Unit rationale, description and aim
Digital Technologies in Years 7–10 equips young people with the ability to design, create and evaluate digital solutions that address real?world problems. Preservice teachers therefore require deep understanding of the Digital Technologies curriculum, including algorithms, data representation, digital systems and the processes of computational thinking. As adolescents increasingly interact with complex digital environments, teachers must also teach safe, ethical and responsible digital practices. This unit builds preservice teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and supports them to engage diverse learners.
Learning experiences introduce preservice teachers to the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies and jurisdictional documentation, focusing on the progression of key concepts across Years 7–10. Tutorials model evidence?informed pedagogies suitable for Digital Technologies, including explicit instruction, project?based learning, inquiry and design thinking. Preservice teachers examine common misconceptions, analyse digital systems and tools, design algorithms, and evaluate technological resources, including emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). Collaborative learning, hands?on problem?solving and critical analysis strengthen their ability to integrate curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.
The aim of this unit is to develop preservice teachers’ curriculum knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and assessment capability for effective teaching of Digital Technologies in Years 7–10.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from 糖心原创 with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Describe the structure, intent and key features of...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain how students learn Digital Technologies us...
Learning Outcome 02
Analyse pedagogical models and classroom resources...
Learning Outcome 03
Design coherent lesson and unit sequences in Digit...
Learning Outcome 04
Evaluate assessment strategies and feedback practi...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Reflecting on prior experiences of teaching and learning in Years 7-10 Digital Technologies
- Australian Curriculum and local curriculum iterations for Digital Technologies, including Cross-Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities, including emergent technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (AI)
- Theories of learning relevant to digital technologies education
- Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for Digital Technologies, including the design process, and their philosophical, theoretical, curricular and pedagogical implications
- Designing units of work and related summative assessments for Digital Technologies in Years 7-10
- Teaching strategies and approaches for Years 7-10 Digital Technologies, including explicit instruction, project-based learning, experiential learning, and cooperative learning
- Managing practical classes, including classroom movement, and safe and ethical use of resources
- Strategies for monitoring and differentiating student learning in Digital Technologies, including for students with disability, diverse prior experience and advanced knowledge in the field
- Ethical and professional resource selection and development for Digital Technologies, including the use of generative AI
- Classroom verbal and non-verbal communication for Digital Technologies, including the Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) model, descriptive questioning, scaffolding, thick-aloud modelling, metacognitive reflection and guided critique
- Professional responsibilities in teaching Digital Technologies, including student safety and wellbeing in relation to online digital environments and responsibilities associated with ethical engagement with generative AI
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment in this unit is designed to strengthen preservice teachers’ capability to plan, teach and assess Digital Technologies in Years 7–10. The two tasks are sequenced to provide formative feedback and build skill in curriculum interpretation, pedagogical decision-making and evaluation of digital tools. Together, they reflect authentic school-based responsibilities associated with teaching Digital Technologies, including designing learning programs, analysing digital resources and considering safety and ethical requirements in online environments. Both tasks include guidance on the ethical use of generative AI for brainstorming, drafting and refinement, with clear expectations for transparency and originality.
Task 1 requires preservice teachers to design a Digital Technologies unit of work aligned to curriculum requirements. This task assesses their ability to interpret curriculum documents, apply evidence-informed pedagogical approaches such as design thinking and explicit instruction, incorporate differentiation and address digital safety and ethics. Task 2 involves a critical oral presentation analysing a digital learning tool or resource. Preservice teachers evaluate the tool’s pedagogical design, demonstrate its application and adaptations for Junior Secondary contexts, consider safety and ethical implications, and justify its educational value using curriculum, policy and research.
To pass this unit, preservice teachers must complete all assessment tasks and receive a passing grade of 50% overall.
Overview of assessments
Task 1: Planning a Unit of Work Desig...
Task 1: Planning a Unit of Work
Design a coherent Year 7–10 Digital Technologies unit of work that aligns with curriculum requirements and leads to a selected summative assessment task. Apply evidence informed approaches to (1) develop Digital Technologies content and skills, including problem-solving; (2) incorporate explicit instruction, differentiation and inclusive practices; and (3) justify curriculum, pedagogical and assessment decisions using relevant scholarly and policy evidence.
50%
Task 2: Critique of a Digital Learning Tool&...
Task 2: Critique of a Digital Learning Tool
Select a digital learning tool or resource that is designed to support Year 7-10 students learning in Digital Technologies. Conduct a critical analysis of the tool and its pedagogical design using relevant pedagogical frameworks. Develop an oral presentation with multimodal supports that: (1) introduces the tool or resource, (2) demonstrates its use and any modifications that are required for junior secondary classroom contexts, (3) outlines safety and ethical considerations in light of curriculum and legislative requirements, and (4) justifies its use including links curriculum, policy and research literature.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The teaching approach in this unit is grounded in social constructivist and adult learning principles that promote active engagement, exploration and reflective practice. Preservice teachers experience a range of evidence informed Digital Technologies pedagogies, including explicit instruction, design thinking cycles, algorithmic problem-solving and project-based learning. Workshops model how complex concepts such as data representation, system architecture and algorithmic logic can be scaffolded through worked examples, decomposition and multiple representations.
Hands-on activities support preservice teachers to explore digital systems, evaluate tools, trial coding environments and practise modelling safe and ethical digital behaviours. Tutorials, asynchronous learning experiences, and microteaching opportunities enable preservice teachers to apply pedagogical strategies, examine student misconceptions and practise professional communication. Online modules extend theoretical understanding and allow flexible engagement with content such as the design process, curriculum requirements and digital safety frameworks.
Given the technical nature of Digital Technologies, scaffolding is intentionally embedded to support preservice teachers to build their technological and pedagogical knowledge and experience. Multiple means of engagement, optional supports, accessible materials and explicit navigation of unfamiliar tools ensure equitable participation, particularly for preservice teachers with disability or diverse learning needs.
Representative texts and references
Representative texts and references
Recommended texts?and documents
Australian Curriculum?
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)?
Relevant jurisdictional curriculum documents
ACT Education Directorate:?.
New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA):?.
Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (CAA):?.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA):?.
Recommended references?
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Arneson, J., & Offerdahl, E. G. (2018). Visual literacy in digital learning environments. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 17(1), 1–9.
Bocconi, S., Chioccariello, A., & Earp, J. (2020). The Nordic approach to introducing computational thinking and programming in compulsory education. Smart Learning Environments, 7(1), 1–14.
Brennan, K., & Resnick, M. (2017). New frameworks for studying and assessing the development of computational thinking. Computer Science Education, 27(3–4), 1–24.*
Calder, N., & Murphy, C. (2018). Computational thinking in the middle years: An exploration of student learning. Australian Educational Computing, 33(1), 1–14.
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Grover, S., & Pea, R. (2018). Computational thinking: A competency whose time has come. Computer Science Education, 28(2), 1–17.
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Kalelio?lu, F. (2020). A systematic review of the use of AI?based educational tools in K–12 settings. Education and Information Technologies, 25(4), 1–20.
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Papavlasopoulou, S., Sharma, K., & Giannakos, M. (2022). Coding in schools: What we know, what we believe, and what we do. Computers & Education, 182, 104463.
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Tang, K.-S., Cooper, G., Rappa, N., Cooper, M., Sims, C., & Nonis, K. (2024). A dialogic approach to transform teaching, learning and assessment with generative AI in secondary education: A proof of concept. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 19(3), 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2024.2379774
Wu, D., & Zhang, J. (2025). Generative artificial intelligence in secondary education: Applications and effects on students’ innovation skills and digital literacy. PLOS ONE, 20(5), e0323349. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323349