Years 5 to 6
Technologies
ASTECTDIY56
Years 5 to 6 Digital Technologies Achievement Standard
6 statements aligned to content descriptors and elaborations
Achievement standard (as ACARA publishes it)
Achievement standard
Click any sentence to jump to its statement and linked content descriptors.
By the end of Year 6 students develop and modify digital solutions, and define problems and evaluate solutions using user stories and design criteria. They process data and show how digital systems represent data. Students design algorithms involving complex branching and iteration and implement them as visual programs including variables. They securely access and use multiple digital systems and describe their components and how they interact to process and transmit data. Students select and use appropriate digital tools effectively to plan, create, locate and share content, and to collaborate, applying agreed conventions and behaviours. They identify their digital footprint and recognise its permanence.
The 6 achievement standard statements
Open a statement to see the content descriptors ACARA links to it, then open a descriptor's elaborations.
By the end of Year 6 students develop and modify digital solutions, and define problems and evaluate solutions using user stories and design criteria.
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P01 Processes and production skills
define problems with given or co-developed design criteria and by creating user stories
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration using provided stimulus to identify an issue and writing a user story in groups, for example using a newspaper article to develop a user story, such as: a family in a bushfire or flood-prone environment needs a way to ensure they are prepared in case of an emergency
- Elaboration discussing possible design criteria based on a stimulus, for example the cost, sustainability and timeliness for a roadside bushfire or flood risk rating system
- Elaboration investigating the impact that feral animals have on native flora and fauna and how this problem has led to economic development opportunities for groups such as the Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P03 Processes and production skills
design a user interface for a digital system
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration designing a user interface on paper or using digital tools, for example drawing the designed layout of the landing page of an app to order lunches from the school canteen
- Elaboration designing a user interface to address an identified need, for example including customisable font size and colour contrast to help users who are visually impaired
- Elaboration modelling how user interfaces allow people from different cultures and language backgrounds to access information, for example using consistent symbols to represent common actions such as copy, paste and save
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P04 Processes and production skills
generate, modify, communicate and evaluate designs
Elaborations (2)
- Elaboration ideating a range of possible design ideas, discussing them and judging them against the design criteria and user stories, for example using the design criteria to put design ideas in order of preference in a group discussion
- Elaboration suggesting modifications to the preferred design idea if it does not satisfy all design criteria and user stories, for example modifying a game or game controller so that it can be used by a wider range of players
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P06 Processes and production skills
evaluate existing and student solutions against the design criteria and user stories and their broader community impact
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration evaluating the effectiveness of their own solutions to address the identified problem from the user stories, for example checking if the information created for the local interactive history walk is relevant and meets the council's needs
- Elaboration evaluating how an existing solution provides users with safety tools and features such as those described in the Safety by Design Vision for Young People, for example having a clearly visible button to easily report and block inappropriate behaviour in an app or on a website
- Elaboration reflecting on the many systems that are used in the wider community to address a range of problems, for example timetables to manage transport and other services through to details such as storing licence information so that police can enforce road rules
- Elaboration verifying the correctness of AI-generated content against information known to be factually accurate; for example, comparing the output from a generative text model providing a biography of a local leader with the data published on their official website or other authoritative source
They process data and show how digital systems represent data.
Content descriptorAC9TDI6K03 Knowledge and understanding
explain how digital systems represent all data using numbers
Elaborations (2)
- Elaboration representing data using whole numbers and recognising this is how digital systems represent data, for example converting letters in a message to numbers using their position in the alphabet
- Elaboration explaining how the data type used to represent data changes the operations that can be performed on it, for example adding numbers performs addition whereas adding strings joins them
Content descriptorAC9TDI6K04 Knowledge and understanding
explore how data can be represented by off and on states (zeros and ones in binary)
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration making collaboratively a long thread with beads representing binary for the letters that spell the Country/Place name in the local First Nations language and English, and could be displayed as a ‘binary banner’ as an Acknowledgement of Country that we are on the Traditional Lands of the <insert name> Peoples
- Elaboration demonstrating that an on/off state in a circuit can represent the digits one and zero, and this is how digital systems represent data
- Elaboration recognising how the answer to a yes/no question can be represented using on/off states, for example switching a light on or off in a circuit or a long or short dash (beep) in Morse code
Students design algorithms involving complex branching and iteration and implement them as visual programs including variables.
