At the end of 2016 Heather Brown who was Teacher Responsible for Hospitality and Food Technology had left Logan Park High School and moved to Christchurch to take up a position at Hillmorton High School. In her place, we are very pleased to welcome to our Technology Department Ms Helen Reid who is a specialist in the Food Technology area.

DESIGN & VISUAL COMMUNICATION

Level 2 DVC students began the year with some research on sustainability as a design movement, and were able to incorporate some of this knowledge in their design for a 3 bedroom house. This project provided the vast bulk of their assessment for the year, including the development of a visual presentation of their final design, and the full set of external assessments available.

Level 3 students progressed from a design iteration phase towards a fully developed spatial or product design of their choice. They were also encouraged to develop an exhibition of their final design to finish the year. Most have sent work away for external assessment.

Similar to last year, we have had some encouraging excellence results from students willing to put in the level of work required.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

The highlight of the year by far for some of the Digital Technology students was our USA Trip in April this year visiting New York and Washington DC. In New York the visit to Google was very exciting and really inspiring to see behind the scenes and listen to Patrick Leung who is an experienced software engineering executive and entrepreneur. He spent almost 2 hours talking to us and showing us around the 4th floor (no photos allowed). We loved the games room, the Lego room and the dateline wall showing computers from the early ages to now. We were inspired to learn about the internships at Google, what are the qualifications you need to work at Google and where Google sees their future in 5 and 10 years’ time. Next we visited a Technology Company called Side Walk Labs at the new complex on the Hudson Yards. Its goal is to improve urban infrastructure through technological solutions, and tackle issues such as cost of living, efficient transportation and energy usage. An amazing and interesting insight into the future.

Since 2011, we have been digitally communicating with Southside High School in North Carolina, USA and junior Digital Technology students have been involved in this global learning experience for the past 6 years. We had three days with some students from Southside and 3 teachers whilst we were in Washington DC. We shared games and fun activities on the first night, swapped school hoodies and bone carvings with them, ate dinner together and had the challenge of the School Haka vs Southside Cheerleading. The White House visit with the Southside students was interesting after clearing 3 security check points before stepping inside the building. Yes Donald Trump was in the White House at the time but No we didn’t see him! Students and staff will no doubt stay in touch via social media and remain friends for a long time. This had been a wonderful experience for the students to come together virtually and now in reality. This really is Technology at its best!

FABRIC TECHNOLOGY

It is a privilege to teach students with such diversity and creativity as ours at Logan Park, and again this year there have been some excellent examples of student successful outcomes both in junior and senior school.

The Skill Cube, continues to be a well-liked outcome for year 9 students. This is an opportunity for students not only to learn essential skills, but to develop and extend their design ideas. The reoccurring theme in this year has been with interactive cube panels and exceptional detailed fabric painted panels.

Year 10 students have demonstrated excellent examples of pattern making and the design techniques used to develop these outcomes are both varied and original. As a technology teacher, is always exciting to see what my students will develop within the brief.

In senior school, students are able to self-select their garments according to their skill set and consequently this enables students to have a greater success within their assessments tasks.

Year 11 students this year have developed, designed and made garments varying from hoodies to fully lined coats with kick pleats. Congratulations again to Beth Lynch who designed a garment for the National Shakespeare competition and was awarded Third Place nationally.

Year 12 students have continued to build upon and extended their skills and are now competent in drafting blocks to enable them to create patterns for their garments. This year their garments have ranged from “skorts” to jackets.

In Year 13 students are developing and making complex patterns, fitting and then constructing these garments. This year’s outcomes include corsets, lined jackets, evening dresses, denim jackets, and tailored coats. Congratulations again to Lorna Ryan who won the Overall Excellence award for Fashion and a Scholarship for Bachelor of Design (Fashion) for her three piece entry in the Celebrate Design Secondary Schools Awards from Otago Polytechnic.

I wish all my departing students well for their futures and I have really enjoyed teaching them throughout their time at Logan Park.

FOOD/HOSPITALITY

This year has seen a change in the Foods Department with a new teacher and the introduction of Food Technology Achievement Standards at all senior levels.

Students have enjoyed the challenge of being able to create products to solve a given problem and use scientific testing to make food products such as jam, lemon meringue pie and chocolate eclairs to industry standards. At Level 3 some students researched and developed their own product for a client. It has been great to see students achieve Excellence in some standards at all levels.

Hospitality Unit Standards were continued to be provided with students developing great skills in food preparation following correct hygiene procedures and developing their presentation skills. Topics included meats, soups, salads, cakes and finger food.

At a junior level Year 9 students were introduced to the Technology design process with a focus on a variety of food wraps before they designed and made their own wrap. This was followed by a unit on Breakfast, and designing and making a premade cake mix. Year 10s designed and made their own burgers, developed a cultural dish and a vegetarian dish for their families, and a kiwiana ice-cream flavours.

HARD MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY – METAL

Another busy year in the metal workshop with some great projects completed by all year levels.

Year 9 students kicked off the year with a Junior Hacksaw as a skills building project, which introduced them to the workshop and the tools and equipment available. As well as general measuring and marking out their work, they got to use the pillar drills and engineering lathes, and tapping screw threads. They then completed a sheet metal toy or ornament of their own design, and similarly 1 or more pieces of jewellery.

Year 10’s started with a sheet metal container, and moved through various forging, welding, and aluminium casting projects of their own design.

Senior students are free to spend most of the year on their main project, once they have completed a parallel clamp as part of a skills development assessment. Some designed and produced a seat, while others built a mini motorbike using kit supplied engines & wheels, brakes etc.

HARD MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY – WOOD

Throughout the year students have been working away at constructing outcomes or projects that they have individually designed. Every outcome is unique and once again a high standard of design and craftsmanship has been expected and achieved.

Year 12 students worked within the context of seating this year. Good design decisions were informed by the use of a mesh cage to enable students to test the ergonomics of their designs in a ‘full-size’ scenario early in the process. This ensured comfort including seat height and effective lumbar support. Normally this would be left to educated guess work but this process allowed for a full-size pattern to be generated with known consequences.

Most products generated in the workshop were designed and made with real stakeholders in mind. This creates authentic and individualised design issues which adds to the level research and development required for an outcome to be fit for purpose. Hopefully there are plenty of satisfied Mums and Dads out there.