Unit rationale, description and aim

Society today is increasingly reliant on digitalisation and automation, hence it is critical for users of digital technologies to not only be confidence users and consumers but also creators of digital systems and solutions. Teachers are essential to developing students into successful lifelong learners who are productive and informed users of technology and able to adapt to emerging technologies into the future.

In this unit, pre-service teachers further consolidate their knowledge design and systems thinking, and computational thinking which were introduced in previous units. By creating digital solutions for a global problems, pre-service teachers will consider the ethical responsibilities, sustainability of their choices including the benefits and potential risk of proposed solutions. Pre-service teachers will design a range of teaching resources that include demonstration of their digital media skills and multimedia production and explore in detail digital technologies of their choice to extend their knowledge. Pre-service teachers will consider the responsibilities of using digital media whilst also learning to critically reflect on their own production of digital publications.

This unit aims extend pre-service teacher discipline knowledge of digital technologies and provide a deeper set of practical skills and pedagogical understandings across learning areas.

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit

Prerequisites

EDTE260 Technologies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in the Early Years OREDTE290 Technologies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (F-6) OR EDTE299 Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Design and Technologies 1

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Research and apply theoretical frameworks relating...

Learning Outcome 01

Research and apply theoretical frameworks relating to teaching with technologies (APST 1.3, 2.1, 3.3, 4.5)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC7

Apply design thinking to plan, create a project an...

Learning Outcome 02

Apply design thinking to plan, create a project and digital solutions to real world problems (APST 2.1, 2.6, 3.4, 4.5)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC8

Develop a learning plan to develop discipline and ...

Learning Outcome 03

Develop a learning plan to develop discipline and pedagogical content knowledge to teach technologies and identify relevant sources of professional learning (APST 6.1, 6.2, 7.4)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC6

Evaluate and recommend digital technologies for th...

Learning Outcome 04

Evaluate and recommend digital technologies for the integration of content of the Australian Curriculum: Technologies for learners across the full range of abilities (APST 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.6)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC9, GC11

Develop learning resources using a range of curren...

Learning Outcome 05

Develop learning resources using a range of current and emerging digital technologies to support a range of curriculum areas (APST 2.1, 2.2, 2.6, 3.3)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC3, GC10

Content

Topics will include:

  • Examining the main parts, purpose and complexities of digital technologies
  • Exploring a range of digital technologies and systems and how they can transmit data
  • Designing digital systems and explaining how they meet community needs (current and future)
  • Digital publication platforms to create multimodal texts such as kindle, emagazines, websites 
  • Creation of rich multimedia such a videos, podcasts, image manipulation
  • Defining problems and using computational thinking to solve them
  • Design thinking principals and how this framework is applied to developing digital technology solutions
  • Ethical responsibilities in the design of digital solutions
  • Digital ethics

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for you to demonstrate your achievement of each learning outcome. Assessment task 1 is enables the pre-service teacher to work in groups demonstrating their capacity to work collaboratively. Pre-service teachers will work through the design thinking cycle and using digital technologies create a solution to a community problem. The digital solution will demonstrate collective knowledge of computational thinking. As part of the process, pre-service teachers will improve their communication and analysis skills. With the development of core skills in task 1, assessment two is an individual task with a focus on developing deep knowledge of a digital technology of the pre-service teacher’s choice and how it can be used to support teaching and learning. This assessment task requires the pre-service teacher to demonstrate their skills in creating a range of multimedia and digitally publish a resource for teaching and learning about a chosen digital technology.

 

Minimum Achievement Standards

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to complete all assessment tasks and pass each assessment task as Learning Outcome 1 and Learning Outcome 2 are only assessed in Assessment Task 1. Learning Outcome 4 and Learning Outcome 5 are only assessed in Assessment Task 2.

Electronic Submission, Marking and Return

Electronic submission and marking of assignments through Turnitin will be used. 

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1 Design Thinking and Digital P...

Assessment Task 1

Design Thinking and Digital Portfolio

Group Component

Working through the design thinking process, create a design thinking project for students where they are asked to use digital technologies to find a solution to a community problem.

