process and production skills

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The Foos- Learn Programming Skills!

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Curriculum Strand: Digital Technology (process and production skills)

Curriculum Sub Strand: Generating and Designing

Curriculum Link:
Explore how technologies use forces to create movement in products (ACTDEK002)
Sequence steps for making designed solutions and working collaboratively (ACTDEP009)

Year Level: F-5

Link to Resource: http://thefoos.com/

Description:

The Foos is a free App that allows students to learn programming skills through engaging activities. The students build their understandings of complex computer concepts by controlling characters and completing various tasks. The App has over 40 activities that require students to recognise patterns, sequence,  identify and test solutions to problems. The Foos is an interactive resource that allows teachers to provide scaffolded learning experiences as it caters for  young children who have limited programming knowledge or literacy levels. The program has been designed so there are no reading components and as a result, younger students are able to become engaged and obtain a deeper understanding of core computer science concepts.

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities: The Foos can be incorporated across multiple cross curricular priorities and support majority of the seven general capabilities.

Cross Curricular Priorities

  • Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
  • Sustainability.

General Capabilities

  •  Literacy
  •  Numeracy
  • Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
  •  Critical and creative thinking

Links to other learning areas: Mathematics and English

A classroom activity using this resource:

The Foos App could be used as a mathematics resource to introduce the concept of direction and sequencing within the junior primary years. Through this resource the students are able to enter directions that their characters must follow in order to complete various tasks. The App allows students to develop their understandings through fun and  engaging activities. Additionally the App provides the opportunity for students to further extend their understandings as they investigate how various technologies, such as computers, respond to instructions that the user inputs.

Reference:

CodeSpark. (2015). The Foos Learning to program is now child’s play. Retrieved from http://thefoos.com/

Australian  Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2016). Technology. Retrieved from http://v7-5.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/digital-technologies/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

Itunes. (2016). The Foos Coding 5+ | Make games! Kids learn programming logic. Free. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/id923441570?mt=8

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Storybird – Visual Storytelling For Everyone!

Storybird

Curriculum Strand: Digital Technology (process and production skills)

Curriculum Sub Strand: Generating and Designing

Curriculum Link: Work with others to create and organise ideas and information using information systems, and share these with known people in safe online environments (ACTDIP006)

Year Level: F-6

Link to Resource: http://storybird.com

Description: Storybird is a free, online tool that allows students to create and publish an imaginative text. Students are provided with the opportunity to create a text by using a range of quality images that are provided by children’s illustrators. The text creations can be shared for enjoyment or evaluated by teachers. Storybird also includes a variety of online books that cater to a range of reading levels.

Instructions:

  • Click on the ‘create’ tab

Step 1

  • Select the type of text you want to create (i.e. picture book, longform book or poetry)

Step2

  • Choose an image from the options provided
  • If you choose to create a picture book you will see the following

Step 3

  • Storybird allows you to add texts, pictures and sounds to create an imaginative story. You are also able to design an original cover page for the text using a variety of features.
  • Once complete you can save, publish, download or print the text.

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities: Storybird can be incorporated across all three cross curricular priorities and support all seven general capabilities.

Cross Curricular Priorities

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
  • Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
  • Sustainability.

General Capabilities

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
  • Critical and creative thinking
  •  Personal and social capability
  •  Ethical understanding
  •  Intercultural understanding

Links to other learning areas:

Storybird is primarily a resource that supports the English learning area. Students are able to create and write texts that can be used as a diagnostic, formative or summative assessment. Students are also able to develop their reading skills by exploring a variety of online texts. However, this resource provides illustrations that could be incorporated across other learning areas such as geography, history, the arts and health and physical education.

A classroom activity using this resource:

An English requirement within the junior primary years is for students to identify how illustrations can support the meaning of written texts. Storybird can be a useful resource that can allow teachers to engage students in a discussion about text conventions and model the creative process. Once the students have the understanding they can then create a text themselves.

