Food Agriculture Context

The Food / Agriculture unit of Technology aims to teach students about the benefits of healthy eating, food waste prevention, and the vital role we can play in protecting our planet to create a sustainable future. Students learn how to prepare and cook nutritious food and create recipes that focus on minimising food waste. The Agricultural component of the course involves students learning about the processes involved in food production when developing garden beds for growing herbs and/or vegetables. Students combine their knowledge of the Food and Agriculture areas to produce a recipe that uses individually grown produce, principles of healthy eating and food waste. The skills and knowledge gained in this unit are hoped to create change in attitudes and equip students with the skills to prepare and cook their own healthy foods.

Digital Technologies

The Digital Technologies Robotics and Coding course encourages students to develop an empowered attitude towards digital technologies, to use algorithms and abstractions to represent and deconstruct real-world problems, and implement and evaluate digital solutions. Students have the opportunity to become innovative creators of digital technologies in addition to effective users of digital systems and critical consumers of the information they convey. Students are provided with opportunities to develop fluency in a general-purpose programming language and use these skills to solve information problems and to automate repetitive tasks. Using the EV3 Lego Mindstorm Robotics kits, MicoBits, Scratch and Minecraft; students demonstrated knowledge and understanding of algorithmic and computational thinking.

Engineered Systems

The Engineered Systems context focuses on how force, motion and energy can be used in systems, machines, and structures. Knowledge of these principles and systems enables the design and production of a rubber band racer. Students work collaboratively to design, test and produce their own design. Opportunities to experiment and develop prototypes and test solutions are provided for throughout the project. The unit culminates with a race competition against peers and a final evaluation of performance.

Students additionally, experience the use of tools, materials and manufacturing processes in wood and metalwork. Students develop knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and properties of a range of materials. Skills in planning and communicating design ideas, as well as using a range of techniques, tools and equipment in the production of a design solution are developed.

Materials Technologies

The Material Technologies course focuses on the application of specialist skills and techniques using a range of traditional, contemporary and advancing materials. Students develop knowledge and understanding through research, experimentation, and practical investigation. Projects are based on producing products using computer aided technologies and textiles related equipment. Students produced an individually designed 3D stamp, which is used to create an original fabric design and through the use of tools, processes and techniques construct the fabric into a textile item.