MR BEN HIRST
h ead of design tech nology
EDDIE HARRIS, ALEXANDER WEI, CONNER FITZPATRICK, JUDD RANSBY - YEAR 9 LASER CUT DESIGNS
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hange comes naturally to the Design and Technology staff. As a department we always embrace the changing face of technology whether it be by the new equipment on offer that we use to diversify student learning or new technologies that teach us how to get the best out of the environment that we live in.
The QCAA has always made the effort to keep the senior Technologies subjects evolving by way of mandated changes in the system. This year has seen the biggest upheaval to the subjects with the new QCAA Design subject replacing the departing Technology Studies and Graphics subjects. The Technology department always likes a challenge and embraces the opportunity to accommodate the new directives that have been given. A timely opportunity arose at the end of last year, with the refurbishment and development of the lower Dods building that allowed us to develop purpose-built classrooms to best house the new Design subject and Information Technology subject. The area developed for Design is now equipped with a large open design room, complete with an array of high spec computers, a specialised Virtual Reality/Video room to enable students to realise their design ideas or to create video presentations of their assessment pieces, as well as a 3D printing room which is shared with the Information Technology department and leads through to their specialised room, next door.
area ideal to collaboratively develop and discuss design ideas. At the completion of the design phase they were able to seamlessly finalise their creations with the use of CAD on the computers. This enabled their creations to be brought to life in Virtual Reality, turned into 3D printed products or cut out using the Laser Cutter.
The effectiveness of the new Design room has been tested by the Year 10 Design students. Their program, introduced this year, has taken elements of the new senior Design syllabus to give them a taste and an understanding of aspects of the new Design program. The students have really embraced the new spaces, making the most of large work tables for design and sketching, an
Graphics students also show their worth on a similar level with some creative and outstanding examples of architecture and product design. Their creations tend to be more elaborate as budgets don’t play a role in their final outcome.
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SOUTHPORTONIAN
Our Junior Technology program continues to work through prudently selected problem solving projects, making use of the new technologies while still allowing the boys to gain an understanding and development of practical skills, in the manipulation of woods, plastics and metals in the traditional workshops. Students have also gained increasing levels of skill in the use of age appropriate machinery as they work through the formative years of workshop experience and, while all of this occurs, students have gained an understanding of how to work safely in a collaborative workshop environment. The Years 11 and 12 students of Technology Studies have demonstrated this culmination of skills by producing some fine quality examples of work.
Students of Year 12 Industrial Technology Skills have honed their practical skills by creating a collection
of outdoor furniture. The tables and benches are destined for locations around the Senior and Prep campuses to be used by the school community. Finally, a special thank you from the Technology staff to Mr Bruce Curtis who hangs up his dust coat and retires after 35 years of service to The Southport School and the Design and Technology department.