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P02 Processes and production skills
design algorithms involving multiple alternatives (branching) and iteration
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration designing an algorithm or understanding and modifying an existing algorithm to fix an error or change functionality, for example exploring issues in drought-prone areas to decide when to water a garden, taking into account humidity as well as soil moisture level
- Elaboration creating the steps, decisions and loops in algorithms and knowing what step they are up to, for example repeating the steps to add 2 digits for each column in multi-digit addition, knowing which column they are adding and when to stop
- Elaboration constructing more than one sequence of steps that solve the same problem and explaining why one is better than the other, for example specifying the exact route through a maze versus using the right-hand rule that works for all mazes
- Elaboration modelling a decision that has more than 2 options to select the next step, for example selecting transport IF distance is less than 2 km THEN walk, ELSE IF the distance is less than 5 km THEN ride a bike, ELSE catch the bus
- Elaboration planning algorithms that repeat until a condition is met, for example keep mixing UNTIL the ingredients are combined or subtracting a number UNTIL the result reaches zero
- Elaboration designing an algorithm including branching and iteration which responds to data, for example how First Nations Australian rangers use structured procedures to respond to live tracking data that indicates feral buffalo are approaching an environmentally or culturally significant site
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P05 Processes and production skills
implement algorithms as visual programs involving control structures, variables and input
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration writing and editing programs to solve problems using branching, iteration and variables in a visual programming environment, for example writing a program to draw a rotated shape a given number of times using Turtle Graphics
- Elaboration writing programs that take input from the user or environment and storing that input in a variable for later use, for example asking the user how many shapes to draw in a circle and using that to calculate the number of iterations and angle to rotate each time
- Elaboration writing programs that make decisions involving multiple alternatives, for example an interactive quiz that checks if the answer is correct, gives feedback and updates the score, or gives a final grade based on the score
- Elaboration writing programs that repeat multiple steps based on the user's input, for example repeatedly drawing a shape a given number of times, shifting the position between each iteration
- Elaboration stating the expected behaviour of a program, running the program to check it is correct and fixing any errors, for example 'when I press the left arrow key, the cat should move left, finding the cat moves right, and fixing it by changing the 10 to -10 to alter the direction'
- Elaboration programming digital systems to perform automated tasks, such as closing gates, for example simulating the work of First Nations Australian rangers attempting to lure and capture feral animals
They securely access and use multiple digital systems and describe their components and how they interact to process and transmit data.
Content descriptorAC9TDI6K01 Knowledge and understanding
investigate the main internal components of common digital systems and their function
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration explaining how digital systems are made up of parts that perform specific functions, for example the processor controls the tablet, performs calculations and manipulates data
- Elaboration exploring how the central processing unit (CPU), memory and input/output components work together to perform a simple calculation
- Elaboration investigating the main components in a video conferencing system and their functions, for example a telehealth system used to access ultrasound and other imagery services by communities in areas classified as remote such as those of some First Nations Australians
Content descriptorAC9TDI6K02 Knowledge and understanding
examine how digital systems form networks to transmit data
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration explaining how separate systems can be connected in different ways to exchange data, for example how a laptop can be connected to a network via a cable or radio waves
- Elaboration describing the way data is structured and transmitted through a network, for example broken up into packets (small pieces) and passed from the source, through multiple devices, to the destination
- Elaboration investigating the use of satellite phones where mobile phone networks are not available, inaccessible or unreliable, for example many homeland communities of Arnhem Land have limited access to mainstream communication networks
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P09 Processes and production skills
access multiple personal accounts using unique passphrases and explain the risks of password re-use
Elaborations (2)
- Elaboration using multiple accounts, each with different passphrases, to access each website or app used for school and home, for example having a different username and password combination for school, gaming and music accounts
- Elaboration explaining why re-using a password is risky when one of them is found out, for example how a compromised password from one social media account might be able to be used to access their bank or school account if the password is the same and other details are also compromised
Students select and use appropriate digital tools effectively to plan, create, locate and share content, and to collaborate, applying agreed conventions and behaviours.
