Outline of Course
Design and Visual Communication teaches students how to communicate the design and thinking skills used in industries such as architecture, industrial and product design, urban planning and other fields of design. Students will develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills within authentic design projects to generate and develop original design ideas. This subject starts at Year 10 and carries through to Year 13. At Year 13, students will also be able to enter Scholarship within Design and Visual Communication.
Students will be given the opportunity to develop their skills within extended projects by developing solutions to teacher-given design briefs. These briefs encompass the two broad DVC strands of spatial and product design. Students will explore and develop diverse ideas to present unique and innovative solutions to the design brief. Students will present their ideas using computer-aided design (CAD) and digital fabrication techniques utilising the FabLab. The course embeds knowledge from other subject areas and has a particular focus on the human and sustainable components of good design.
The year is split into a number of design projects that focus on building visual communication skills enabling success at NCEA. This will include freehand sketching, rendering, instrumental drawing, physical modelling, and CAD modelling and students are encouraged to explore a wide variety of media.
The range of design projects will include:
A product design brief to develop sketching, rendering and physical modelling skills
Spatial/interior design
Landscape design
Course Costs: $30 to cover modelling materials.
Outline of Course
Year 10 Digital Media Design builds on the skills and problem solving of all Year 9 Creative Industries courses. As well as learning the fundamentals behind the field, students will learn how to make things move using different techniques across a range of software. By the end of this course, students should have developed an understanding of the style and techniques that may suit their own design ideas as they move into complex design problems in senior years.
The course will be made up of modules to give students experience in a range of environments. These could include the following and will be dependent on student interests and the ever-changing software platforms that evolve over time:
• Animation principles
• Character design
• Video Essay
• Motion graphics
• 2D animation
• Kinetic typography
• Graphic Design
Digital Media Design leads to Digital Technologies at Year 11 and is also helpful for students interested in Digital Art, Design, Media Studies.
Outline of Course
Digital technologies are transforming how we live, shaping our homes and our places of learning and work, changing the way in which we interact with each other in our everyday lives. The study of Digital Technologies as a subject covers two main areas of the New Zealand curriculum:
Computational thinking for digital technologies
• Students develop computational and algorithmic thinking skills and an understanding of the computer science principles that underlie all digital technologies.
Designing and developing digital outcomes
• Students develop an understanding that digital applications and systems are developed by people for people. They develop increasingly sophisticated understandings and skills related to the design and production of quality digital outcomes.
The digital industry covers a wide range of possible contexts for creation of digital applications with students able to explore interests in information and communications, computer programming, software development and engineering, web development, games, multimedia, computer systems and robotics and electronic control, augmented and virtual reality.
The Year 10 Digital Technologies course provides a pathway for students intending to study Digital Technologies further in the future. The course is a full year course and will be made up of modules to give students experience in a range of environments. Students will learn project planning and computer science skills as they develop a series of applications across a diverse range of contexts.
These could include a number of the following and will be dependent on student interests and the ever-changing software platforms as they evolve over time.
• Computational thinking and problem-solving
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Programming
• Cryptography, security and hacking
• Website design and development
• 2D game development
• Virtual or augmented reality
• Mobile app development
Outline of Course
This full year course offers exciting opportunities for students who are interested in the food and hospitality sector. Students will explore authentic issues requiring them to research, develop, refine and evaluate solutions for a design brief. Students will master a variety of technical skills in response to each design brief. This subject is offered through to Year 13 with the option of completing Scholarship in Food Design Technology.
Learners will engage in a range of design projects that aim to encourage curiosity, creativity, acquisition of knowledge and technical proficiency.
“Yes Chef!”
This unit of work will focus on acquiring the correct skills for working in a food environment e.g. safe knife handling skills, execution of safe food practices and the use of specialist equipment. Learners will also have the option to participate in a barista training course and work in the Diosphere Café at nominated times throughout the year. The Café is a working classroom and open for espresso-based beverages before school and during special events. Many former Year 10 students have found the barista training to be an invaluable prerequisite to their part-time jobs in the café industry and beyond.
Food Styling and Design
Social media plays a significant role in the food industry. Students will be inspired to make their food products “Instagram” or “Tik Tok” worthy using design principles to style and present their work. An introduction to both food styling and photographic techniques will complement their skill set.
Nourish: From the Inside Out
Nutritional messages can be overwhelming, confusing and misleading. We explore the personal and societal influences on both our attitudes to food, and our eating habits. Students will critically analyse nutritional information and make informed decisions around developing optimal food habits and attitudes specific to their own dietary needs.
The Social Landscape of Food:- “Dia de los Muertos”
Ola! Mexico is famous for its traditional festival known as “Dia de los Muertos” (The Day of the Dead). This celebration is steeped in rich symbolism, which may be confronting for those who are unaware of the true meaning of the rituals. Learners will explore and research this unique celebration, raising an awareness and a greater understanding around the cultural significance of food, traditions, protocols and social conventions. Learners will prepare a range of authentic recipes allowing them to replicate the celebration in class during late Term 3 or early Term 4.
Please note: this course caters for students with dietary restrictions.
Course Costs: $150. The course fee covers the cost of ingredients for practical food preparation.
Outline of Course
This course offers exciting opportunities for students who are interested in fashion and textile design. Students will experience and develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in Material Design throughout the year as they undertake a series of creative projects.
Project 1: Dress a Girl Around the World
The purpose of this project is to understand how clothing can help young people in our community. Students will look at how to make a simple piece of clothing to provide for a young person in need, engaging in service through action. Students will manufacture a dress to clothe a girl in a third-world country. This dress may be the only dress they ever have and must be constructed to a high-quality product – something in which they feel dignified and beautiful. This project encourages students to experience empathy toward others and to contribute to solving a real-world issue through a community project. In previous years student projects have been sent to a Christian school in Tonga.
Project 2: ReJEANaration (bag)
The purpose of this project is to understand how we can upcycle and use fabric or garments that are worn or torn to create something new through upcycling denim fabric. Upcycling is the creative process of transforming textile waste by reusing deadstock or used fabric to create new garments and products. It holds importance in terms of sustainability, reducing waste and environmental pollution. Students will develop knowledge and understanding of sustainability in design and how the production of raw fibres impact on the environment and what the fashion industry is currently doing to become more sustainable.
Project 3: Print it’ textile design
Students will learn how to use design elements to create their own unique motif. They will manipulate this in order to form a repeating pattern suitable for a digitally printed scarf. Each student will have their fabric produced professionally by a textile printing company.
During the project students will:
engage in a design cycle.
develop knowledge, understanding and skills to design and create solutions to real-world problems.
learn how to develop a series of drawings to inform their own design outcomes
use stakeholder feedback to inform their own designing
use functional modelling to test their design ideas
learn and develop sewing skills that will prepare them for Year 11 Material Design Technology course
engage in a product development process of taking their unique vision from concept to reality.
Course Costs: $50. Students will supply fabrics as required for their final outcomes however the course costs will cover any trialing of ideas