RATIONALE

The significance of the design and digital technologies curriculum, in the lives of children,
today is empirical in order to provide them with the critical and creative thinking skills needed
for the digital age of the 21st century. The Australian Curriculum (2015) and The Melbourne
Declaration (2008) make explicit links to these skills; and also make links to cross curricular
subject areas in which these skills are needed (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2015 & Ministerial Council on Education, Employment,
Training and Youth Affairs [MCEETYA], 2008). These skills need to be acquired through
collaborative and supported learning environments that also provide opportunity for
engagement with visual literacies and visual communication in multimodal ways (Barr &
Stephenson, 2011). This justification will show evidence for the chosen visuals and
pedagogy in order to support the curriculum, so that children are provided with the skills to
become successful learners, confident and creative, informed and active citizens of the 21st
century.
The first tool chosen to support these skills was the use of weebly, which is an online blog,
it provides the chance to record and present the processes used to create and design a
digital challenge. While the use of online blogging can be seen to inform, instruct and/or tell
a personal story, they provide students with the autonomy needed to be creative and critical
thinkers (Caldwell & Honeyford, 2015). These actions then provide the foundations of
computational thinking with formulating and solving of problems using computing as the
platform and from the onset of the challenge by way of critiquing, analysing and evaluating
(ACARA, 2015). By using the weebly to express the process of creation/design allows for
learners to develop skills and knowledge of their own personal visual literacies and
communication (Hummell, 2015). By engaging students in blogs such as weebly educators
encourage improvement in writing skills and within other subject areas as the students want
accurate and relevant content displayed for their peers. The pedagogy used towards the
introduction of blogging is one of a scaffolded collaborative approach; this is established
through what the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) refer to as knowing
your students and how they learn (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
[AITSL], 2011). This is so lessons can be individualised to provide authentic learning
experiences and to allow content and context to be authentic to their personal discourse
(Blackberry & Woods, 2015). This then establishes the need for further tools and
technologies so students can make connections that are authentic to their learning.
The second chosen digital media tool is the use of PowerPoint. This was used to show the
further development of computational thinking within the coding process of the online game.
Linking the use of skills developed in more concrete and authentic assessment allows for
students to transfer this prior knowledge to the use of Information communication
technologies (ICT). Educators, through the use of a co-constructive learning environment,
provide the support and encouragement for students to transfer knowledge and skills from a
design phase of thinking (heuristic) to a digital phase (algorithmic) (McGann & Leavy, 2015).
The ability to show skills visually such as organising data collected, breaking down problems
into parts and recognising and interpreting the patterns and formulating algorithms. These
are also skills needed for computational thinking, which is vital for understanding the digital
technologies curriculum (ACARA, 2015). This type of medium lends itself to the Gardeners
multiple intelligences and the Indigenous eight ways of learning framework (Boulton, 2015).
Allowing students to use it to communicate in a way that best suits their learning style and
allows for information (stories) to be conveyed (Boulton, 2015). To ensure that all learners
are given opportunities, to learn and be assessed in a way that enables them, to display their
knowledge and skills educators need to offer multiple ways for formative assessment.

Thirdly, the style of concept map used within the design challenge lends itself to learners
who need the linear and more sequential scaffolding learning guidance. This is supported by
Beaudry (2015) who states learners who are exposed to the use of maps containing words
or symbols are able to process new information from short term to long term memory much
faster than information given in an auditory only process. This supports the learning of visual
literacy, and the understanding that communication does not only contain written text. Visual
communication is a large part of the 21st century and this is re-enforced by the Australian
curriculum and re-iterates the importance outlined in the Melbourne Declaration for future
learners to have the essential skills for occupations of the future (MCEEYTA, 2008).
Lastly, the use of storyboards allows for the narrative of creation to be shown in varying
ways that can be multimodal. This allows for students to show that authentic learning has
taken place as they are able to express deep learning using a student centred learning
strategy (Burden & Maher, 2015). By educators including the use of storyboards into their
pedagogical practices offers students a way of explaining difficult concepts and it can also
be a way of engaging students who otherwise may be disengaged with the use of
technologies (Kuegel, 2015).
To conclude, the use of digital technologies in education is becoming an all to important
aspect of the 21st century. It is thus, up to the educators and stakeholders to offer every
opportunity for children to not only engage with design and digital technologies but develop
critical, creative and collaborative skills that are much needed for their future success within
an ever changing global community.

References

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