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P07 Processes and production skills
select and use appropriate digital tools effectively to create, locate and communicate content, applying common conventions
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration creating achievable steps and timeframes and identifying digital tools needed to produce a solution to a given problem, for example planning what they need to do to create a report on the effectiveness of the school's recycling initiatives
- Elaboration locating content through search engines and in documents by revising queries and using required search terms, for example reviewing search results and modifying search terms to make the query more accurate
- Elaboration creating appropriate content that reflects planning as well as new external factors, for example uploading a draft of a report on a local government issue to the teacher for feedback as part of an iterative process
- Elaboration creating content for a school celebration, for example designing a collaborative spreadsheet that can be used by a small group to plan and cost their graduation party, together with a folder of tagged resources which support the planning
- Elaboration judging the tone and appropriateness for the intended audience of text generated using autocomplete; for example, deciding that the predictive text was too formal for a conversation with a friend and rewriting it in more casual language
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P08 Processes and production skills
select and use appropriate digital tools effectively to share content online, plan tasks and collaborate on projects, demonstrating agreed behaviours
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration following a previously created plan to report back to the class on a given problem, using digital tools, for example small groups reporting on the best location for a new skate park in the local government area
- Elaboration defining and acting collectively using online community standards and valuing the work of others, for example moderating language and behaviour in an online class forum, not deleting the work of collaborators, and respecting others’ intellectual property
- Elaboration naming, organising and storing files in a way that allows for easy retrieval of shared content, for example labelling the main folders by topic, such as school garden project, and then creating sub-folders for each section of the project, such as 'plans', 'designs' and 'implementation'
- Elaboration demonstrating agreed behaviours; following cultural protocols, including relevant permissions and attributions; acknowledging diversity, capability and strength; and addressing risks and responsibilities such as privacy, security, and accuracy of data; for example when sharing images of First Nations Australians' cultural artefacts
- Elaboration using a range of communication tools to share ideas and information with stakeholders, for example presenting content for a school celebration such as a graduation celebration with the parents and citizens association or school executive in an online forum
They identify their digital footprint and recognise its permanence.
Content descriptorAC9TDI6P10 Processes and production skills
explain the creation and permanence of their digital footprint and consider privacy when collecting user data
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration describing scenarios where data, images or both that have been posted online can lead to information being resurfaced at a later date, for example how a comment made on a social media post or video associates a person with both their comment and the content
- Elaboration explaining why collecting the smallest amount of data needed for a purpose is important to protect someone's privacy, for example how choosing not to collect information about someone's birthdate when it is not necessary ensures that private data cannot be stolen in a cyber attack
- Elaboration understanding the implications of how personal data can be used to train generative AI models; for example, sharing personal information increases the likelihood that private information is revealed through AI outputs now and in the future
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Years 5 to 6 Digital Technologies. Use it to plan teaching and assessment with the Australian Curriculum v9.
At a Glance
| Strand | Substrand | CDs | Elaborations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and understanding | Digital systems | 2 | 6 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Data representation | 2 | 5 |
| Processes and production skills | Investigating and defining | 1 | 3 |
| Processes and production skills | Generating and designing | 3 | 11 |
| Processes and production skills | Producing and implementing | 1 | 6 |
| Processes and production skills | Evaluating | 1 | 4 |
| Processes and production skills | Collaborating and managing | 2 | 10 |
| Processes and production skills | Privacy and security | 2 | 5 |
| Total | 14 | 50 | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should students know by the end of Years 5 to 6 Digital Technologies?
By the end of Year 6 students develop and modify digital solutions, and define problems and evaluate solutions using user stories and design criteria. They process data and show how digital systems represent data. Read the full standard
How many Content Descriptors support this standard?
14 Content Descriptors support this Achievement Standard (Knowledge and understanding: 4, Processes and production skills: 10).
How does this compare to Years 3 to 4?
The Years 3 to 4 Digital Technologies standard (ASTECTDIY34) covers the preceding curriculum level. Standards build progressively, with Years 5 to 6 expectations extending what was introduced in Years 3 to 4.
Is this from the latest Australian Curriculum?
Yes, this Achievement Standard is from the Australian Curriculum version 9.0 (AC v9), the most current version published by ACARA.