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.
The Plimmerton School Technology Centre caters annually for over 400
students from seven client schools in its coastal catchment area just
north of Wellington City. The Technology Centre gets funding to maintain
equipment and run programmes from two sources.
From a "per student" grant which is paid to each school by the Ministry
of Education. This money pays for administration costs and maintaining,
replacing, and upgrading equipment.
From student fees which pay for the "take home" component of technology
education.
During 2000 the facilities at the Technology Centre were upgraded to
better accommodate the three full time teaching staff.
Cole Bellette – expertise in the technology workshop and its
associated technological areas.
Myfanwy Skuse – expertise in food and biotechnology.
Pat Hobden (team leader) – expertise in the technology workshop
and its associated technological areas.
We are fortunate to have a team of specialist technology teachers at the
Technology Centre with a wide range of skills ... in a year of considerable
change we have accepted the challenge of delivering technology education
in a different way, working through the many issues sensitive of each
other's perspective.
Pat Hobden, Team Leader
The provision of this third teaching space by the Ministry of Education
together with the addition of some connecting doors, a veranda, and a
link span has created a facility in which four groups of students can
be taught at one time by the three specialist technology teachers and
one classroom teacher. The optimum class size for the Technology Centre
is 15 students.
With the four teaching spaces we can take 60 students at one
time. The effect of this is that we can offer to our schools
a longer time at the Technology Centre, in some cases twice
as long. Because all classroom contact time is valuable for
teachers we structured the Technology units in such a way that
it became easier to integrate them in to the classroom programme.
Pat Hobden, Team Leader
In room T1 students work mainly in the technological areas of Food
and Biotechnology.
In room T2 students work mainly in the technological areas of Structures
and Mechanisms and Materials (such as timbers and timber products
and metals).
In room T3, students work mainly in the technological areas of Electronics
and Control and Materials (such as plastics and textiles).
The link way T4 is for the technological area of Information and
Communication and as planning and design space. It is used by all
of the permanent staff and by classroom teachers who come with their
students to the centre.
The technological area of Production and Process can be the focus of a
technology activity in any of the four teaching spaces. A planned programme
for developing the resources at the Technology Centre is underway and
over the next year the technology team aim to:
purchase more computers to add to the 5 x Pentium and 2 x 486 machines
already in the computer suite. The Pentium machines are networked
for Internet use;
establish a hydroponics unit in one of the outdoor courtyards to
grow herbs and green vegetables for the Food Technology programme
and to introduce students to this method of growing plants;
replace the fridge/freezer in the Food/Bio room with a refrigerator;
make an outdoor workbench on the west side of room T3;
replace small items such as hot air guns, soldering irons and cooking
equipment as required;
replace the sink top in the Workshop with a donated stainless steel
one to tidy up this area; and
install two other donated stainless tops in the outdoor courtyards.
The programme of learning and expected learning outcomes
Technology education is a planned process designed to develop students'
competence and confidence in understanding and using existing technologies
and in creating solutions to technological problems. It contributes
to the intellectual and practical development of students, as individuals
and as informed members of a technological society."
Care will be taken to ensure that a balanced programme is developed
which enables students to experience a wide range of technological
areas. This programme and will build on students' existing knowledge
and skills, values, interests, and aspirations.
Students experience a wide range of processes, materials and
possible solutions for an identified need. They learn to value
alternative and unexpected outcomes. Students become familiar
with many technologies, can articulate their understandings,
and recognised their own skills.
Technological activities units will incorporate Achievement
Objectives from all three strands of the curriculum, as well
as design, drawing and graphics.
Students develop in all areas of technology education.
Technological activities will, when possible, involve local
enterprises.
Students appreciate the opportunities for a wide range of people
in the community to provide specialist input in to technology
education.
Technology education deals with real, identified needs or problems,
and with multiple solutions
That there is no single "right answer" – lateral thinking
and willingness to test divergent options are to be encouraged
– although some solutions will be more successful than
others. Further learning in technology occurs through failure
analysis, recognising the value of alternative and unexpected
outcomes.
Technological activities should lead to a tangible outcome:
a product, an environment, or a system.
All students should experience the satisfaction of developing
a range of outcomes.
Technology education encourages risk taking: students'
ideas should be accepted and valued, and students challenged to
realise their aspirations.
Opportunities provided for students to show initiative, make
choices, and take more responsibility for their own work.
Technology education recognises that students have different
starting points and will progress at different rates: the teacher's
role is to motivate, encourage, support, and provide feedback
to students.
All students experience success satisfaction and achievement.
The teacher's knowledge, experience, and skills provide input
to assist in refining ideas, selecting resources, and achieving
quality in products, as well as guiding students towards viable
solutions.
Students understand that sharing ideas, presenting concepts,
and evaluating possible solutions advances technological developments.
The teacher supports, guides, challenges, and learns with the
students, interacting with their thinking and helping to clarify
ideas.
Students understand that technological activities often
require students to work cooperatively and collaboratively –
with each other, their teachers, and other adults.
Teachers will ensure that the environment, equipment,
and the planned learning experiences are all safe, in terms of
the age range and levels of competence of the students. Students
will be made aware of their responsibility for their own safety
and that of others and, therefore, the importance of using equipment
and materials correctly.
Students learning in a safe environment. Students aware
of their responsibility for their own safety and that of others.
Programme
planning
The teaching and learning programme at the centre is designed to:
make the best use of the facilities;
meet the requirements of the Technology Curriculum;
cater for the needs of the client schools in terms of topics covered;
and
be developed in conjunction with the classroom teachers of the
client schools whenever possible.
