[Yr11 Information Technology] Digital Technologies curriculum - Foundation to year 10

[Christophersen, Paula P]

Dear colleagues

After an incredibly long gestation period, the Digital Technologies curriculum (Foundation to year 10) is now publically available on the VCAA website (F - 10 curriculum). This is the Australian Curriculum for Digital Technologies as it will operate in Victoria. This curriculum is mandated for all government and Catholic schools, and these schools are expected to implement this curriculum by the beginning of 2017. The Digital Technologies curriculum forms part of the new curriculum for government and Catholic schools and it is titled 'Victorian Curriculum'<http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/>.

Between now and the end of 2016 there will be two different curricula operating in Victoria, with most schools doing a little bit of the Victorian Curriculum and the rest from AusVELS. At the end of 2016 AusVELS will be retired.

You may have read in some media releases and press comments this week as part of the Education State launch that there will be funding made available for professional learning in our curriculum area (well it was called 'coding'). The VCAA, together with Department of Education and Training and DLTV, will be providing resources to support schools implement this curriculum.

This is a significant step for our discipline, as schools must have teaching and learning programs in the F to 10 sphere that will focus on developing students knowledge and skills in computational, systems and design thinking. How the curriculum is delivered will be decisions made at the school level. For example, in primary schools the content maybe integrated with other domains; in secondary schools there maybe standalone classes or integrated programs that address the content.

Digital Technologies is not the replacement name for ICT as a general capability. It is a curriculum in its own right with rigorous and engaging content and standards. We need to embrace this opportunity to equip students will knowledge and skills that will enable them to be the creators of purpose-designed solutions, primarily through the use of programming languages.

Regards
Paula

Paula Christophersen
Curriculum Manager, Digital Technologies
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
2 Lonsdale Street
MELBOURNE 3000
(03) 9032 1724
0407 043 110


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