Technology and society

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Coding Basics and Commands – An Inside Look at Cargo-Bot – JOSH GARDINER

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 6

Strand: Processes and Production Skills

Sub Strand: Digital Implementation

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

Link to the Resource:

https://twolivesleft.com/CargoBot/

 

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
  • Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT)
  • Personal and Social Capability (PSC)

Links to Other Learning Areas:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science

A Classroom Activity Using this Resource:

Cargo-Bot is a fantastic tool to introduce your students to coding through everyone’s favourite form of gambling; the claw machine. That machine that always look so easy to play, so easy to win, how could you possibly lose?

Claw machines aside; Cargo-Bot is an intuitive piece of software that sees your students applying simple movement commands in a sequence to reach a target or end goal. This follows the simple path of what coding is. A list of commands that will result in a specific outcome.

This piece of software introduces students to these basic concepts. They have to apply certain understandings to reach the end goal.

The students can explore and interact with the software in a safe environment as it provides a visual learning experience; you can see what commands are being performed and you can adjust where needed to complete the correct series of commands.

How to Use this Resource:

  • Cargo-Bot is exclusive to Apple iPad formats.
  • Once you have downloaded the app.
  • Launch the app on your device.
  • The software follows a progressive system in that it the levels start of simple and become more complex as your progress through the levels.
  • You can monitor your progress and improve on your previous scores by achieving efficient commands.
  • Play in collaboration with others or individually to reinforce specific skills.

 

By Josh Gardiner

Pre-service Teacher

Edith Cowan University

Perth, Western Australia.

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Kodable – Coding and the Curriculum

 

 

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Levels: K-5

Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Link to resource: https://www.kodable.com

Cross Curricular and General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking and Information  and Communication Technology (ICT)

Curriculum links: Design a user interface for a digital system, generating and considering alternative designs (ACTDIP018)
Design, modify and follow simple algorithms represented diagrammatically and in English involving sequences of steps, branching, and iteration (repetition)(ACTDIP019)

Implement digital solutions as simple visual programs involving branching,iteration (repetition), and user input (ACTDIP020)
Manage the creation and communication of ideas and information including online collaborative projects, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols(ACTDIP022)

Using Kodable: Kodable allows students to understand
and how the coding system works. Using Kodable will allow for students to develop excellent – Problem solving skills – Higher level thinking skills – Collaboration skills – Communication skills – Critical thinking skills.

Finally, within Kodalble your students will learn the fundamentals of every modern programming language in a fun and inviting way. Within Kodable there is an exciting learning guide free of charge for you to download and create a sequence of learning for students within your various year levels.

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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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Webonauts- Web Safety

Webonauts

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: 3/4

Strand: Digital Technologies

Sub Strands:  

  • Process and Production Skills
  • Knowledge and Understanding

Content Descriptors Examples:

  • Identify and practise strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS036)
  • Identify and explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (ACTDIK007)

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Information and Communication Technology

Links To Other Learning Areas:

  • Health

Platform: PC

Cost: Free

Link to Webonauts Website

Overview:

Webonauts is a hands on and entertaining game that allows students to explore the web-infused and information rich world. It teaches students good citizenship: identity‚ privacy‚ credibility and web safety. It is a useful as a warm-up activity to a unit on cyber-safety and online impact.

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Gamestar Mechanic: Learning to Design Video Games

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Gamestar Mechanic

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: 3-7

Strand: Digital Technologies

Sub Strands:  

  • Digital Systems
  • Representations of Data

Content Descriptors:

  • Digital systems and peripheral devices are used for different purposes (ACTDIK007)
  • Different types of data can be represented in different ways (ACTDIK008)
  • Digital systems have components with basic functions that may connect together to form networks which transmit data (ACTDIK014)
  • Data is represented using codes (ACTDIK015)

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Information and Communication Technology
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy

 

Links To Other Learning Areas:

  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • The Arts (Media Art)

Click here to visit the Gamestar Mechanic Website.

