The document provides an overview of a Digital Technologies unit that allows students to recognize how digital technologies are used in everyday life and to create digital stories using block-based programming. Key skills assessed include creating a digital story, composing flow charts, practicing safe online behaviors, and demonstrating computational thinking using algorithms. The unit covers identifying different digital technologies, understanding algorithms through everyday routines, creating secure passwords, and exploring social and ethical issues related to digital solutions. Sample lessons described include defining digital technologies, identifying the purpose of common devices, discussing cloud storage, and representing sequences of steps through flowcharts.

1. 1
Sample Unit – Technology Mandatory Life Skills
Sample for implementation from 2019
Technology context Project
Digital Technologies What’s in a story?
Overview
The Digital Technologies unit provides opportunities for students to recognise the purpose and uses of a range of digital technologies in our everyday
lives, and to use digital systems to perform a range of functions. Students consider how digital technologies can provide solutions to a range of
problems and meet the needs of individuals and communities. Students develop skills in using block-based programming to create digital stories.
Assessment Key skills
Evidence of student learning could be gathered through:
▪ contribution to class discussions
▪ demonstration of collaboration and interaction skills through group
activities and peer evaluation
▪ demonstration of skills in relation to digital technology through:
- creation of a digital story using block-based coding
- composition of an Input–Process–Output (IPO) flow chart
▪ application of safe practices in online environments
▪ identify the difference between ICT and digital technologies
▪ identify digital technologies
▪ cyber security awareness
▪ clear communication
▪ computational thinking using algorithms

2. 2
Outcomes
A student:
TELS-1DP communicates ideas and solutions to authentic problems or opportunities
TELS-2DP participates in planning for the production of designed solutions
TELS-3DP participates in the production of designed solutions
TELS-5DP follows simple algorithms in a range of contexts
TELS-8DI identifies how information is communicated by digital systems
TELS-11TS investigates how technology has contributed to improvements in our way of life
Related outcomes: TE4-1DP, TE4-2DP, TE4-4DP, TE4-7DI, TE4-10TS

3. 3
Content Suggested teaching, learning and assessment
Identifying and defining
Students:
 recognise digital systems used for
everyday purposes, eg mobile
devices, assistive technology
 explore how digital systems meet
personal or community needs ST
What are digital technologies?
Teacher background:
ICT vs DT
Students identify a range of everyday digital technologies from a mobile phone to a computer, and how
these technologies affect their lives. The term ‘digital technologies’ refers to electronic tools, systems,
devices and resources that generate, process or store data, and may include applications, games,
microcontrollers, mobile devices, multimedia, networks, robotics.
Class activity
 Using the term ‘digital technologies’, complete a mind map outlining any known digital technologies.
Questions to prompt discussion may include:
– What do you think digital technologies are?
– Where might people use digital technologies?
– What tasks do people use digital technologies to complete?
– Do digital technologies make life easier or more complicated?
 As a class, create a definition for the term ‘digital technologies’, discussing any further technologies that
could be added to the mind map.
Individual activity
 Explain and model the purpose of a Word Cloud. Support students to access and turn on a computer or
similar device with internet access. Students:
– navigate to Word It Out
– use the title ‘digital technologies’ and add words from the mind map
– publish or share their word clouds, eg email, digital or print classroom display

4. 4
Suggested resources
Word it out https://worditout.com/word-cloud/create
Class evaluation
 Students review what they discovered about digital technologies. Students create a list of everyday
digital technologies they encounter, ready for the next lesson. Encourage students to consider how
digital technologies are helpful to people and whether or not they could live without it.
Identifying and defining
Students:
 recognise the function and
purpose of a range of digital
technologies, for example:
– social media links people
across the internet
– photographs capture an
image
– remote storage systems
enable data to be accessed
anywhere
– screen readers and voice-
recognition programs assist
with reading and writing
– software programs enable
data to be manipulated and
stored
 explore how digital systems meet
personal or community needs ST
What are some everyday examples of digital devices?
Teacher background: Students use their prior knowledge of technologies in their lives to identify the
purpose and uses of digital technologies and how these technologies have changed or may change, in the
future.
Class activity
 As a group, discuss the use of technology in our daily lives. Students share their list of everyday
technologies and consider:
– Where were the digital technologies located? Were they easy to find?
– How were the digital technologies controlled or programmed? Did they need a remote control,
keyboard or input sensor to operate?
Small group activity
 Organise the classroom into groups or ‘stations’. Provide each station with a visual image or a written
description of a digital device example such as TV, computer, tablet, smartphone, self-serve cash
register or game console.
 Students:
– examine the image and discuss the purpose and function of the digital device, eg what does it do?
how does it make life easier for people?
– record their responses using a provided scaffold or table
– move between stations and repeat for different digital devices.

