Interactions and impact

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Lego Education

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 3

Strands: Digital Technologies

Image retrieved from https://education.lego.com/en-au/product

Links to the resource:

https://education.lego.com/en-us

https://education.lego.com/en-au/product

Links to other learning areas

Science

Mathematics

 

As an educator, have you ever felt something missing from your teaching, that one thing that connects you to your students’ thoughts and imaginations? Do you facilitate students’ expression of creativity and inventiveness? Is your planning reflective of opportunities for students to articulate their inspirations and aspirations? For generations, Lego has endorsed the importance of accelerating childrens’ imaginations through creative play. With the mission statement of ‘Inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow’ Lego has moved from the confines of our homes and into the classroom with Lego Education.

Lego Education introduces WeDo 2.0, a valuable resource where students are encouraged to explore and build brick by brick, and then innovate through computers and coding. From the moment they begin building, students are engaged in the process of computational thinking, using digital software to problem solve as well as their curious imaginations to create. To begin with, students follow instructions of what to build, how to build it and step by step sequencing using the accompanying computer program. Once they understand the basic framework of Lego Education, they are then free to explore using their imaginations to create.

YOU are facilitating their learning of design and digital technologies as they imagine, create and play. YOU are providing valuable moments for your students to access digital technology in a meaningful way, with determination and purpose.

How to use this resource

Students follow the steps to assemble their creations.

Teacher assists in connecting to an iPad or laptop.

Log into the LEGO Education software.

Students use coding to manipulate and control their creation.

 

 

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Paddock to Plate: Get your hands on my food.

Subject: Design and Technologies

Year Level:3-4

Strand:Design and Technologies – Knowledge and understanding

Sub strand:Food and fibre production

Yesr 3 – Types of food and fibre produced in different environments, cultures or time periods, including the equipment used to produce or prepare them

Year 4 – Types of technologies used in food and fibre production or processing, including how they are used to help meet consumer needs

Link to the resource

http://www.primezone.edu.au/item_details.php?item_id=413&item_type=resource&content_list_id=2

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities

Critical and creative thinking (CCT),Personal and social capability (PSC),Information and Communication Technology (ICT),Literacy (LIT), Sustainability

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding
  • Intercultural understanding.

Links to other learning areas

English,

Science – Science understandings – Chemical Science – A change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat (ACSSU046)

Science – Science as a Human Endeavour – Nature and development of science – Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE050)

A classroom activity using this resource

This is a well structured resource that allows the teacher to teach a lesson exploring the process of food from the paddock to the plate. It involved the students working through learning stations where they explore the ways in which food changes from the raw state to make it suitable for consumption. The stations offer different processes such as chemical changes in food or the processing of a food item. The stations are inquiry based and hands on allowing for addressing student misconceptions and creating thought and discussion to promote ideas.

How to use this resource

This useful learning resource includes the lesson plan, power-point and all the printable classroom support resources to match. It is very easy to follow and provides opportunities for extension activities and further research. It is clearly laid out with suggested assessment and student reflection sheets for reporting the groups findings back to the class. This lesson links well with the Science curriculum when investigating states of matter and the changes that occur.

 

KidzVuz and the Technologies Curriculum
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KidzVuz and the Technologies Curriculum

Looking for a fun, innovative, and interactive way of introducing vlogging to the classroom?

Look no further!

Kidzvuz is a safe, carefully monitored site where students from ages 7-12 can Vlog on 🙂

Firstly,

What is this term ‘Vlog’?

A vlog is in fact, a Video Blog. 

As defined by Cambridge Dictionary:

[It is] “a record of your thoughts, opinions or experiences that you film and publish on the internet.“

So what is Kidzvuz?

Kidzvuz is a site that facilitates the skills and knowledge for vlogging. Students can use this site to watch, review and create their own vlogs to express their passions and ideas. KidzVuz heavily promotes their philosophy of “letting kids have their say.” Prior to being uploaded, every video and comment is reviewed and approved by the site administrator to ensure a safe, appropriate and positive online environment is kept.

