The Technological Knowledge Strand Explanatory Papers Updated May 2010
Technological Products
Senior Primary/Intermediate (Years 5-8)
Possible learning experiences
The learning experiences suggested below have been provided to support teachers as they develop their understandings of the Technological Products component of the Technological Knowledge strand and how this could be reflected in student achievement at various levels. There is no expectation that these would form the basis of any specific unit of work in technology. The learning experiences have been written in such a way as to support student learning across a range of levels. This stance reflects the majority of classrooms where it is expected that students will demonstrate a range of levels of achievement.
Exploring products from two different areas of technology could provide students with an opportunity to identify generic understandings about material. For example, students could select a range of biotechnological products (such as compost, yoghurt, ginger beer, antibiotics, insulin, vaccines, cheese, hybrid plants, etc.), and explain the way performance properties of the materials allow them to function as intended.
When exploring the use of materials involving living organisms, students could develop understandings of how properties can be measured – including objective and subjective measurement techniques.
Students could then examine other products such as clothes, furniture, sport equipment, etc. and explore these as described above. The links between materials used in contemporary technological products and those used in the past, and the change in the type and nature of functions able to be carried out, could also be explored. This could be supported by student involvement in ongoing class discussions about the wide range of materials that are used in technology and how these have developed over time to provide people with new options of what might be possible. As part of the class discussion, students could reflect on past products they have developed and critique the suitability of the materials they used, taking into account the impact of resource availability, costs and time constraints, and how fit for purpose the resultant product was for the intended function. Based on their developing understandings, they could identify how their future work may attempt to address issues around working with materials and dealing with waste.
Students achieving at level 2 could be expected to:
- describe the performance properties of identified materials in biotechnological products; and
- describe how the properties of the materials identified relate to how the product works.
Students achieving at level 3 could be expected to:
- describe the properties of materials used in biotechnological and other products that can be measured objectively;
- describe the properties of materials used in biotechnological and other products that can be measured subjectively; and
- describe how the properties of all materials used in a selected product combine to allow the product to function as designed.
Students achieving at level 4 could be expected to:
- describe how the fitness for purpose of a product was enhanced through the way materials were manipulated;
- describe how the fitness for purpose of a product was enhanced through the way materials were transformed; and
- describe how the fitness for purpose of a product was enhanced through the formulation of new materials.
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