Technology

What do the WPSC Technology staff teach your children?

Do we teach skills? YES

Do we teach safety? YES

Do we teach technological literacy and numeracy skills? YES

BUT most importantly we teach PROBLEM SOLVING.

What this looks like in practice could be a Tradesman, University student, Architect, Engineer, Housewife or Farmer applying a proven sustainable process to solve a problem, design a product or design a process. Often we use the phrase “giving students the skills to solve problems that aren’t even a problem yet”. This is our core curriculum and we achieve this by asking the students to respond to either a design brief, outline of a situation or giving them a problem to be solved. Using the Design Process model, students work through each of the 11 stages to achieve a sustainable outcome. This method can be applied to solve problems as they arise and problems that develop into the future.

How would you solve this problem from our Advanced Metal Level 3 subject? What would your design options (sketches) look like when you incorporate the client’s constraints and add the considerations?

Outline of the situation

A large outdoors and camping franchise has requested a new design for its outdoor living and camping range.  The design must be easily identifiable as a solid fuel cooking device and must incorporate an attachable grill plate that is proportional in size. The design must have a hotplate area suitable for two adults and have functional legs that are collapsible (for easy storage). The design of the legs must allow the design to remain sturdy on uneven ground. It may also include a separate attachment to hold cooking utensils away from the fire. The size of this component must also be in proportion. The overall dimensions of the design option must be to the same or less than 600mm x 300mm. The materials for both attachments must be made from either 6mm rod or 10mm square bar. The company has asked that you incorporate three extra considerations that will make this product unique. You must justify your considerations using annotations on each Design Option.

List the constraints from the outline of the situation

1. The design must be easily identifiable as a solid fuel cooking device
2. Must incorporate an attachable grill plate that is proportional
3. Must have a hotplate area suitable for two adults
4. Have functional legs that are collapsible
5. Design of the legs must allow the design to remain sturdy on uneven ground
6. Dimensions of the design option must be to the same or less than 600mm x 300mm
7. Materials for both attachments must be made from either 6mm rod or 10mm square bar.

List the considerations from the outline of the situation and add one of your own (these are a past students considerations)

1. May also include a separate attachment to hold cooking utensils
2. May incorporate an attachment to hold a small LED light
3. May incorporate an ignition source ( flint )
4. May consider an alternative shape, circle, triangle or semi-circle.

Here are some of the varied solutions after following the design process that meet the constraints and satisfy the brief.

Next term we will introduce the Design Brief from our level 4 subject Engineering and Design. See what you could do to satisfy the Design brief, Outline of the situation or Problem to be solved.