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

January 9, 2017 by stephaniejoshi

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

August 8, 2016 by tdaenke

Goldieblox: Adventures in Coding- The Rocket Cupcake Co.

Resource: ‘Goldieblox: Adventures In Coding- The Rocket Cupcake Co.’

Availability: A free application only available on Apple products (via app store).

Curriculum Links: Technologies- Digital Technologies – Processes and Production Skills – Digital Implementation and Creating Solutions

Ages: 4+

Year Levels: F-2 and 3-4

Content Descriptors:

Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding: (ACTDIK001),

Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills: (ACTDIP010), (ACTDIP011)

General Capabilities: Numeracy, ICT Capability, Critical and Creative Thinking, Literacy

Links to other learning areas:

Mathematics
English

About this resource:

By using real coding concepts, players must help Goldie to deliver cupcakes to everyone in Bloxtown. Players use the Cupcake-O-Matic and the Super Speedy Rocket Skateboard, to collect ingredients, make cupcakes, and deliver them to everyone in Bloxtown. Players need to help a character named Ruby Rails control the Rocket Skateboard by tapping in the correct commands to get Goldie through the path from start to finish.

This app has a story-based adventure and is highly aimed at engaging girls, however all children can enjoy and learn from the activities. It’s fun, age appropriate and educational!

This resource:

Develops fundamental coding skills.
Contains over 20 levels of coding puzzles in Adventure mode.
Is entertaining.
Allows player to code their own game map by learning to adjust variables.
Guides players through the coding process via tutorials and tips which add to the adventure.
Has diverse characters.
Makes learning easy.
Contains videos to extend learning options with inspirational ideas.
Develops computational thinking

Computational Thinking:

The app contains problem solving process that includes a number of characteristics and dispositions. As players progress through the levels, they learn new coding concepts. At first players start off with just moving Goldie up, down, left, and right, which teaches the basics of sequential coding. As players make their way through the game, they have to start accommodating for other variables, such as obstacles in your path, by using the Super Duper Blast-O-Matic Fix-it Ray, and they even have to debug their code when things don’t s work correctly.

Mental modeling of program behavior– The player has to imagine where Goldie will be after she executes the commands given, so they know what to do next.
Debugging– When something goes wrong, the player has to walk through the commands in their head, watch to see where Goldie does something unexpected, and correct the problem.
Variables– Later in the game, the player learns to set a point on the map to which Goldie can jump. Changing this point can help the player make their code more efficient.
Tuning– In the Sandbox, the player tunes multiple variables and sees the affect it has on procedural generation of maps…just like game designer!
Clean Code – The player is rewarded for being clean and efficient in their code.

Using this resource in the classroom:

As an introduction activity to computational thinking and digital technologies.
Individual iPad use or on the IWB as a group.
Setting tasks and levels to reach.
Class discussions about the process they used to make the Goldie character move. (Reflections could be written)
Those students that finish tasks early in digital technology lessons could work on it as it has relevance.
Students could interact and help each other to challenge their thinking.
It could be used in rotations. Handy for limited i Pads and other students could be doing other tasks on the computer and swap etc….
Could be used as an option to do at home and share at school.

Snapshots:

Preview:

References:

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (2016). Taken from website:http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Goldieblox taken from website:

http://www.goldieblox.com/pages/adventuresincodingrocketcupcakeapp

August 7, 2016 by slhebbar

Plastimake

Plastimake

Plastimake is a reusable, mouldable plastic that can be shaped with your hands into just about anything. It is non-toxic and biodegradable making it safe for children and the environment.

