ABCya.com

This program is free and is functional for students across all years of primary school as it has varying levels of complexity. This program can be used for teaching Maths and English whilst allowing students to develop their basic computer skills. Students are able to access this program from anywhere where there is a computer and can work on any level or topic when work has not been assigned. ABCya provides a fun interactive experience to assist in learning fundamental skills in the areas of literacy and numeracy.


Year Levels: K-6


Subject: Technologies

Strands: Digital Technologies

General Capabilities:

Literacy: Students complete interactive games focused around their development of phonics and word structure.

Numeracy: Students use this program to develop their basic facts in an interactive way.

Information and Communication Technologies: Students complete their work on a computer or iPad, this allows them to develop their basic understanding of computer skills.


Integrated Learning Opportunities:

Mathematics and English


Content Descriptors:

Use data to solve similar tasks/problems (ACTDIP003)


Link to site:

http://www.abcya.com/


Further Information:

  • The program is free to use for educators and students.
  • ABCya uses interactive games to teach through play.
  • The site has a family option to allow students to learn at home with their families.

Tynker

 

 

https://www.tynker.com/

Subject: Technologies

Strand: Digital Technology

Year level: 1-6

 

Description:

Tynker is a creative computing platform where students are able to learn how to program and build Apps, games and more. It is self paced and is easily incorporated into the Western Australian school curriculum (School Curriculum and Standards Authority, Government of Western Australia) in the subject of Technologies particularly the strand of Digital Technologies.

Students are encouraged and engaged to create games and animated projects using visual coding and provides them with the knowledge foundations in programming and computational thinking which will then help their progress into mainstream object orientated programming. It has powerful kid friendly tools and guided, independent instruction for your students.

The resources and instruction that are available to teachers are also fantastic. It has ready to use, grade specific lesson plans and links to STEM project templates for Math, Science, ICT and English to name a few.

Tynker can be used across different PC platforms (Windows or Mac) and mobile devices running IOS or Android.

Links:

Below are a link to Tynker’s website which will allow a free initial sign up for schools to look at coding across Year levels 1 to 8. This will introduce your class to visual programming. In this course, students get introduced to basic programming as they create interactive stories, design animations, and make mini-games in Tynker’s game-like interface. Each lesson is designed for a class period of 45-60 minutes.

https://www.tynker.com/

https://www.tynker.com/school/courses/show?id=0-programming-100

https://www.tynker.com/play?p=518173ef75209f6e64000198

This is a great video explaining why everyone loves Tynker!

 Sub-strands and Content Descriptors:

Tynker’s courses cover sub-strands and many different Content Descriptors in each year group such as;

Year 1

Strand: Knowledge and Understanding

Representation of Data:

  • Data can have patterns and can be represented as pictures, symbols and diagrams (ACTDK002)

 

Strand: Process and Production Skills

Collecting, Analysing and Representing Data

Present data of any kind using a variety of digital tools (ACTDIP003)

Tickle

Tickle

Subject: Digital Technologies

YearLevel: 3-4, 5-6

Links to other Learning Areas: Literacy, Numeracy, The Arts, and Science

Links to Cross Curricular Priorities/ General Capabilities: Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking, ICT.

Platform: iPad App

Cost: Free

ACARA Links:

  • Design, modify and follow simple algorithms involving sequence of steps, branching, and iteration (repetition) (ACTDIP019)
  • Implement simple digital solutions as simple visual programs involving branching (decisions) and user input (ACTDIP011)
  • Examine the main components of common digital systems and how they may connect together to form networks to transmit data (ACTDIK014)
  • Identify and explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (ACTDIK007)

What is it?

Tickle is a free app that enables you to program various programmable robots and air drones,  as well as supporting resources.

How is it used?

Tickle uses visual programming to enable you to control programmable robots including the Star Wars BB-8 Droid, Sphero (SPRK) robotic ball, Ollie 2-wheeled robot and the Dash and Dot robots. You can also control drones such as Parrot Rolling Spider, Airborne, and Jumping Sumo mini drones. Tickle enables you to connect multiple devices together so that they can interact with each other as well as create your own programs using the visual programming blocks in Orca.

