1. The Victorian Curriculum Digital Technologies
Webinar – 27 APRIL 2017
Phil Feain Curriculum Manager, Digital Technologies

2. Documents to Follow

3. http://victoriancurriculum. vcaa. vic. edu

4. Scope and sequence F-10

5. DigiPubs

6. Frequently asked questions /

7. Other resources Resources that are in the process of going online:
units of work/lessons
curriculum mapping
timing charts/overview
indicative progress samples
Also there are professional learning opportunities:
webinars with the VCAA
webinars with the DLTV
DLTV DigiCon conference in late July

8. Glossary

9. Planning and reporting
Planning and reporting

10. Curriculum mapping

11. Indicative progress

12. Phil Feain Curriculum Manager, Digital Technologies
Ph: (03) Mob:

13. Teaching and Assessing Digital Technologies
Primary F - 6
Steve Allen
VCAA Specialist Teacher – Digital Technologies
Glenroy West Primary – Leading Teacher

14. We will explore:
The structure of the written Digital Technologies curriculum in the Victorian Curriculum
Designing tasks
Assessing these tasks
Indicative Progress
Rubrics
Planning tools

15. Victorian Curriculum – back to the source
Achievement Standards
Content Descriptions
Elaborations

16. Achievement standards
Achievement Standards are the big picture - what students should be able to demonstrate.
There are more Content Descriptions than sentences in the Achievement Standards – finer detail, more explanation.

17. Content descriptions
Content Descriptions are written to drill down into what we want to teach our students.
Not all Content Descriptions are created equal – time and complexity vary

18. Elaborations
Elaborations give some possible examples about how students can demonstrate the understanding of the Content Descriptions.
The ‘fine print’ – prompts, rather than a checklist

19. Designing learning tasks

20. Designing learning tasks
Starts with the curriculum – what do we want our students to understand?
Curriculum Planning advice:
Where will you fit this is?

21. Designing learning tasks
Do the task, check instructions
Group/individual/extended
Know where the challenge areas are
Identify the misconceptions and the extension opportunities

22. Digital systems levels 3 and 4
Explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (VCDTDS019)

23. Between achievement standards
Indicative progress
Between achievement standards

24. Terminology
Assess against Achievement Standards for DET reporting purposes.
Towards Level 4
At Level 4
Towards Level 6
If students are working beyond Level 4 they will be working towards Level 6
In between the Achievement Standards, develop Indicative Progress – what will progress look like in this unit?

25. Indicative progress
An in-between point in the continuum of understanding (not necessarily mid-point)
Break down knowledge and skills into three broad steps in a sequence – at Level, the Level above or below, and somewhere in between is Indicative Progress
Based on cognition, fluency, accuracy as progress towards next Achievement Standard relative to task/unit
More than ‘do it more times’

27. Digital systems levels 3 and 4
Explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (VCDTDS019)

28. Digital systems levels 5 and 6
Examine the main components of common digital systems, and how such digital systems may connect together to form networks to transmit data (VCDTDS026)

29. Get the message At Level 4 Achievement Standard
Indicative Progress – towards Level 6
At Level 6 Achievement Standard
By the end of Level 4, students describe how a range of digital systems and their peripheral devices can be used for different purposes.
Students identify the elements of digital systems that enable the transmission of data in networks.
By the end of Level 6, students explain the functions of digital system components and how digital systems are connected to form networks that transmit data.
- Can be shown by making connections between computer and peripheral devices for described purposes, selection from selection of peripherals.
- Identify the peripheral devices or internal components that enable network connection (server, Ethernet cables, router/modem, wireless card)
- Explain the transmission of data through internal components to other devices in familiar networks, using established protocols.

30. Indicative progress – get the message
CURRICULUM AREA: Technologies/Digital Technologies toward Level 6 Achievement Standard
Context: Get the message
In this unit students will explore the features and characteristics of digital systems. They will explore how computers connect to peripheral devices to extend their functions for specific purposes. Students will design a digital system with peripheral devices to suit a user’s needs.
Content Descriptions relevant to this lesson: Level 4: Explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (VCDTDS019)
Level 6: Examine the main components of common digital systems, and how such digital systems may connect together to form networks to transmit data (VCDTDS026)
Digital Technologies Level 4 Achievement Standard
Example of Indicative Progress towards Level 6 Achievement Standard
Digital Technologies Level 6 Achievement Standard
By the end of Level 4, students describe how a range of digital systems and their peripheral devices can be used for different purposes. Students explain how the same data sets can be represented in different ways. They collect and manipulate different data when creating information and digital solutions. They plan and safely use information systems when creating and communicating ideas and information, applying agreed protocols. Students define simple problems, and design and develop digital solutions using algorithms that involve decision-making and user input. They explain how their developed solutions and existing information systems meet their purposes.
In Digital Technologies, indicative progression towards the Level 4 achievement standard may be when students:
identify the elements of digital systems that enable the transmission of data in networks.
Identify internal components within a device that enable network connection.
By the end of Level 6, students explain the functions of digital system components and how digital systems are connected to form networks that transmit data.
Students explain how digital systems use whole numbers as a basis for representing a variety of data types. They manage the creation and communication of ideas, information and digital projects collaboratively using validated data and agreed protocols. 
Students define problems in terms of data and functional requirements and design solutions by developing algorithms to address the problems. They incorporate decision-making, repetition and user interface design into their designs and develop their digital solutions, including a visual program. Students explain how information systems and their developed solutions meet current and future needs taking sustainability into account.

