ECU204 Session 1: Weeks 2 and 3

What is Technology? Design and Technology in the

Curriculum
Aboriginal Technology
By the start of Week 4:
1: Be clear about assignments and unit overview. Choose type of artefact
youll develop for Assig 1 in consultation with Justin and your classroom teacher.
Make notes about why you want to develop this kind of artefact (learning
resource)
2: Begin getting to know the Australian Curriculum Design and
Technologies, esp in relation to your year level (the year level at which youll
aim the unit of work youll write for Assig 2). Discuss with Justin and your
teacher which Content Area descriptions would be appropriate to focus on for
that class, and start thinking about the topic you might choose.
3: Read and make notes of Chapters 1, 2, 3 in Fleer and Jane,
Technology for Children: so you are able to explain: what is technology,
a timeline of technology what is appropriate technology how would I teach
Aboriginal technology how do children think about technology and their
environment what are the three types of planning activities and how can I help
kids to do them what is the DMA/MAD/ADM process and what might each look
like as a class activity
Read and note Ch 4 about assessing childrens technological
capabilities. Come up with a list of things to do and things to avoid when
assessing children in this area. Any ideas here you might use with your class/in
your unit of work?
4: Do the following activities:

What is Technology?
a) Paperclip activity:
Take a paperclip and place it in front of you. (The size, colour or design
of your paperclip is of no relevance.) Try to think of a different use for
that paperclip. It may be a practical, ornamental, or fanciful idea.
Make your paperclip into the required shape. Show someone else your
new design and explain its use. Ask them to do the same.
You have just completed a Technology activity which you can also use
in the classroom. You began with an object which was made of a
material with particular properties. You redesigned that object to fit

another purpose. You then demonstrated or communicated your idea to

an audience.
Which aspects of Technology and Design (From readings) were
involved in this activity?

Only a couple of ideas ??? have a look here . . .

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2015/08/29-creative-unique-uses-for-paperclips.html
http://www.xrysostom.com/paperclip.html

b) Chair activity:
1: Consider the chair in which you are sitting . . .

Is it comfortable?

Is it practical?

Does it fit with the rest of the furniture in the room?

Does it support your back adequately?

Is it easy to keep clean?

Are there any features which you particularly like?

Are there any features which you particularly dislike?

2: After you have evaluated your chair, draw a design for a new chair
which addresses some of the problems which you have identified.
3: You have just completed a Technology activity which focused on
evaluating an existing product. It could lead on to making a model of a
new chair, or writing to the chair manufacturer with suggestions for
improvement.
c) Evacuation activity
1: Imagine that you have just been alerted to a dangerous situation occurring
within the building that you are in.
2: Draw up an emergency evacuation procedure for the occupants of the
building. Trial the procedure in a variety of emergencies, for example, a fire in
the next room, a gas leak in the kitchen, a hostage situation, and a storm which
has made the building unsafe.
3: Was your procedure effective in each case? Who would need to know the
plan? How would you ensure that everyone was safe? How would the information
about the procedure best be conveyed to those who need to know?
d) Take some time to use a search engine like Google to look for some of
the following things:
1. A time-line of communications technology
2. Greek/Roman technology
2

3. Chinese technology
4. Medieval European technology
5. History of Educational Technology
Did you notice any interesting things? Any patterns?

Technology in the Australian

Curriculum
This is the rationale for the subject in the Australian Curriculum:
In an increasingly technological and complex world, it is important to develop
knowledge and confidence to critically analyse and creatively respond to design
challenges. Knowledge, understanding and skills involved in the design,
development and use of technologies are influenced by and can play a role in
enriching and transforming societies and our natural, managed and constructed
environments.
The Australian Curriculum: Design and Technologies enables students to become
creative and responsive designers. When they consider ethical, legal, aesthetic
and functional factors and the economic, environmental and social impacts of
technological change, and how the choice and use of technologies contributes to
a sustainable future, they are developing the knowledge, understanding and
skills to become discerning decision-makers.
Design and Technologies actively engages students in creating quality designed
solutions for identified needs and opportunities across a range of technologies
contexts. Students manage projects independently and collaboratively from
conception to realisation. They apply design and systems thinking and design
processes to investigate ideas, generate and refine ideas, plan, produce and
evaluate designed solutions. They develop a sense of pride, satisfaction and
enjoyment from their ability to develop innovative designed products, services
and environments.
Through the practical application of technologies including digital technologies,
students develop dexterity and coordination through experiential activities.
Design and Technologies motivates young people and engages them in a range
of learning experiences that are transferable to family and home, constructive
leisure activities, community contribution and the world of work.

