Technology as if people and planet mattered

Technology saving millions of lives.

As simple as a smoke extraction system?

Over four million people die each year after inhaling smoke from kitchen stoves and fires.

Most victims are women and young children. But these are deaths that could be prevented – using simple solutions.

Have you been looking for authentic content?

Technology as if people and planet mattered – catchy title? I was hooked…

Who would have ever known that the world of Technology was so HUGE! It’s not really enough to write just one or two blog posts for a university assignment, to reflect the distraction that all this new information has inflicted on my days.

With a strong passion for justice and equity I am thankful for the Australian Curriculum, General Capabilities for giving me permission to incorporate Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding, Personal & Social capability and Creative and Critical thinking into my professional life as a teacher. Whilst I am thanking the Australian Curriculum, let’s say YAY!! for the Cross-Curricular Priority of Sustainability.

If you are looking to broaden your perspectives on Technology and its uses, check out this website. http://practicalaction.org

“Practical Action is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) that uses technology to challenge poverty in developing countries.

We find out what people are doing and help them to do it better. Through technology we enable poor communities to build on their skills and knowledge to produce sustainable and practical solutions- transforming their lives forever and protecting the world around them”.

Subject: Design and Technologies

Year Level: Teachers of all year levels

Strand: Knowledge and understanding

Sub strand: Technologies and society

Technologies contexts

Engineering principles and systems,
Food and fibre production
Food specialisations
Materials and technologies specialisations

Strand: Processes and production skill

Sub strand: CREATE SOLUTIONS

Investigating and defining
Designing
Producing and implementing
Evaluating
Collaborating and managing

Using this resource…

Build your content knowledge and be supported with ready-made resources.

Practical Action is just one of many organisations promoting the positive use of technologies in developing countries. It offers many ideas and resources to use as inspiration for your technologies content. A free book (link below) on the subject of social justice is also available through their website. Supporting power point presentations and resources from Practical Action can be found on the TES website.

https://www.tes.com/member/PracticalAction

“A powerful new book sets out the need for looking at technology from human and environmental perspectives, and how to change the status quo”.

http://practicalaction.org/rethink-retool-reboot

Free download of the book at this address

http://www.developmentbookshelf.com/doi/book/10.3362/9781780449043

An article on Technology perspectives from Simon Trace – author of Rethink, Retool, Reboot

https://www.eiuperspectives.economist.com/simon-trace

Did you know?

‘that burning an open fire in your kitchen is like burning 400 cigarettes an hour”

Dr Kirk Smith – Professor of Global Environmental Health.

BE CHALLENGED AND BE INSPIRED

January 11, 2017 by michellewilson4

Decoding code without touching a computer.

As a novice in the world of coding, I was looking for activities that made sense to me. Starting where most children start their learning journey, I went back to Foundation skills to look for inspiration.

To understand the abstract idea of something (a symbol) representing something else, I searched for concrete materials, to express the idea. What I found was a ‘decoder’.

This is a simple activity you can do with students to teach some basic principles of coding, without touching a computer :). A good confidence builder, children who believe they know nothing about coding, will be provided with opportunities to be successful. Strong links to History – decoders and deciphers were used, pre-computers, to communicate.

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 4-5

Strand: Knowledge and understanding

Sub strand: Representation of data

Data can be represented in different ways (ACTDIK008)

Data is represented using codes (ACTDIK015)

Strand: Processes and production skills

Sub strand: Producing and implementing

Select, and safely use, appropriate components and equipment to make solutions

To incorporate the use of computers and digital technologies in this activity, children can be directed to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the USA’s website and engage with their online decoding games. The decoding games build on the same principle the children have just explored with their own handmade decoders.

The use of this resource extends and expands the children’s experience with coding in an historical and real world context.

Resource links.

http://frugalfun4boys.com/2014/04/15/code-activity-kids-make-spy-decoder/

https://www.teacherlists.com/blog/de-coding-coding/

http://igamemom.com/kids-activities-learn-coding-without-computer/

https://www.cia.gov/kids-page/games/break-the-code/code-1.html

General capabilities: Literacy, ICT, Numeracy, Critical & Creative thinking, Personal & Social capability

Links to other learning areas: History, Maths, Art

To make a decoder, you will need:

School technology

Cardboard
Coloured pencils
Scissors
A compass
A pencil
A ruler
A paper fastener
A fine tip marker

Step 1: Cut out three circles per decoder out of cardboard. You will need one that is 8cm in diameter, one that is 6cm in diameter, and one that is 4cm in diameter. Note: The size of the circles is very important! If you change the size of the decoder, you will have to change the measurements for marking off the letter sections.

