Q: AS91052 requires students to "consider both influences and impacts". The TechLink Glossary defines an Impact as "A significant or strong influence" and has no definition for Influence. I have read the explanatory paper for the Characteristics of Technlogical Outcomes which uses both Influence and Impact but does not make the difference clear. The sample assessments from TKI also use both terms but fail to make the differences clear. And there is not annotated student work available for this standard. Help, please!

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A: AS91052 requires students to "consider both influences and impacts". The TechLink Glossary defines an Impact as "A significant or strong influence" and has no definition for Influence. I have read the explanatory paper for the Characteristics of Technological Outcomes which uses both Influence and Impact but does not make the difference clear. The sample assessments from TKI also use both terms but fail to make the differences clear. And there is not annotated student work available for this standard. Help, please! This question is a discussion on semantics because influences and impacts are often used interchangeably in day to day conversations so here are some definitions and examples that I hope will clarify for you the distinction. Following this up is a section on how it relates in a technological environment. Influence 1. (noun)the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on things such as the actions, behaviour, opinions, of others: (From dictionary.reference.com/browse/influence) 2. (noun)A power affecting a person, thing, or course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort: (From www.answers.com/topic/influencing). Influence is often when something is altering your behaviour. Impact 1. the striking of one thing against another; forceful contact; collision: The impact of the colliding cars broke the windshield. 2. (influence); effect: the impact of Einstein on modern physics. 3.the force exerted by a new idea, concept, technology, or ideology: the impact of the industrial revolution. In this way we describe an impact as a consequence of a defined action creating a consequential outcome or effect. Therefore it is the impact of the technological development or outcome ON society or the environment. For example consider the effect or impact of the discovery of penicillin on modern medicine, or the way in which force exerted by a new idea, concept, technology, or ideology has on societythe impact of the mini skirt (see assessment resource1.9A Achievement Standard 91052, Demonstrate understanding of the ways a technological outcome, people, and social and physical environments interact: The Miniskirt) .In this way we are considering cause and effect when exploring impact of technology or outcomes on their social and physical environment. Effect being seen usually the result of some thing or event taking place or introduced. Impact of the technological outcome on the social, physical environment and as a result there are Influences of society (ways of thinking perception and values and beliefs) and the environment on the development of the outcome. Therefore it is an iterative interaction and relationship between the technological development and the social, physical environment and the people. So if you talk about the impact of technology on society and then relate the influences of society back to the future development and change of an outcome you will have a cycle that describes the impacts on and the influences of.. which informs future development and thinking.

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Question answered by Cheryl Pym, National Coordinator Technology Education on 2012/09/18

Q: For Level 2 external I am doing 2.40 (91367) and using the school network as ‘The organisation’, concentrating on the managing of shared information for the collecting , storing, processing and communicating on the “shared network” of the school. I have not included the SMS in their assessments. Is this acceptable to do this?

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A: In your question you state the school network is the organisation. I would have thought it may be more useful to say the school is the organisation, thus allowing students more scope to demonstrate understanding of managing shared information within the school by going beyond just the 'school's shared network' to look at such things as email, collaborative documents, learning management systems such as Moodle, or social networking sites. I understand you may have made a deliberate decision to focus on the 'shared network' to keep things tightly focussed but the tradeoff with that decision is there will be potentially useful material about managing shared information within the school context that students cannot include in their reports if it is only about the shared network. As far as your actual question about whether it is acceptable to not include the SMS? I am assuming you are thinking about leaving it out for either privacy considerations or time constraints? I can't give a ruling on whether it is acceptable or not to leave it out, but what I would suggest is that it is about giving the students as much material as possible upon which to base their reports. Students will be very familiar with some common outputs from the SMS system such as timetables, reports etc and inputs such as contact details, attendance, marks etc so by including the SMS within the scope of their assessment it may provide students a useful 'angle' to demonstrate their understanding about managing shared information. If the student focuses on their own information it should be possible to do this without breaching any privacy or security concerns, and the student can always blank out any personal information they wish on material they include in their reports. More information about 91367 is contained in the key messages on Techlink at /Teacher_Education/In-service/PD-support/Senior-Secondary/Key-Messages/Index.htm

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Question answered by Malcolm Howard, Regional Technology Facilitator, Central North Region, The University of Auckland on 2012/09/10

Q: just taking a closer look at AS91356, the standard asks students to synthesize evidence from ongoing research and functional modelling, including feedback from stakeholders, to evaluate conceptual designs. I have looked at the exemplars and there is one example (food) of this. are there any more examples or resources for this in other contexts i can use to demonstrate to my students how and what needs to be done.