Read each paragraph and pick out 2-3 reasons why D & T should be
taught. Which of these reasons do you find strongest and why?

Work with the Curriculum:

Find the F-10 curriculum here:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/design-andtechnologies/curriculum/f-10?layout=1
Two Strands:
D & T Knowledge and Understanding

Technologies and society: the use, development and impact of technology

in peoples lives
Technologies contexts: technologies and design across a range of
technologies contexts

D&T Processes and Production Skills

Find

Creating designed solutions by

o Investigating and defining
o Designing
o Producing and Implementing
o Evaluating
o Collaborating and Managing
your year level
Pick one content description area from each of the strands.
Use the hyper link to find more information.
Come up with an idea about what you might do your classroom to help
students learn this content.

Integrating the Curriculum

What does this mean in practice? Why is it helpful to integrate learning across
different learning areas (e.g. English, Science, Arts, D and T etc)
The Science/Technology Relationship
Technology works well taught when integrated with other subjects. Science has
clear links.
Can you see any patterns in the table that help us understand the relationship?
Science involves

Technology involves

Identifying questions

Identifying needs

Explaining and predicting

Producing functional products

Discovering

Inventing

Theorising about causes

Theorising about processes

Analysing

Designing

Making distinctions between concepts

Bringing many different factors to bear
and isolating phenomena by
on complex design problems
controlling variables in experiments
Searching for causes

Searching for solutions

Researching for the sake of research

Researching for practical purposes

Seeking accuracy

Seeking only as much accuracy as is

necessary for success

Reaching correct solutions based on

accurate data

Making good decisions based on

available data and resources

Example of a Design and Technology Learning Task:

Have a look here:
http://www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/assessment_tasks/assessment_tasks_l
anding.html
The curriculum used is the out of date NTCF (not the current AC) but the Tower
task has lots of good examples of materials you might think about when
designing your own Unit of Work (Assig 2).

How could this Tower task be linked to other subjects in the curriculum
(e.g. Maths, English etc)

Aboriginal Technology

What comes to mind?

How might you explore Australian Aboriginal Technology with your class?
Boys, girls, both . .

Readings: See Ch 1 pp 12-14 and Ch11 p175-180 in Fleer (your set text)

sitesSome interesting

Pick out two or three points from the readings that you feel strongly about
(ie good ideas, important points, bad ideas etc). What are the points and
why do you feel strongly about them?

http://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/education/programs/pdfs/aboriginal_plant_use
_and_technology.pdf
http://www.questacon.edu.au/html/aboriginal_technology.html
Kangaroo hunting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yeyJK9E4I4
http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-indigenous-

American Indigenous Technology sites:

What is Indigenous Technology? Indigenous is knowing where you came from.

Where you belong in a senseIndigenous Technology is knowing and respecting
the tools, instruments, process of where modern technology comes from. Joseph
Arthur 2006 retrieved from http://www.washoetribe.blogspot.com.au/
Short Documentary - 2007 California Emmy Nominee -Camera/Editing by Carlos
Miranda
A deeper look into the Kumeyaay tribe on the mexican side of the border
whilethey strive to survive under rudimentary living conditions and dependent
ontheir cultural tradition of basket weaving to supply their financial needs.
Thestory centers around Gloria Castaneda, a kumeyaay native who takes
matters onher own hands and organizes her village into creating baskets and
findingoutlets to display them north of the border, into US territory.
CONTACT INFO: C_Miranda@me.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=fwtleEESps0