Author: dtmstudent

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Mind Mapping with Popplet

Year level: F – 2

Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Collect, explore and sort data, and use digital systems to present the data creatively (ACTDIP003)

Link to resource: http://popplet.com/

Cross-Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
  • Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability

Classroom Activity: This interactive and engaging software is a great resource for modern classrooms. Students can work independently or in small groups to create mind maps on a given topic and then submit their work via Popplet.

Popplet is great for group work as teachers are able to click on the ideas listed in order to identify the contributions that students have made.

 

By: Jessica Owsiak

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Innovation Game: PotBiz = Powerhouse Museum

Innovation Game: PotBiz = Powerhouse Museum
Game credits
Game concept, script, and scoring: Rob Renew
Design and animation: Richard Byers and Camela Cheng
Programming: Andrew Lawrence and Mike Sheetal
Producer: Seb Chan

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 7-8

Strand: Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Sub strand: Design and Technologies processes and production skills

Content descriptor:
Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas.

Link to the resource:
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/innovationgame/game.html

Cross curriculum priorities: Sustainability

General capabilities:
Literacy
Critical and creative thinking

Links to other learning areas:
Mathematics- budgeting and material costs etc.
Science- soil quality and sunlight etc.

A classroom activity using this resource:
This game can be used to as an introduction to a hands on rich task. The game will elicit critical and creative thinking developing prior knowledge. Schools often have Design and Technology days where each class is to design and create a product to sell. The rich task would be to design and produce pot plants, choosing all appropriate materials, components, tools and equipment as a class. The students would have to calculate a selling price.

How to use this resource:
Potbiz can be accessed on a PC computer or Ipad. Enter the link into the URL and press play. The game can be played as a once off or continued. Students can also experiment with different designs to analyse and create the best design.

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Task 2: Design your own App!

Resource: Design your own App!

Description:
In this activity, students are able to create their own app. The project is accessed through a Weebly. It is open-ended and differentiates for all the students. It is student-paced and allows students to work through it at their own speed. After completing the project, students present their new app to the class. A marking rubric is used to formally assess students and anecdotal notes can be made along the way to monitor learning.

Year Level: 5/6

Curriculum Links:

  • 6.4 Acquire, store and validate different types of data, and interpret and visualise data in context to create information
  • 6.6 Follow, modify and describe simple algorithms involving sequence of steps, decisions, and repetitions that are represented diagrammatically and in plain English
  • 6.8 Use a range of communication tools and agreed social protocols when collaborating on projects and creating, communicating and sharing ideas and information online

Link: http://www.weebly.com/

Cross Curricular Priorities:
English
Any topic or subject focussed for the App.

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Green Screen by Do Ink: Moving through time and space!

Application: Green Screen by Do Ink

Year: Foundation – Year 6

Strand: Digital technologies processes and production skills

Sub strands: Collaborating and managing

  • 2.6 Work with others to create and organise ideas and information using information systems, and share these in safe online environments
  • 4.7 Work with others to plan the creation and communication of ideas and information safely, applying agreed ethical and social protocols
  • 6.9 Manage the creation and communication of ideas and information including online collaborative projects, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/green-screen-by-do-ink/id730091131?mt=8

Cross curricula priorities
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders histories and culture

General capabilities
Literacy
Information and communication technology
Critical and creative thinking
Intercultural understanding

Links to other learning areas:
English, Science, History, Geography, and the Arts

Use in the classroom
This application can be used across a number of learning areas to demonstrate students understanding of a topic. It is a fun and engaging way for students to present their information gathered throughout a unit of work. Examples of lesson including this application are outlined below:

 English: complete a book report and present the review using the application and multiple backgrounds such as a library setting.

Science: present their understanding of the solar system whilst “being” in space.

History:  conduct an interview with a historical figure with the relevant background.

Geography: create a weather report to present the data collect as part of a unit of work.

The Arts:  record a drama performance and place backgrounds in accordance with the story.

How to use the application

  1. Students record their information through a video with the green screen app.
  2. Once they are happy with their information they can add video or images behind them to show the theme.
  3. This video, once complete can be shared through blogs or amongst school networks for further education purposes.