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A: On the NZQA NCEA, Technology subject home page website there are 6 student exemplars for AS 91356, “ Develop a conceptual design for an outcome”. These exemplars are for a remote control car. They be downloaded from: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/subjects/technology/technology-annotated-exemplars/level-2-as91356-b/ The food student exemplar is resource 2.3A the above link is for resource 2.3B.

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Question answered on 2012/09/06

Q: Would it be feasible to use AS3.7 (2013) Technology Systems within a Digital Tech course that has a focus on software based outcomes such as Print/Web Application/Programming? (if so, can you think of exemplar systems and resource material?) I will have students completing a range of outcomes in 2013 but need a singular external to wrap around their learning and in some way provide a bigger picture ....

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A: 3.7 is about operational parameters in highly complex technological systems. The explanatory notes and curriculum support material defines complex technological systems as having more than one transformational process and states that highly complex technological systems include self regulatory and intelligent systems. Whether or not 3.7 is suitable to use as the ‘single external to wrap around the student’s learning’ (as asked in your question) will depend on whether a focus on operational parameters in highly complex technological systems fits in with the other units and outcomes that students will be creating during the year. 3.7 will be particularly appropriate in a digital technologies course that has a focus on electronics, infrastructure, and computer science. It may not be quite so appropriate in a digital technologies course that is mainly focused on digital information and digital media but that is certainly not to say it cannot be used in those courses. The key thing is to think about what you want in the teaching and learning programme first and then think about what assessments will be most appropriate after that. It may be other externals such as 3.5 “Demonstrate understanding of how technological modeling supports technological development” or 3.10 “Undertake a critique of a technological outcome’s design” are more suitable to use as the external to provide a bigger picture and tie the learning together from the various units completed during the year. There is no ‘yes or no’ answer to this question – it depends on what will fit your course best and what will meet the needs of your students.

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Question answered by Malcolm Howard, Regional Technology Facilitator, Central North Region, The University of Auckland on 2012/08/29

Q: I am currently teaching the programming level 1 standard AS 91076 V2. Do students have to have met all of the specifications to get an achieved. I know that this is the case in some of the other standard. But cant see it anywhere in the documentation or sample resources. Thanks

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A: I am assuming that you mean do the students have to meet all the criteria to achieve The answer in short is yes as they must fulfil all assessment criteria to meet the standard at the varying levels of achieved, merit and then excellence

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Question answered by Cheryl Pym National Coordinator Technology Education on 2012/08/29

Q: Are these any exemplars available for AS91053?

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A: There are now annotated exemplars of student work available from last year’s marking of student work. These annotated externals can be downloaded in zip format from http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/subjects/technology/external-exemplars/ These are not to be confused with the previously published sample material that was published in 2011 to give guidance prior to actual student submissions being obtained

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Question answered by Cheryl Pym National Coordinator Technology Education on 2012/08/29

Q: In AS91066, Use rendering techniques to communicate the form of design ideas, does the paper have to be white? If a student had designed a yellow letterbox for example, would it be fine if they rendered their work on yellow paper?

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A: White paper is not a restriction. In fact coloured paper for rendering is an acceptable practice and often allows the student to show stronger highlights and shadows. Buff coloured paper, for instance, is easier on the eye than white paper and often helps students with dyslexia to see shapes with more ease, plus it is often easier for all students’ to use. White paper is often too “precious” and can stop students being more expressive. Another suggestion is to use coloured paper with a high GSM. Photocopy paper has a GSM of 80 gms. A paper with 130 to 160 gsm is a good rendering paper and allows students to build up colour without the paper buckling.

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Question answered by Lesley Pearce National Coordinator Technology on 2012/08/28

Q: Two of the Level 3 draft standards (DVC 3.30 & DVC 3.34) talk about "4d". Is the 4th dimension "time"? Does this mean that animations could come into play?

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A: A good question that many teachers have asked. 4D refers to the possibilities that students may wish to use sound or animation to explore or develop ideas either in graphics practice or visually presenting their ideas. 4D can enhance both the visual and sensory experience of the viewer.