Detail is important in this step

Step 2: Colour your circles with coloured pencils, if desired.

Step 3: On the largest circle, make small pencil marks on the outside edge. You should end up with 27 sections. Detail is important in this step!

Step 4: Poke a hole through the center of the largest circle and the middle circle. Attach them with the paper fastener. The best way to find the middle of the circle is to use the compass. Then, use the ruler to draw a straight line from the paper fastener to each edge mark. Again, detail is important. You really want each of the sections to be equal in size, or your decoder will be difficult to use.

Step 5: Write the alphabet on the outside circle and put a ? in the 27th section. For the middle circle, you can either write the alphabet in order or mix it up. Then add the smallest circle to the decoder.

To write a message:

First, set the code. There are several ways to set the code.

Set the decoder where the “A” on the outside circle matches the first letter of the day of the week.
Use a “code word” with each message and set the decoder where “A” on the red circle matches the first letter of the code word.
Or, come up with your own system!

To write a message, find the letter you want on the outside (red) circle and write down the corresponding letter on the middle (blue) circle.

To read a message, find the letter on the middle (blue) circle, and write down the corresponding letter from the outside (red) circle.

Have fun decoding 🙂

January 11, 2017 by amyliew

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

January 10, 2017 by drfoti

The Latest Solution for Collaborative Learning: Google Slides

Imagine all students collecting information into one document simultaneously. Imagine all students having instant access to class work. Imagine all students taking the responsibility of others learning as well as their own.

Now stop imagining.

The solution is here.

Welcome to Google Slides.

In the classroom…

Word walls are an extremely effective resource than can be used across the curriculum. Being exposed to an environment full of new vocabulary is a critical component of emerging literacy. However, if your classroom walls are always full or you find your students go home and forget the new words as they cannot access them, Google Slides is your answer. All students can have access to the slides through one link. Select a topic for the word wall and students can then create one slide for each new word. Students can include definitions, pictures and decorate slides for their peers to use. So next time you start a new topic, assign each student a word and share the link for the Slide with them.

Using Google Slides:

All students and teacher must have a google account to sign in.
Create the Google Slide and copy the shareable link. Ensure the Slide is set for others to be able to edit the document.
Assign each student a vocabulary word or direct them to select their own.
Provide an outline of the requirements for the slide (definition, picture, example sentence).
Share the link with students.
Students work on their slide using their word.
Have students present their slide to the class.
Remind students that they have access to the slides using the link whenever they require it.

Curriculum Links (SCSA 2017)

Subject: Technologies

Year level: 5

Strand: Digital Technologies processes and production skills

Sub-strand: Digital Implementation

Create and communicate information, including online collaborative projects, using agreed social, ethical and technical protocols (codes of conduct) (ACTDIP022)

Link to resource: https://www.google.com/slides/about/

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities

Personal and social capability (PSC), Literacy (LIT), Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Links to other learning areas

English, Maths

January 10, 2017 by stephaniejoshi

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

August 8, 2016 by jhauber

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.

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 →

August 8, 2016 by slhitchi

Alice – A 3D Programming Environment

Post By Stephanie Croce (August 2016)

Welcome to my second blog!
This is an overview of “Alice”, a 3D programming environment!

Alice is suitable for children aged 6+ and is downloadable to PCs and Mac computers (for free!). It is a stunning program that allows students to create a 3D animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web.

It allows students to learn fundamental programming concepts by providing them with the tools to create their own unique animated movies and simple video games. 3D objects like people, animals, and vehicles populate a virtual world and students “write” a program to animate the objects, telling them what to do or say. See a video sample of this below!

NB: This is an older video, and the intro states that Alice is only available for PC. This is no longer the case, as Alice is available for PC, Mac and Linux.

Students are highly motivated by 3D worlds and are driven to learn programming skills to improve and create their own more advanced worlds. Alice is simple to use and there are many video tutorials online that can be used in the classroom to introduce the program and to help you teach how to use it.

