Another year of wonderful technological outcomes from a diverse and energetic array of students and we have seen quite a few changes in the Technology Department staff too.

Mr Parsons aka ‘Bionic Man’ had taken leave in Term Three for a double knee replacement and had made a remarkable recovery and back to teaching by Term Four. His replacement was Mr Brian Pickard who thoroughly enjoyed his time in the Wood area and we were very pleased to have had someone who was incredibly knowledgeable and the students enjoyed his presence here. In Food Technology Ms Whalan just made it to the end of Term Three and has welcomed a beautiful baby girl Isla Rose a couple of days later. She is on maternity leave in Term Four and Mr Parsons has enjoyed sharing his gourmet culinary arts experience with her Year 9 class for the rest of the year. Ms Lesley Taylor has taught a Year 9 Digital Technology class in the second semester and Mr Alan Reynolds returned to teaching Computer Science at Level One.

DVC – Mr Hodgkinson

Year 9 and 10 students have been working through a combination of exercises to develop their design and drawing / sketching skills required to present their design ideas. Integral with this is use of pencil and other media to render their designs in order to further enhance visual interpretation of their ideas.

Year 11 students have been introduced to NCEA with an outdoor seating product design inspired by research of an existing designer of their choice. This was followed by a spatial design of a stand-alone Sleepout, incorporating sleeping, basic cooking, and bathroom space for use of a teenager.

Year 12 students have focused mainly on a spatial design related to their earlier research on Sustainability as a design movement.

Year 13 students have the flexibility to focus their year’s work towards their main areas of strength or interest, on either a spatial or product design theme. This year, all have chosen a spatial design, starting with a range of initial influences including designers and design era or movements. The end of year activities tend to focus on completion of external assessments before the due date for sending off to NZQA.

All of Level 1, 2, and 3 use a combination of internal and external assessment standards to optimise opportunity and achievement over the students’ work for the year.

Computer Science - Mr Reynolds

This is the first year that Computer Science has been offered as a stand-alone subject but still it is under the umbrella of Technology, so it was only Level One that was attempted by students. It will continue at Level Two next year and Level Three in 2021. It has been an interesting and challenging course with a focus on coding and programming. Students looked at programming in Python, creating websites using HTML and CSS, created databases and PC design. There are some very talented coders in the class many of whom showed a real flair for design as well which is complimented by several students also taking Digital Design Technology. The highlight of the year was probably during the topic on Designing a PC as we got to dismantle a number of computers and see if we could reassemble them and get them to work again. This has been an equally fun year and an interesting change from my usual mathematics classes and I have been very impressed with the quality of work that students have produced.

Digital Technology/Digital Design Technology - Mrs Whipp

With the implementation of the two new technological areas that have been added, the Digital Technology context has expanded to meet the growing needs of our students who want to specialize in their area/s of passion - Computational Thinking (now Computer Science) and Designing and Developing Digital Outcomes (Digital Design Technology) both at Level One this year and introduced at Level Two next year with Level Three in 2021. It is still combined at junior level. Year 9 has successfully designed and created board games with an Aotearoa/NZ theme and they enjoyed experiencing the world of Virtual Reality through mobile apps and headsets. Year 10 students created a buy/sell collaborative opportunity for their researched wearable technology devices and found the interaction with Artificial Intelligence chatbots fascinating while understanding they can be used for negative experiences too like scamming online. Adobe Photoshop skills unit and creating a teenage magazine were also highlights.

Year 11 Digital Design students used the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite software for their ‘Teen Issue’ Infographics and their ‘Makeover Google Logo’ designs, as well as creating new signage concepts for various departments of our school. This is the second year students have sat the end of year external exam online (with much success last year). Year 12 students were introduced to the world of Character Animation and designed a themed ‘Save the Planet Robot’ character for primary school students. Year 13 students produced wonderful music videos with such variation in their themes such as incorporating animation, using drones to show flight simulation and using footage from our school trip to Vietnam earlier in the year. All the videos were very well done. I take this opportunity to wish my Level Three students all the very best in their future endeavours and it has been my absolute pleasure to have taught you over the time you have been at LPHS.

Food/Hospitality - Ms Reid & Ms Whalan

The Foods Department has continued to grow this year with the addition of another part-time teacher Ms Whalan who has taken over most of the Hospitality courses and a Year 9 class.

The Year 9 course has changed this year with the introduction of a skills based unit where students focused on basic cookery techniques using a variety of equipment as well as learning to make some meals designed as a life skill. From there they designed and made a gingerbread whare which reflected their own culture and designed and made a packet cake mix.

