Digital Technology Adventures

Elective Unit

Unit Description

This Computing elective offers a rich and differentiated Digital Technologies curriculum to students with a wide range of interests and skills. The program has a strong focus on self-directed learning and innovative assessment.

For students new to computing, this course will provide an introduction to basic Digital Technologies. Each semester results in a coding element as well as an electronics or robotics unit. The course culminates in a team project, where students work collaboratively to design and develop a solution to solve a given problem.

Students will be able to choose this elective for either one or both semesters.

Areas of Study

Semester 1

Coding with Python

This stream caters for students at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels as students undertake a series of self-paced modules and progressively work through the foundational elements of coding. The advanced levels include object-oriented design and more complex data-structures.

Robotics

Working with EV3 Mindstorms, students are required to innovate and apply their problem-solving skills to a range of creative design challenges based around a theme (e.g. Natural disasters, Space exploration). This stream is suitable for students with varying levels of experience. Complex engineering solutions can be explored along with advanced multi-tasking programming features.

Semester 2

Exploring Electronics

This core unit is designed to foster exploration and creativity as students undertake a series of hands-on challenges using Microbits and Makey-Makeys as well as the supporting software programming capabilities that enable the programming of microcontrollers in both electronic and robotics applications.

Website Design and Development

Students in this stream build an understanding around the language of the Web. From coding directly with HTML and CSS through to building a professional-looking website with WiX, students develop their design skills as they explore a range of real-world Website situations. No prior experience with web development is required for this stream.

Assessment

Each Area of study includes an assessment task comprising of either: a Python software solution, Robot design and code, Website solution or a mini electronics challenge.