Design and Technology
200 hours
Rationale
Design and Technology provides broad experience in a range of contexts and builds on the know-how and know-why developed in Science and Technology K-6 and the foundation Technology (Mandatory) course. The design and development of quality projects gives students the opportunity to identify problems and opportunities, research and investigate existing solutions, analyse data and information, generate, justify and evaluate ideas, and experiment with technologies to manage and produce design projects. The diversity of approaches to design projects provides the scope to develop high order thinking and understanding of conceptual principles.
Content
Design and Technology involves designing, producing and evaluating quality designed solutions. Students engage in a range of practical activities during the development of a design project. For every design project, students will study and apply the following processes:
Design Project
Designed Solution and Documentation
⇧
Focus Areas of Design
⇩
Core Content Areas
A Holistic Approach Design Processes Activity of Designers
Design Project
In each unit of work, the design project is the main component. The nature of practical activities will be determined by the type of focus area selected. Documentation of student work in the form of a folio is used as a tool for student learning. The documentation provides the student with a means of recording all aspects of the design process used and the reasons for the decisions made as well as any relevant case studies.
Focus Areas of Design
The focus areas of design provide meaningful contexts for design project work and supports the development of knowledge and understanding of the various stages in the approach to designing, producing and evaluating. Students will engage in the study of a minimum of three context areas for a 200-hour course.
The context areas of design may include:
Agricultural
Engineered Systems
Information, Communication Technologies
Digital Technologies
Food Technologies
Material Technologies
The classroom teacher will select a project type from the above list that utilises the current technologies available and that is suitable to students’ needs and interests.
Core Content Areas
Core theory content is divided into three areas that will be addressed in each unit, throughout the 200-hour course. Design theory, environmental considerations and the activities of designers will help students to relate their own design concepts and made informed decisions.
Assessment
This is based on the following criteria:
Research
Written Report or Folio
Oral Reporting
Visual or Graphical Communication (Drawings)
Assignments
Prototype or Major Work
Semester Examinations