S3 - Digital Technologies

Stage 3 Science & Technology

Digital Technologies

Outcomes: A student...

ST3-2DP-T

plans and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity

ST3-3DP-T

defines problems, and designs, modifies and follows algorithms to develop solutions

ST3-11DI-T

explains how digital systems represent data, connect together to form networks and transmit data

Content Focus:

Stage 3 of the Digital Technologies strand focuses on understanding the role individual components of digital systems play in processing and representing data. Students design, modify and follow algorithms involving branching and iteration. Stage 3 of this strand further develops students’ knowledge and understanding of project management, abstraction and the relationship between models and the real-world systems they represent.

Skills Focus:

Working Scientifically
Processing and analysing data

construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data
employ appropriate technologies to represent data
compare data with predictions
present data as evidence in developing explanations

Design and Production
Identifying and defining

examine and critique needs, opportunities or modifications using a range of criteria to define a project
examine and determine functional requirements to define a problem
identify data required to formulate algorithms to improve a process

Researching and planning

develop, record and communicate design ideas, decisions and processes using appropriate technical terms
manage projects within time constraints
design, modify and follow simple algorithms
extend sequences of steps to provide a series of possibilities through branching
develop solutions through trialling and refining using iterations

Producing and implementing

develop project plans that consider resources when producing designed solutions individually and collaboratively

implement digital solutions as visual programs involving branching, iteration and user input

work collaboratively to share, appraise and improve ideas to achieve design purposes

identify, organise and perform strategic roles within a group to solve a problem

acquire, store, access and validate different types of data, and use a range of software to present, interpret and visualise data

Testing and evaluating

evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions according to criteria for success
explain how students’ solutions and existing information systems meet current and future local community needs

Inquiry and Focus Questions:

Using and interpreting data
How do components of digital systems interact with each other to transmit data?

Digital Systems and Networks
How do the components of digital systems connect together to form networks?

Students:

identify how whole numbers are used to represent all data (binary) in digital systems (ACTDIK015)
collect, store and interpret different types of data, for example:

- using sensors to collect data

use software to interpret and visualise data

Designing Digital Solutions
How do we represent decision-making in an algorithm?

Students:

design a user interface for a digital system, for example:(ACTDIP018)

- developing a storyboard for a game

design, modify and follow algorithms involving branching and iteration
define problems, and plan and implement digital solutions, using an appropriate visual programming language involving branching and iteration, and requiring user input

Students:

investigate internal and external components of digital systems that perform functions
explore how the main components of digital systems connect together to form networks that transmit data (ACTDIK014)
describe how data can be transmitted between two digital components, for example:

- wired networks
- wireless networks