2001
IPENZ Neighbourhood Engineers Awards
This material was produced by the Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ)
under contract to the Ministry of Education in 2000 and 2001. It was written
to assist teachers and schools in their delivery of the technology/ hangarau
curriculum statements. The project was jointly coordinated by personnel
from the Technology Education New Zealand (TENZ)
and National Association of Māori Mathematicians, Scientists and Technologists
(NAMMSAT) networks. Monitoring and evaluation of the material was carried
out by a national project advisory group.
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Institute of Professional Engineers
The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) Neighbourhood
Engineers Award is a new initiative in their Neighbourhood Engineers programme.
The award, which is sponsored by energy company Transpower, is designed to
create a greater awareness of the engineering profession and encourage innovative
thinking in areas of engineering and technology while helping schools meet
the objectives of the technology curriculum.
The inherent importance of technology education lies in increasing the technological
literacy in New Zealand as our society shifts towards a knowledge economy.
Thus encouraging worthwhile outreaching projects within the technology curriculum
framework is seen as a valuable exercise by IPENZ.
Andrew Cleland, Chief Executive IPENZ
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Engineering skills underpin Transpower's management of the national grid.
In turn, Transpower's support for education is targeted to supporting the
engineering profession. The challenge though, is to capture the imaginations
and interest of young New Zealanders at school, to encourage them to think
of the engineering profession and electrical trades as credible career options,
and elect their subjects accordingly.
Jane Bryden, Communications Executive TRANSPOWER
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Projects are chosen to allow teachers, students, and engineers to work through
a technological process to meet an identified need or to address a problem
or opportunity in their school or local community. In the first year of the
award the initial list of 56 project registrations was narrowed down to a
short list of 11 for final judging by a panel made up from representatives
from the award sponsors, technology educationalists, and practising engineers.
The 2001 major award winners were announced at the TENZ 2001 conference:
Carncot Independent School for Girls, Palmerston North
Project title: Pedal Power Rack
Year 6 students designed and made a prototype of, a modern, user-friendly
bike stand.
Supervising teacher: Diane Lewis
Consulting engineer: Catherine Stapp (Palmerston North City Council)
Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt
Supervising teacher: Sue Shore, consulting engineer: Jonnette Adams (Transit
NZ)
Each school received a cash prize of $3000.
Merit Awards were presented to:
Paparangi School
Project Title: Making Money From Rubbish
A recycling project which involved a group of year 2 and 3 students worm farming,
sorting food, paper, card, plastic, and designing recycling bins.
Supervising teacher: Duncan Lints
Consulting engineer: (Mrs) Sandra King
South New Brighton School
Project title: Avon-Heathcote Estuary Investigation
Year 7 and 8 students investigated the water quality of the local estuary
(due to waste water and storm water flow).
Supervising teacher: Andrew Kemp
Consulting engineer: Matthew Sheppard
Swanson Primary School - Project 1
Project title: The Sunshade Project
Year 4 students designed a sun shade structure.
Supervising teacher: Leisha Cooper
Consultant engineer : Moninder Bindra
Swanson Primary School - Project 2
Project title: Confidence and Challenge Course
Year 5 students designed an adventure playground.
Supervising teacher: Phil Spriggs
Consultant engineer: Moninder Bindra
West End Primary School
Project title: Sundials
Year 5 and 6 students designed and prototyped sundial designs aimed as tourist
attraction with final designs submitted to the local council.
In addition to the cash prizes presented to the schools the students, supervising
teachers and consulting engineers received certificates to acknowledge their
achievements.
Further information, including details of how to become involved in the Neighbourhood
Engineers programme, can be found at: www.ipenz.org.nz/ipenz/careersed/neigheng/
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