Making+the+link+to+learning+through+VELS


 * LEVEL 3 Simple Steps **


 * Domain **

//**Interdisciplinary learning **//

Students explore a range of aural, written and visual communication forms such as the Internet, film, texts and music which illustrate a variety of perspectives on a range of topics and ideas. They learn how to identify the main message, develop their own interpretation, and provide evidence to support it. They explore reasons for other interpretations not being the same as theirs and learn to respect the right of others to express opinions.
 * Communication **

Students investigate what products and simple technological systems can do, how they meet people’s needs, how they are used and/or work, what they look like and why they look the way they do.
 * Design, creativity and technology **

As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), they develop skills in using ICT for problem solving, expressing ideas, and presenting information to different audiences. Working in all areas of the curriculum, students explore a range of ICT tools (for example, basic editing tools such as word processing) and simple techniques for visualising thinking.
 * Information communication Technology **


 * LEVEL 4 Climbing The Ladder **


 * Domain **

//**Interdisciplinary learning **//

Students experience a variety of aural, written and visual communication forms in both formal and informal settings; for example electronic communication, performance and oral presentations. Students develop their skills in organising ideas and information logically and clearly to suit their purpose and the needs of their audience. For formal presentations they begin to select appropriate forms for sharing knowledge and influencing others; for example, adding sound to presentation software.
 * Communication **


 * Information Communication Technology for Creating **

As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), they apply known ICT tools for visualising thinking in new ways to make links between existing and new knowledge. At Level 4, students safely and independently use a range of skills, procedures, equipment and functions to process different data types and produce accurate and suitably formatted products to suit different purposes and audiences Students create and maintain an up-to-date, logically structured bank of digital evidence of their learning. They password protect and back up important files and use file naming conventions that allow easy retrieval. <span style="font-family: 'calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Students use design tools, such as layout diagrams, annotated drawings and storyboards, to document solutions and the layout of information products.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">LEVEL 5 Soring Like A Bird **


 * Domain **

//**<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Interdisciplinary learning **//


 * <span style="font-family: 'calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Design, creativity and technology **

Students continue to develop a variety of drawing and modelling techniques and computer assisted methods to visualise design ideas and concepts, and generate alternative options. After selecting and justifying the best design option, they develop a logically sequenced outline of the major stages of production and a list of materials/ingredients and/or systems components and quantities required.


 * <span style="font-family: 'calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Information Communication Technology for Creating **

As students work towards the achievement of Level 5 standards in Information and Communications Technology, they learn to use a variety of ICT tools and techniques to assist with filtering, classifying, representing, describing and organising ideas, concepts and issues. Students develop their knowledge about the characteristics of data by manipulating various data types, such as text, sound, numbers and images (still and moving), to create formatted information products; for example, essays and reports, animated slide shows, and websites, brochures and cartoons. Students develop and manage their digital bank of evidence, developing, for example, an electronic portfolio for a range of audiences, including teachers, parents and potential employers, and use this to demonstrate and monitor their learning progress in all areas of the curriculum.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Students increasingly focus on tasks that require creative thinking for understanding, synthesis and decision making. They develop creative thinking behaviours and strategies through flexible approaches; for example, considering alternative perspectives, suspending judgment, seeking new information and testing novel ideas. They evaluate alternative conclusions and perspectives using criteria developed individually and in collaboration with their peers. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Students reflect on their own learning, seeking to refine existing ideas and beliefs when provided with contradictory evidence. They develop their capacity to identify, monitor and evaluate the thinking skills and strategies they use. During their investigations and inquiries they use specific language to discuss their thinking and reflect on their thinking processes. They reflect on, modify and evaluate their thinking strategies.
 * Thinking Process **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">LEVEL 6 As Tall As A Mountain **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Domain **

//** Design, Creativity and Technology **//

Students are encouraged to document their design, production and evaluation activities in an electronic or manually-produced portfolio. They participate in and lead discussions on evaluating their own and other people's thinking in relation to creative and innovative products. Through creative processes, reflection and evaluation, they examine and acknowledge a range of perspectives, and consider the value of diverse opinions about design and technology.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Information and Communications Technology **

As students work towards the achievement of Level 6 standards in Information and Communications Technology, they use complex ICT tools and techniques to visually represent, model, reframe and refine their thinking to assist in developing new understanding. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Students use ICT techniques to make their information products accessible to a wide audience, taking into account special needs. For example, providing options to view a website in different font sizes assists visually impaired people, and transcripts of audio material assist the hearing impaired.

<span style="font-family: 'calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Students develop criteria to evaluate their own and others’ work and use them to assess quality and the extent to which the purpose is fulfilled. For example, students compare the quality of their website with a commercial one, taking into account the knowledge and skills typical of professional website designers. Students build on skills developed in previous levels to share ideas with the teacher and others through a range of electronic communication means such as email, contributing to forums, SMS messaging, and interacting with websites such as Wikipedia, which allow viewers to make modifications to the content. Students expand their skills in locating information on websites by using general and specialised directories.