Link to Website

https://www.plastimake.com/

Curriculum Strand

Design and Technologies

Sub Strand

Investigate the suitability of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment for a range of purposes (ACTDEK013)

Apply safe procedures when using a variety of materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to make designed solutions (ACTDEP026)

Year Level

3 & 4
5 & 6

Cross Curriculum Links

Science
The Arts

Use in the classroom

Plastimake would certainly compliment the design and technologies strand of the curriculum in particular. Students are able to manipulate the material using not only their hands but also using a variety of tools. They can use it to repair or modify existing products or to create entirely new designs. The hands-on nature of the product makes it engaging while encouraging the students to explore the versatility of the product and how it can be used to design or improve objects that can be used to benefit society. Students are guaranteed to enjoy working with Plastimake being limited only by their imagination.

Plastimake can be used to promote computational thinking in a number of different ways. Students are initially required to follow a series of steps in order to make the product workable. The students can then use the Plastimake to represent data by creating models or by creating models of the problem to assist children in visually understanding what they are investigating better. The students could also identify a current issue then create a design that could potentially solve that issue, following a series of predetermined steps in order to create their design. You could then discuss the steps with the students, encouraging them to analyse the problem solving process involved. Plastimake can be especially helpful in teaching children who are less confident with computers and digital technologies and children who prefer to work with more hands on materials to understand and use computational thinking.

How does it work?

Plastimake is a non-toxic, super strong, reusable, lightweight and biodegradable mouldable plastic made from polycaprolactone. It softens at the low temperature of 60°C making it safe for children to handle. Once softened the plastimake is easily manipulated into virtually anything.

Plastimake begins as small white pellets that, once heated with hot water, become transparent. When left to cool at room temperature it hardens and turns white. It can also be placed in ice water to speed up the hardening process. There are also colouring kits available to purchase with the product. To remould the Plastimake simply reheat it to 60°C.

August 4, 2016 by jmuntean

MaKey-MaKey Electronics and Invention Software

Subject: Design and Technologies

Year level: Suitable for all year levels

Strand: Materials and technologies specialisations

The Technologies contexts content descriptions provide a framework within which students can gain knowledge and understanding about design concepts across a range of technologies contexts. These content descriptions focus on the properties and characteristics of technologies, materials, components, tools and equipment and how they can be used to create innovative designed solutions.

The technologies contexts for Foundation to Year 8 are:

Materials and technologies specialisations.

For example:

– materials, including composites, metal, plastics, wood, smart materials, textiles

– an area of specialisation (for example, architecture, electronics, graphics

technologies, fashion) (See content descriptions 2.2, 4.2, 6.2, 8.3 and 10.3)

(Source: ACARA, 2016)

WA Curriculum Scope and Sequence – Technologies (Materials and technologies specialisation)

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking

Critical and creative thinking are integral to activities that require students to think broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school.

Experimenting, drawing, modelling, designing and working with digital tools, equipment and software helps students to build their visual and spatial thinking and to create solutions, products, services and environments.

(Source: http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/technologies/design-and-technologies2/technologies-overview/general-capabilities)

Product description

What is it?

MaKey MaKey is an invention kit for the 21st century. Turn everyday objects into touchpads and combine them with the internet. It’s a simple Invention Kit for Beginners and Experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between utilising creative and computational thinking.

Creators Jay Silver and Eric Rosenbaum from the Lifelong Kindergarten Group describe it best:

(Source: http://www.makeymakey.com/)

What Can I Make?

That’s up to you! First, load up a computer program or any webpage. Let’s say you load up a piano. Then, instead of using the computer keyboard buttons to play the piano, you can hook up the MaKey MaKey to something fun, like bananas, and the bananas become your piano keys.

Watch – Hack a banana, make a keyboard!

How Does it Work?

Alligator Clip two objects to the MaKey MaKey board. For example, you and an apple. When you touch the apple, you make a connection, and MaKey MaKey sends the computer a keyboard message. The computer just thinks MaKey MaKey is a regular keyboard (or mouse). Therefore it works with all programs and webpages, because all programs and webpages take keyboard and mouse input.

What materials work with MaKey Makey?

Any material that can conduct at least a tiny bit of electricity will work. Here are some materials people have used in our workshops including Ketchup, Pencil Graphite, Finger Paint, Lemons, etc.