It is an ideal program to use when introducing coding and computational thinking from Foundation to Year Six as it is differentiated. Students can work at their own pace and level of ability and their work can be saved and shared for assessment purposes.

The app will provide students with the opportunity to:
•   Experiment with writing direct instructions
•   Gain understanding of coding
•   Develop sequencing skills
•   Advance logical thinking
•   Become familiar with patterning
•   Gain appropriate programming and coding language
•    Be creative with digital technologies

How to Use the Resource:
Discuss with students the possible careers in computer programming, the importance of understanding each step of the coding process and how the program can teach them this. Allow the students to explore and gain an understanding of the program whilst also providing structured learning experiences.

The use of Alice could be linked directly to a chosen learning area by providing the students with a brief for their final assessment. For example; students should create a 2 minute 3D video with characters and setting that show their understanding of a healthy lifestyle (linking to Health &PE).

The app can be used:

As an introductory activity to the programming/coding unit
As a consolidating task during the unit
As an extension task for early finishers or PEAC students
As a formative/summative assessment product

Curriculum Information:

Subject: Digital Technologies
Year Level: F-6
Strand:
• Knowledge and Understanding
• Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Sub strand:
• Foundation to Year Two:
Recognise and explore patterns in data and represent data as pictures, symbols and diagrams (ACTDIK002).
Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)
Work with others to create and organise ideas and information using information systems, and share these with known people in safe online environments (ACTDIP006)

• Years Three to Four:
Explore and use a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (ACTDIK007)
Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them (ACTDIP010)
View additional details about Literacy View additional details about Numeracy View additional details about Information and communication technology capability View additional details about Critical and creative thinking
Implement simple digital solutions as visual programs with algorithms involving branching (decisions) and user input (ACTDIP011)

• Years Five to Six:
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 (ACTDIK014)
Manage the creation and communication of ideas and information including online collaborative projects, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols (ACTDIP022)

Cross Curriculum Priorities & General Capabilities:
•   Critical and creative thinking (CCT),
•   Information and Communication Technology (ICT),
•   Numeracy

Links to Other Learning Areas:
• Mathematics – Recognise and use Patterns and Relationships

Download From The Alice Website: http://www.alice.org/index.php?page=downloads/download_alice3.1

August 7, 2016 by slhitchi

Coding and Computational Thinking with Cargo-Bot!

Post By Stephanie Croce (August 2016)

Welcome to my blog!
The topic is computational thinking in Digital Technologies and I am providing an overview of the coding game “Cargo-Bot” as a useful resource for teachers!

Cargo-Bot is an app that was created entirely on another iPad app called Codea by three collaborating designers. Cargo-Bot is suitable for children aged 4+. There are six levels (tutorial to impossible) that encourage logical thinking, experimentation and exploration of coding and instruction writing. The aim is to move cargo boxes with a machine claw by instructing it with various symbols to recreate a provided image or combination.

It is an ideal app to use when introducing coding and computational thinking from Foundation to Year Six as it is differentiated. Each level has six rounds to complete before progressing to the next level and each round focuses on a different pattern, sequence or instruction skill. The app has beautiful graphics, challenging puzzles and is a highly enjoyable learning tool!

How to Use the Resource:
Use Cargo-bot to bring STEM into the classroom. Discuss with students the possible careers in computer programming and the importance of understanding each step of the coding process and how the game can teach them this. Once the students have mastered the concepts, proceed to writing their own programs using tools available on the iPad, like Codea.

The app can be used as an introductory activity to the programming/coding unit, as a consolidating task during the unit or as an extension task for early finishers or PEAC students.

