What's Happening in Digital Technology?

On Thursday 24th August, a group of ten Year 9 and 10 students embarked on a journey to Latrobe Campus Bundoora, immersing themselves in a captivating Cybersecurity and ICT experience day.

Throughout the day, students participated in a series of interactive activities, including a code-breaking escape room-style challenge. They delved into the intricacies of App development and deepened their understanding of cybersecurity. Engaging in discussions with recent graduate students helped shed light on diverse career paths stemming from IT-related degrees.

This experience provided a tangible glimpse into university life, offering these students a chance to explore the campus environment and gain insights into pursuing an ICT-related degree. Amidst the engaging activities, the group also found time to explore potential on-campus accommodation options and eagerly inquire about the life of a university student. 

Currently, Year 11 Applied Computing students find themselves at the midway point of Unit 2, having recently wrapped up their assessment on Innovative Solutions. Within each small group of 2-3 students, a fascinating task awaited: devising and presenting ground breaking technological creations aimed at solving tangible real-world predicaments.

This year's cohort witnessed the fruition of various prototypes and proof-of-concept models, showcasing glimpses of their product's capabilities. The array of challenges undertaken by these groups was impressive, ranging from enhancing accessibility for the elderly through Robotics, addressing sustainability concerns and eWaste by introducing a self-flipping phone case engineered to shield screens from drops, to crafting user-friendly solutions such as a kiosk facilitating access to student timetables.

Additionally, the students delved into the realm of devising devices intended for tasks like streamlining attendance tracking through student sign-in/out mechanisms or even employing drones for window-cleaning purposes.

Presently, the Year 12 students are fully engrossed in the culmination of their individual software solutions, a pivotal component of their major folio project. In this undertaking, each student embarked on a journey to secure a client, subsequently crafting and executing a bespoke software application tailored to the client's needs. Alongside this technical endeavour, the students diligently maintained progress journals, foreseeing time allocations for distinct phases of the task, and culminating with a reflective evaluation of the ultimate product achieved.

Noteworthy examples from this year's spectrum of projects encompass an innovative vinyl record tracking system, an engaging language-learning assistance game, a meticulous Lego kit tracking tool, an adept Human Resources organizational software, and an intuitive clothing outfit coordination platform.

Adam Fox

Digital Technology Teacher