Other materials that work great: Plants, Coins, Your Grandma, Silverware, Anything that is Wet, Most Foods, Cats and Dogs, Aluminum Foil, Rain, and hundreds more…

Using MaKey MaKey in the Classroom

The maker movement celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship through the design and construction of physical objects. Maker activities may come across as playful, even slightly wacky, explosions of inventiveness. But in education contexts like schools, museums, libraries, and after-school programs, research shows that if the invitation to creativity is accompanied by intentional structure and guidance, maker activities can be channeled to support deep student learning (Blikstein, 2013; Vossoughi, Escudé, Kong, & Hooper, 2013).

For example in a tinkering class on circuitry, students begin exploring the basic concepts of circuits by connecting batteries, bulbs, motors, and buzzers using wires and clips. These “circuit blocks” become the foundations for finding out what works and what doesn’t. Adding switches and other inputs or outputs both allows students to develop a general understanding about how to wire a circuit and helps them understand that there are relationships between the types of circuits they build and the brightness of bulbs, speed of motors, or volume of buzzer tones.

With these foundational experiences behind them, students are ready to move on to a series of circuit-related activities that each draw on the initial experience, but add new complexities and often aesthetic opportunities for play, exploration, and personal expression.

(Source: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec14/vol72/num04/Tinkering-Is-Serious-Play.aspx)

Lesson Ideas Using MaKey MaKey

Musical Water Lesson Plan

Year level: P-6

Students explore soundscapes with real objects in a musical water lesson that utilizes a key mapping software called Soundplant and MaKey MaKey.

Simple Circuits Challenge

Year level 4-6

Simple Circuit: To complete a simple circuit, you must create a loop for the electrons to flow. So you need to get power from your power source to the LED and back to the power source. If you build a successful current, your light will shine! In this lab, you will create your own simple circuits with Makey Makey and once you’ve mastered that, you’ll move on to parallel circuits. Lastly, you’ll create your own DIY switch with Makey Makey!

Literacy comes alive with Candid MaKey Camera

Year level 3-6

Combine Makey Makey with a webcam to create candid stories about your classroom. In this lesson you can also learn how students can write out short tableaux and create GIF cards for visualizing ideas in a text or even vocabulary reinforcement. Tableau’s also work for other contents. Social studies teachers can use this lesson for understanding historical events and science teachers could ask students to act out scientific ideas and concepts.

(Source: http://makeymakey.com/lessons/)

Why Should You Create With MaKey MaKey?

We believe that everyone is creative, inventive, and imaginative. We believe that everyone can create the future and change the world. So we have dedicated our lives to making easy-to-use invention kits. We believe that the whole world is a construction kit, if we choose to see it that way. We want to help people start to think of themselves as Makers and agents of change. When you have the “Maker’s Mindset,” you know you can change the world.

(Source: http://www.makeymakey.com/)

August 1, 2016 by rhjack

Beebots: Digital technologies

Website: SketchUp

http://www.sketchup.com/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PPC%20-%20Brand%20%20%3EInternational%20%3EAustralia&utm_term=sketchup&utm_content=SketchUp

Year level:

Strand and Content descriptor:

Processes and production skills
Use simple visual programming environments that include a sequence of steps (algorithm) involving decisions made by the user (branching) (ACTDIP011)

Links to other learning areas:

Visual arts- Development of artistic processes and techniques to explore visual conventions when making artworks: shape, colour, line, space, texture (ACAVAM111)
English- Interpret ideas and information in spoken texts and listen for key points in order to carry out tasks and use information to share and extend ideas and information (ACELY1687)

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:

ICT
Critical and Creative Thinking

How to use SketchUp when teaching computational thinking in Technologies:

SketchUp is a user-friendly program with applications from that start of the design process, all the way through to final constructions of digital 3D designs. It was initially made for architects, but is a useful tool to prepare students with real-world skills in design and technology. Students create 3D designs using algorithms, patterns and models, as outlined in the ‘Computational Thinking’ section of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority.

