At Niagara Park Public School, we place a high value on technology and are proud to offer a range of programs designed to motivate and engage students in the areas of ICT and Digital Technologies. Our school is well-resourced to support the integration of ICT across the curriculum as a general capability, as well as to enhance the Digital Technologies curriculum and STEM education.
Resources Supporting ICT Skills Acquisition:
- Computer lab available for class use
- Class sets of laptops for Stage 2 and 3 students
- Interactive Smartboards in every classroom
- iPads available in every classroom
- A variety of robotics, including Dash, Lego WeDo, and EV3 & Spike Prime
- Virtual Reality (VR) kits
- 3D printer and supporting technology
- Complete wireless coverage throughout the school
Digital Technologies skills are explicitly taught in weekly technology lessons for students from Kindergarten to Year 6. During these lessons, students explore a variety of platforms to develop computational thinking skills. They engage in problem-solving processes that utilise a set of skills and techniques for formulating problems and deriving solutions in a manner that a computer can execute.
Computational thinking is essential for understanding and creating technology, and it can be applied across various disciplines, not just in computer science. Key components of computational thinking include:
- Decomposition: Breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts.
- Pattern Recognition: Identifying trends or similarities in data to make predictions or better understand the problem.
- Abstraction: Focusing on essential details while ignoring irrelevant information to simplify the problem.
- Algorithm Design: Developing a step-by-step solution or set of rules to solve the problem.
Students engage in coding lessons using a variety of software platforms, including Scratch, Minecraft Edu, Code.org, MakeCode, and CoSpaces. They also utilise Lego robotics to design and code solutions to everyday problems. Additionally, we emphasise the importance of teaching digital literacy skills, such as developing a positive digital footprint, ensuring device safety (including the use of strong passphrases), and knowing when to speak to a trusted adult if students feel confused or overwhelmed by technology.
We believe that integrating computational thinking into our education helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential in today's digital age.