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Question answered by Lesley Pearce National Coordinator technology on 2012/08/28

Q: Expalined the differences between health and safety in the industry and classroom

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A: Guidance on Health and Safety in Technology spaces can be found at: /curriculum-support/Safety-and-Technology-Education-document.htm

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Question answered by Cliff Harwood on 2012/08/09

Q: What is an appropriate topic to teach which aligns with with the level 3 AO of "understand that technological outcomes are recognisable as fit for purpose by the relationship between their physical and functional natures?"

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A: Nature of Technology This question is related to characteristics of Technological outcomes at Curriculum level 3 (NOT NCEA) Where students are required to demonstrate understanding that technological outcomes are recognisable as fit for purpose by the relationship between their physical and functional natures. The Indicators of progression /curriculum-support/indicators/achievement-objectives.htm , teacher guidance and the strategies for engagement; /curriculum-support/Strategies/nt-outcomes/level3.htm give clear guidance about this objective. To support students to develop understanding of characteristics of technological outcomes at level 3, students need to be exposed to a range of technological outcomes with unknown functions to explore and guide them to make informed suggestions regarding who might use them and the possible function they could perform, based on the physical and functional attributes of the outcome. They also need to explore a range of technological outcomes that are similar in their functional nature but have differences in their physical natures and conversely the opposite. Students should understand that the intended use and users, social and physical locations all combine to determine how the physical and functional attributes can be best matched for fitness for purpose. For example; a selection of brooms could be described as having similar functional attributes (clean an area by sweeping unwanted material to another location, able to be used while standing) but whether they are for a young child to sweep dust of the kitchen floor or for an adult to sweep water off driveways will mean quite different physical attributes will be necessary to ensure the broom is fit for its purpose. In the reverse a selection of brushes could be described as having similar physical natures (all have flexible bristles) but the way in which they are used will determine their functional nature as to whether they function to clean, as a means of holding and spread a substance, as in painting or to move something as in sweeping. Students also need to understand the relationship between the physical and functional nature in a technological outcome. Indicators of progression also give a clue as to what to teach as these are the outcomes you are looking for in student activity, discussion and any written evidence Students can: • describe possible users and functions of a technological outcome based on clues provided by its physical attributes • describe examples of technological outcomes with different physical natures that have similar functional natures • describe examples of technological outcomes with different functional natures that have similar physical natures • explain why a technological outcome could be called a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ design. So to explore these concepts you could work within any of the following contexts For example: • a range of raising agents to explore how different raising agents effect the physical outcome. • A range of potato peelers, different looking ones, made from range of materials, but all have same function • categories of finishes (such as oil, varnish, paint) • a range of brushes (hair, paint, washing up ....) • Explore functions of, for example, bags that are there to do similar things in terms of physical nature. • A cake, muffin, and bread, have similar ingredients with similar functional ingredients functional natures, but each has a different physical nature (This material was compiled from the Indicators of Progression and Strategies for engagement documents on Techlink)

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Question answered by Cheryl Pym, National Coordinator Technology on 2012/07/30

Q: Under NCEA Key Messages on Techlink - there is NCEA Level 1 information for Specialist Subjects; DVC and DT externals, but nothing for Generic Technology. When will information regarding these external standards be put up? These have valuable information like the old NZQA Markers report. If it is already up, can you please direct us to where it is?

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A: The National Coordinators and the regional Facilitators use a process of peer reviewing materials we write and then ensure we are consistent with all other documents relevant to the standard.

The Generic Technology and some of the DVC material is now on Techlink. We are moving onto writing material for the discipline specific areas and the beginnings of level 3.

Pleased to hear you find this material useful. Feel free to contact the National Coordinators about this material.

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Question answered by Cheryl Pym, National Coordinator Technology Education on 2012/07/05

Q: I am a digital technology teacher and need some advice. My Year 11 course offers AS 91053, 91045, 91044, 91073, 91047 and 91072 (24 credits). The context is “teach us about” and the issue requires students to plan, design and create an xhmtl-compliant website that must successfully teach potential users about something. I am thinking about dropping AS 91044: Undertake brief development to address a need or opportunity, mainly because of 2011 moderation commentary as follows:
“To achieve this standard, students must explore a given issue. An issue could be a problem that requires resolution or it could be something more general (as in my case). The issue must allow for needs and/or opportunities to be determined by the student (website purpose, content and design). This task requires students to design and make a specified product rather than address an issue. The ability of students to explore the context and issue is very limited when the issue does not pose a problem to be solved.”
Does this mean that teachers who are directing students to plan, design and create a specific digital media prototype or conceptual design cannot offer AS 91044? Should I drop the standard in 2013 or continue offering it? What is your understanding of this standard for digital technology teachers?

