Opportunities for Digital Technologies

Creative technologies we bring together the creative arts, design, digital media, computing, engineering and entrepreneurship in one project-based learning environment.
-AUT Colab

Creative technology is a broadly interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary field combining computing, design, art and the humanities. 

- wikipedia

I have looked at this in the way of outcomes first. What could be some opportunities to develop skills? While this is not normally how I operate, it has provided a number of opportunities and where they may fit under different themes.

Laser cutting using illustrator to create a recycled bag? 3D printing using tinkercad to develop new opportunities for recycling at the school? Developing new T-shirt’s using e-textiles to show the temperature of the user or new disco outfit for a school dance? Designing art using robotics to incorporate cultural patterns. Using computational thinking and csunplugged to develop runtime length encoding art pieces on school walls. Developing new Bluetooth speakers using 3dprinting and electronics using shapes from the world around them. Using vinyl cutter to develop new stickers based upon a person responses to a questionnaire for stickers to go on their laptop showing there learning style, https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

Being able to create a draw graphic novels through the likes of illustrator and photoshop, or bring cartoon characters to live to tell stories through the adobe apps.

Developing a whole branded campaign for an item that they have developed and created as part of a project, recently I saw the ideas of the Christchurch Container Mall done in miniature with shops outfitted through laser cutting and art, which makes a theme-based project showing students passions and interests in marketing through Digital Technologies as a way to engage students.

When doing some research around this and what it could look like, it is the themes or topics that keep coming up. The themes do make sense in the thinking and I wonder if these are ones that come up across the entire Year 9 curriculum, and not just a Year 9 Creative Technologies programme.
Students will be designing, creating and innovating in a range of contexts.

Topics for 2019 could include:
diversity and cultural appropriation
street art and councils

media studies
upcycling and zero waste

This course will highlight the Creativity and Character deep learning competencies. It's curriculum focus will the Social Studies and English learning areas.

I am interested in what these look like, in the ways of rubrics or descriptors of these competencies.

What are the ideas that then can be taken through to the higher levels around blended or integrated or will it be separate strands of learning?

I think the creative technologies section is a really good blend of the technology curriculum. However, here is the issue that I see, we have many names for subjects, courses, programmes of learning. Something that we are just beginning to see again and again as new curriculum content is added into schools.

Look at what DTTA was before, it was a blend of NZACDITT. I realise we are in a better space and place, and that one of the considerations of the Strengthing DIgital Technologies work was 

A comment on the name of the Learning Area

42 Given the substantial changes to the Learning Area, the Curriculum Advisory Group strongly recommends the name of the Technology Learning Area in the New Zealand Curriculum be

updated to reflect the significant role the digital plays, as both 2 of 5 technological areas as well as underpinning the other 3, and the other elements of the curriculum. The Curriculum Advisory

Group did not consider that such a change was necessary in Māori -medium where Hangarau was regarded as capturing the full essence of the learning area.

The name change in the New Zealand Curriculum is intended to:

a)  More accurately represent the updated Learning Area

b)  Send a clear signal that this is a major transformational change to this area, not just minor reorganisation of a learning area

c)  address concerns about the low status of “Technology” in secondary schools in particular

– a status that puts pressure on time being made available for the delivery of the Digital Technologies technological areas.

d)  reflect a similar form of naming in other curriculum areas – for example, Mathematics and Statistics, Health and Physical Education.

e)  Ensure Digital Technologies is seen as part of a curriculum area in its own right with its own content, understandings and capabilities, and not just a pedagogical vehicle/tool for delivering the whole curriculum.

43 The Curriculum Advisory Group recommends that the new name incorporates the word “Digital” and suggests Digital and Materials Technology as one possibility.

However, the ministry came back with:

We acknowledge the Curriculum Advisory Group's view that changing the name of the learning area can help raise the status of the learning area, and send a clear signal regarding the significance of the change. However, we note the possible name suggested by the Curriculum Advisory Group (Digital and Material Technologies).

However, we note the possible name suggested by the Curriculum Advisory Group (‘Digital and Material Technologies’) may not be viewed as inclusive to all, in particular those working in ‘Digital Visual Communications’ and ‘Processed Technologies’.

When ERO comes to the school and asks about the Digital Technologies Programme, what is the SLT going to talk about, as it is different terminology and understanding, while it is blended or integrated into the learning, are there going to be the parts that they can talk about confidently, the Progress Outcomes and how they are being reported?