Technology

Design and Technology

Technology has grown over the past years with the inclusion of VET Building and Construction and VET Electrotechnology in 2006. These courses will provide the student body more vocational choices that will prepare them for the world of work. Br Bill has allocated a substantial amount of money to develop a new Technology wing on the senior campus. This will cater for the strong demand for VET/VCAL programs on offer to senior students. This year as a faculty we have witnessed our best overall results in senior VCE Materials and Design. The high standard of folios and production outcomes are a credit to Mr Tony Havelock. Tony has nurtured this particular group of students from Year 10. He has encouraged them to take risks, to develop outstanding solutions to design problems. The images and overall quality shown by senior projects on these pages do not do justice to the skills and expertise demonstrated by Tony’s Year 12 group. Tony Havelock is to retire next year after a long association with the college. Tony was given the task of setting up a technology program 18 years ago and has developed and maintained the current workshops to such a high standard that visiting teachers marvel at the level of equipment and functionality of the technology wing. Tony, we as a faculty will miss you. We thank you for your dedication in providing quality technology programs and facilities for all students who have passed through the center, past and present. Mr Keith Hoy Animation is now in its second year at De La Salle and students have produced 32 stop-motion animated short films along the way. In mid-November of this year the first ‘film night’ was held to showcase the high standard achieved by Year 9 animation students. Students experience the entire film-making process, coming up with initial scripts, story boards, set building and, finally, the shooting of their films. A number of the groups have been able to create films of up to three minutes of animated film. This is quite an achievement due to very tight time lines involved in project work. Animation draws heavily on areas such as English in the development of ideas and writing of scripts, and many of the skills developed in Technology are put into practice along the way.

Year 9 Animation

VCAL Building and Construction

In 2005 a new course was introduced to De La Salle — Building and Construction, which is part of the VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning) study program, which prepares students for apprenticeships in the building industry. Mr Chris Danckert introduced the new subjects to students at levels 11 and 12. The students are trained in skills needed in the building industry. A number of students have the opportunity to work in industry whilst still completing a study program at De La Salle. The new area of study has already provided opportunities for students to take up apprenticeships in the building industry.

Mr Michael Bazeley