5. 5
 reflect on the digital solution in
terms of function, available
resources, rules and regulations,
audience and appeal and/or
accessibility, for example: DT
– collect feedback on the digital
solution from a variety of
sources, eg peers, surveys,
interviews
– use feedback to evaluate the
produced digital solution
 Regroup, discussing and comparing the results of the different groups. Teacher to lead discussion on
the creation of digital technologies for specific purposes. Encourage students to consider that while
some may have more than one purpose, digital technologies are programmed, or told what to do, from a
set of instructions. These instructions are stored in the memory or digital storage (model a flash memory
device (USB memory stick) as a visual reinforcement of the concept), much like our brain. USBs are
examples of physical storage (hard drives), this means we can touch and use it. Some digital storage
devices are harder to see or touch, we call this cloud storage.
Class discussion
 What do we mean by the term ‘store’?
 What types of files or information do people store? Why?
 What happens when a computer stores files, videos and games? Where does it go?
Individual task
 Explain that Google Drive or iCloud is an example of a cloud storage system that stores information in a
digital cloud. This cloud is a physical storage; however, it stores documents on a server, which means
you can access the information from anywhere by accessing the internet.
 Students:
– access Google Drive
– create a poster on Google Docs, PowerPoint or Keynote about a chosen digital technology and
present it to the class. This should include the purpose of the technology and how it is used in
everyday life
– save, publish and present their poster to the class, teacher or chosen peer.
Class discussion
 Students consider the different storage types and how we access them. Explain that accessing
information from a device allows people to communicate, program or talk to it. We do this by operating
or touching keys on a keyboard/touchscreen or by using our voice. The digital technology then uses the
input to fetch the information, much like you would get a book from a library. These purpose-built
devices help improve our lives.

6. 6
Researching and planning
Students:
 explore social and ethical issues
associated with digital solutions,
for example:
– cyber safety
– appropriate digital
communication
– privacy when using social
media
– accessibility of online content
– copyright when using online
images and media
Why is it important to have a secure password?
Teacher background: Passwords help us to be private and they need to be kept confidential. Usernames
and passwords are commonly used by people to access computers, devices, websites, email programs,
applications and games.
Class discussion
 What accounts may need a password?
 Why do we need passwords? Are some passwords better than others?
 What happens when you forget your password? Could you use a hint to help you remember?
 Is it ever OK to share your password?
 What should I do if someone I don’t trust gets my password?
 What are the alternatives to a password? eg fingerprint scanning
Whole class activity
 Students create their own secure passwords they can easily remember. Students use the Stickypass
worksheet to help them create and remember unique passwords that follow best practice guidelines.
 Students consider which passwords were more likely to be secure and why others were not.
Suggested resources
 Creating Unique Passwords Worksheet https://www.stickypassword.com/blog/wp-
content/uploads/2015/10/Privo-Activity3_handout.pdf
Researching and planning
Students:
 identify sequences for everyday
actions, for example: ST
– routines, such as getting
ready for work
Understanding algorithms
Teacher background: Students consider the importance of algorithms for communicating and developing
rules for digital technologies. Routines form the basis of our lives, especially the way we complete set
tasks, from following a recipe to completing simple activities. Digital technologies also follow set routines
called algorithms, these algorithms set the parameters for digital technologies to work in order to complete

7. 7
– cooking a meal
 follow and represent a sequence
of steps and decisions (algorithm)
to solve a simple problem, for
example: CT
– draw a flowchart using a
yes/no pathway
– write a series of prompts to
explain how to change a
password
a user requested task. Most digital technologies follow a simple set of instructions, namely the input (typing,
touching a screen), process (what is being requested), and output (opening an application, displaying
results).
Class discussion
 What is your routine in the morning?
 Do you have to do some things first before doing other things? Why?
 Why do bakers have to follow a recipe when baking bread?
 Explain that digital technologies use a set of rules or sequences called algorithms to complete tasks as
instructed by the user. For example a basic computer algorithm may use an Input–Process–Output
(IPO) flow chart such as:
Students create their own IPO flow chart that describes the steps in order to edit a photograph using an
iPad, camera or similar device.
 Students:
– create a draft flow chart on how to take a photo and apply a filter
– photograph the individual steps required and upload to a file on Google drive
– access Draw.io and design an online IPO flow chart, importing their photos from the drive
– save their completed flow chart in their Google drive for publication or presentation.
 Students use the digital technologies process in their IPO flow chart to create an augmented image.
 Students colourise a photo of their choice by applying four different filters.
Input – What I
want to find out
using Google
Process –
Google
searches
internet for
best matching
information
Output –
Information is
displayed to
user