 

Skills developed 

Create interactive games and stories

Coding

Computer language

Software knowledge

 

Want more information on Tickle?

https://tickleapp.com/

Scratch

Scratch

Subject: Digital Technologies

YearLevel: 5-6

Links to other Learning Areas: Literacy, Numeracy, The Arts, HASS and Science

Links to Cross Curricular Priorities/ General Capabilities: Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking, ICT.

Platform: Desktop/Laptop

Cost: Free

ACARALinks:

  • Design, modify and follow simple algorithms involving sequences of steps, branching, and iteration (repetition) (ACTDIP019)
  • Implement digital solutions as simple visual programs involving branchingiteration (repetition), and user input(ACTDIP020)
  • Acquire, store and validate different types of data, and use a range of software to interpret and visualise data to create information (ACTDIP016)
  • Examine the main components of common digital systems and how they may connect together to form networks to transmit data(ACTDIK014)

What is it?

Scratch is a Coding program that can be used in the classroom, to teach the basics of coding computers, however can also progress into more difficult coding projects as well. Scratch can be used by students with varied levels of capabilities, and is a fantastic tool to use in a peer teaching situation.

How is it used?

The program is both an online program accessed through Google Chrome (or FireFox) and can also be downloaded as a program onto any Desktop/Laptop computer. Students learn to create codes to animate backgrounds, images and characters. The online version is fantastic, as it has tutorials for students (and teachers) of different levels of ability. The tutorials go through step-by-step processes in order to achieve the set out goal. The program allows users to create stories, games and animations. Scratch can be used as a platform for students to present assignments as well as create interactive quizzes and games to be shared with peers.

Skills developed 

Practicing using code

Problem solving skills

Learning the language of code

Software knowledge

Accessing Scratch 

https://scratch.mit.edu

The image to the right is an example of how students develop of code in order to create an animation.

Codingame

Codingame

Subject: Digital Technology

Year Level: 6

Strands:Digital Technologies: Knowledge and Understanding and Process and Production skills

Sub strands:Investigate and Define and Representation and Production skills

ACARA Links 

Data is represented using codes (ACTDIK015)

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

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities

Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capability

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Literacy

Numeracy

Links to other learning areas

English

Mathematics

What is it?

Codingame is a program that allows students to improve their programming skills, while essentially playing a game! It allows students to develop a great base level understanding of coding with a lot a practice and turns their learning into a game. This program allows students to solve problems and learn new concepts while being motivated to learn more about how to code and program. Codingame is a great base tool for teachers to use to introduce students to coding and programming and building their digital technologies knowledge and skills.

How is it used?

Codingame can be used and accessed via the link to the resource. The program offers different options of how to play the game where they can participate in challenges and move through the levels of the game all while learning and developing their skills in pure code. The game can be scored, where the score is generated through how well the ‘code’ that the students have developed meets the specifics of the game.

Link to the resource

https://codingame.com/start

 

Skills developed

Practice pure code

Problem solving skills

Learn the language of code

Software knowledge

Image result for codingame

Hour of Code

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: F-6

Strand: Digital Technologies

Sub-strand: Process and Production Skills

Resource: https://code.org

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Information and Communication Technology

Links to Other Learning Areas: English, Mathematics

The video below is one of many on the Code.org website, designed to introduce  and engage students in coding. In this video, sportsmen, founders of companies such as Facebook and Dropbox and other celebrities discuss the need for coding in schools and why it is so important for children to develop their abilities in coding in today’s society.

 

What is Hour of Code? 

Hour of Code is a fantastic coding resource available on the code.org website. This resource is a great introduction to coding for students. It is accessible on both computers and tablets. Hour of Code includes hour long tutorials for students, with the goal of introducing and engaging students in beginning coding.

