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IT Digital Technology

Year 9 - Elective

Length of Course: Semester
Department: Science and IT
Head of Department: Mrs Carina Jansen
Year Available: 2025

This is a course intended for motivated students with an interest in developing some in-depth skills in the use of computers to process information. The course concentrates on creating reusable software solutions to information problems and the development of effective user interfaces for those solutions.

This elective is a useful choice for students who might wish to study Systems Engineering at VCE level, because it covers the use of some of the software used in VCE Computing. However, this elective is not a prerequisite for entry into VCE Systems Engineering, but students who have completed this elective will possess many of the software skills used in those studies. This elective may serve as a useful precursor to the ‘THINK Digital Futures’ Year 10 elective.

Curriculum focus

Module 1 – Foundation Skills

  • A group unit of inquiry whereby students investigate a range of aspects involved with the use of the different software packages and the connection with a sustainable society. Students will practice foundation skills for IT, including importing, visualising, and analysing datasets, editing documents, and producing visual presentations.

Module 2 – Intermediate Skills

  • Students learn about the key issues affecting ICT and Networking in the 21st century

  • Students are required to investigate how gaming, identity theft, social networking and hacking influence ICT users.

  • Students will investigate challenges to using new technologies, including AI and the ethical impact on society

Module 3 - Programming Concepts

  • Use of coding to create minimalist programmes

  • Difference between variable types for example string, single and integer

  • Problem solving within coding lines

  • Problems and algorithms

  • Programming structures with application to robotics.

Module 4 – Creating Skills

  • Getting to know animations, 3D modelling and graphics editor software

  • Using drawing tools and techniques

  • Fusion 360 and 3D Printing project

  • Adobe Illustrator and Laser cutting project


Assessment

Several short practice tasks demonstrating skill development. These skill development tasks will be completed in class.

End of semester exam relating to functions and purpose of software and hardware.

Key Resource

Students need their school laptop