By Leah McMerrin

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Puppet Pals App

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 3-6

Strand:Digital Technologies processes and production skills

Sub strand:Using digital systems

4.4 Use a range of digital systems and peripherals for diverse purposes, and transmit different types of data

Link to the resource
http://www.polishedplay.com/apps/puppet-pals-2.html

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities
Literacy (LIT), Critical and creative thinking (CCT), Personal and social capability (PSC), Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Links to other learning areas
English, History, Geography

A classroom activity using this resource
This is a creative way of allowing students to act out their own imaginative texts recounts, reports, titles, presentations and more in literacy. Once the students have created a written text aligning with the Australian Curriculum, they can then go on this app that allows them to get creative. They can create an interactive puppet show including voice recorder, creating characters and movements. Teachers can share this via email to their parents and copy and paste it on the school blog.

How to use this resource
As most school have access to iPads, teachers need to:

  1. download the app “PUPPETPALS 2” for free
  2. read the instructions. It is easy to use for teachers and students. The app goes step by step instructions on what to do.

 

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Dipity: Interactive Timelines

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 3 – 4

Strand: Digital Technologies processes and production skills

Sub strand: Present a range of data using simple software to present information

Link to the resource:
http://www.dipity.com/

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:

  • Personal and social capability
  • Information and Communication Technology
  • Literacy

Links to other learning areas
English, History

Example of a classroom activity using this resource
Dipity is a fantastic resource that can be of use in the classroom. The online resource is used for students and teachers to create interactive digital timelines, incorporating pictures, audio, and video. It is especially useful to assist with history topics and to help illustrate a timeline of events in a fun and interactive way. As an example, the teacher and students could create a collaborative school calendar of events. This could be modelled on an interactive whiteboard, and students could have opportunities to make additions to the calendar throughout the year.

As an individual project, students could use this resource to present information for a history topic, i.e. the colonisation of Australia, using audio, sound and video. Students could then publish their completed timelines on the Internet, or create their own web pages so other students can view their final products. Students will have a unique URL for their timeline, so teachers and other students have the opportunity to access the completed timeline.

How to use this resource:

    1. Students will be required to set up a Login ID and password.
    2. Once created, students can begin uploading images, audio and videos to their timelines.

blog

http://cristinaskybox.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/dipity.html
Once completed, students have the opportunity to share their timelines by having a unique URL that other students can visit.

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Kwik Surveys

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 3 – 4

Strand: Digital Technologies knowledge and understanding

Sub strand: Explore how the same data can be represented in different ways

Link to the resource:
http://www.kwiksurveys.com/

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:

  • Personal and social capability
  • Information and Communication Technology
  • Numeracy
  • Literacy

Links to other learning areas
English, Mathematics

Example of a classroom activity using this resource:
Creating and publishing surveys is a fun and interactive way for students to collect data on countless subjects. KwikSurveys is an online survey website that allows students to create a question, and provide possible answers for other peers to answer.  A great way to use this resource in the classroom would be in a mathematics class. The teacher could put students into small groups, and students  create a survey for the other groups to complete, for example, how healthy are you? The groups would then log into KwikSurveys, and devise several questions and answers. Once all groups are completed,  students then have the opportunities to exchange their surveys, so that other groups can fill them out. Once completed, the groups can then collect and analyse the data.

How to use this resource:

  1. Students will be required to set up a Login ID and password for each group, which the teacher should set up prior to the activity.
  2. Once logged in, students can begin creating questions and answers. Students also have the opportunities to upload pictures and customise the page themes, so the survey looks more appealing.

kwiksurveys

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/kwiksurveys-create-embeddable-surveys/

Once completed, students will then be able to share their published surveys using a unique URL.

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Technologies and Society – Product Design and Sustainability

Subject: Design and Technologies

Year Level: 6

Strand: Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Sub strand: Technologies and Society

Content Descriptor: ‘Investigate how people in design and technologies occupations address competing considerations, including sustainability in the design of products, services and environments for current and future use’ (ACTDEK019)

Scope and Sequence: 6.1 – ‘Investigate how people in design and technologies occupations address competing considerations including sustainability in the design of products, services, and environments and for current and future use.’