Students can learn about shapes, estimating sizes, design, visual appeal, colours, textures/materials, critical and creative thinking such as problem solving and testing designs out. I used this program with a year 4 class. Students had a checklist and were required to follow instructions carefully to successfully design and create buildings. They needed to think about size, shape, materials, practicality and visual appeal. On the Smartboard, we demonstrated basic design ideas. Students were encouraged to experiment with these and challenge themselves. Because it is such a diverse program, it caters for a range of ability levels. Students who were confident could go above and beyond what the task required of them.

Students were highly engaged for extended periods of time and were passionate about getting their task completed, some challenging students were asking if they could keep working through lunch on their designs.

Arduino – an open-source computer prototyping tool

Arduino Student Robotics Project

About This Resource:

Arduino (or Genuino if located outside of the USA) is an open-source prototyping computer platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. It consists of a company, project and user community that designs and creates kits in the form of Arduino boards, for building digital devices that can sense and control items in the physical world. Arduino boards can read inputs, such as a light on a sensor or a Twitter message, and transform it into an output, such as turning on an LED or publishing something online.
Students can control what their board does by sending instructions to the board’s microcontroller in Arduino programming language on the Arduino’s software. Arduino has been the catalyst for thousands of projects, shared on the Arduino’s worldwide interactive community as additional learning tools.

The company was started in 2005 at the Interaction Design Institute in Ivrea, Italy, as a simple tool for students without a background in electronics and programming. Over time the tool has gradually become more open-source (be built independently/adapted for differing needs) and less expensive (pre-assembled modules cost less than $50). It runs on computers and is easy-to-use for beginners but flexible for more advanced users.

Arduino step-by-step tutorials and procedures can be used by teachers and students to “build low cost scientific instruments, to prove chemistry and physics principles, or to get started with programming and robotics”.

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: 5+

Strand: Digital Technologies

Knowledge and Understanding
Processes and Production

Sub Strands:

Digital Systems
Representation of Data
Digital Implementation
Creating Solutions by: Investigating and Defining, Designing, Producing and Implementing, Evaluating, Collaborating and Managing

Link to Resource: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Introduction

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

Literacy (specific coding and programming language); Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability (understanding digital systems, procedures and computational thinking); Critical and Creative Thinking (problem solving, innovating and designing); Personal and Social Capability (project management, collaboration); Ethical Understanding (understanding safe procedures, complex issues associated with technology and consider possibilities); Sustainability (recycling, use of resources).

Links to Other Learning Areas:

Science, Technologies (Design), English, Maths, The Arts.

Arduino can simply be applied to any primary school learning area as the Ardunino boards act as a creative tool that allows students to use technology to manipulate the real world in a range of contexts – from robotics, to models, to experiments.

How to use this Resource:

Read an introduction to Arduino
Read the necessary guides related to the program: e.g. What is the Arduino Software and how to change the default language; Using and installing Arduino Libraries; How to install and manage Cores; etc…
Install the Arduino Software onto your computer (Windeows, Mac OS X, Linux.
Follow the steps on the Getting Started Webpage: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage

Resources:

Arduino Company. (2016). What is Arduino? Retrieved January 9, 2016, from Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Introduction

Government of Western Australia. (2014). Digital Technologies. Retrieved January 9, 2016, from School

Curriculum and Standards Authority: http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/technologies/digital-technologies2

August 27, 2015 by twoodcoc

Lesson 1 – Bridge Construction

Task 3:

In society we often come across problems that we are required to find solutions to. In the past people were always discovering and experimenting with ideas and technologies to solve problems or make things easier. Society is still continually developing new ideas and technologies to come up with solutions, make things more efficient or to assist sustainability. This series of 5 sequential lessons, allows students the opportunity to practise their problem solving skills and using their creativity to create designs and technologies. Students will focus on and investigate bridge construction. They are given the opportunity to investigate, plan, test, evaluate and re-construct bridges, while exploring purpose, material selection and design. Students will also look at people involved in the process and the impact on the community.

