Digital Technologies transform the way we communicate, learn, collaborate and work within our world. Students create new ways of doing things, generating their own ideas and creating digital solutions to problems of individual, community and global interest. They learn about computational thinking and the application of the design process to create and develop digital solutions using a variety of digital technologies.

Through the study of Digital Technologies, students present, test, validate, and evaluate their solutions. In doing so, they develop and extend their understanding of designing and programming, including fundamental computer science principles such as algorithm selection and complexity, structuring data for processing and problem-solving.

Students model, analyse and evaluate data, test hypotheses, make decisions based on evidence, and create solutions. Innovative solutions may take the form of a product, prototype, and/or proof of concept that allows for improvement or disruption of existing processes or products.

Students may explore a single technology deeply or may consider many different technologies in pursuit of a solution.

Throughout the course, students are exposed to a range of strategies for managing projects and communicating their ideas from ideation to development and launch. Understanding the value of collaboration with others and the importance of stakeholder input in the design of a product is a critical part of developing any solution, including the selection of appropriate technologies and platforms. This course serves as a basis for further education and employment in the IT industry in a range of fields including programming, web development, robotics and games development.

The Digital Technologies course is written under The TECHNOLOGIES FRAMEWORK 2018: BSSS TECHNOLOGIES Framework

Achievement Standards for TECHNOLOGIES courses can be found within the Framework.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of research, skills of ideation and design, prototyping production, solution testing and communication of their understanding. Technologies promotes deep learning, creativity and innovation.

Digital Assets

The focus of this unit is on developing the students’ understanding of digital assets. Digital assets function as the building blocks of larger systems and could be as small as a simple programming function, a 3D model or as large as a webpage or a 3D environment.

Students develop the skills necessary to effectively design and develop digital assets for more complex data-driven systems. They interpret and create their own digital assets for a range of purposes and audiences.

Students analyse discrete components of existing processes and products in order examine how they function within a system. They can then use this understanding to re-design and develop assets.

Digital Applications

The focus of this unit is on managing and understanding the complexity of a data-driven system by examining the individual components involved in its operation and the interconnectedness of those components.

Students develop the skills and knowledge required to analyse and examine existing applications. Applications could be as simple as a static website or as complex as a distributed learning and management platform.

They design and build their own applications to further their understanding of the interconnected nature of various digital assets.

Digital Solutions

The focus of this unit is creating appropriate data-driven solutions to authentic problems, and on developing students’ understanding, and application, of a design process.

Students develop the skills and knowledge required to analyse and examine existing solutions to known problems and produce their own solutions to existing problems.

They focus on understanding how to choose and apply a design process to create a relevant solution for a client’s needs.

Structured Project

The focus of this unit is on developing students’ ability to conceive, define, analyse, develop, and publish a data-driven project.

Students develop and refine their design skills and knowledge in order to create and develop a project using a clearly defined structure in an authentic context.

They focus on effectively applying a design process to inform and develop their project.

Independent Study

An Independent Study unit has an important place in senior secondary courses. It is a valuable pedagogical approach that empowers students to make decisions about their own learning. An Independent Study unit can be proposed by an individual student for their own independent study and negotiated with their teacher. The program of learning for an Independent Study unit must meet the unit goals and content descriptions as they appear in the course. Students must have studied at least THREE standard 1.0 units from this course. A student can only study a maximum of one Independent study unit in each course. An Independent Study unit requires the principal’s written approval. Independent study units are only available to individual students in Year 12. Principal approval is also required for a student in Year 12 to enrol concurrently in an Independent unit and the third 1.0 unit in a course of study.

Digital Technologies A/T/M/V (922 KB)

Digital Technologies A/T/M/V (343 KB)