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A: If you are offering 91044 then students must develop their own brief from a starting point of a teacher given issue. The brief that students develop for 91044 can then become the starting point for 91073 where they have to produce a specified digital media outcome.

The specifications for the digital media outcome to be produced for 91073 can either be provided by the teacher or developed by the student. If the teacher is providing the specifications for the digital media outcome to be produced then 91044 would not be a suitable standard to use.

However it would be possible to start with a teacher given issue such as ‘There is a lack of interactive tutorial material on the Internet that appeals to teenagers’. Students would explore that issue and identify a need or opportunity. They would then develop a brief for a digital media outcome that would address their own identified need or opportunity. Their brief development work could be assessed using 91044. Then students could use that brief and develop the specified digital media outcome. The way they implement the basic procedures to produce that outcome would be assessed using 91073.

Another point worth noting is that you say you are offering 24 credits. There is a trend to offering fewer credits in a course so you certainly have scope to drop one of the standards you are using for assessment.

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Question answered by Malcolm Howard, Regional Technology Facilitator, Central North Region, The University of Auckland on 2012/06/19

Q: Will students need to construct/include a curve for DVC AS91339 "Produce instrumental perspective projection drawings to communicate design ideas" in order to get "Achieved" for this standard? Are curves a factor at all?

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A: Curves could be included but are not specified criteria, however they do show advanced skills. To get an Achieved, the students need to be able to show that they can "do" perspective drawings and apply the appropriate conventions; in other words a basic drawing, not necessarily neat, showing things such as the plans and elevations that the drawings are projected from, use of conventions such as picture planes, correct establishment of vanishing points, station points, et al. To get a Merit students need to evidence, accuracy (neat line work, accurate measurements and projections) and detail. "Detail of design features may include but is not limited to the features of such things as: windows, door handles, fasteners, reliefs, and fittings", all aspects of the design that make the drawing look real and communicates the design features of the drawing. Using curves is a complexity however, I would not like to force a student using Modernism as an inspiration, with is rectilinear shapes to include a curve. To get an Excellence you need to be aware of the viewpoint, "selecting a view point that enables the detail of the design features to be shown, and, selecting and accurately using perspective drawing techniques to show the detail of the design features." Students should consider viewpoints that communicate the features of their design. A teacher may need to encourage students to use two different views of a building (drawn on the same page or separately). One could be a view that a viewer at ground level might see, and the other a view from above with the roof removed so viewers can see the room layout and fit-out of the building. This approach would show that the student is aware of "viewpoints". The interior detail could then communicate design detail that would be relevant to the specialist knowledge that an architect would be expected to use and it links well to the internal spatial design standard.

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Question answered by Ron Ron Van Musscher Ron.VanMusscher and Lesley Pearce on 2012/06/12

Q: HELP! I am needing clarification of the following Modelling ideas. Or more importantly; how I could explain practical and functional reasoning as seen in a students own practice. Q1: Functional reasoning focuses on “how to make it happen” and “how it is happening?”. What would examples of this be in a Digital Technology context? Say a kid is developing a wire frame for a website, which would then be implemented in HTML .... or a kid is developing a database model before implementing a physical database in MS Access. Q2: Practical reasoning focuses on “should we make it happen” and “should it be happening?” Again, Say a kid is developing a wire frame for a website, which would then be implemented in HTML .... or a kid is developing a database model before implementing a physical database in MS Access.

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A: Firstly, to the specifics in your question…

The two types of reasoning that you refer to in your question (functional reasoning and practical reasoning) are to ensure that a holistic evaluation of a technological outcome’s potential and actual ‘impact on the world’ is made during the technological modelling.

Functional reasoning provides a basis for exploring the technical feasibility of the design concept and the outcome. Examples of this in a website context could be the ease of navigation around the site, the legibility and readability of text on the web pages, the speed that images or other content loads, how the website behaves across browsers and across platforms. Examples in the database context could be the actual structure of the database, the required fields, field formatting considerations, the layout of forms and reports, the behaviour of data validation rules, and the output produced in reports. So the functional reasoning is around decisions as to ‘could it happen’ (how to make it happen) in functional modelling and ‘how is it happening’ in prototyping.

