Technology and Applied Studies (TAS) News

Year 11 Design & Technology- Mini Major Projects

The Year 11 Design and Technology class have recently completed their Mini Major projects. These projects represent a crucial step in their journey towards the Higher School Certificate(HSC) Major Design Projects, showcasing their growing understanding of the design process and their ability to manage their time effectively.

The task for our Year 11 students was to select and develop a project of their choice which identified a need and, one that could be realistically completed within the given timeframe.

This task was intentionally flexible to allow each student to explore an area of design that piqued their interest, as it may also become the focus of their HSC Major Design Project in Year 12. The Mini Major project serves as a bridge between their coursework and the more extensive project they will tackle for the HSC.

The range of projects the students have taken in is inspiring. From furniture design to fashion, and innovative technology, the creativity displayed in their projects has been exciting. The amount of thought, time, and effort put into their work, amongst the preliminary exams, is a credit to them.

As we look forward to the coming year and the completion of their HSC Major Design Projects, we are confident that the foundation laid by the Mini Major projects will enable our Year 11 students to excel in their endeavours. We are proud of their achievements and excited to see how they will continue to grow and innovate.

Well done to our Year 11 Design and Technology students.

Bridget McMeekin | Design & Technology Teacher

Year 11 Timber - Mini Major Projects

As the students finish up their preliminary timber course they have constructed a project of their own design. This year the range of project choices included; a bench seat, a sideboard, three bedside tables, a jewellery box, a key holder, three chess boards, a lawn chair, a stool, a tool carry and a dart board. All the students designed their projects themselves using "Onshape", a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) program which was then developed into their drawings and plans to guide their build process. Students learned new processes throughout, such as cabinet joinery techniques, edge banding, CNC cutting, and using a dovetail jig.

While some projects were more completed than others, and the students learned the hard way about time management, many of the projects turned out exactly as the plans intended. 

The students will now look to include new skills and techniques that they will learn over the next 12 months for their HSC major work, thus, this serves as a great practice for the planning and building of projects for their final school year. 

Congratulations to the students and what they have accomplished so far!

Darcy Harland | IT Timber Teacher