31. Developing a rubric Criteria At Level 4 Towards Level 6 At Level 6
Goal
Peripherals and components
Identifies peripheral components that extend function for a purpose
Identifies components that enable network connection
Explains how internal components enable transmission of data in networks
Transmission of data
Identifies that data can be transmitted from wired components such as digital camera
Identifies that data can be transmitted in digital systems through wired and wireless means
Identifies the components of digital systems that enable wired and wireless transmission of data (including bluetooth and mobile) in networks

32. Context – level 5 and 6 game development unit
Working towards Level 6
(Indicative Progress)
Working at Level 6
(Achievement Standard)
Working towards Level 8
Digital Technologies: Data and Information
Game planning poster provides basic outline of initial idea.
Communication with other students includes an online tool to support face to face communication and uses group-developed protocols.
Game planning poster reflects the development and modification of characters, objects and actions.
Communication with other students (including digital means) demonstrates use of appropriate social, ethical and technical protocols.
Game poster charts development of ideas and solving problems.
Communication with other students is meaningful, considers tone and content, and contributes to task completion for self and others.
Digital Technologies: Creating Digital Solutions
Users are required to experiment when interacting with the game’s interface.
Decisions and player goals are identified in plain English on poster plans, and elements or variations appear in the game.
Users are guided on how to use the game through the user interface. Plans show the development of user interface elements.
Problems (moving characters or player goals) are defined and communicated in plain English and diagrams on poster plans and are implemented accurately through scripts.
Users are able to clearly identify controls and game goals through the user interface.
Problems and decision paths are recorded using flowcharts or pseudocode on poster plans and are implemented accurately through scripts.

33. Multiple curriculum areas
Assessment area
Level 5
Level 6
Level 7
Maths: Surveying, Data and Graphing
Survey class using questions that gather categorical or numerical data.
Create a display or graph that represents a set of data.
Survey class using questions that show evidence of editing.
Create a display that compares two or more sets of data.
Survey class, and display results incorporating mean, median and mode (where appropriate).
Identify limitations from the questions or options available in the survey.
Maths: Cartesian coordinates
Describe the position of sprites using vocabulary such as top left, top right, mid right, etc showing horizontal and vertical description.
Describe the position of sprites located in any of the four quadrants of the Cartesian coordinate system.
Describe and compare the movement of sprites from one position to another using the Cartesian coordinate system.
Note change of scale
Working towards Level 6
Working at Level 6
Working towards Level 8
Ethical Understanding: Means and ends
Players are made aware when they have made a choice that they might consider ‘wrong’.
Players are provided with choices that allow them to act according to ethical principles.
Players receive positive results when making choices that benefit other characters.
Digital Technologies: Data and Information
Game planning poster provides basic outline of initial idea.
Communication with other students includes an online tool to support face to face communication and uses group-developed protocols.
Game planning poster reflects the development and modification of characters, objects and actions.
Communication with other students (including digital means) demonstrates use of appropriate social, ethical and technical protocols.
Game poster charts development of ideas and solving problems.
Communication with other students is meaningful, considers tone and content, and contributes to task completion for self and others.
Digital Technologies: Creating Digital Solutions
Users are required to experiment when interacting with the game’s interface.
Decisions and player goals are identified in plain English on poster plans, and elements or variations appear in the game.
Users are guided on how to use the game through the user interface. Plans show the development of user interface elements.
Problems (moving characters or player goals) are defined and communicated in plain English and diagrams on poster plans and are implemented accurately through scripts.
Users are able to clearly identify controls and game goals through the user interface.
Problems and decision paths are recorded using flowcharts or pseudocode on poster plans and are implemented accurately through scripts.

34. Rubrics FOR and AGAINST
Clear guidelines or expectations
Progression along continuum
Highlight gaps or target areas
Ongoing guide before submission or grading
Limiting – work to the level and not beyond
Weighting across criteria?
Ambiguity – ‘high level’, ‘clear’, ‘some’
How to assess partial completion of a level?