The practical reasoning aspect introduces another dimension by providing a basis to explore the acceptability of the design concept and the outcome itself. This relates to such things as moral, ethical, social, political, economic, and environmental dimensions. Not all of these will necessarily apply in any particular case. Examples of this in the website context could be around the age appropriateness of material (text, images, other media content), privacy considerations (such as not using images of people without appropriate permission or not giving out personal details), copyright considerations, or cultural considerations such as conations of particular colours or combinations of colours. In the database context the issues around privacy would be significant here such as adherence with the principles in the Privacy Act in the way information is collected, stored etc. So the practical reasoning is around decisions as to ‘should it happen’ in functional modelling and ‘should it be happening’ in prototyping.

Secondly, some general comments about technological modelling that are not specifically referred to in your question but are worth reiterating here…

There is support material available on Techlink for technological modelling. See the explanatory paper on modelling at www.techlink.org.nz/curriculum-support/papers/knowledge/tech-model

The indicators of progression contains the achievement objectives, teacher guidance, and indicators and that is available at www.techlink.org.nz/curriculum-support/indicators

Remember technological modelling covers both functional modelling and prototyping. These two types of reasoning (functional reasoning and practical reasoning) are both involved at both the concept stage when functional modelling is used to explore the feasibility of the design concept and at the prototype stage when the feasibility of the finished outcome is explored.

The standards at level one and two for technological modelling are about students understanding about modelling as opposed to students ‘doing modelling’. Whilst students do learn by doing the standards are not asking for a diary of practice showing their own modelling but rather a report that shows their understanding about modelling. At level one the report should demonstrate understanding of how technological modelling supports decision-making. At level two the report should demonstrate understanding of how technological modelling supports risk management.

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Question answered by Malcolm Howard Regional Technology Facilitator Central North region The University of Auckland on 2012/06/11

Q: I have an urgent query re the titles of Level 1 and 2 AS 91096 and 910350.
In the titles of both Make basic adaptations and make advanced adaptations the word adaptations has an s on it. Does that mean the students have to make more than one adaptation? There is nothing in the NZQA specifications about the number of adaptations required but with the s on the word adaptation I’m left wondering.

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A: The requirement at level one for AS91096 /AS1.26, is to make basic pattern adaptations. This standards intent is to make basic pattern alterations to ensure the design to fit the person or item.

So it is about measuring to ensure fit and adapting the pattern to ensure correct fit, interpreting the pattern symbols and guide sheet, developing construction plan and creation of a toile or mockup to test the design or pattern and adjust where necessary.

The standard requires a pattern of three pieces and can be given by the teacher or chosen by the student depending on the nature of the learning programme and timing of the activity. Basic adaptations include such things as lengthening, shortening, widening and simple shape changes. Remember to keep it basic at this level! Of course a toile is a functional model so this modeling can be used to support the student to write a report about technological modeling for external assessment.

The achieved to merit to excellence step up is about making the alterations (achieved), making the alterations skillfully that requires independence and accuracy (merit) and to achieve excellence the student must be skillful and efficient; efficiency is gauged by economies of time, scale and resources and use of correct techniques. Therefore the evidence is cumulative within the student work and evidenced by annotations photographs and teacher observations.

At level 2 for AS91350.AS2.26 the step up from level 1 is from basic to advanced adaptations ( again more than one is implied by the plural) The standard requires the student to select an appropriate pattern , undertake advanced adaptations, i.e. making changes to pattern pieces to include structural and / or style features into an existing design- these could include such things as manipulating darts, sleeves, gores, yokes, facings and collars, changing fastenings and construction and testing of a toile. The pattern must be 3 pieces or more and as at level 1 the step up is making the adaptations, then skillfully and efficiently in the development of the pattern and the construction of the toile.

When I think about perhaps changing or adding a collar shape then I will automatically be changing adapting more than once by adjusting the collar shaper and the facing the neckline, or when adjusting for dart placement, gathering or pleating. When lengthening widening or shortening then there are consequential but often minor changes made to accommodate this. The standards are not quantifiable in terms of number but the nature of the adjustments and adaptations are the important factor. Remember you will more than likely also make minor adjustments at the toile stage not just when dealing with a flat pattern.

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Question answered by Cheryl Pym,National Coordinator on 2012/06/01