Technologies · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Information Architecture: Organizing Content

Active learning works for organizing content because students need to experience the consequences of design choices firsthand. When they test menus, sketch sitemaps, and role-play navigation paths, they see how structure affects real users, not just abstract rules.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9TDI6P05

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Website Navigation Critique

Pairs examine two websites on tablets, one well-organized and one cluttered. They list pros and cons of each navigation structure, then share with the class. Conclude with a whole-class vote on most user-friendly features.

Analyze how content organization impacts user navigation.

Facilitation Tip

For the Think-Pair-Share critique, assign each pair a different real website so they compare structures rather than duplicate ideas.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple website wireframe showing only content blocks. Ask them to draw in a navigation menu and label at least three pages. Then, ask: 'Which page would a user visit first to find information about X?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Concept Mapping
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Sitemap Sketch Challenge

Groups brainstorm content for a fictional pet care app, then draw a hierarchical sitemap on paper. They label main categories, subpages, and links. Present and get peer feedback on clarity.

Design a simple site map or navigation flow for a website.

Facilitation Tip

During the Sitemap Sketch Challenge, provide large paper and colored markers to encourage spatial thinking and group collaboration.

What to look for

Show students screenshots of two different online stores. Ask them to identify one similarity and one difference in how the products are organized. 'How does this organization help or hinder a shopper?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Concept Mapping
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Navigation Flow Prototyping

Pairs use paper and markers to create a flowchart for a school events site. Test by role-playing users following the flow. Revise based on where peers get stuck.

Evaluate the effectiveness of different information structures.

Facilitation Tip

In the Navigation Flow Prototyping activity, give pairs a fixed list of tasks to test so they focus on user paths instead of creative distractions.

What to look for

Students sketch a sitemap for a fictional school event website. They swap sitemaps with a partner. The partner checks: 'Is the homepage clearly the top level? Are related pages grouped logically? Is there a clear path to find event details?' Partners provide one suggestion for improvement.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Concept Mapping
• 20 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Usability Walkthrough

Project a sample site map. Class calls out navigation paths aloud for tasks like 'find homework.' Discuss improvements as a group, noting bottlenecks.

Analyze how content organization impacts user navigation.

Facilitation Tip

For the Usability Walkthrough, ask students to simulate a specific user role, like a new student or a game fan, to highlight perspective-taking in design.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple website wireframe showing only content blocks. Ask them to draw in a navigation menu and label at least three pages. Then, ask: 'Which page would a user visit first to find information about X?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this by framing information architecture as a problem-solving skill, not a set of rules. Use real-world examples students already know, then ask them to analyze why those designs work or fail. Avoid lecturing on terms like ‘breadcrumbs’ or ‘sitemaps’ upfront—instead, let students discover these ideas organically as they test and revise their own structures. Research shows that students grasp design concepts faster when they see immediate consequences of their choices, so prioritize hands-on testing over abstract explanations.

Students show success when they explain why one layout works better than another, connect user needs to design decisions, and revise their work based on feedback. They move from noticing problems to proposing solutions with clear reasoning.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Think-Pair-Share Website Navigation Critique, watch for students who assume all websites need identical menus.

  Have pairs compare two different sites (e.g., a news site and a game app) and explain how each menu fits its purpose, using sticky notes to label purpose and audience.

• During Small Groups Sitemap Sketch Challenge, watch for students who add more links to make navigation ‘better’.

  Challenge groups to count clicks needed for a task and remove links that don’t serve a clear purpose, then explain their choices in a gallery walk.

• During Pairs Navigation Flow Prototyping, watch for students who assume users will always know the right search terms.

  Ask pairs to role-play a novice user searching for a specific item, then revise their labels based on mismatches they observe.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share
• Concept Mapping