Curriculum Information:

Subject: Digital Technologies
Year Level: F-6
Strand:
• Knowledge and Understanding
• Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Sub strand:
•   Foundation to Year Two:
Recognise and explore patterns in data and represent data as pictures, symbols and diagrams (ACTDIK002).
•   Years Three to Four:
Explore and use a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (ACTDIK007)
•   Years Five to Six:
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 (ACTDIK014)

Cross Curriculum Priorities & General Capabilities:
•   Critical and creative thinking (CCT),
•   Information and Communication Technology (ICT),
•   Numeracy

Links to Other Learning Areas:
• Mathematics – Recognise and use Patterns and Relationships

Download From The App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/cargo-bot/id519690804?mt=8

The following is a YouTube Tutorial created by a primary student that explains how to use the app:

August 7, 2016 by ldefty

KidBot Start – Coding Program

Resource:

KidBot Start – Coding Program

Year Level:

Year 3

Strand:

Digital Technologies

Sub Strand:

Digital implementation

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

Link:

http://apk-dl.com/kidbot-full

http://www.knolis.com/

Cross Curricular Priorities:

Numeracy
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
Critical and Creative thinking

Links to other learning areas:

Math- Measurement and Geometry
ICT – Coding and programing
English – De-coding information and reading instructions

What is ‘KidBot Start’?

KidBot Start is a educational application (app) suited for lower primary aged students. KidBot introduces students to programming through fun puzzles that become increasingly more difficult as the levels progress. The idea behind the game is that students follow commands, move around the playing screen adventure page, gather toys through applying and selecting movement sequences. The game lets students gain deeper understanding of the basic concepts behind coding and robot building. The game involves instructional sequencing, identifying common patterns and separate procedures, conditional execution, loops and recursion.

The language used within the game is inspired by the fundamental ARM architectural program. This means that students learn how computers and programing work on a foundation level including how loops and conditional executions are built by placing blocks in specific orders. The game provides support for students with tips and quick tutorials within each level. The game can be used by students independently no matter what their prior experience with Coding.

‘KidBot’ Start features 24 levels, the levels cover sequencing, subprograms and basic conditions. ‘KidBot Full’ features 48 levels and adds more condition operators as well as jumps within this version of the game.

A classroom activity using this resource:

This app develops the students computational thinking by allowing them to think and apply progressive sequences of steps, to maneuver a robot around a puzzle/maze. This app will support students in Mathematics as it allows them to work independently on an interactive task where they can apply different sequences of steps and discover correct answers/methods. Each level becomes more complex and students’ critical and creative thinking is challenged with more difficult activities. The app makes coding a friendly exercise where the colourful images and happy sounds invite students to want to participate. This app would support a Co-ordinates lesson in Mathematics as the students are taught subject specific language relating directionality and then physically moving 3D objects will assist with the visualization of steps.

The game enhances student confidence and academic ability to apply gained knowledge to make the robot collect toys by inputting instructional directions. There are different stages to advance different ability learners. The program provides students with an interactive game that builds upon their either already gained knowledge regarding Coding and programing or provides new introductory education for beginners. This app would be beneficial after a whole class discussion/activity based on introducing coding. After creating and interpreting simple grid maps to show position and pathways this activity extends students with a multi modal experience.

How to purchase ‘KidBot Start’ and use it:

KidBot is available for IPad, Android tablets and all web browsers.
Once you have downloaded the app (for free) onto your chosen device you can then set up your own account. With this account your earned points (toys) will be collated and every time you log into the game your progress is saved.

Reference:
School Curriculum and Standards Authority, Government of Western Australia, 2014.

August 2, 2016 by africhot

Unplugged: Computational Thinking

Year Level: 3 – 6

Strand: Digital Technologies – Processes and Production Skills.

Sub Strand: Digital Implementation

Content Descriptor

Year 4 : 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

Maths
English

General Capabilities

Personal and social capability
Critical and creative thinking
Literacy
Numeracy

Link to Resources

Link to lesson plan – Unplugged Computational Thinking Monsters Lesson

Use this fun, unplugged activity to introduce your students to the four steps of computational thinking – decomposition, patterns, abstraction and algorithms. All you need is paper and markers! This activity will also cultivate collaborative skills and create an engaging, fun environment for children to think like computer scientists. You can adapt this activity to suit most grades, and some adjustments have been suggested in the resource.

This resource is a lesson plan, offered as the third lesson in a twenty hour course introducing computer science by Code.org. Students will be given the task of identifying monsters from the planet Zuron. They need to progress through the four steps of computational thinking to achieve the goal. Teams work together to create a monster using a range of features. They then write an algorithm that will guide another team to draw their monster to scale without having seen it.

Using this in your classroom

You can simply download the lesson plan from the link provided in this blog and use it as a stand alone lesson. Alternatively you can start a 20 hour course with your class by signing up to code.org….it’s free!