As a part of the Australian Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda, ACARA has been funded to support the implementation of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies in some of Australia’s most disadvantaged schools.
The Digital Technologies in focus (DTiF) project has been designed to encourage whole-school and inter-school collaboration, supported by curriculum officers.
One hundred and sixty schools with a low index of community socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) rating are participating in the project. Since July 2017, leaders and teachers from these schools have been taking part in workshops to help them implement Digital Technologies.
Nine Digital Technologies curriculum officers support clusters of schools, providing expertise to primary and secondary school teachers.
In 2018–20, the Digital Technologies curriculum officers will continue conducting professional learning workshops with teachers and school leaders. These workshops are customised to the specific needs of participating schools, with webinars and online mentoring complementing face-to-face events. Additional workshops have been offered to other schools.
Quick facts:
- 160+ schools
- 2,300+ teachers
- 30,000+ students
- 15 modules offered Australia wide
- 10 project focus clusters
School stories:
- Reflective podcasts -
- Casino Public school reflective podcast on their involvement in the DTiF project
Resources:
- Teaching
- Exploring Digital Technologies through shopping (Years 3-6)
- Projects and project management: Beeswax wrap project Years 5-6
Professional learning:
- Recorded webinars
- Expert webinars:
- Professor Stephen Heppell: The impact of environmental factors on learning
- Dr Michelle Ellis: Learning resources for using micro:bits
- Professor Tim Bell: Computational thinking
- Dr Karen Joyce: Map my school (teaching geo spatial mapping skills)
- Russell Scott: Vortals: Augmented reality, virtual reality, 2D, 3D and game design lessons
- Dr Rebecca Vivian: The CSER Digital Technologies education program
- Martin Richards: AI, AR and VR F-10 and links to the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies
- Digital Technologies programs and resources
- Activities that promote Digital Technologies concepts and incorporate Numeracy (six videos)
- Expert webinars:
