In Technology, we believe in promoting community involvement to enhance our students’ learning experience.

In our Technology subjects at MAC, we believe in promoting community involvement to enhance our students’ learning experience and skills development by giving them authentic connections with real-world experiences. This approach also supports the wellbeing of everyone involved as we know that community involvement is linked to positive feelings and functioning. Helping others, sharing one’s skills and resources, and promoting behaviours that build a sense of purpose and team orientation have been found to increase self-worth and produce a positive emotional effect.  

Year 7

Cookie dough challenge project
Year 7 students are enjoying ‘testing’ their hand-made utensils produced as part of the cookie dough challenge project. The aim is for students to produce a utensil that is fit for purpose.  

Makana Confections

A Year 7 class also piloted a unique local curriculum project with Makana Confections. We named it the ‘Chocolate Survival Challenge’. Brian Devlin, the Director and owner of Makana Confections, set our students the challenge of designing and producing packaging for their chocolates, so chocolates they send via post arrive intact. Brian gave students the following specifications:

• The chocolate survives and arrives in one piece in the post.

• Packaging must be fit for purpose. For example, is it light enough? Strong enough? Is there enough room for the stamp and address [Northland Region, 0230, New Zealand]? 

• Construction skill and concept of the protection of the chocolate

• Aesthetics of the construction/package.

Brian and his team selected their favourites, saying this about them:

• Although a simple presentation this box managed to integrate the Makana ribbon.  Professionally produced it could be an attractive option.

• The pentagon shape was chosen by several students but this one stood out with its contrasting white band and ribbon. The ribbon has always been a feature of Makana packaging so it integrates well with our packaging themes.

Winners received a family size chocolate box for their families to enjoy at home.

Year 7 Allbirds sole project
Our Year 7 students are currently working on a design of a shoe sole for the Allbirds shoe brand. Students have been asked to create an eye-catching design that makes efficient use of space. The design should also honour and reflect Papatūānuku (Earth, Earth mother) and evoke a connection with the land of Aotearoa. The students’ design board should show evidence of trialling and testing different materials to test the ‘fitness of repurpose’ of the design. Materials could include acrylic, rubber, wood, carving, hot pokers etc. Students have also been asked to consider the imprint of the pattern the sole may leave behind to spread the awareness of how to honour Papatūānuku.

As part of the project, students learn about how Māori have utilised all kinds of technology, the deep-rooted connection to taiao [natural world] and understand that natural materials must be respected and treated with manaakitaka [extend love and compassion], whanaukataka [build relationship through shared experiences], kaitiakitaka [sustainability].

As part of the project, students work through the design process, use modelling techniques, explore materials and test their prototypes. Once students are happy with their design, they receive a final design board to display their learning journey and the designs and materials they have explored through the project. 

Year 10

The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ competition has been introduced into the Year 10 programme. This nationwide competition challenges New Zealand’s next generation of innovators to unleash their creativity and use Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) to help improve their communities.  Our Year 10 students were asked to create pewter-cast keychains for teachers’ bags to help teachers differentiate between their bags  as all teachers get the same issued bag in schools and they often pick up each other's bag by mistake!

Level 1 students (Year 11)

Our Year 11 students have been asked to design and make a gear stick for rally car drivers. To produce their gear sticks, students use 13-fin plates, band saws, polishes, drill presses, and lathe work using aluminium.

We are grateful to champion rally driver Hayden Paddon from Central Otago who judges the gear sticks produced by our students, and is dedicated to supporting schools to engage students in locally focused curriculum projects. Our Level 1 mechanical engineering students have submitted their work and are now ready for the judging of the prestigious 'Hayden's Choice' award for outstanding workmanship.

Our Year 11 students also had an opportunity to visit Wai Innovation and Highlands Park to learn about technology used in industry. Wai Innovation is an industrial-level engineering workshop where students had the chance to speak to the Wai Innovation team about their career paths to the roles they now hold.

