Design Technology

VCE Food Studies

Unit 1: Food Origins 

In this unit students focus on food from historical and cultural perspectives, and investigate the origins and roles of food through time and across the world. Students explore how humans have historically sourced their food, examining the general progression from hunter-gatherer to rural-based agriculture, to today’s urban living and global trade in food. Students consider the origins and significance of food through inquiry into one particular food-producing region of the world. They look at Australian indigenous food prior to European settlement and how food patterns have changed since, particularly through the influence of food production, processing and manufacturing industries and immigration. Students investigate cuisines that are part of Australia’s culinary identity today and reflect on the concept of an Australian cuisine.

Unit 2: Food Makers

In this unit students investigate food systems in contemporary Australia. Students focus on commercial food production industries, while also looking at food production in domestic and small-scale settings, as both a comparison and complement to commercial production. Students gain insight into the significance of food industries to the Australian economy and investigate the capacity of industry to provide safe, high-quality food that meets the needs of consumers. Students use practical skills and knowledge to produce foods and consider a range of evaluation measures to compare their foods to commercial products. 

Unit 3: Food in the Daily Life

In this unit students investigate the many roles and everyday influences of food. Students explore the science of food: our physical need for it and how it nourishes and sometimes harms our bodies. Students investigate the science of food appreciation, the physiology of eating and digestion, and the role of diet on gut health. They analyse the scientific evidence, including nutritional rationale, behind the healthy eating recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (see www.eatforhealth.gov.au), and develop their understanding of diverse nutrient requirements. Students also focus on influences on food choices: how communities, families and individuals change their eating patterns over time and how our food values and behaviours develop within social environments. Students inquire into the role of food in shaping and expressing identity and connectedness, and the ways in which food information can be filtered and manipulated. They investigate behavioural principles that assist in the establishment of lifelong, healthy dietary patterns.

Unit 4: Food Issues, Challenges and Futures

In this unit students examine debates about Australia’s food systems as part of the global food systems and describe key issues relating to the challenge of adequately feeding a rising world population. Students focus on individual responses to food information and misinformation and the development of food knowledge, skills and habits to empower consumers to make discerning food choices. They also consider the relationship between food security, food sovereignty and food citizenship. Students practise and improve their food selection skills by interpreting food labels and analysing the marketing terms used on food packaging. Students focus on issues about the environment, climate, ecology, ethics, farming practices, including the use and management of water and land, the development and application of innovations and technologies, and the challenges of food security, food sovereignty, food safety and food wastage. They research a selected topic, seeking clarity on current situations and points of view, considering solutions and analysing work undertaken to solve problems and support sustainable futures. 

Practical work is integral to Food Studies and includes cooking, demonstrations, creating and responding to design briefs, dietary analysis, food sampling and taste-testing, sensory analysis, product analysis and scientific experiments.

Digital Technology

VCE Applied Computing Units 1 and 2

Unit 1: Data Analysis and Programming

In this unit, students are introduced to the stages of the problem-solving methodology. Students focus on how data can be used in software tools such as databases and spreadsheets, and to create data visualisations. Students learn the use of programming languages to develop working software solutions. 

Unit 2: Innovative Solutions and Network Security

In this unit, students focus on developing innovative solutions to needs or opportunities that they have identified, and propose strategies for reducing security risks to data and information in a networked environment.

VCE Software Development Units 3 and 4

Unit 3

In this unit students apply the problem-solving methodology to develop working software modules using a programming language. They analyse a need or opportunity and make preparations to create a software solution for it. Students develop an understanding of the analysis, design and development stages of the problem-solving methodology. 

Unit 4

In this unit students create the software solution they planned from Unit 3. They will also focus on how the information needs of an individual and organisations are met through the creation of software solutions. They consider risks to the software and data during the software development process, as well as throughout the use of the software solution by an organisation. 

VCE Systems Engineering

Unit 1: Mechanical systems

This unit focuses on engineering fundamentals as the basis of understanding concepts, principles and components that operate in mechanical systems. The term ‘mechanical systems’ includes systems that utilise all forms of mechanical components and their linkages. While this unit contains the fundamental physics and theoretical understanding of mechanical systems and how they work, the focus is on the creation of a system. The creation process draws heavily upon design and innovation processes. Students create an operational system using the systems engineering process. The focus is on a mechanical system; however, it may include some electrotechnological components. 

Unit 2: Electrotechnological systems

In this unit students study fundamental electrotechnological engineering principles. The term ‘electrotechnological’ encompasses systems that include electrical/electronic circuitry including microelectronic circuitry. Through the application of the systems engineering process, students create operational electrotechnological systems, which may also include mechanical components or electro-mechanical subsystems. While this unit contains fundamental physics and theoretical understanding of electrotechnological systems and how they work, the focus is on the creation of electrotechnological systems, drawing heavily upon design and innovation processes.

Unit 3: Integrated and controlled systems

In this unit students study engineering principles used to explain physical properties of integrated systems and how they work. Students design and plan an operational, mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system. They learn about the technologies used to harness energy sources to provide power for engineered systems. Students commence work on the creation of an integrated and controlled system using the systems engineering process. This production work has a strong emphasis on innovation, designing, producing, testing and evaluating. Students manage the project, taking into consideration the factors that will influence the creation and use of their integrated and controlled system. Students’ understanding of fundamental physics and applied mathematics underpins the systems engineering process, providing a comprehensive understanding of mechanical and electrotechnological systems and how they function.

Unit 4: Systems control

In this unit students complete the creation of the mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system they researched, designed, planned and commenced production of in Unit 3. Students investigate new and emerging technologies, consider reasons for their development and analyse their impacts. Students continue producing their mechanical and electrotechnological integrated and controlled system using the systems engineering process. Students develop their understanding of the open-source model in the development of integrated and controlled systems, and document its use fairly. They effectively document the use of project and risk management methods throughout the creation of the system. They use a range of materials, tools, equipment and components. Students test, diagnose and analyse the performance of the system. They evaluate their process and the system. Students expand their knowledge of emerging developments and innovations through their investigation and analysis of a range of engineered systems. They analyse a specific emerging innovation, including its impacts.