Integrating Information and Communication Technology into the Science Curriculum

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability supports and enhances student learning across all learning areas of the Curriculum.

Students develop and apply ICT knowledge, skills and appropriate social and ethical protocols and practices to investigate, create and communicate, as well as developing their ability to manage and operate ICT to meet their learning needs.

Learning areas provide the content and contexts within which students develop and apply the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that comprise the ICT capability.

ICT is represented in two ways in the Australian Curriculum: through the ICT Capability that applies across all learning areas and within the Technologies Curriculum through Digital Technologies. The ICT capability is addressed through the learning areas and must be identified wherever it is developed or applied in content descriptions. It is also identified where it offers opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. An icon indicates where ICT capability has been identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations. A filter

function on the Australian Curriculum website assists users to find where the ICT capability has been identified in F–10 curriculum content.

Teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate explicit teaching of the ICT capability depending on their choice of activities. Students

can also be encouraged to develop capability through personally relevant initiatives of their own design.

ICT as a Tool for Learning and Teaching

ICT is used appropriately when it is used to meet the learning and teaching goals. For schools in Australian it is the content descriptors stimulated in the Australian Curriculum. In particular where ICT is used to provide opportunities to deepen and enrich a student learning.

Go to the Australian Curriculum at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au

Choose F-10 Curriculum and sub menu “Science”

Choose “Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum” tag

Configure the filters to desired elements e.g. “Showing selected year levels” – Year 7; “Strands” – Science Inquiry Skills; “General

Capabilities” – ICT Capability; “Cross-curriculum priorities” – none. Click “Apply filters”.  

e.g. choosing the ICT General Capability filter. See below:

e.g. One of the Content Descriptor for the Sub Strand “Planning and Conducting” displayed stamped with relevant General Capabilities represented by icons. The laptop icon represents the ICT Capability.

Click on the ICT Capability icon. The new window displays the elements of the ICT Capability addressed i.e. Investigating with ICT and communicating with ICT.  

Now click on the hyperlink “ACSIS 125” i.e. Australian Curriculum Science Inquiry Skill 125. It shows the elaborations (types of activities) and how the ICT Capabilities can be used.  

Other Science links at http://australiancurriculum.blogspot.com.au/