How technology is changing the way we learn

Children are exposed to the technological world the day they are born. The iPhones or tablets that take their first photos, the laptops used to upload these photos to the world of social media and all the mobile devices that share these photos around the world, children in today’s society grow up embracing digital technology.

It’s no wonder that the Australian curriculum has introduced the digital technology curriculum in September 2015, which is mandatory from Foundation (previously kindergarten) to year 8 throughout Australia.

The Digital Curriculum has 2 compulsory subjects:

• Design and Technologies: Students critically analyse and respond to design challenges. This program enables students to become creative and responsive designers.
• Digital Technologies: This program provides knowledge and understanding of digital systems. Students will gain practical opportunities to be creative innovators for digital solutions and use design thinking to be innovative developers.

The digital technology curriculum aims to develop students to connect and communicate with their peers from a young age in the technological world. 

Although the digital world is upon us, there are still a large number of Australian students who have limited access to technology. This includes those living in rural or remote Australia, disadvantaged and indigenous students.

As a strategy to close this “digital divide”, the Turnbull government has allocated $6.9 million to improve digital technologies training for teachers.

The Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, announced that this funding will also provide access to an online course by the University of Adelaide for teachers and some of the most disadvantaged Australians to equip them with skills and confidence to use the new technologies available. This funding will allow the University of Adelaide to help teachers implement digital technologies in their teaching.

“The Turnbull Government is tackling the ‘digital divide’ to ensure that all Australians are exposed to the technologies of tomorrow, no matter where they live, no matter their background or the school they go to,” Minister Simon Birmingham

The government has also been promoting massive open online courses to train and encourage teachers to use the latest technologies and develop fundamental skills and knowledge with regards to the new technology curriculum.

Whilst social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is like a second language for today’s younger generation, however it doesn't indicate that they are competent in using the information and communication technologies.

The government’s funding will prepare and help students embrace these new technologies to prepare them for the future careers. 

Being brought up in a typical Chinese family in Australia, Vivian takes pride as an ABC (Australia-born Chinese) where she happily embraces both the Chinese and Australian cultures. 

In high school, Vivian wanted to become a fashion designer, however she has developed a passion for running events after working backstage for multiple live shows. Prior to starting at Akolade, Vivian worked 4 years in the wine industry and she misses the wine tasting sessions and openly drinking on the job. As the Marketing Coordinator, Vivian enjoys using her creativity to design unique and fun campaigns for each event. In her spare time, Vivian loves to spend time with her two adorable cat and dog.