Rationale:

The study of Industrial Technology provides students with opportunities to engage in a diverse range of creative and practical experiences using a variety of technologies widely available in industrial and domestic settings. This may include study in the areas of Automotive, Building and Construction, Electronics, Engineering, Farm Maintenance, Metal, Multimedia or Timber.

Industrial Technology develops knowledge and understanding of materials and processes. Related knowledge and skills are developed through a specialised approach to the tools, materials and techniques employed in the planning, development, construction and evaluation of quality practical projects and processes. Critical thinking skills are developed through engagement with creative practical problem-solving activities.

The Industrial Technology Years 7–10 Syllabus allows students to study technology in specific focus areas relevant to individual needs and interests. The syllabus has been designed to be inclusive of the needs, interests and aspirations of all students. Students are provided with opportunities to develop responsibility for their own learning through a range of student-centred learning experiences.

Through the study of Industrial Technology students develop knowledge relating to current and emerging technologies in industrial and domestic settings. Students study the interrelationship of technologies, equipment and materials used in a variety of settings. They develop skills through project-based learning in the design, planning, management and production of practical projects.

The Industrial Technology Years 7–10 Syllabus leads students to an awareness of the relationship between technology, industry, society and the environment, and develops their ability to make value judgements about issues, decisions and consequences arising from this interaction. Students are challenged to develop an awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability in relation to the use of materials and technologies and their effects on people and society.

The study of Industrial Technology develops in students an understanding of related work environments and Work Health and Safety (WHS) matters, while developing a range of skills that equip them for future learning, potential vocational pathways and leisure and lifestyle activities involving technologies.

The knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes developed through the study of Industrial Technology provides opportunities for students to make positive contributions to Australian industry and society, to express valued opinions and to make considered judgements as contributing members of society.

Aim:

The aim of the Industrial Technology Years 7–10 Syllabus is to develop knowledge, understanding, skills and values related to a range of technologies through safe interaction with tools, materials and processes in the design, planning, management and production of quality projects. The syllabus aims to develop in students an understanding of the interrelationships between technology, the individual, society and the environment, and to develop their ability to think creatively to produce solutions to practical problems.

Objectives:

Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

Students develop:

• knowledge of and capacity in applying Work Health and Safety and risk-management procedures and practices

• knowledge and skills in the design and production of practical projects

• knowledge and understanding of the relationship between properties of materials and their applications

• skills in communicating ideas, processes and technical information with a range of audiences 

• understanding to transfer knowledge and skills to other experiences

• knowledge and understanding to critically evaluate manufactured products in order to becoming a discriminating consumer

• knowledge and understanding of the role of traditional, current, new and emerging technologies in industry and their impact on society and the environment

Values and Attitudes

Students:

• appreciate the contribution and impact of innovation and technologies on leisure, lifestyle, work and further learning

• appreciate the dynamic nature of design and production processes and how they are used to develop solutions to personal, social and global issues

• appreciate the finite nature of some resources and the impact of their use on the environment and society

• value the development of skills and gain satisfaction from their use to solve problems and create quality products

Content:

The core module develops knowledge and skills in the use of tools, materials and techniques related to timber which are enhanced and further developed through the study of a specialist module.

Practical projects undertaken should reflect the nature of the Timber focus area and provide opportunities for students to develop specific knowledge, understanding and skills related to timber technologies. These may include:

·       decorative timber products

·       furniture items

·       small bowls or turned items

·       storage and display units

·       storage and transportation products