APST Standard 2: Know the content and how to teach it

2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area

2.6 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

During my participation within the Technologies Curriculum and Pedagogy course, I was required to design a five-lesson sequence for Grade 3 that aligned with the Digital Technologies strands of the Australian curriculum and the technologies learning area with a focus on the selected processes and skills strands. This lesson sequence aligned to the Australian Curriculum Digital Technologies Processes and Production skills (3-4), Implement simple digital solutions as visual programs with algorithms involving branching (decisions) and user input (ACARA, 2023). Define simple problems and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them (ACARA, 2023). Explain how student solutions and existing information systems meet common personal, school or community needs (ACARA, 2023).

Throughout the planning of my lesson sequence (LINK), I wanted to ensure each lesson connected to my overriding inquiry question for the Unit ‘How can we save the reef?’. An inquiry pedagogy informed my practice as I was able to pose a question for the students to collaboratively solve while connecting to a real-world issue (Queensland Government, 2023). To complete the sequence of lessons the students will require the use of the classroom iPad’s and the use of application ‘Scratch Jr’ (LINK). The classroom iPad’s allows easy and accessible use for each student and teacher because of the familiarity from the daily use of the device. The application use of ‘Scratch Jr’ was developmentally appropriate for the Grade 3 level and allowed completion of lessons without complications due to difficulty using device or application.  

First, through an inquiry-based pedagogy, the students will commence their exploration into the prevalent problem of ocean pollution and its impact on coral reef ecosystems and begin to investigate the Inquiry question of “How can we save the reef?”. The students will then explore the significance of adhering to an accurate sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) and then will then use Scratch Jr application to ensure there is an appropriate level of understanding of application, before the use in future lessons (ACARA, 2023). Then the students and teacher will implement simple digital solutions as visual programs with algorithms connecting to their Inquiry question under the lens their whole school impact and use Scratch Jr (LINK) to inform the school on its impacts in connection with their inquiry question (ACARA, 2023). Students will then create a digital story/information source to inform the school using scratch Jr and will give/receive peer feedback on how their solutions and existing information systems meet common personal, school or community needs (ACARA, 2023). The students will complete their finished story/ information source and present their work to the teacher for oral feedback and final de-bugging and finally present their Scratch Jr story/information source to another class and receive written feedback (ACARA, 2023).

The results of student engagement within this lesson sequence (LINK) is the successful participation and learning with Information and Communication Technology (ACARA, 2023) and the fulfillment of the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration, “Goal 2: All young Australians become confident and creative individuals, successful lifelong learners … who are productive and informed users of technology as a vehicle for information gathering and sharing and are able to adapt to emerging technologies into the future” (AGEC, 2019).