Reference

Storybird. (n.d.). Write, Read, Discover, Share. Retrieved from http://storybird.com

Australian  Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2016). Technology. Retrieved from http://v7-5.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/digital-technologies/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

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Stoodle – An Interactive Classroom

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: 5-6

Strand: Digital Technology

Sub-Strand: Processes and Production Skills

Curriculum Description: Collaborating and Managing

Year 5-6: Manage the creation and communication of ideas and information including online collaborative projects, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols (ACTDIP022)

Elaboration: using a range of communication tools to share ideas and information, for example participating in collaborative online environments (ACARA, 2014)

Cross-Curriculum Priorities (CCP): Able to address all CCP depending on learning area covered.

General Capabilities: Personal and Social Capabilities, Information and Communication Technology, Ethical Understanding and Literacy.

Links to Other Learning Areas: This resources has the ability to be applied to a range of learning areas. It can be used as a collaborative tool to introduce a unit, revise concepts and conclude learning. Therefore, Stoodle lends itself to English, Science, History, Geography and Health.

What is it?
Put simply, Stoodle is an online whiteboard. It acts as a virtual classroom, where ideas can be shared and accessed instantly. Stoodle supports image uploading, real-time collaboration and communication as well as basic drawing features.

Getting started
First you will need to create an account by accessing the Stoodle webpage found here

For a little more information on using the Stoodle features, please see the video below.

Classroom Application

Stoodle can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom setting, or virtual classroom setting. As Stoodle is accessed via a URL it is easily accessible via any computer, laptop, tablet or iPad. Listed below are methods for classroom application:

* Brainstorming content (written, drawn, uploading a document, pictures)
* Accessing saved content to complete tasks at home
* Tutoring peers/students (instant chat offered in the Stoodle room assists with this)
* A forum for group work

References
Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA] (2014). Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/digital-technologies/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

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Prototype Creation of an adjustable footrest.

Prototype Creation of an adjustable footrest.

My class (Year 6’s) have noticed that some of the junior students feet don’t touch the ground when they are sitting at the computer desks. This is not only bad for their posture, it can also cause damage to the computers when they swing their feet.

 

The first 6 weeks of D&T this term has been planned to accommodate the planning, testing and creating of a suitable, adjustable footrest to be used in the computer labs. A link to my visual lesson plan for lesson 3 is HERE.

 

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Technologies Curriculum: Resources for Teachers

Subject: Digital Technologies

Strand: Processes and Production Skills

Year Level: F-2

Content Description: Explore how people safely use common information systems to meet information, communication and recreation needs (ACTDIP005)

Elaborations:

  • recognising and discussing the need for cyber-safety when using online information systems, for example recognising that shared personal information can be used for undesirable purposes and that using a password is a means of protecting identity
  • recognising safe ergonomic practices when children are playing with information systems, for example recognising the need to take regular breaks to avoid eye strain and repetitive strain injuries

Links to the Resources
Cyber Smart Quiz: http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Kids/Have%20Fun/How%20cybersmart%20are%20you.aspx

Keyboard Blue Glow
 Photo Credit: Douglas Porter via CompfightCreative Commons License
Cross- curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities
Literacy, Information and Communication Technology, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability, Intercultural Understanding and Ethical Understanding
Links to Other Learning Areas
English and Health
Classroom Activities Using These Resources
Students in years F-2 can learn about how to use the internet safely by completing the Cyber Smart Quiz. The quiz can be completed before, during or after a unit of work, to test students’ understandings of the content. A benefit of using this quiz, is that students can choose to listen to the questions, rather than reading them themselves. This supports learners in the targeted age group, as their literacy skills may not yet be adequately developed. The quiz is also a valuable resource, as it is presented in manner which is engaging for children.
Teaching students about the importance of safe ergonomic practices when using a computer is also important, as it establishes sound habits for future computer use. Students should be taught about ergonomics prior to using ICT. Learning activities to demonstrate the importance of this concept could involve class discussions about the benefits and consequences of sitting appropriately at a computer, and physically sitting in different positions to emphasise the importance of doing so.
How to Use These Resources
The Cyber Smart Quiz is self-guided. Students can complete the quiz at their own rate, only needing the web address to get started.
The Ergonomic Computer Use resource is an information website about safe practices. It is therefore a reference page for teachers, to learn more about safe practices, and then pass this knowledge on to their students.