|
Technology
Definition and rationale
Technology is about the processes of purposefully applying knowledge, skills and resources to create the needs and wants of people and communities. Technology is as old as civilisation and arose out of the fundamental human needs for shelter, food and clothing. These needs and wants determine what technologies are created and how they are used. Decisions about them are influenced by cultural issues including the values, experiences, locations and backgrounds of different people and communities, and environmental factors. Hence consideration of the potential environmental and social impact of any product (solution) must be undertaken as part of the design process.
The process of designing, making and appraising is at the heart of the Technology Key Learning Area with students exploring, applying and developing information, materials and systems. The development process is not a linear one; appraising is as much a part of designing as it is about making, for example. All aspects of the process are interconnected and as they interconnect they generate new ideas which can be acted upon.
In an information-rich 21st century society, creating information solutions are increasing in importance. Ways to manage, control and organise data and information will continue as an urgent need for all developed societies. It should not be assumed however, that Technology is merely about Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) since this is only one context for the technology process. The Technology curriculum provides an opportunity and place for students to learn how to meet the challenges that confront them increasingly at school and in their future paid and unpaid work where competency with many technologies is required.
The importance of enterprise as part of the technology process should not be overlooked since enterprising behaviours such as seizing opportunities for innovation, resourcefulness, responsibility and adaptability are central to motivation and engagement with the school curriculum as well as in designing a product or system to meet a need.
Major outcomes
The Technology Process is the way that students work within the technology learning area. It should be embedded in all activities and contexts that require students to create or change products, processes, systems, services or environments to meet the needs of humans and to realise opportunities.
The Technology Process involves:
Ä designing and devising plans and proposals
Ä investigating needs, issues, possible impacts and values
Ä producing, building or making products and systems services
Ä evaluating or appraising designs, plans, products and consequences.
Students use the Technology Process when choosing and using materials, designing, adapting and using systems, and designing, adapting and displaying information appropriate for the technology challenges they embrace or are confronted with.
Summary of performance expected at different junctures
|
Stage
|
Technology process
|
Resources: materials, information, systems
|
|
Early Phase (P- Year 3)
|
Ä Designing and making simple products such as a greeting card, pet enclosure, lending system for books.
Ä Knowing how purpose, user and availability of resources influence design (e.g. racing cars differ from vans; toys for little children differ from those for teenagers).
Ä Products impact lives differently (e.g. mobile phones, shopping trolleys).
|
Ä Characteristics of products and resources usually match the purpose and audience (e.g. bright colours and animations on a website, materials that float for a boat).
Ä Simple tools and techniques are used to make products (e.g. cutting and pasting for a poster, power-point presentation for a talk.
|
|
Early Middle Phase
(Years 4-6)
|
Ä Technology has different impacts and influences on people in different ways, and some are more appropriate than others (e.g. playgrounds for children require more safety features than for adults; some cars go faster but have greater impact on the environments).
|
Ä Characteristics of products and resources make them more suitable for some purposes (e.g. shoes made of leather are more hard-wearing than those made of PVC, those for factory workers needs different properties than those for a fashion worker).
Ä Tools and techniques used need to match their purpose (e.g. a saucepan can’t be made out of plastic because it won’t conduct heat).
|
|
Later Middle Phase
(Years 7-9)
|
Ä Parameters and specifications impact on design (e.g. menu design is influenced by location, community tastes and cost).
Ä Impacts of design can have far-reaching consequences (e.g. the use of plastic bags for groceries has negatively impacted on environments despite cheap production costs).
|
Ä People need to choose appropriate techniques and tools to match the requirements of the product and the purpose of the user (e.g. an outdoor sprinkler system may needs to be made from water-proof materials locally available to save transport costs).
Ä Techniques and tools can enhance qualities for a broader market (e.g. capacity to develop in black and white as well as colour and sepia make photos more appealing).
|
For more information contact your Head of Campus.
|
Technology 