In the Classroom:

Hour of Code is a fantastic resource for introducing students to coding. Code.org provides Hour of Code tutorials on a range of topics that will engage all students of different year levels and coding abilities. These different Hour of Code tutorials range from Moana, Minecraft, Star Wars, Flappy Bird, Hot Wheels, Ice Age and many more. Each hour long tutorial is designed to take students step by step through coding activities. Within these tutorials, there are videos to introduce students to the coding topic and instructions for students to begin coding. These tutorials are great for introducing students to coding and the terms used in coding. They are so much fun, students will love trying each different coding activity and will want to learn more! Once the tutorials are complete, students are given the opportunity to create a game or animation using some of the coding they practiced in the tutorials. These animations or games can then be shared between students and the whole class can see what each student created with their newfound coding knowledge. It also gives students a certificate at the completion of their Hour of Code. Hour of Code is great for beginners as well as more experienced coders and it is great fun.

Code.org is also a fantastic resource for teachers. It includes in depth tutorials for teachers, lesson plans, teaching points and professional learning experiences.

Kahoot!

Related image

Year: Middle to upper primary

What is it? Kahoot! is an online quiz game, in which students can either play individually or as teams from multiple devices. The teacher creates an account and can create customised quizzes relating to the content the class has been learning. The teacher projects the quiz onto the interactive whiteboard. This allows students to view the questions, as questions are only view-able from the teacher account. Each game has a unique pin-code, and the students log into the game using the pin-code. The quizzes are a multi-choice platform, where students answer questions via selecting the correct answer (represented by both colours and symbols) from their device. Students score points for accuracy of their answer and for the fastness in which they answer. It is a great resource to use to test students’ knowledge as a summative task while incorporating ICT. Images and videos can also be added to the questions.  At the end of each answer, students are provided with a graph of results, showing how many people chose what answer. These results remain completely anonymous to the students.

Image result for kahoot

Image result for kahootTeacher Link: https://getkahoot.com/

Student Link: https://kahoot.it/#/ 

Application in classrooms via the use of the curriculum: I believe that this app would be most effective for students in middle to upper primary, but could possibly be modified for use in year 2. We will be looking at year 3-4.

Subject: Technologies

Strand: Digital Technologies

Sub-Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

Content Descriptor: Plan, create and communicate ideas and information independently and with others, applying agreed ethical and social protocols (ACTDIP013)

This content descriptor was chosen because aspects of the website can relate to this. Students canhelp plan and create quizzes with teacher help and test their peers.

Popplet

Subject: Design Technologies

 

Strand – Processes and Production Skills
Sub strand – Designing
Develop, communicate and discuss design ideas through describing, drawing, modelling and/or a sequence of steps.
General Capabilities:

  • Literacy
  • ICT
  • Creative and critical thinking

Links to all other learning areas
Objective:
Popplet is a visual tool that allows students to show ideas. It is an engaging tool used for mind mapping, graphic organisers, timelines and other forms of visual organisation. Popplet focuses on brainstorming and can also be used as a presentation tool.

How to use this resource

  • Register with Popplet
  • Begin by developing a project by creating a popple.
  • Add text by clicking on each popple.
  • Videos and images can be imported from Facebook or YouTube, or any file saved on the computer.
  • The drawing tool is used to write notes or sketch.
  • Other users can leave feedback using the comment function.

iMovie

Subject: Digital Technologies

 

Year Level: Year 1 – 6

 

Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

 

Sub-strand: Using digital systems

 

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/imovie/id377298193?mt=8

 

Links to all other areas

 

Objective:
Students can use technology to visually show creativity and individuality. The editing tools on the app allow students to create a variety of different types of movies which they can then show to the rest of the class as a project.

 

How do you use it?

  • Import video using clips from your camera
  • Import images or music
  • Edit clips
  • Combine clips into a movie
  • Add effects or titles to clips

 

Ways to use it in the classroom:

  • Creating visual presentations
  • Using for projects
  • Video reports
  • News telling
  • Story telling

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

  1. Engineering principles and systems,
  2. Food and fibre production
  3. Food specialisations
  4. Materials and technologies specialisations

Strand: Processes and production skill

Sub strand: CREATE SOLUTIONS

  1. Investigating and defining
  2. Designing
  3. Producing and implementing
  4. Evaluating
  5. 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