A classroom activity for this resource:

Vlogging opens up many opportunities in the classroom for students to express their interests and opinions confidently through technology. The subject students decide to vlog about can be chosen by the educator or by the students and it can be done individually or collaboratively. In the year 3/4 band description, it is outlined that students need to “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.” When introducing Kidzvuz to the classroom, these areas are great to cover and for students to understand the power of influence they can have in their vlogs.

How to use:

Students will need to primarily sign up with the educator/parental consent since this site is heavily supervised. This will then grant access for students to upload vlogs they have created in class to the site for teachers, parents and peers to view. Students can provide encouragement, question or provide constructive feedback to their peers (peer assessment) by commenting on others’ vlogs.

Additional Resources:

Although this may seem like a ‘kid only’ zone, don’t be deceived! There are many resources available for teachers and parents alike! There is a parent blog associated with the site here. In this section, educators and parents can share ideas, resources, advice etc.

The ‘Nitty Gritty’

In alignment with the Australian Technologies Curriculum:

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: 3/4

Strand: Digital Technologies

Sub-strand: Collecting, Managing and Analysing data

Collect, access and present different types of data using simple software to create information and solve problems. (ACTDIP009)

Link to resource:

https://www.kidzvuz.com/

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

  • Literacy (LIT)
  • Numeracy (NUM)
  • Communication Technology (ICT Capability)
  • Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT)

Links to other learning areas:

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
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Digital Technologies Hub

Put the User in User Interface

Year Level: 5 and 6

Subject: Technologies – Digital Technologies

Strand: Processes and Production Skills

Sub-strand: Digital Implementation

Content Description: Design solutions to a user interface for a digital system (ACTDIP018)

Link to Other Learning Areas: English and Science.

General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Personal and Social Capability, Literacy, Numeracy, ICT capability.

Overview: “This learning sequence aims to support understandings of the importance of quality design and design principles in creating an efficient and effective user interface.”

The learning sequence includes the following:

  • Learning hook – video and discussion
  • Learning map and outcomes – create glossary
  • Learning input and construction – Links to Human Interface Design and to videos
  • Learning demo – Activities and worksheets
  • Learning reflection – Activity

Students discuss the elements of both confusing and clear interfaces and share examples. The suggested activities provide opportunities  for students to think critically about the purpose and importance of design using real-world examples. They design and problem solve through engaging activities in The Chocolate Factory – Human Interface Design.  “Students analyse how the doors might work most effectively for a group of users with specific needs.” Catering for specific audiences and needs is a wonderful way to link to General Capabilities – Ethical Understanding and Personal and Social Capability.

 

This video provides a great overview of User Interface Design. It was created for year 7/8 teachers however contains clear and relevant information that would also be meaningful for year 5/6 students.

 

References

Resource and images from: https://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/primary-teachers/getting-started/put-the-user-in-user-interface
Resource link also available through Scootle: https://www.scootle.edu.au

Blog by Stephanie Joshi

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NASA Robotics

NASA Robotics – I Want to Hold Your Hand Activity

Year Level: Suitable for years 3 to 5

Purpose: “To construct a robotic-like hand and to demonstrate how data are collected when using robotic technology.”

Overview: This exciting and engaging hands-on activity can be done in the classroom with minimal low-cost materials required. Students critically reflect as they consider uses, benefits and disadvantages to robotics both before and after construction. Links to other learning areas include Mathematics (measurement) Science (forces) and English (journal entries).

Learning Area: Technologies – Design and Technologies
Strand: Knowledge and Understanding
Sub-strand: Technologies and society – Role of people in design and technologies occupations. Ways products, services and environments are designed to meet community needs.
Sub-strand: Materials and technologies specialisations – Suitability and safe practice when using materials, systems and components for a range of purposes.

