Digital Technologies Skills
Using the right software when creating digital outcomes is important because it ensures that the final product is functional, efficient, and meets the specific needs of the project.
The software chosen can affect everything from the design and layout to the overall user experience. Using the wrong software can lead to problems such as compatibility issues, slow performance, and difficulty in making changes or updates.
Choosing the right software can also help streamline the workflow and make the development process more efficient. Overall, using the right software is essential for creating high-quality and successful digital outcomes.
Touch Typing
Join our group www.ratatype.com/groups/8741209/
Programming
Suitable for up to Year 10
Scratch
Development Environments that can be accessed for free and used all the way to Year 13
Repl.it
Visual Studio
Jetbrains
Eclipse
Scratch
Python
C# for Unity
Flask
Git
Electronics
Electronics is the study of electricity (the flow of electrons) and how to use that to build things like computers. It uses circuits that are made with parts called components and connecting wires to do useful things. ... and convert them into electric current and voltage signals. - https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics
Electronic concepts
These are the concepts that help us understand how electronics work
Electronic Skills
These are the skills needed to make electronic products.
Computer Graphics
Computer graphics are the methods for digitally making and manipulating visual content.
For image manipulation GIMP is free and opensource while Photoshop is propriety software however you can get a cheap home license through school. These are both raster image manipulation software.
Inkscape is a free and opensource vector graphics program which is used for making 2D pictures and for lasercutting.
Blender is a 3D creation software used for animation and 3D model design. Blender should not be used for manufacturing (3D printing).
Gimp
Photoshop
Inkscape
Blender
Access for free
Inkscape
Gimp
Piskel
Paid
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
video Game Design
Video game design is the process of combing art, programming to design the gameplay, environment, storyline, and characters in an interactive medium. At Burnside students are often introduced to Game Design in year 10 digital technology with construct 2, and can progress at year 11 to 13 to Unity within the Digital Technology curriculum.
With a video game design outcome, programming can be assessed however ensuring authenticity of student work has become hard with the number of online tutorials. Focusing on the game design environment and creating an enjoyable experience rather than programming, image creation, sound assets etc.
Access for free and mainly suitable for Junior level
Scratch
GDevelop
Access for free and suitable all the way to Year 13
Godot
Unity - has become a lot harder to use
GDevelop
Open Source 2D development environment
Construct 2
Construct 2 support has now been discontinued
Godot
Unity 3D
Ren'py
An opensource visual novel game engine
Game Jam Theme Generator
3D Modelling & Animation
3D modeling is used in a wide range of technical areas including design and manufacture.
Tinkercad is a basic 3D modeling software designed to make the process as simple as possible. Though it is an easy software to use for more serious projects it is suggested for you to learn Fusion 360 as it has a lot more tools and can design complicated shapes.
Access for free
Blender - awesome for all year levels
Akeytsu
Paid
Adobe 3d Animation Suite
Maya
https://all3dp.com/1/best-20-3d-animation-software/
https://www.cgspectrum.com/blog/what-is-the-best-2d-animation-software
3D Design for manufacture
3D modeling is used in a wide range of technical areas including design and manufacture.
Tinkercad is a basic 3D modeling software designed to make the process as simple as possible. Though it is an easy software to use for more serious projects it is suggested for you to learn Fusion 360 as it has a lot more tools and can design complicated shapes.
This software is suitable for 3D printing, lasercutting, CNC machining and milling.
Can be accessed for free and used all the way to Year 13
Fusion 360 - Industry Standard. Students sign up for a free educational license and renew each year. Lots of scope, including running simulations to validate designs
Tinkercad - would have to do a lot more than dragging and dropping pre-made assets for Level 2 & 3
FreeCad
When beginning you could use Inkscape to introduce this area if using a laser cutter. It would be suitable to use to Level 1 for Design for Manufacture but students at Level 2 & 3 should be using software like Fusion.
Tinkercad
Fusion 360
3D Printing and laser cutting
3D Printer
Hubs: What is 3D Printing?
Autodesk: 3D Printing
Currently, we have 3 types of 3D Printers in Digital Technologies. Two Ultimakers - Ultimaker 2 and Ultimaker 2 Extended - as well as two Anycubic I3 Mega in the Electronics room.
These have there own setup that can be adjusted via the Ultimaker Cura program. See How to Use Cura for Beginners to show you how to set it up.
Here are nine ways to remove a 3D print stuck on the bed.
Laser Cutter
This website demonstrate how to create a Fusion 360 model that we export as a DXF file. We just use a different for the laser cutter.
Audio Visual
Audio visual software is related to the creation of:
Audio content like podcasts and songs.
Visual content like films, videos, YouTube, television, and web content.
Audacity is a free and open source audio software.
Premier pro is the leading video creation software used the world over from film, TV and, the web . It is propriety software however you can get a cheap home license through school.
Piskel is an online pixel drawing software capable of making animated GIFs
Premier Pro
Audacity
Piskel
OBS
Beep Box
A free web UI that can make 8/16 bit style music
JSFXR
A free web UI that makes 8/16 bit interaction style noisesaudio Editing
Video Editing
Access for free
Open Shot - excellent for teaching the basics and suitable more at the junior end
Da Vinci Resolve
Apple Final Cut Pro - Free with iOS
Paid
Premier Pro
https://au.pcmag.com/video-editing/47051/the-best-video-editing-software
Website Creation
Development Environments that can be accessed for free and used all the way to Year 13
Repl.it
Visual Studio
https://www.simplilearn.com/top-web-development-ides-and-career-tips-article
Website Builder Options
Note: if you use these then they are to house other digital content that has been created by the student i.e. imagery, videos, animations etc. These are not suitable as a digital outcome alone for NCEA DT Assessment at L1,2 or 3.
Squarespace
Wix
Wordpress
W3 Schools
Data Management
Google Sheets
Sketching and Rendering