 

The product and portfolio must demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of:

·        Part A: Documentation of the design thinking process to develop digital product and links to the Design and Technologies syllabus

·        Part B: Development of digital product

Individual Component

·        Part C: Reflection and evaluation

·        Part D: Develop a learning plan to identify your learning needs identified from the assessment task and working with peers. Locate professional associations and sources of professional learning

Weighting

Group component Part A, B 30%










Individual component Part C, D 15%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 2 (Individual)  Interactive Teac...

Assessment Task 2 (Individual)

 Interactive Teaching Catalog and Reflection

As a future educator how will you promote best practice with digital technology

Part A: Create an interacting teaching resource (emagazine, multimodal ebook etc) that:

  • demonstrates your understanding of a chosen digital system
  • provide two specific examples of how the digital system can be integrated with other Key Learning Areas
  • identify the relevant outcomes of the Digital Technologies syllabus
  • provide any teaching aids such as instructional videos, infographics on tips that students or teachers might use when using this digital system
  • describes how to ethically use the digital system
  • incorporate cross curricular priorities and general capabilities


Part B: Critical Reflection

Assess the value of the digital system chosen in Part A. Using academic literature, discuss how your digital device and activities:

  • caters for the needs of diverse learners
  • addresses syllabus content
  • demonstrates differentiation

Part C: Learning plan

Weighting




Part A 35%










Part B, C 15%



Learning Outcomes LO3, LO4, LO5

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit may be offered on-campus, online or in a multi-mode. This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the teaching period comprising of directed tasks and self-study. 

An emphasis is placed on pre-service teachers as adult learners with responsibility for their own learning and who are capable of problem solving. The learning in this unit is enquiry-based, learner-focused and student centred. Teaching and learning strategies are designed to be flexible and promote self-regulated and guided learning, underpinned by adult learning principles and may include:

  • Lectures face-to-face or online to enhance knowledge
  • Seminars, tutorials or workshops; online activities to engage in active learning
  • Reading guides which involve directed reading as well as self-directed online study materials
  • Discussion Forum online postings and responses designed to encourage peer collaboration
  • Webinars and podcasts for lecturer and student communication and for further information.

 

To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy.

Technology Enhanced Learning

The unit will include a Canvas site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote critical engagement. 

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

1.3 Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

1.5   Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. 

2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.

2.2 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

2.6 Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.

3.3 Include a range of teaching strategies.

3.4 Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

4.5 Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.

6.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.

6.2 Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.

7.4 Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.

Representative texts and references

Required text(s)

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). Australian Curriculum: F-10 Curriculum: Technologies. Retrieved from: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/introduction


eSafety Commissioner, Australian Government: Cyberbullying: https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/cyberbullying

Recommended references

Attrill, A. (2105). Cyberpsychology. London: Oxford University Press.

Education Services Australia (2015). Digital technologies hub. Canberra, ACT: Department of Education, Australian Government.

Ess, C. (2014). Digital media ethics, Polity Press.

Howland, J.L., Jonassen, D.H., & Marra, R.M. (2012). Meaningful learning with technology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Liu, K. (2015). Critical reflection as a framework for transformative learning in teacher education, Educational Review, 67:2, 135-157, DOI: 

Kelby, S. (2015). The Photoshop elements 13 book for digital photographers, New Riders.

Albion, P., Campbell, C., & Jobling, W. (2018). Technologies education for the primary years. South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning Australia.

Henderson, M., & Romeo, G. (Eds). (2015). Teaching and digital technologies: Big issues and critical questions. Port Melbourne Vic: Cambridge University Press.

Howell, J. (2012). Teaching with ICT: Digital pedagogies for collaboration and creativity. South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

 

Websites

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. Spotlight: Bullying in Australian Schools https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/spotlight/spotlight_bullying.pdf?sfvrsn=613bf73c_6

Australian Council for Computers in Education (ACCE) (http://acce.edu.au)

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology

ACARA, Technologies

https://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/foundation-year-10/learning-areas-subjects/technologies

Buck Institute for Education: https://my.pblworks.org/

Digital Technologies Hub https://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/

code.org - http://code.org/

Computer Science Unplugged http://csunplugged.org/

Grok Learning - http://groklearning.com/

Introduction to Computational Thinking for Every Educator https://www.iste.org/learn/iste-u/computational-thinking

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