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• Technologies | Digital Technologies: Resources

  A range of resources to assist with implementing the Victorian Curriculum F – 10 are available. Please visit the following websites to access these resources (links open in a new window):

  • Victorian Curriculum F – 10 Resources and Support (VCAA)

  Includes general advice and information...

  Overview material | Digital Technologies

• Technologies | Digital Technologies: Scope and Sequence

  The curriculum sets out what students are expected to learn and is designed as a continuum of learning. The curriculum is being presented in a scope and sequence chart to support teachers to easily see the progression and assist in planning teaching and learning programs to meet the diverse needs...

  Overview material | Digital Technologies

• Technologies | Digital Technologies: Structure

  Digital Technologies comprises of three related strands: Digital Systems, Data and Information, and Creating Digital Solutions.

  Strands	Digital Systems	Data and Information	Creating Digital Solutions
  	Focuses on the hardware, software and network components of digital systems. Students initially...

  Overview material | Digital Technologies

• VCDTCD040

  Define and decompose real-world problems taking into account functional requirements and sustainability (economic, environmental, social), technical and usability constraints

  Elaborations

  • determining the factors that influence proposed solution ideas, for example user age affects the language used for instructions, dexterity affects the size of buttons and links, hearing or vision loss influence captioned or audio-described multimedia as alternative ways that common information is presented on a website
  • investigating types of environmental constraints on solutions, for example reducing energy consumption and on-screen output of solutions
  • identifying that problems can be decomposed into sub elements, for example creating a decision tree to represent the breakdown and relationships of sub elements to the main problem or identifying the elements of game design such as characters, movements, collisions and scoring
  • starting from a simplified system, gradually increase complexity until a model of a real-world system is developed, and record the difficulties associated with each stage of development

  VCDTCD040 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 7 and 8 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD043

  Develop and modify programs with user interfaces involving branching, iteration and functions using a general-purpose programming language

  Elaborations

  • developing and modifying digital solutions by implementing instructions contained in algorithms using a programming language
  • developing a digital game that manipulates models of real-world objects
  • programming a robot to recognise particular objects and to treat them differently, for example to choose objects based on colour
  • creating digital solutions that provide user navigation and prompts with controlled repetitions, for example an information kiosk that has layers of buttons and prompts the user three times before returning to the beginning

  VCDTCD043 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 7 and 8 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD030

  Define problems in terms of data and functional requirements, drawing on previously solved problems to identify similarities

  Elaborations

  • checking existing solutions to identify features that are transferable to new but similar digital solutions, for example identifying if there are any similarities, such as user age and special requirements, between an existing game and a new game to be created
  • investigating characteristics of user interfaces that are common for particular types of problems, for example, touch screens encourage users to respond more intuitively than keyboards, or the consistent placement of symbols in games to speed up users' responses
  • using and interpreting data, establishing the root cause of a problem, for example using an annotated diagram to identify omissions, duplications or mismatches of data
  • describing in simple terms the nature of a problem and what a solution needs to achieve, for example what need the problem is associated with, who the solution is needed for, what data are needed and what features the solution would need to include

  VCDTCD030 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 5 and 6 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD006

  Follow a sequence of steps and decisions needed to solve simple problems

  Elaborations

  • following a sequence strip to complete the steps in an everyday event, such as morning circle, unpacking their bag
  • using problem-solving skills to explore cause and effects programs or activities that have a clear action/consequence, such as dropping a ball, turning on a screen
  • following a simple single step instruction (step-by-step using verbal and visual prompts) to complete everyday routine activities
  • following a sequence of instructions or events presented as pictures or images for familiar routine activities and commonly experienced events

  VCDTCD006 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Level B | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD009

  Follow, and with assistance, represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems

  Elaborations

  • re-sequencing a known everyday activity using visual images or verbal cues
  • experimenting with very simple, visual step-by-step procedures to explore using a device or completing a task, for example printing a picture or starting a game
  • identifying sequences of instructions or events that are commonly experienced such as the sequence of traffic lights or instructions for making a sandwich
  • following two to three-step series of instructions to use a piece of hardware or software, for example locating a website by keying in its URL or inserting an image in a file

  VCDTCD009 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Level C | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD050

  Define and decompose real-world problems precisely, taking into account functional and non-functional requirements and including interviewing stakeholders to identify needs

