students can describe familiar information systems that people in their community engage with to perform typical tasks.
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People
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Individual people (the students and their family members and friends).
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Students can apply their knowledge and understanding of information systems to hypothesise about the impact of systems on other individuals.
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School
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A lot of the things that happen in a school are facilitated by digital systems.
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Students can reflect on how the systems at school help it run. This includes things like storing information about their family (so the school can contact parents) and which class they are in (so they can be found at different times in the day).
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Needs
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The impact digital systems have had on our ability to solve a range of problems that enrich and enhance our lives.
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Students can discuss the many different needs information systems address. The purposes of these systems are ultimately what determine their usefulness and viability, so students need to be cognisant of this to fully understand their larger impact.
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Create ideas and information
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Using digital technologies to manipulate data and present a product.
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Students can describe how executing their plan effectively will allow them to gather data and inform their next steps. This should lead to them being able to conclude the process with an answer, or at least a new question that needs to be answered.
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Collaborate
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Completing a structured task or activity in small groups with defined roles.
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Students can confidently share their knowledge and skills with others when working on common problems, especially when the solution will affect multiple people. They should be encouraged to share what they know with others and to use these interactions to consolidate their own understanding.
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Cyber safety
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Choosing what personal information about yourself and others should be shared online and with whom.
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Students share their work online after discussing what information about themselves and others is safe to share, and with whom (e.g. blogging about their home without revealing its specific location or other personal information).
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Social and ethical protocols
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Agreed behaviours enabling all participants to feel included, respected, and valued when interacting with each other.
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Students interact with each other online, after discussing respectful and considerate communication for the context (e.g. commenting on a blog, mindful of the impact on the author, using appropriate language for a public forum).
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Planning
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Developing an approach, strategy or identifying sources useful to investigate a problem and/or develop a solution.
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Students can appreciate the value of identifying the steps they should follow to solve a problem before they start their investigations. This includes things like knowing where to look for data and who they might ask for help. At this stage, it is about developing a simple strategy that they can follow confidently, and scaffolding from the teacher is likely required.
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The content descriptions do not explicitly address User experience in band 3-4.
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The content descriptions do not explicitly address Evaluate designs in band 3-4.
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