[LINK] Implementing the National Technologies Curriculum in Australian Schools

[Tom Worthington]

Greetings from the University of Canberra, where I am taking part in a 
two day workshop to help implement the new "Australian Curriculum: 
Technologies" in Canberra's schools: 
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/rationale-aims/technologies

This event, "Byte Sized Digital Technologies", is run by Information 
Technology Educators ACT (InTEACT): 
http://www.inteact.act.edu.au/cs4hs/byte-sized-digital-technologies

It is sponsored by Google and appropriately enough, the agenda is on 
Google Docs. The consultation on the curriculum was run by  "Australian 
Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority" (ACRA): 
http://www.acara.edu.au/technologies.html

The Technologies Australian Curriculum covers both Design and 
Technologies (using the technology) and Digital Technologies (creating 
the technology, including computer programming). Interesting the student 
are educated in a number of areas which up to know have only been 
covered in advanced university courses: Project Management, Design 
thinking, Computational Thinking and Systems Thinking.

Implementing this curriculum is an extremely challenging task. Before 
teachers can teach the material, they need to learn it themselves. One 
approach I suggest would be useful would be to provide online learning, 
for the teachers and the students. It makes little sense to me to teach 
digital technology using analogue teaching techniques. At the same time 
the teachers can be connected together online to support each other and 
they can teach the students how to also support each other online. The 
University of Adelaide are running a free online course "Digital 
Technologies: Implementing the Australian Curriculum Learning Area": 
https://csdigitaltech.appspot.com/preview

More at: 
http://blog.highereducationwhisperer.com/2014/05/implementing-national-technologies.html


-- 
Tom Worthington FACS CP, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
The Higher Education Whisperer http://blog.highereducationwhisperer.com/
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards
Legislation

Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science,
Australian National University http://cs.anu.edu.au/courses/COMP7310/
-- 
Tom Worthington FACS CP, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards 
Legislation

Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science,
Australian National University http://cs.anu.edu.au/courses/COMP7310/