35. Teaching – how and when? Standalone/specialist subject
A term or semester Inquiry/Integrated Studies
Regular and timetabled sessions
Short sharp ‘warm up’ activities as a prelude to other curriculum areas

36. Curriculum planning Four areas: School Curriculum Area Year Level
Unit/Lessons
Read in conjunction with Revised F-10 Curriculum Planning and Reporting Guidelines

37. Curriculum mapping
Templates from VCAA website – downloadable documents
Authentic links to other curriculum areas

38. Teaching and Assessing Digital Technologies
Secondary
Daryl Croke
VCAA Specialist Teacher – Digital Technologies

39. Introduction
Daryl Croke, Computing teacher at Mount Ridley P-12 College, Craigieburn.
Approach: to examine a content descriptor in depth and suggest an approach to teaching an assessment.
My name is Daryl Croke I teach various computing subjects at Mount Ridley P-12 College. I’ve taught computing at all levels from P-12 but I’ve been focusing on secondary in the last few years including VCE Computing, Software Development and Informatics.
The approached I’ve taken with this presentation is to look at some of content descriptors and develop some activities that I think will work in a high school setting given the students background and skills. These are only suggestions tough you may find that different or more advanced activities will work in your setting.

40. Introduce yourself Where do you teach?
What Digitech/computing subjects are you currently teaching?
Years of experience teaching computing?
My name is Daryl Croke I teach various computing subjects at Mount Ridley P-12 College. I’ve taught computing at all levels from P-12 but I’ve been focusing on secondary in the last few years including VCE Computing, Software Development and Informatics.
The approached I’ve taken with this presentation is to look at some of content descriptors and develop some activities that I think will work in a high school setting given the students background and skills. These are only suggestions tough you may find that different or more advanced activities will work in your setting.

41. We will explore: Challenges faced by teachers
Assessing student work at different levels
Assessing student work on a continuum
Opportunities for students to work above level
Splitting the curriculum over 2 years pros and cons

42. Opening questions
Who has already reported against the Digital Technologies curriculum?
If so what levels and strands?
Who is about to report on Digitech this cycle?
What reporting package?

43. New curriculum challenges
Understanding the curriculum
Developing activities
Working out basic assessment
Differentiating assessment
Progression points / Reporting
Here are the challengers faced by teachers implement the new Digitech Curriculum, assessing and reporting.
Getting your head around the curriculum can be challenging. Steve pointed out where you can get assistance and resources.
The next challenge is developing activities, in other words what are the students actually going to be doing in the class, Digipubs has some great activities and idea and that list will grow.
Then we have to work out / visual what “at level” actual looks like.
We don’t just want and pass or fail assessment so we need an assessment that takes account of the high achievers in the class and well as those who are struggling.
Once we have an assessment worked out we could then assign progression points, how that get resolved is a matter for each school. In the end it comes down to teacher judgment.

44. Are students at expected level?
True or False?
“Year 8 students need to be assessed at level 8”
Reality
Students are where they are. Some year 8 students may be well below level, some may be already operating at level 9.

45. What are the levels in Secondary?
There are only 2 discrete levels for Digital Technologies in Secondary.
Level 8 and Level 10
Students are either at a level or working towards the next level
It’s our responsibility as teachers to assess where they are

46. Indicative progress
An in-between point in the continuum of understanding (not necessarily mid-point)
Break down knowledge and skills into three broad steps in a sequence – at Level, the Level above or below, and somewhere in between is Indicative Progress
Based on cognition, fluency, accuracy as progress towards next Achievement Standard relative to task/unit
More than ‘do it more times’

47. Example: Programming level 8
Content Descriptor for Programming
Develop and modify programs with user interfaces involving branching, iteration and functions using a general-purpose programming language
The achievement standard goes further
….test, and modify digital solutions’

48. Example: Programming level 8
Content Descriptor for Programming
Develop and modify programs with user interfaces involving branching, iteration and functions using a general-purpose programming language
Rate your level of understanding/confidence
Don’t get it
Sort of/getting there
Understand and can do

49. Programming continuum
Level 5-6
Level 7-8
Level 9-10
Develop digital solutions as simple visual programs
Develop and modify programs with user interfaces involving branching, iteration and functions using a general-purpose programming language
Develop modular programs, applying selected algorithms and data structures including using an object-oriented programming language

50. Example: Programming level 8
So what would it look it?
I’d expect one working program that would include:
If statements [Branching]
For or While Loops [Iteration]
Functions
Documented tests
Comments or a description of how it works

51. Example: Programming level 8
Teaching Approach
Explain and model each element below and give the students opportunities to complete each task.
If statements [Branching]
For or While Loops [Iteration]
Functions
Documented tests
Comments or a description of how it works

52. Example: Programming level 8
Teaching Approach
Introduce elements of level 9-10 programming and give the advance students opportunities to build it into their practice.
Data Structures (arrays, lists)
Methods
Developing a program from scratch
Creating a GUI

53. Possible continuum 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 Visual Program
General Purpose Program
Object Orientated Program
Branching, user input and loops.
Separate modules if/else Loops Functions
Module with 2 elements & tests or 3 elements and no test
One working module: if/else Loops Functions
Test Explanation
As 8.0 plus one feature of OOP such as a data structure or method
Basic knowledge of OOP
Separate modules of main features.

