The Technological Knowledge Strand Explanatory Papers Updated May 2010
Technological Systems
Possible learning experiences
Senior Primary/Intermediate (Years 5-8)
Possible learning experiences
The learning experiences suggested below have been provided to support teachers as they develop their understanding of the Technological Systems component of Technological Knowledge, and how this understanding 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.
Students could identify a number of simple technological systems from different contexts, and represent the parts of the systems using appropriate language tools (including graphical symbols) for the type of system focussed on. The systems explored could be categorised by the students as being primarily focussed on transforming energy, information, or materials. Students could then explore a more complex technological system that consists of one or more black boxed components, (for example, a security system, manufacturing system, car wash, fermentation system, etc.) and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of not knowing what is happening inside the box.
In order to gain a better understanding of the concept of black boxes and technological systems, students could be involved in making a bread product. As part of their technological practice they are provided with the opportunity to experience a variety of ways of making bread. That is, they could make bread in a traditional way; accessing their own ingredients and carrying out the steps by hand, whereby their design input is necessary for the transformation to occur. In this case, the bread making is not a technological system. They could then make bread with a bread-maker, but access their own ingredients. In this case, the bread-maker is a technological system – but its system nature can be viewed as a black box as its transformation processes are hidden. Finally, the students could make bread with a bread-maker using a 'ready bread mix'. In this case, the bread-maker (a technological system) and the mix (an input into this system) can both be thought of as black boxes. The students could also view a video showing a commercial bread factory and identify technological systems employed in this context.
They could explore the nature of the outputs in all these scenarios and determine the ratio of wanted (bread product) versus unwanted (waste, energy depletion, pollution, etc.) outputs in each case. Ongoing class discussions could be held around the quality and reliability of the end product, and how easy it was for the student to modify the product to allow for different tastes etc., within each method used. Students could complete a PMI (plus, minus, and interesting) analysis of making bread in a variety of ways.
Students achieving at level 2 could be expected to:
- describe type of transformation that occurs within the bread-maker; and
- describe the role each component has in the transformation occurring within the bread-maker.
Students achieving at level 3 could be expected to:
- describe a range of simple technological systems (including a system involved in bread making) using appropriate language tools; and
- explain what a black box is, and give examples of how a black box can be both helpful and unhelpful.
Students achieving at level 4 could be expected to:
- identify an example of a control mechanism within a technological system and explain how it influences the transformation process; and
- describe how the fitness for purpose of the bread-maker was and/or could be enhanced by the use of control mechanisms.