  Elaborations

  • developing a preliminary specification for an opportunity or a need that typically contains a problem statement, a set of solution needs expressed as functional and non-functional requirements, any assumptions or constraints to be considered and the scope or boundaries of the solution
  • investigating different types of functional requirements for solutions, for example increasing the speed of processing, calculating new results, improving the quality of reports
  • investigating different types of non-functional requirements for solutions, for example considering how the requirements of reliability, user-friendliness, portability and robustness could affect the way people use solutions
  • identifying the range of stakeholders who are associated with solutions but are not direct users and using techniques such as interviewing and reinterviewing to clarify needs
  • using software such as graphic organisers to determine a fundamental cause of a problem or to represent related elements of a problem that need to be jointly addressed in the digital solution
  • testing a range of text and graphical user interface designs with clients who have different needs on the basis of time taken to complete the task and the number of errors made

  VCDTCD050 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 9 and 10 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD034

  Explain how student-developed solutions and existing information systems meet current and future community and sustainability needs

  Elaborations

  • using sustainability criteria to explain how well a student-developed solution meets its requirements, for example personal data are secured (social) and the solution can only be viewed on screen to avoid printing (environmental)
  • explaining why people interact so readily with touch systems, for example touch input requires less dexterity to issue instructions and is designed to be accessible to users through the use of icons
  • imagining how the functioning of one type of information system could be applied in a new way to meet a community need, for example considering how an electronic tracking system such as a global positioning system (GPS) could be used to find people who are lost
  • comparing past and present information systems in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability, for example comparing energy levels required to store data and purchase devices
  • exploring the ethics and impact of management practices on the use of communication networks, for example internet censorship from a local, national and global perspective and the impact on freedom of access and expression
  • considering practices to save energy and other resources when using information systems, for example switching off when not in use, ensuring electronic devices are in energy-saving mode

  VCDTCD034 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 5 and 6 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD041

  Design the user experience of a digital system, generating, evaluating and communicating alternative designs

  Elaborations

  • designing the user interface of a solution using a range of design tools, for example using a storyboard to explain the stages of a game, and wire-frames and mock-ups to describe the appearance of a solution
  • identifying features that make an effective game, such as storyline, goal, reward, gameplay and environment
  • identifying similar digital systems and their user interfaces, assessing whether user interface elements can be re-used
  • devising criteria and comparing alternative design ideas that address a problem, for example evaluating two design outlines on the basis of attractiveness, ergonomics, ease of use, emotional satisfaction and accessibility
  • applying the principles and elements of design to a series of solutions to evaluate the success of each solution in holding the viewer’s attention, for example identifying which colour combinations or framing of visual elements keep different audiences engaged with on-screen activity

  VCDTCD041 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 7 and 8 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD033

  Develop digital solutions as simple visual programs

  Elaborations

  • experimenting with different options that involve repeat instructions, for example a continually repeating slideshow, a repeated movement in an animation, a repeated calculation in a spreadsheet
  • planning and developing a solution using a visual programming language, for example designing and creating a simple computer game involving decisions and repetitions, suitable for younger children, requiring user input to make selections, taking into account user responses
  • following a design and creating a solution that is interactive, using a visual programming language, for example creating a quiz that provides feedback on responses and allows the user to try again
  • programming a robot to operate independently, for example to find its way out of a maze
  • experimenting with different ways of instructing to make choices and repeat instructions, for example using ‘IF’ statements to allow for making choices and iterations (repeat instructions) until a goal is achieved

  VCDTCD033 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 5 and 6 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD052

  Design algorithms represented diagrammatically and in structured English and validate algorithms and programs through tracing and test cases

  Elaborations

  • designing algorithms to solve real-world problems and describing algorithms using flow charts and structured English, for example START, END, IF and UNTIL
  • recognising that different algorithms can solve a problem with different trade-offs
  • tracing algorithms to predict results and program state for a given input, for example desk checking or using an interactive debugging tool
  • using tracing techniques to test algorithms, for example desk checking an algorithm for a given input by stepping through the algorithm while keeping track of contents of the variables
  • developing test cases that correspond to the requirements of the specifications, for example validating program behaviour on a range of valid and invalid user input

  VCDTCD052 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 9 and 10 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD003

  Experience steps involved in completing a routine task

  Elaborations

  • watching the presentation of an event in a series of slides or screens accompanied by text and pictures
  • carrying out a simple step-by-step procedure such as cleaning teeth
  • showing how everyday tasks can be broken down through displays and visual schedules

  VCDTCD003 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Level A | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD017

  Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems

  Elaborations

  • experimenting with very simple, step-by-step procedures to explore programmable devices, for example providing instructions to physical or virtual objects or robotic devices to move in an intended manner
  • jointly writing and entering a simple set of instructions to sequence events and actions, for example scanning personal photographs and collating and ordering significant personal events or milestones and describing the steps involved in the process
  • presenting a sequence of instructions or events in a series of slides or screens with text and pictures
  • recognising sequences of instructions or events that are commonly experienced such as the sequence of traffic lights, or how their lunch order is taken and delivered
  • following a series of instructions to use a piece of hardware or software, for example taking a photograph, editing and storing it to include in a slow motion

  VCDTCD017 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Foundation to Level 2 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD032

  Design, modify and follow simple algorithms represented diagrammatically and in English, involving sequences of steps, branching, and iteration

  Elaborations

  • following a diagram of a simple method of sorting numbers or words
  • following, modifying and describing the design of a game involving simple algorithms represented diagrammatically or in English, for example creating a flowchart with software that uses symbols to show decisions, processes and inputs and outputs
  • experimenting with different ways of representing an instruction to make a choice, for example branches in a tree diagram or using an ‘IF’ statement to indicate making a choice between two different circumstances using a spreadsheet or a visual program
  • experimenting with different ways of representing an instruction to make a repetition, for example loops in a flowchart diagram or using a ‘REPEAT’ statement
  • designing the instructions for a robot vacuum cleaner to clean a room
  • using different design tools to record ways in which digital solutions will be developed, for example creating storyboards or flowcharts to record relationships or instructions about content or processes

  VCDTCD032 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 5 and 6 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD031

  Design a user interface for a digital system, generating and considering alternative design ideas

  Elaborations

  • exploring different features of user interfaces that allow people from different cultures to access information irrespective of language background, for example using icons and consistently placing icons or symbols in games interfaces to reduce the frustrations of game players
  • applying the principles and elements of design to a set of requirements in order to produce a user interface for a system that addresses an identified need, for example to emphasise or highlight an area of the screen to draw the viewer’s attention to an event or action
  • designing the user interface of a solution using different design tools, for example using a storyboard to outline the stages of a game or a mock-up to show the placement of icons
  • generating alternative design ideas for a user interface, for example sketching different concepts for a splash screen of a game or interactive multimedia experience or designing different user interfaces for people with visibility loss, taking into account size of icons and responsive font size

  VCDTCD031 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 5 and 6 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD054

  Evaluate critically how well student-developed solutions and existing information systems and policies take account of future risks and sustainability and provide opportunities for innovation

  Elaborations

  • investigating actions, devices and events that are potential risks to information systems, for example losing portable storage devices containing important files, deliberately infecting systems through malware, and power surges
  • investigating techniques used by people and organisations to shape how information systems are used, for example refusing to use innovations, using social media to advocate behaviours, purchasing devices, withdrawing previous processes that can now only be performed by an information system
  • investigating the impact and opportunities created through the practice of planned obsolescence, for example discussing the benefits and risks to users, the creators and the environment of information systems having a defined life span, taking into account costs, research and resource extraction
  • examining the ICT policy for schooling and evaluating the impact on education
  • reviewing the ‘terms of use’ policies on social media networks and predicting ways in which these can support advocacy of change and protection of individuals and societies
  • reviewing state, national and regional policies and analysing the potential impact of each. Examples of policies include: Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework, the Australian Government ICT Sustainability Plan 2010–2015; the Green Growth Policy in Korea and the Korean National Strategy for Sustainable Development

  VCDTCD054 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 9 and 10 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD018

  Explore how people safely use common information systems to meet information, communication and recreation needs

  Elaborations

  • sharing and describing ways that common information systems can be used to meet communication needs, for example computers can be used as phones and social networking tools allowing communication between families living in different regions
  • 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
  • discussing how a range of information systems support personal needs and impact on others, for example text to speech software can be used to meet the communications needs of people with vision loss
  • sharing ideas about the ways information systems are being used by families and friends in everyday life, for example comparing current digital play equipment with play equipment of 20 years ago

  VCDTCD018 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Foundation to Level 2 | Creating Digital Solutions

• VCDTCD024

  Develop simple solutions as visual programs

  Elaborations

  • designing and developing a simple interactive digital solution using a visual programming language, for example preparing the content and design of a simple guessing game that provides options in English and an Asian language
  • exploring common elements of standard user interfaces that are familiar and appeal to users, for example navigation links on the left and top of web pages to help users interact with the site
  • developing programs that make decisions on the basis of user input or choices such as through selecting a button, pushing a key or moving a mouse to ‘branch’ to a different segment of the solution
  • creating options for users to make choices in solutions, for example a user input and branching mechanism such as buttons in a slideshow to allow users to make choices

  VCDTCD024 | Technologies | Digital Technologies | Levels 3 and 4 | Creating Digital Solutions