54. Example: Programming level 8
Model Task
Create a program that will ask a user to enter their name and age. If they are 15 or older it will tell the user they are really old 5 times. Otherwise it will tell the user that they are really cool 4 times.

55. Example: Branching

56. Example: While Loop

57. Example: Function

58. Model program: Python Explanation Looping Function User input
Branching

59. Model program: Testing
Outputs from program
I created a basic example of how students could demonstrate an understanding of branching, iteration and functions.
Branching
If the user is over 15 or 15 and under
Iteration
Repeating a phrase 4 or 5 times
Functions
You could get students to create a functions that will repeat a phrase 4 or 5 times.
An interesting point is this applicable to Robotics at 7 and 8? I think so as all the programming can be achieved but what is the user interface?

60. Model program: 7 Desired output but No function
I created a basic example of how students could demonstrate an understanding of branching, iteration and functions.
Branching
If the user is over 15 or 15 and under
Iteration
Repeating a phrase 4 or 5 times
Functions
You could get students to create a functions that will repeat a phrase 4 or 5 times.
An interesting point is this applicable to Robotics at 7 and 8? I think so as all the programming can be achieved but what is the user interface?

61. Model program: 8 A proper function A Data Structure Method
[add items to a list]
I created a basic example of how students could demonstrate an understanding of branching, iteration and functions.
Branching
If the user is over 15 or 15 and under
Iteration
Repeating a phrase 4 or 5 times
Functions
You could get students to create a functions that will repeat a phrase 4 or 5 times.
An interesting point is this applicable to Robotics at 7 and 8? I think so as all the programming can be achieved but what is the user interface?

62. Splitting assessment over the band
A high school has:
40hr Digitech 7
40hr Digitech 8
Should you attempt to teach all content each year?
Should you spilt the content up over two years?
I created a basic example of how students could demonstrate an understanding of branching, iteration and functions.
Branching
If the user is over 15 or 15 and under
Iteration
Repeating a phrase 4 or 5 times
Functions
You could get students to create a functions that will repeat a phrase 4 or 5 times.
An interesting point is this applicable to Robotics at 7 and 8? I think so as all the programming can be achieved but what is the user interface?

63. Splitting assessment over the band
If you split the content up:
Would you aim to get Year 7s to be 8?
What content would you postpone until Year 8 and why?
I created a basic example of how students could demonstrate an understanding of branching, iteration and functions.
Branching
If the user is over 15 or 15 and under
Iteration
Repeating a phrase 4 or 5 times
Functions
You could get students to create a functions that will repeat a phrase 4 or 5 times.
An interesting point is this applicable to Robotics at 7 and 8? I think so as all the programming can be achieved but what is the user interface?

64. Splitting assessment over the band
Pros
Cons
Teach content in more depth
Advance students to next level
Possibly more engaging
Loss of continuity
Gaps in knowledge
Possibly more frustrating
Comments / Feedback.
I created a basic example of how students could demonstrate an understanding of branching, iteration and functions.
Branching
If the user is over 15 or 15 and under
Iteration
Repeating a phrase 4 or 5 times
Functions
You could get students to create a functions that will repeat a phrase 4 or 5 times.
An interesting point is this applicable to Robotics at 7 and 8? I think so as all the programming can be achieved but what is the user interface?

65. Conclusion Determine what at level student work looks like
Determine what above and below level work looks like, create model examples
Give students opportunities to work below and above level
Assess and Good Luck!
Here are the challengers faced by teachers implement the new Digitech Curriculum, assessing and reporting.
Getting your head around the curriculum can be challenging. Steve pointed out where you can get assistance and resources.
The next challenge is developing activities, in other words what are the students actually going to be doing in the class, Digipubs has some great activities and idea and that list will grow.
Then we have to work out / visual what “at level” actual looks like.
We don’t just want and pass or fail assessment so we need an assessment that takes account of the high achievers in the class and well as those who are struggling.
Once we have an assessment worked out we could then assign progression points, how that get resolved is a matter for each school. In the end it comes down to teacher judgment.

66. Frequently asked questions /