Link to resources:

  1.  ‘Energy’ By Kids Discover
    Link: http://www.kidsdiscover.com/apps-for-kids/energy-app-for-ipad/
  2. Doing your bit!’ by Rock Creative
    Link: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/doing-your-bit/id899114005?mt=83)
  3.   ‘Powering our planet’ by Rock Creative
    Link: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/powering-our-planet/id899101483?mt=8

Cross curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Sustainability, and Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia.

General capabilities: Literacy, Information and Communication Technology, Critical and creative thinking, Personal and Social Capability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, and Asia and Australia’s involvement with Asia.

Links to other learning areas: English, Science, ICT.

Overview:

  • Resource 1 is a paid app available in the app store. It can be found by searching Energy Kids Discover.
  • Resource 2 and 3 are also paid apps available in the app store by Rock Creative. Resource 2, Doing your bit is an educational app that engages students about the environment, how we are impacting the planet, and how to be a more sustainable citizen. Resource 3 Powering our planet teaching students about energy (what it is, where it comes from) and what we can do to be more sustainable.
  • All three apps contain relevant information relating to content descriptor (ACTDEK019), and include engaging activities for students to discover.

How to use the resource:
After purchasing and downloading from the app store, these apps can be used in the classroom as either a whole class or group activity where students collaboratively work through the app following guidance by the teacher. For example, for resource 1, students in one group might work through the section on save your energy, while another group will work through energy for today and tomorrow. The groups will then swap and share information, therefore continuing on the collaborative classroom approach. Alternatively, students could work in groups and be given one aspect of the app to work through and understand, then create a short five minute presentation (e.g. powerpoint, or hand drawn poster) to present to the class.

Makey Makey

Year: 5/6

Strand: Design and Technologies – Processes and Production Skills

6.7 – Generate, develop and communicate design ideas and processes for audiences using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques.

Curriculum Content Description: Develop project plans that include consideration of resources when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively (ACTDEP028)

Link to resource:
http://makeymakey.com/

Screen shot 2015-01-29 at 2.38.16 PM

Link to video demonstration:
http://vimeo.com/60307041

Description and potential classroom uses.
The Makey Makey invention kit contains a mini ‘keyboard’, alligator clips and a USB cable. It allows users to turn any object that can conduct a small amount of electricity into a functional ‘touch-pad’. When connected to the internet, the user can use various objects to control screen functions. For example, by connecting the alligator clips to bananas and loading a piano keyboard on the internet, the user can ‘play’ the online keyboard by pressing the attached bananas.

This resource can be used to demonstrate proficiency in the above content descriptor (and possibly several others) by allowing students to collaborate and decide on which materials and websites to connect to, and also to consider useful applications for the device. Students could select materials, draw and label plans and test their circuit designs. They could also present their designs to the class.

As the kits are fairly expensive (AU$76 each), one or two kits could be purchased for each class and shared for testing and demonstrations.

Links to other learning areas:

Science – Yr 6 Physical Sciences – Electrical circuits provide a means of transferring and transforming electricity (ACSSU097)

English – Yr 6 Literacy – Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710)

General Capabilities:

• Information and communication technology (ICT) capability

• Critical and creative thinking

• Personal and social capability

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ABC Splash

“Abc Splash” is a great resource to find educational videos and games; the site is free and easy to navigate with a year and subjects bar/tabs at the top of the home screen. Most of the videos can be linked to the Australian Curriculum and it even has a section for teacher resources.

Link: http://splash.abc.net.au/primary#/subject/technologies/video

Link: http://splash.abc.net.au/primary#/subject/technologies/video

I am personally interested in exploring computer coding, for my assignment, and found a clip introducing basic computer code concepts.

Link: http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/1662392/computer-code

Link: http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/1662392/computer-code

Strand  Digital Technologies, Digital Systems

Subject band: Years 5 and 6;

Strand: Knowledge and understanding

6.1 Investigate the main components of common digital systems, their basic functions and interactions and how such digital systems may connect together to form networks to transmit data.

How to use in classroom
I often use “ABC Splash” as a starting point to generate ideas and to build up my working knowledge for all subjects. Even if I don’t use the videos in my lessons they often give me key words and thoughts I can research.

Link to Resource
ABC Splash. [n.d.]. Retrieved from the ABC Web site: http://splash.abc.net.au/home#/homeACARA. (2013). Digital technologies foundation to year 10 scope and sequence. Retrieved from the ACARA Web site: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/rationale