Year 10 has seen the growth to two full classes and their projects have included a short skills revision course, designing and making hamburgers that reflect a character, and designing and making a dessert with a variety of flavours and textures. To achieve this they have learned how to make ice cream, meringues, brandy snaps, mousse, and cheesecake. The students presentation skills have been impressive suitable for any cafe.They finished the year with a Vegetarian Unit where they design and make a Vegetarian meal for their family.

At the senior level the Hospitality students have continued to gain practical skills around the preparation and cooking of meats, fruit and vegetables, and baking. They have also been making a range of preserves, gaining knowledge of culinary terms and learning essential Food Hygiene skills while gaining Unit Standards. The Food Technology students have been making over family recipes to make them healthier, designing and making a breakfast bread to be sold at the school canteen, improving the nutritional content of 2 minute noodles and comparing how bread is made in the classroom compared to industry. At Level 3 students have been making choux pastry and working on their own projects including making pork jerky and My Food Bag of Indian dishes. I have been impressed with the high standard of student work and their enthusiasm for creating new food ideas at all levels.

Fabric - Ms Mackay

This year in Fabric Technology Year 9 students have been introduced to a wide variety of skills and techniques in their skill cubes and there have been some exceptional panels created. These students have shown so much flair and creativity in typical Logan Park fashion which I hope to see them carry through to their later years of study. The Year 10 students have been encouraged to extend their skills within the brief, designing and creating complex projects which included quilting, applique and pattern making. A new course offered garment construction in this year group due to student feedback last year. Approximately half the class chose to complete a hoodie this year with an applied design that they designed themselves.

Year 11 students made basic pattern adaptations to a garment of their choice using a commercial pattern. They then went on to fully test their pattern adaptations by making a toile or a full mock-up of their garment to test their design ideas and to ensure the correct fit of their garments. There were some very successful outcomes this year, including fully lined jackets and a jacket that implemented deconstruction technique’s as a design feature. Year 12 students began the year drafting a basic pattern block to their own measurements. This block was then adapted to change the structural and/or style features of the basic pattern, demonstrating advanced pattern manipulation. They then tested their garments for fit through toiling and altering where necessary, in order to construct excellent outcomes that are ready to wear. Year 13 students drafted patterns from scratch for a garment of their own design, demonstrating complex pattern drafting and construction techniques. I wish all my departing students well for their futures and I have really enjoyed teaching them throughout their time at Logan Park. I again look forward to next year and extending my current and new students in this exciting and innovative subject.

Metal - Mr Hodgkinson

Another busy year in the metal workshop. Many year 9 students started their first experience in working with metals this year, which has been challenging for some. We started with a skills based junior hacksaw project, designed to introduce students to the correct use of most of the tools and equipment in the workshop. The following two projects offered the students a more innovative and personalised opportunity to design and make a toy or ornament, and a range of jewellery. Year 10 students are able to use all of the equipment available, including oxy-acetylene gas for forging, welding and brazing, MIG for welding, and the foundry for aluminium casting using the greensand moulding method. As usual, there are challenges along the way, with pleasing results and skills obtained.

The senior classes started with a warm up project, followed by a more open ended design and make approach resulting in a range of projects from model steam engines, mini motorbikes, and drift trikes with some incorporating kitset parts and motorised drive systems. Another busy year, with a squeeze near the end as everyone works towards finishing their projects to a ‘take home’ state.

We are anticipating some major rebuild and restructuring within the department for next year.

Wood - Mr Parsons

Once again students across all levels have produced a range of creative and innovative projects resulting from research, problem-solving, modelling and testing and the application of skills learnt as part of the Technology programme at Logan Park. No two outcomes are the same and students are encouraged to explore their own heritage as part of the design process leading towards a unique and individually personalised end result.

Year 9 students explored the use of mechanisms in developing a child’s toy. This also included researching a theme and resulted in some stunning ideas and art work.

Year 10 students have focused on developing skills in the workshop, again through individual project work within a common context. This has also resulted in some outstanding work evident in both the practical aspects and design and development of the outcomes.

One highlight in the senior school has been the work of Isaac Cadogan. His lounge chair incorporates laminating to achieve curved shapes and mortise and tenon joints for structural strength. This outcome is a good combination of aesthetics and function. As with all seating, ergonomics is a key element of successful design. Isaac modelled his chair shape in our purpose built cage where different angle, heights and shapes can be experimented with until optimum in comfort is found. This information is then transferred to a full size layout which is the basis for the laminating jig which creates the main shape of the chair. As with all good technological practice, functional modelling is an essential step in the process to ensure that any product or outcome is fit for purpose. In Isaac’s case this meant that his final solution is comfortable, structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing.