Technology Expo: Technology takes over
Class: Years 7/8
Teacher: Liz Dunbier
School: Ngahinapouri School
Early one afternoon in Liz Dunbier's Year 7/8 class, the students took part in a 'Dragons' Den' simulation. Each participant spoke confidently in front of his/her peers (Dragons) and appeared proud of the planned product. The dragons were sympathetic, asked relevant questions and at the end of each inquisition, awarded the maximum 'financial' encouragement.
This simulation was part of a Technology unit where, with approval from Principal Wayne Asplin, all else had been suspended for a week and Technology reigned supreme. In the space of four days, with only the occasional break for a session of physical education, the students were taken from technological concept to outcome: developing a range of individual outcomes and staging a Technology Expo to show the local community what Technology education was all about.
The students were closely questioned at the beginning of the week to elicit their understandings of Technology. Most comments were along the line of producing a product, learning skills and following recipes or templates. When they were asked to brainstorm their own scenarios and possible outcomes, they became excited and keen to begin.
To add to the interest, the class had its own internal banking system, with 'Ngahinapouri dollars' being awarded for student enterprise. Hence the Dragons' Den. Designs, portfolios, photographic records, all received 'financial' recognition. Although motivation was not a problem, when the students were required to use these dollars to purchase essential items (such as electronic components and batteries) for their projects, extra interest was definitely engendered and valuable lessons in optimisation were learnt.
Choosing a technological scenario was an interesting exercise. The students had all discussed the possibilities with Liz and Mike Rogers – a Technology Adviser with School Support Services (SSS) at the School of Education, University of Waikato. They had sessions on Electronics and Control and Robotics, and many selected a scenario that involved outcomes within those areas.
The projects students came up with were many and varied: fruity pops, a door opener, an umbrella stand, a cricket ball returner, a salt and pepper trolley, a cooling bag and magazine holder, a CD holder, a calf leg holder, a soap dispenser, a gate opener, a lamb feeder, a gate alarm, a holder for copying, healthy meals, healthy snacks, a peg holder, a shoe carousel, and a digital presentation on Technology. The needs that these outcomes met were consolidated on a class document .
Through another Adviser at SSS, Dennis Ingram, the students learned the rudiments of design, which were reinforced by an architect parent helper who produced drawings of several local buildings as examples. The students were encouraged to put their newly-learned skills to work.
The students rapidly understood the process involved. Parents, other students, and teachers became stakeholders and were rigorously polled for their opinions, tastes and preferences on a variety of products. Cameras were much in evidence as students collected records for their portfolios. As work progressed towards final production, 'testing', 'refining', 'modification' and 'brief development'became common terms. As the week progressed, students became independent in their learning as they suggested and tested modifications, and began to think of other activities for themselves. Several students role-played as business people; advertising material covered the classroom walls and business cards became de rigueur.
The tempo increased as the expo approached. The students needed to understand their product well in order to show it – they knew their parents would ask questions and examine their portfolios. Parent and community interest was high – several people later commented to Liz on their children's motivation and enthusiasm to work out of school hours on their projects. One or two students refined their time-management and prioritising skills to complete their ambitious projects. Others, already finished, pitched in to set up the hall for the expo. Co-operation was at a high level. In some cases teams traded resources or assisted with problems. One student, who previously had experienced difficulty in finishing tasks, managed to complete hers to her satisfaction.
The 'end performance' aspect of the process proved crucial for one group whose initial concepts were very ambitious. Luckily they had the time to undergo a radical revision of their work, producing an alternative solution to their issue, which was in the form of a functional model, as a full-sized, working prototype would have been too costly.
A third Technology Adviser, Faye Lewis, was employed to help with assessment and to work with two students to compile a record of proceedings. They achieved this by interviewing all participants and preparing a CD for presentation at the expo.
The afternoon itself was most successful. The school hall was bedecked with posters and signs, and Junior class students were plied with cards and logo-bearing balloons. Parents were encouraged to taste, try, and comment. Most went away with a broadened understanding of what Technology means in the classroom.
Student comments
"Technology 'mode' gives us time to think."
"It is a process. We learn how to change things and apply new ideas."
"We have a better understanding of process and product."
"We have a lot more knowledge. Don't have to follow a pattern. We can use our own ideas and change them."
"We can fail (in order) to succeed."
Teacher comment
Liz was thrilled with the week's work and her feedback to the class was effusive: "You are such a different class – you are thinking, moving, working out, and negotiating. You are asking questions: 'How can I make things better?' You are wondering about things. Such awesome shifts! You are always thinking, questioning. Such a positive outlook!"
In reflecting on the unit, Liz was impressed by the value of the generic nature of the learning. "Student learning was not merely an understanding of electronics or food technology – the students (and I) each learnt about, understood, and implemented a process that became good Technological Practice."
"Because of this unit, a number of things have changed. To begin with, I feel a lot more comfortable about teaching a Technology unit. I can see how it links into other areas and I feel more confident about integrating technology into my classroom programme. Secondly, I have a better understanding and feel more at ease with various approaches to use that enable the students to take control of their learning. The methods that I learnt to use during this Technology unit empower the students to use initiative and problem-solving skills in their learning, a technique that I regard very highly and like to employ in all curriculum areas.
Liz says that, in this situation, Technology acted as an umbrella curriculum, providing a context and procedures for learning with many other learning areas falling within its coverage. "We made a list of all of the curriculum areas and subjects that we thought we had covered... it was quite extensive!"
Advisers' comments
Although this unit was done before the publication of The New Zealand Curriculum (2007), many elements of the revised Technology curriculum were covered. In particular, components of the Technological Practice (Levels 3-4) strand were well represented. For example, the students:
- investigated a real need or opportunity;
- developed conceptual statements within a brief;
- considered attributes, physical and functional nature of outcomes and appropriate resources;
- considered stakeholder needs;
- planned extensively and reviewed when necessary;
- organized resources;
- were innovative and reflective;
- used graphics to communicate their ideas; and
- developed specific knowledge and skills.
As Liz says, the class was not only involved in Technology – several learning areas were covered and the contemporary key competencies could be readily identified within their practice.
'Relaxing' the curriculum was a risk, but, on reflection, perhaps it was more a perceived than an actual risk. Letting go of what is known – established programmes, routines, and timetables – can be scary. But considering the nature of Technological Practice, the students will be participating in an effective inquiry model, and would always be using language, calculating, measuring, discussing, researching people's preferences, reflecting, and so on, no matter what the actual project was that they were doing.
Technology Adviser Mike Rogers noted that the new curriculum encapsulates the essence of good practice, and that that this unit was an excellent example of this. "Teachers who may be diffident about working with The New Zealand Curriculum (2007) could well be already providing a learning environment that is covering most of its requisites. With a few modifications and some change of terminology, their Technology teaching will be up-to-date.
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