Technology in the Classroom

Active learning helps students grasp how technology reshapes our world by letting them experience change firsthand. For this topic, simulations and visuals make abstract ideas about transport speed and innovation tangible and memorable.

• Year 2
• HASS
• 3 activities
• 30 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify different types of technology used for learning and communication in their classroom.
2. Explain how specific classroom technologies assist teachers in delivering lessons.
3. Compare how learning activities would differ with and without digital technologies.
4. Predict future classroom technologies based on current trends.

Simulation Game

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Great Race

On a map of Australia, students 'race' from Perth to Sydney. One group 'walks' (moving 1cm per turn), one 'rides a horse' (5cm), and one 'flies' (the whole way in one turn). They discuss how speed changes our connection to other places.

Prepare & details

How does technology help you and your teacher learn and teach in the classroom?

Facilitation Tip: During The Great Race, have students record the time taken for each ‘transport method’ to travel a set distance so they can directly compare speeds.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Gallery Walk

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Transport Through Time

Set up images of a bullock wagon, a steam train, an early Holden car, and a modern electric bus. Students rotate in pairs, identifying what 'powers' each vehicle (muscles, coal, petrol, or battery).

Prepare & details

How would learning at school be different if there were no digital technologies to use?

Facilitation Tip: For the Gallery Walk, place images chronologically and ask students to note one observation about technology use in each time period on sticky notes.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Future Transport

In small groups, students are given a 'future problem' (e.g., too much traffic, need to protect the air). They design a transport machine for the year 2050 and present its features to the class.

Prepare & details

What new types of technology do you think might be in classrooms ten years from now?

Facilitation Tip: When leading the Collaborative Investigation, assign each group a different future transport idea to research and present, ensuring varied perspectives are shared.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by grounding discussions in local examples and student experiences. Avoid overwhelming students with too many technologies at once, instead focusing on a few key examples across time periods. Research shows that pairing historical images with hands-on activities strengthens understanding of technological change.

What to Expect

Students will articulate how technology changes human movement and explain the impact on daily life. They will compare past and present transport methods and imagine future possibilities with confidence.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During The Great Race, watch for students assuming walking was the only way people traveled in the past. Redirect by asking them to consider how long it would take to walk from Sydney to Melbourne compared to riding a horse.

What to Teach Instead

During the Gallery Walk, have students locate First Nations Songlines or early settler maps in the images, prompting them to discuss the long distances humans have always traveled.

Common Misconception

During the Collaborative Investigation, expect students to assume cars have always been the primary transport. Redirect by asking them to examine photos of 1900s streets and identify the variety of transport methods present.

What to Teach Instead

During the Gallery Walk, include a photo of a 1900s street scene with horses, carts, and early cars. Ask students to compare the number of each type and discuss why cars eventually became dominant.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After The Great Race, ask students to draw and label three different transport technologies they used in the simulation. Have them write one sentence for each explaining how speed or efficiency changed compared to walking.

Discussion Prompt

During the Gallery Walk, pose the question: ‘What are two things you would miss doing for learning if our classroom had no computers or smartboards, and why?’ Facilitate a class discussion, noting student responses.

Exit Ticket

After the Collaborative Investigation, provide students with a slip of paper. Ask them to write down one technology they think will be common in classrooms in ten years and one reason why, based on their group’s research.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to design a poster showing a timeline of transport innovations from their local area, including interviews with family members about past transport used.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide sentence starters or a word bank during the Gallery Walk to help them describe technology changes clearly.
• Deeper exploration: Invite a local historian or transport museum educator to share artifacts or stories about how transport evolved in your community.

Key Vocabulary

Interactive Whiteboard	A large display screen that responds to touch, allowing teachers and students to interact with digital content during lessons.
Tablet	A portable computer with a touchscreen display, used for accessing educational apps, research, and digital assignments.
Learning Management System (LMS)	An online platform used by schools for sharing resources, submitting work, and communicating between teachers, students, and parents.
Digital Camera	A device used to capture images and videos, often used for documenting projects, science experiments, or creative work.