8. 8
Suggested resources
 Draw.io – flowchart creator https://www.draw.io/
Identifying and defining
Students:
 recognise that everyday tasks
are supported by digital
technologies, for example:
– money withdrawal
– online shopping
communication, including the
use of augmentative
communication
– phone calls
 follow and represent a sequence
of steps and decisions (algorithm)
to solve a simple problem, for
example: CT
– draw a flowchart using a
yes/no pathway
– write a series of prompts to
explain how to change a
password
How are decision- trees used in digital technologies?
Teacher background: Students consider different types of decision trees and why and how people use
them. Decision trees help people or users to decide what actions to take. When we need to make decisions
during a process we ask questions. In a Decision Tree we can make choices, either yes or no, when we
make a choice the output or result can be very different depending on each decision we make.
Suggested resources
 The friendship algorithm video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0xgjUhEG3U
Class discussion
 Show friendship algorithm video. Discuss how the decisions led to various choices, and how those
choices could have been very different based on the outcome of each question.
Suggested resources
 Choosing an ice cream: Decision flow chart – Creately
https://creately.com/diagram/example/i7qfj0ja1/making%20ice%20cream
Creating and using decision trees (algorithms)
 Discuss the process of choosing an ice cream using an Input–Process–Output flow chart and the
various decisions that could be made throughout the process. Visually display this for students using
the Creately flow chart. As a class, students use string and printed Yes/No cards to physically represent
a large decision tree.
 Students have the opportunity to complete the decision tree, making different choices as they go along
and discussing the changing results.

9. 9
 Students consider how decision trees (algorithms) help users complete everyday tasks and access
information. For example:
– withdrawing money from an automated teller machine
– selecting items to buy using an online shopping website
– making food selections using a digital menu.
Identifying and defining
Students:
 explore how digital systems meet
personal or community needs ST
 investigate how digital system
innovation has improved our
everyday life
How do digital solutions help make life easier for people?
Teacher background: Digital solutions are solutions that require user interactions within digital
systems/technologies, which affect people, the economy and environments. Digital solutions may be
created using a combination of hardware and software applications, and/or specific instructions provided
through programming. Examples of digital solutions could include instructions for a robot, a platform game,
digital stories, animations and websites.
Class discussion
 View video Smart Cities: Solving Urban Problems Using Technology.
 Students consider the following questions:
– What was one of the problems the city of Palo Alto had?
– How did the use of technology help to solve or reduce the problem?
– Would this work for every city?
– Can you think of any problems that could be solved with a digital solution?
Suggested resources
 Smart Cities: Solving Urban Problems Using Technology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnyRZotnPSU
●
Whole class activity
 In pairs or groups, students consider how a given problem could possibly be reduced or addressed
using digital solutions. Encourage students to consider how the technology would solve the problem
and what software or hardware might be needed to implement the digital solution. Examples include:

10. 10
Problem Digital solution
People don’t have time to visit the
shop.
Businesses develop an online shop.
Small shop, not enough room to
display all the items to customers
iPads or touchscreen devices to allow
customers to browse through items
Long queues at the café for
customers waiting to order a drink
Develop an online mobile application to
enable customers to pre-order a drink
for quick collection
Extension
 When coming up with a digital solution, people often use milestones or Gantt charts to help them solve
a problem in sections, within a time frame, creating the design and testing it to make sure it will work.
Students develop a Gantt chart for a problem that can be solved using technology.
Producing and implementing
Students:
 follow a sequence in the
production of a digital solution
DT
 participate in producing a digital
solution using algorithms, for
example: CT
– guiding a robot
– putting visual programming
blocks together to develop
How can I design and produce a digital story?
Teacher background: Students explore technologies available to design and produce digital solutions.
Digital stories can be introduced through apps such as Puppet Pals, Comic Life, or Draw and Tell, however
the goal is to have students create a digital story using block-based coding software. Scratch or Minecraft
Education can be used for this.
Suggested resources
 Scratch https://scratch.mit.edu/educators/
 Scratch basics tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pxaFzRtx7k

11. 11
elements of an interactive
story
 reflect on the digital solution in
terms of function, available
resources, rules and regulations,
audience and appeal and/or
accessibility, for example: DT
– collect feedback on the digital
solution from a variety of
sources, eg peers, surveys,
interviews
– use feedback to evaluate the
produced digital solution
Individual task
 Teacher to model a basic digital story and highlight the key features such as background, character,
movement, voice-over or accompanying text.
 Students create a digital story using block-based coding software. Students:
− use the block instructions to move the character(s) around the screen
− create a background for the character(s)
− publish or share their project with the teacher and class for review.
Suggested resources
 Minecraft Education https://education.minecraft.net/
 Minecraft Education training resources https://education.minecraft.net/class-resources/trainings/
Class evaluation
 As a class, review the digital stories presented. Model and demonstrate ways to contribute to
constructive feedback discussions, providing specific information about the features and design
elements of the digital story, eg ‘I liked the design of your character but the background colour made it
difficult to see clearly’.
 Students discuss the challenges and advantages of using block-based coding when designing and
producing their story. Questions to prompt reflection could include:
− What aspects of the software were easy to use?
− What new skills did you have to learn to complete the task?
− Would you change any aspects of the technology?
− How did the class respond to your story?
 Students use the feedback and their own reflections to edit their original digital story.

12. 12
Reflection and evaluation
Questions to guide reflection:
■ To what level did students achieve the learning outcomes?
■ How effective were the activities in helping students to understand key concepts and achieve the learning outcomes?
■ Did teaching strategies and activities facilitate high levels of student engagement? Why/why not?
■ How could the unit be improved to enhance student engagement and learning?
■ How well did the activities enable students to use their Technology and Mathematics skills in an integrated way?