Rationale
This rationale complements and extends the rationale for the Technologies learning area.In an increasingly technological and complex world, it is important to develop knowledge and confidence to critically analyse and creatively respond to design challenges.
Aims
In addition to the overarching aims for the Australian Curriculum: Technologies, Design and Technologies more specifically aims to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to ensure that, individually and collaboratively, students:develop confidence as critical users of technologies and designers and producers of designed solutions
Structure
The Australian Curriculum: Design and Technologies (F–10) comprises two related strands:Design and Technologies knowledge and understanding – the use, development and impact of technologies and design ideas across a range of technologies contexts
PDF documents
Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Technologies are available as PDF documents.Design and Technologies: Sequence of content
Technologies: Sequence of achievement
Years 3 and 4
Years 3 and 4 Band Description
Learning in Design and Technologies builds on concepts, skills and processes developed in earlier years, and teachers will revisit, strengthen and extend these as needed.
By the end of Year 4 students will have had the opportunity to create designed solutions at least once in the following technologies contexts: Engineering principles and systems; Food and fibre production and Food specialisations; and Materials and technologies specialisations. Students should have opportunities to experience designing and producing products, services and environments.
In Year 3 and 4 students develop a sense of self and ownership of their ideas and thinking about their peers and communities and as consumers. Students explore and learn to harness their creative, innovative and imaginative ideas and approaches to achieve designed products, services and environments. They do this through planning and awareness of the characteristics and properties of materials and the use of tools and equipment. They learn to reflect on their actions to refine their working and develop their decision-making skills. Students examine social and environmental sustainability implications of existing products and processes to raise awareness of their place in the world. They compare their predicted implications with real-world case studies including those from the Asia region, and recognise that designs and technologies can affect people and their environments. They become aware of the role of those working in design and technologies occupations and how they think about the way a product might change in the future.
Using a range of technologies including a variety of graphical representation techniques to communicate, students clarify and present ideas, for example by drawing annotated diagrams; modelling objects as three-dimensional images from different views by visualising rotating images and using materials. Students recognise techniques for documenting design and production ideas such as basic drawing symbols, and use simple flow diagrams.
Students become aware of the appropriate ways to manage their time and focus. With teacher guidance, they identify and list criteria for success including in relation to preferred futures and the major steps needed to complete a design task. They show an understanding of the importance of planning when designing solutions, in particular when collaborating. Students identify safety issues and learn to follow simple safety rules when producing designed solutions.
Years 3 and 4 Content Descriptions
Years 3 and 4 Achievement Standards
By the end of Year 4, students describe how social, technical and sustainability factors influence the design of solutions to meet present and future needs. They describe features of technologies that influence design decisions and how a range of digital systems can be used.
Students outline and define needs, opportunities or problems. They collect, manipulate and interpret data from a range of sources to support decisions. Students generate and record design ideas for an audience using technical terms and graphical and non-graphical representation techniques including algorithms. They plan a sequence of steps (algorithms) to create solutions, including visual programs. Students plan and safely produce designed solutions for each of the prescribed technologies contexts. They use identified criteria for success, including sustainability considerations, to judge the suitability of their ideas, solutions and processes. Students use agreed protocols when collaborating, and creating and communicating ideas, information and solutions face-to-face and online.
By the end of Year 4, students explain how products, services and environments are designed to best meet needs of communities and their environments. They describe contributions of people in design and technologies occupations. Students describe how the features of technologies can be used to produce designed solutions for each of the prescribed technologies contexts.
Students create designed solutions for each of the prescribed technologies contexts. They explain needs or opportunities and evaluate ideas and designed solutions against identified criteria for success, including environmental sustainability considerations. They develop and expand design ideas and communicate these using models and drawings including annotations and symbols. Students plan and sequence major steps in design and production. They identify appropriate technologies and techniques and demonstrate safe work practices when producing designed solutions.
Years 3 and 4 Work Sample Portfolios
Years 5 and 6
Years 5 and 6 Band Description
Learning in Design and Technologies builds on concepts, skills and processes developed in earlier years, and teachers will revisit, strengthen and extend these as needed.
By the end of Year 6, students will have had the opportunity to create designed solutions at least once in three technologies contexts: engineering principles and systems, food and fibre production and food specialisations; and materials and technologies specialisations. Students should have opportunities to experience designing and producing products, services and environments.
In Years 5 and 6, students critically examine technologies − materials, systems, components, tools and equipment − that are used regularly in the home and in local, national, regional or global communities, with consideration of society, ethics and social and environmental sustainability factors. Students consider why and for whom technologies were developed.
Students engage with ideas beyond the familiar, exploring how design and technologies and the people working in a range of technologies contexts contribute to society. They seek to explore innovation and establish their own design capabilities. Students are given new opportunities for clarifying their thinking, creativity, analysis, problem-solving and decision-making. They explore trends and data to imagine what the future will be like and suggest design decisions that contribute positively to preferred futures.
Using a range of technologies including a variety of graphical representation techniques to communicate, students represent objects and ideas in a variety of forms such as thumbnail sketches, models, drawings, diagrams and storyboards to illustrate the development of designed solutions. They use a range of techniques such as labelling and annotating sequenced sketches and diagrams to illustrate how products function; and recognise and use a range of drawing symbols in context to give meaning and direction.
Students work individually and collaboratively to identify and sequence steps needed for a design task. They negotiate and develop plans to complete design tasks, and follow plans to complete design tasks safely, making adjustments to plans when necessary. Students identify, plan and maintain safety standards and practices when making designed solutions.
Years 5 and 6 Content Descriptions
Years 5 and 6 Achievement Standards
By the end of Year 6, students explain how social, ethical, technical and sustainability considerations influence the design of solutions to meet a range of present and future needs. They explain how the features of technologies influence design decisions and how digital systems are connected to form networks.
Students describe a range of needs, opportunities or problems and define them in terms of functional requirements. They collect and validate data from a range of sources to assist in making judgements. Students generate and record design ideas for specified audiences using appropriate technical terms, and graphical and non-graphical representation techniques including algorithms. They plan, design, test, modify and create digital solutions that meet intended purposes including user interfaces and a visual program. Students plan and document processes and resources and safely produce designed solutions for each of the prescribed technologies contexts. They negotiate criteria for success, including sustainability considerations, and use these to judge the suitability of their ideas, solutions and processes. Students use ethical, social and technical protocols when collaborating, and creating and communicating ideas, information and solutions face-to-face and online.
By the end of Year 6, students describe competing considerations in the design of products, services and environments, taking into account sustainability. They describe how design and technologies contribute to meeting present and future needs. Students explain how the features of technologies impact on designed solutions for each of the prescribed technologies contexts.
Students create designed solutions for each of the prescribed technologies contexts suitable for identified needs or opportunities. They suggest criteria for success, including sustainability considerations, and use these to evaluate their ideas and designed solutions. They combine design ideas and communicate these to audiences using graphical representation techniques and technical terms. Students record project plans including production processes. They select and use appropriate technologies and techniques correctly and safely to produce designed solutions.