Computational thinking - Progress outcome 8
The progress outcome illustrations and exemplars show the breadth of students' expertise at that point on the learning progression for the digital technologies content in the Technology learning area.
About this resource
Three snapshots are provided for this progress outcome. In the first, Erana has been working on a project in her digital technologies class. In the second, Ravi’s digital technologies class has been learning about the use of data on the internet at home and school. In the third, Lily’s class has been working on a collaborative project that involves using a software engineering approach to design a game in Unity software.
Computational thinking: Progress outcome 8
Within authentic contexts and taking account of end-users, students evaluate concepts in digital technologies – for example, formal languages, network communication protocols, artificial intelligence, graphics and visual computing, big data, and social algorithms – in relation to how key mechanisms underpin them and how they are applied in different scenarios when developing real world applications.
Students understand accepted software engineering methodologies and user experience design processes and apply their key concepts to design, develop, document, and test complex computer programs.
Progress outcomes: Snapshots
The progress outcomes describe the significant learning steps that students take as they develop their expertise in designing and developing digital outcomes.
The purpose of the snapshots is to illustrate the sophistication of a student's conceptual understanding through insights into their thinking. Each snapshot comprises a brief description of the learning task and a few insights into what the student knows and can do as they work on the task.
The "insights" in the snapshots use student voice to surface their thinking and the sophistication of the actions they take as they apply their understanding to the components of the learning task.
The snapshots are not assessment tasks, and they don't fully describe students' responses to the kind of specialist, complex learning tasks that should form a typical digital technologies learning programme in years 11–13.
Ākonga investigated whether a computer algorithm can be biased. Their investigation included aspects such as “sample size disparity” and the effects on results of how algorithms treat outlying data.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Can algorithms be biased snapshot 7 (.pdf).
Ākonga posed the question, "Can a protocol ever reach 100 percent efficiency?" They tested different transport protocols and their efficiency in transferring data across a network within the context of Skype video calls and chat. Skype uses the protocols TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol).
See Materials that come with this resource to download Communicating online successfully snapshot 8 (.pdf).
Ākonga collaboratively developed a game. They investigated the Waterfall process and Agile methodology and chose to use the Agile Scrum process. This process emphasises teamwork.
See Materials that come with this resource to download An agile approach to game design snapshot 9 (.pdf).
If using this exemplar to inspire your planning, ākonga could conduct an in-depth exploration, comparison, and trial of Waterfall and Agile Scrum and Kanban frameworks within a relevant context, see Agile versus Waterfall (IBM) and What’s the difference? Agile vs Scrum vs Waterfall vs Kanban (smartsheet).
Mātauranga Māori
An authentic technology curriculum needs to ensure that context and implementation reflect the bicultural partnership of Aotearoa New Zealand. This may include the use of te reo Māori, respectful inclusion of pūrākau, and engagement with contexts that are relevant and authentic to the rohe.
Designing and developing digital outcomes is an important human endeavour aimed at solving problems and improving the lives of human beings. In considering any technological issue, we also need to consider mātauranga Māori. This can include an exploration of the relevant Māori values and principles, for example:
- Manaakitanga: the process of showing respect and care; reciprocity between people, living things, and places
- Auahatanga: innovation and creativity
- Whanaungatanga: a sense of relationship, connection, and belonging
- Kotahitanga: unity, solidarity, and collective action
- Kaitiakitanga: guardianship, stewardship for living things and resources.
If we include an exploration of the relevant Māori values and principles as we begin to research and develop solutions to the problems we are solving, it will allow these to be addressed in an authentic and meaningful way.
The exemplars and snapshots above would be strengthened through the inclusion of mātauranga Māori and the exploration of values and principles underlying the issue as a starting point is one way of doing this authentically.
Heading
Computational thinking - Progress outcome 1
The progress outcome illustrations and exemplars show the breadth of students' expertise at that point on the learning progression for the digital technologies content in the Technology learning area.
1 of 7Computational thinking - Progress outcome 2
The progress outcome illustrations and exemplars show the breadth of students' expertise at that point on the learning progression for the digital technologies content in the Technology learning area.
2 of 7Computational thinking - Progress outcome 3
The progress outcome illustrations and exemplars show the breadth of students' expertise at that point on the learning progression for the digital technologies content in the Technology learning area.
3 of 7Computational thinking - Progress outcome 4
The progress outcome illustrations and exemplars show the breadth of students' expertise at that point on the learning progression for the digital technologies content in the Technology learning area.
4 of 7Computational thinking - Progress outcome 5
The progress outcome illustrations and exemplars show the breadth of students' expertise at that point on the learning progression for the digital technologies content in the Technology learning area.
5 of 7Computational thinking - Progress outcome 6
The progress outcome illustrations and exemplars show the breadth of students' expertise at that point on the learning progression for the digital technologies content in the Technology learning area.
6 of 7Computational thinking - Progress outcome 7
The progress outcome illustrations and exemplars show the breadth of students' expertise at that point on the learning progression for the digital technologies content in the Technology learning area.
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