Course - Design & Technology

In Year 9, students design a surf handplane for another student, a banded and lost wax silver ring, concrete succulent pots and a toy design project. 

In Year 10, student work on architecture projects designing solutions for old shipping containers and a group project designing skateparks and playgrounds. 

Like any subject, there is important theoretical knowledge that is ingrained in the Design and Technology course. The course is taught using PBL (Project based learning) method. Students learn design theory and practice through following the design process for their projects. This involves learning about and implementing design project management, creativity, concept development, research and evaluation. Each project the students complete is accompanied by a folio that documents their whole design process.

No. There are no pre-requisites for the Year 11 (and thus HSC) Design and Technology course. However, you will gain valuable skills in Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10) that can be built on in the senior years. students who pick the subject up in Year 11 are at a great disadvantage.

Design and Technology focuses on the Design Process itself, and is not limited to a particular technology or medium. The focus is on identifying a need or problem, and then the application of the design process to solve that need or problem. Projects in Design and Technology are therefor wide ranging in scope, and thus the choice of materials, tools and technologies used is determined by the nature of the project. Think of it as more like product design. 

Industrial Technology looks at the design process in the context of one particular Technology or medium. In this instance it is Timber. Think of it as learning the craft of furniture design and cabinetmaking – heavily skill based. 

Yes. There is no prerequisite for Design and Technology so you can switch into it in year 10 provided class numbers allow it. However, students who pick the subject up in Year 10 are at a great disadvantage. They have missed much of the foundational knowledge and skills from the highly projects in Year 9.