Platform: Web

Cost: $2 per student

Gamestar Mechanic in the Classroom:

Screen Shot 2016-08-09 at 8.14.56 pmGamestar Mechanic is a game based digital learning resource designed to teach the guiding principles of game design and systems thinking in a highly engaging and creative environment. Gamestar teaches students to design their own games by completing different self-paced quests while learning to build game levels. Gamestar Mechanics perfect for educators seeking to introduce designing or programming to students and there is no requirements for previous study in this area. Gamestar Mechanics was designed with the understanding that game design is an activity that allows learners to build technical, technological, artistic, cognitive, social, and linguistic skills suitable for the current and future world. Another benefit of using Gamestar Mechanics as a resource in the classroom, teachers do not need to be experts in game design. The resource comes with a curriculum that can be used to scaffold a class, with the teachers taking a role of guide and mentor. The lessons are designed to spur a range of interactions between students and the game, and students and each other. teachers serve as a facilitator for student discussion, reflection and ideation.

It has been designed to work in both formal and informal learning environments.

 

Click here to access the Gamestar Mechanic Teacher Pack.

 

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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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Magic Squares Game

magicsquares

Subject: Technologies                     Strand: Digital Technologies               Sub-strand: Processes & Production Skills

Content Descriptors: 

  • Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)

Year Level(s): Years 2/3 to 6

Other learning areas: Mathematics – problem solving, patterns & algebra.

Cost: free

The Magic Squares game is a great way to promote computational thinking in children. It helps them to think logically by working out which numbers go into each square, as well as promoting mathematical skills. This resource would work best integrated into mathematics lessons for use an introductory look into the concept of computational thinking by involving the whole-class (projected on the whiteboard) or as part of rotational activities.

The aim is have each row and column of numbers add up to the ‘magic’ number – the example below uses the number 15 – without repeating numbers already used. It is similar to Sudoku, but less challenging to solve. By participating in a whole-class session, groups of students could even copy down the original grid and work it out together, including timing themselves solving the grid. Students can then share and discuss how they worked out the answers and what processes they went through to solve the grid.

Access the Magic Squares ICT game by clicking the following link: http://ictgames.com/magicSquare/index.html.

magic

wand

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Bebras Australia – Computational Thinking Challenge

bebras

Subject: Technologies           Strand: Digital Technologies      Sub-strand: Processes and Production Skills

Content Descriptors: 

  • Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them (ACTDIP010)

Year Level(s): from Years 3 to 12 (ages 8 to 17)

Other learning areas: Mathematics – problem solving, patterns & algebra.

Cost: free!

participation

Participation levels in Bebras Australia so far

Bebras Australia is an international competition/challenge that aims to promote computational thinking. The Bebras Challenge is run by the Digital Careers Program, which is funded by the Australian Government. This resource is up-to-date with the current Technologies curriculum as well as promoting the use of ICT, which in turn hopes to influence children into entering into digital careers of the future.

A representative of the school registers to become a coordinator of the challenge where students may either work individually or in teams to answer the questions which are tailored to apply computational thinking, including data processing and algorithmic thinking. Students need to work from a computer and are timed to answer the questions presented to them. One of the best aspects of this resource is that students without much experience in using computational thinking are able to participate, and that it has shown room for improvement in those students who were not as confident as others.

The Bebras website also offers a free ICT resource which is accessible any time of year for practice. Each year group’s sample tasks offer stages of questions which progress from Easy to Hard. These challenges are a great way to set students up to participate in the next round of the international competition. These tasks can be tailored to a dedicated ICT lesson, allowing an hour to discuss and share their processes and thinking.

challenges

 

The next round of the Bebras Challenge will be from September 5th – 16th. Register your interest to become a coordinator in your school at http://www.bebras.edu.au/register/. 

 

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Plastimake

 

Plastimake2Plastimake-zupi-1

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.