Please follow the link to see my lesson 1 overview:

https://www.mindmeister.com/573589025

August 27, 2015 by masonf1

Bridge Building Technology

Description: Short video that follows engineers as they encounter a design problem with a proposed bridge. The video follows different engineers plans, analyses them and slowly end up with a final design that is best suited to the situation.

Subject: Technologies

Strand: Design and Technologies

Sub-Strand: Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Content Descriptor: Investigate how forces and the properties of materials affect the behaviour of a product or system, (ACTDEK011)

Cross-Curriculum Priorities: Sustainability.
General Capabilities: Literacy, Numeracy, Information and Communication Technology Capabilities (ICT), Critical and Creating thinking and Personal and Social Capabilities
Links to other Learning Areas: Mathematics, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Review: This short video would serve as a great introduction to (even a lesson in itself) bridges, materials, designs and properties of materials. Students are presented with the problem and then observe as different designs are deemed unsuitable based on materials and the properties of the design. This would then transition into them learning about properties of other materials as they plan, design and build their own bridge.

Link to Resource: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/engineering/bridgebuilding.html

August 11, 2015 by mberliner

Lesson 2: Exploring Materials – Mind Map

Package Creator – Lesson 2: Exploring Materials

For my 5-lesson sequence, I chose to integrate The Australian Technologies Curriculum and Australian Science Curriculum, as there are significant similarities. Parts of my lessons have been based around lessons in the Primary Connections “Package it Better” Australian Curriculum aligned book for Year 4 Chemical Sciences, as seen below.

5-Lesson Sequence Blurb:

In this 5-Lesson Sequence, students have been focussing on packaging and in particular how to package a fragile item to ensure that it would remain safe and unbroken when being transported in the post.

Part of the lessons include exploring the properties of a range of materials, exploring shapes and their uses within real life contexts. The students will use the knowledge built during these lessons to plan, produce and evaluate a package of their own creation.

Lesson 2 Background Information:

In the lesson prior to the one detailed in the Mind Map below, the students were introduced to the topic/theme for the next 5 weeks, where a sample package was deconstructed to hook them in and give them an example of what they will be creating. A class discussion was held, that allowed students to relate this task to real life and how posting fragile items is a part of life and we need to be able to do so to ensure safe arrival.

From this, as a class a “Design Brief” for the packages the students would be creating was formed, which included the following:

The package will be of a suitable size to hold the item
Be able to protect the gift from breaking.
Low cost
Environmentally friendly
Aesthetically pleasing (Look good)
Waterproof

As a class we then came up with a list of materials that we could possibly make the packages out of, that could be then narrowed down to match the design brief leaving the following:

Paper
Cardboard
Paper Straws
Plastic Straws
Fabric
Plastic
Polystyrene
Pop Sticks
Masking Tape

To conclude the lesson, students were given time to have a think about possible ideas they had for their packages, before sharing this with a partner. We then had a whole class discussion to allow students to share their ideas with the class and give students who were not sure about possible ideas some ideas to spark their creativity.

Please have a look at the Mind Map in the link below to see the following for this lesson:

Links to the Australian Curriculum
Prior knowledge of students
Learning that will occur during this lesson
Further learning that will occur
Preparation and resources required for this lesson
The Learning Activities of the lesson (lesson structure)
Focus questions for this lesson
Assessment in this lesson
Possible diversity requirements

Click Here to See Lesson 2: Exploring Materials Mind Map

Proven to Work!

Having used this 5-Lesson Sequence with a group of Year 4’s during my ATP, it is proven to engage all students and produce some fantastic results within the Australian Technologies and Science Curriculums.

Please find some pictures of the final experiment of the student’s packages being dropped from a height of 2 metres below.

Technologies Curriculum- Resources for Teachers

A community blog for teachers to collate and share resources for teaching the Technologies Curriculum F-10

Materials and Technology specialisations