Level 2 students

Rocket stove: Bidfood (donating foods)
Bidfood is New Zealand’s largest wholesale supplier of food and kitchen consumables to the hospitality and foodservice industry. Bidfood has come on board to support the Level 2 mechanical engineering course by donating food for students in the Level 2 class to ‘test’ their rocket stove designs. Students have three testing days during the project to use their rocket stoves to cook food, and using what they learn from the testing, they can then refine and improve their rocket stoves. 

LUMA schools programme
This year’s LUMA 2024 produced the biggest school engagement yet for the LUMA schools programme, with 3000 students from 15 Otago schools and education locations participating in the 10-week project. The inspiration behind the LUMA installation ‘Drift’ is based on the theme of 'Our Environment'. Students were asked to work with the concept of helping to protect our waters by raising awareness of the special animals that live in our lakes and oceans. Working closely with Wai Wanaka and Wai Innovation to create steel pieces, students worked through a project involving Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) skills to produce their work.

The LUMA schools programme is a great example of a local curriculum project working across many schools and year levels. Our Technology teacher Rebecca Hembrow has been the volunteer teacher-in-charge of this programme for the last decade.

Building and construction industry training organisation film
Our Technology teacher Rebecca Hembrow was recently featured in a Building and construction industry training organisation (BCITO) film which was presented at the Technology Education Subject Association Coalition (TESCA) conference to highlight the impact that the New Zealand Graphics and Technology Teachers Association (NZGATTA) and BCITO have on supporting our technology teachers and students. 

Industry awards
Rebecca has won numerous awards and recognition for her education practice, including:

• In 2023, Rebecca won a Women’s Community Award based on her IMPACT in the education sector for her community work within Luma and far beyond.

• In 2024 she won the TENZ (Technology Education Teaching Association) Innovation in teaching Award.

• She is a finalist for the NAWIC (New Zealand Association of Women in Construction) Helen Tippett Excellence Award for her impact in supporting women entering the construction and infrastructure space. 

• The Ministry of Education used LUMA 2019 as an exemplar of local curriculum in technology using a light festival for learning. 

Lions Speechmakers District Competition

MAC students James Watson and Zoe Laws recently competed in the Lions Speechmakers District Competition.

James spoke about 'Youth in Aotearoa NZ and their connection to social media’ and Zoe Laws spoke about: 'The Importance of History'.

Students prepared a 5-6 minute speech and then took part in an impromptu speech with one-minute preparation on the topic of: 'If you could only fill a backpack with your most important belongings, what would they be and why?'

Both students spoke exceptionally well, with James Watson taking second place across the two speaking sections. James will continue, with the first-place winner from Verdon College, to the national competition in Wainuiomata in August.

Following this competition, MAC senior students will also speak at the Wānaka Rotary Club competition in mid-August.

Year 7 students and 'impact'

Our Year 7 students have been learning about the concept of ‘impact’ through exploring people who have made a positive impact on society through the selfless way they lived.

To help inspire the students, teachers explored the lives of Dame Whina Cooper and Nancy Wake. Dame Whina Cooper was a respected kuia who worked for many years for the rights of her people, particularly Māori women. She is remembered for leading the 1975 Māori land march from Te Hāpua to Wellington at the age of 79. Nancy Wake, also known by her code name of the ‘white mouse’, was born in New Zealand and was a nurse and journalist who joined the French Resistance and later the Special Operations Executive during World War II, going on to become the most decorated servicewoman of World War II.

Through learning about Dame Whina Cooper and Nancy Wake, and the other ‘heroes’ they selected, students were able to understand how the past shapes who we are today, how identity can be observed through other people’s experiences, and how people can exercise their rights and responsibilities and participate in acts of citizenship.

Each student selected their own hero to profile, including creating a timeline of their lives, exploring the way they lived and their impact on society, identifying characteristics of their hero, researching and sharing evidence-based examples of their hero’s actions, and using report-writing skills to explain why the person they chose is a hero who made a positive impact.

The students’ engaging and informative presentation boards were displayed in the Year 7 hapori for parents and staff to view, and some students even dressed up as their chosen hero.