Learning Areas: Technologies – Design and Technologies and Digital Technologies
Strand: Processes and production skills. Creating solutions by:
Sub-strand: Designing – Develop and communicate design ideas and decisions using annotated drawings and appropriate technical terms.
Sub-strand: Evaluating – Use criteria to evaluate and justify simple design processes and solutions.
Sub-strand: Collaborating and managing – Work independently, or collaboratively when required, to plan, safely create and communicate ideas and information for solutions.

 

A full PDF version of the activity can be found here.

You can show your students how the NASA Robonaut2 uses its robotic hand in this video clip.

 

References:

Learning Area Strands: http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/technologies/design-and-technologies2

Photo: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/invention_of_the_year

Website link to activity: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/I_Want_to_Hold_Your_Hand.html

 

Blog Post by Stephanie Joshi

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Minecraft and Computational Thinking

Minecraft is interesting from lots of different perspectives. It is a familiar and engaging gaming platform where  kids can spend hours building and modifying virtual worlds. Whilst doing things that they consider to be entertainment they are inadvertently learning key computational thinking skills.
Screen Shot 2016-08-07 at 7.52.09 PM

 

What is Computational Thinking?

“Computational thinking is a way humans solve problems; it is not trying to get humans to think like computers. Computers are dull and boring; humans are clever and imaginative. We humans make computers exciting. Equipped with computing devices, we use our cleverness to tackle problems we would not dare take on before the age of computing and build systems with functionality limited only by our imaginations; ” Jeanette M Wing

Minecraft happens to be a fantastic sandbox game to explore computational thinking. Minecraft provides a platform in which 21st century literacy skills can be explored and developed to cater for the learning objectives in the Australian Technology Curriculum. Educators have the option to utilise the existing user interface or subscribe to the new and improved Minecraft:Education Edition which makes implementing this amazing learning tool into your existing curriculum as easy as clicking on a mouse.

Using Minecraft as an Educational Tool 

 Read on further to discover how Minecraft can address the four cornerstones of computation thinking and the lesson plans offered in the Minecraft: Education Edition!

Continue reading →

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Osmo Coding

Subject – Digital Technologies

Osmo Codingpreview-osmo-coding

Year level band: F-2

Sub-strand:

Producing and Implementing

Use given components and equipment to safely make simple solutions

Evaluating

Use personal preferences to evaluate the success of simple solutions

Link to Resource: https://www.PlayOsmo.com.

Cross curricular priorities and general capabilities:

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability

Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capability

Ethical understanding

Literacy

Links to other learning areas:

English

Mathematics

A classroom activity using this resource:

Students will be given their iPads and the coding tools to manipulate. Students will be given the task of feeding their character. Each child will make their own character, put together the directions in front of their iPad and press play. The aim of this task is for students to lay their directions on the table before moving their character. This will introduce the students into forward thinking as they have to solve the problem before their character moves. When their character moves it must grab all the food before reaching the end. This task will involve maths when students count the steps and getting to know directions. 

How to use this resource:

The aim is for students to guide their character to eat all of the apples. If students do this successfully they will then move on to the next level. In doing this activity students will learn how to count and estimate how far their character needs to travel and in what direction. This activity requiring thinking in advance allows students to develop the skill of computational thinking and is a simple and easy way to introduce students to coding. This resource is different to others as it allows students to be hands on whilst also using an electronic screen to visualise their movements.

Code Monkey Island – Board Game
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Code Monkey Island – Board Game

Code Monkey Island

 

Welcome to Code Monkey Island!

