The Digital Curriculum

Sign up to be a one-off tester

We are always on the look out for people to test our products. Our resources are fresh off the press and we need people to try them out. Especially because the Digital Curriculum is such a new topic and our aim is to create resources that anyone can use – even absolute beginners who know nothing about ICT, but somehow are expected to teach it.

So, every time we release a new style of resource – that we haven’t done before, we look for 10 teachers who are willing to try it out and let us know how it goes. Anyone can apply to be part of the 10 testers, whether you know nothing or everything about ICT, we look for a range of teachers from a variety of year groups and computer confidence.

Before applying to be a tester, please check what resource we are currently offering and make sure you meet the requirements.

Please note: You will need to reapply for each resource, as the requirements will change. Also, you will only be notified if you get accepted as a tester.

Current Resource

Requirements:

  • Teaching students in years 5-9
  • Have access to either Macbooks or Chromebooks.
  • Commitment to 5 Reflective Forms
  • Student Knowledge: No previous coding experience needed.
  • Teacher Knowledge: No website coding knowledge needed.

Current Resource Testers Applications Close 11th Feb 2022

What is the Digital Curriculum?

The digital curriculum is not solely based on getting children to use as many different devices and as many different programs as they can. It is more centered around a few core understandings, some of which can be taught without any digital device. 

As a matter of fact, Years 1-3 does not necessarily need technology in order to be taught. 

So, the new curriculum sits in the learning area of Technology but the structure is slightly different now. There are five learning areas within the Technology strand, and the original three have just been reworded. 

  1. Computational Thinking for Digital Technologies
  2. Designing and Developing Digital Outcomes
  3. Designing and Developing Materials Outcomes
  4. Designing and Developing Processed Outcomes
  5. Design and Visual Communication

The Digital curriculum falls into areas 1 and 2 – Computational Thinking and Designing and Developing.

Computational Thinking is about understanding the computer science principles that underlie all digital technologies, and learning how to develop instructions, such as programming, to control these technologies.

Designing and Developing digital outcomes is about understanding that digital systems and applications are created for humans by humans, and developing knowledge and skills in using different digital technologies to create digital content across a range of digital media.

Within these two areas there are six key themes that shine through: 

  1. Algorithms (a set of steps to accomplish a task)
  2. Data Representation (how computers store information so that it can be processed)
  3. Digital Applications (Design and build digital outcomes and solutions)
  4. Digital Devices and Infrastructure (How do computers work, how do they communicate)
  5. Humans and Computers (Linking all other areas, how do we use these)
  6. Programming. (turning algorithms into language that computers understand)

These are the core understandings that we want to get across to kids. Because once they understand these they can problem solve different solutions to real world contexts.

Now, let’s take a look inside Computational Thinking and Designing and Developing

Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking is all about looking at a problem in a way that a computer can help us to solve it. It is not thinking about computers or like computers. It allows children to express problems and formulate solutions in ways that a computer can process and solve it. This involves breaking problems down into a series of precise steps that will lead to a particular solution or output. 

  1. How computer data is stored
  2. How all the information within a computer system is presented using digits
  3. The impact that different data representations have on the nature and use of this information

Computational thinking is a two step process:

  1. Identify the steps needed to solve a  problem
  2. Use your technical skills to get the computer working on the problem

From here, students learn that in order to get computers working on the problem, they need to understand how computers process data. This introduces them to the concept of binary data.

Designing and Developing

Within the Designing and Developing segment, students begin to understand that digital applications and systems are created for humans by humans. They develop increasingly sophisticated understandings and skills for designing and producing digital content. Students also develop understandings of how to build, install, and maintain computers, networks and systems so that they are secure and efficient.

As they progress, students are able to use different digital technologies to create digital content for the web, interactive digital platforms or for print.

Progress Outcomes