Code Monkey Island is a board game created to teach children how to use and master the fundamentals of programming and computer science. The game’s creator wanted to design a game that took the concepts that stumped him for weeks in college and present them in a way that kids could understand. In this game players take on the role of a wise leader of a tribe of monkeys, and they guide the monkeys around the island and to the Banana Grove before anyone else. They move around the board by strategically playing rule cards that form the foundations of programming logic, these being – Conditional Statements, Basic Looping, Assignment Operations, How to Adapt, Boolean Operations and Strategic Thinking. By the time the player has gotten their first monkey to the grove they have already mastered the basics of these concepts. This game is great for children 8 year and up.

For more information about the game watch this kick-starter video here – https://vimeo.com/93134600

 

Years: 2-6 (can be played by all ages 8 and up)

Subject: Digital Technologies

Strand: Process and Production Skills

Sub-strand: Digital Implementation

Year 2: Use data to solve similar tasks/problems (ACTDIP003)

Year 3: Use visually represented sequenced steps (algorithms), including steps with decisions made by the user (branching) (ACTDIP011)

Year 4: Use simple visual programming environments that include a sequence of steps (algorithm) involving decisions made by the user (branching) (ACTDIP011)

Year 5: Implement and use simple programming environments that include branching (decisions) and iteration (repetition) (ACTDIP020)

Year 6: Implement and use simple visual programming environments that include branching (decisions), iteration (repetition) and user input (ACTDIP020)

 

*It also links into the year 8 and year 10 Digital Technologies Curriculum

Year 8: Implement and modify solutions, that include user interfaces within a programming environment, including the need for choice of options and/or repeating options (ACTDIP030)

Year 10: Implement data storage and organisation techniques within a programming environment  (ACTDIP041)

 

General Capabilities:

  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
  • Critical and creative thinking

 

Links to other Learning Areas:

  • Mathematics
  • English

 

If you would like to learn more, or for information on where to buy this game, visit the website – http://codemonkeyplanet.com/

21st Century Literacy with Hello Ruby
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21st Century Literacy with Hello Ruby

 

Hello Ruby

Header home

The four cornerstones of computational thinking and Hello Ruby

Code is the 21st century literacy and the need for educators to incorporate the language of technology into the curriculum is essential . Our world is increasingly run by software and we need to equip the future generations with the skills to contribute to society in a meaningful and constructive way.
Hello Ruby provides students and educators with the opportunity to explore, create and design the world of programming. Writing software is as much a practical application as it is about expression and creativity where kids learn programming logic before even showing a single screen .
Finish developer Linda Liukas has created a world of code that can reach children at their own level. Her team  has also made it accessible for educators who are still developing  their skills in the new and exiting world of technology. Students are introduced to the four cornerstones of computation thinking, decomposition, pattern recognition , abstraction and algorithms during hands on real world activities. Best of all its free!!
 
Linda Luika and her TED talk. This is definitely worth watching and will inspire you in your technology journey!
Hello Ruby offers three engaging and relevant lessons that educators can directly  implemented into the class and ensure educators are addressing the technology needs of the 21st learner. Please read on to discover the amazing opportunities that Hello Ruby can offer to you and your students!

Continue reading →

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Resource Review: WordPress

Subject: Digital Technologieswordpress

Year Level: PP-6

Strand: Digital Technologies processes and production skills

Sub strand: Digital Implementation

Link to the resource

https://wordpress.com/classrooms/

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities

  • Critical and creative thinking
  • Information and Communication Technology capability
  • Literacy
  • Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding

Links to other learning areas

Can be linked to any learning area depending on what it is used for.

 

A classroom activity using this resource

WordPress is a great resource for teaching students how to safely share information online. It can be used for any subject area, or just as a general class blog. An example of an activity you could do with a class blog that would also link to Design Technologies would be having students post an image and rationale of a design they had created in class, and provide feedback on their peers’ work.

 

How to use this resource

It is easy for a teacher to sign up and create a blog, and privacy settings can be adjusted to keep students safe online. Students need to sign up with their parents’ permission, so this is best done at home. An email address is also required to create an account.

Alternatively, you could create a class login, and get students to write their posts up in a separate document and then take turns to post them.