Technology Learning Area

In term 3 students in Years 8 and 9 will be making decisions about elective subjects for next year. This is an opportunity for students to explore new areas, follow their passions, set themselves up for further study or, maybe, all the above.

When I was in high school many years ago, I took a woodworking class “just for fun”. I did not become a builder or a cabinet maker, but it became a life skill that I still use today. The value in the skills and confidence that students gain in using power tools should not be underestimated.

I did not have the option of “Home Economics”, as it was called in my high school, but I did have parents who thought that it was important that their children knew how to cook. What I did not get was the exposure to the varieties of foods that are available and the cultural influences in the preparation of today’s cuisine. That is something that is an integral part of the teaching of Food Technologies at Glen Eira College, along with the essential aspects of understanding healthy food choices, and designing and producing food products.

Digital Technologies as we know it today did not exist when I was in high school, but it became an integral part of my career as a research scientist prior to my entry into teaching. We cannot underestimate the importance that digital technologies will play in the future, both in the development of new technologies as well as its use in areas such as data analytics.

Within the Technology faculty you will find teachers with a wealth of prior experience gained before they entered teaching, experiences that they bring into their classroom instruction. Such experiences include building, engineering, pastry baking, science research and data analytics. Any students wishing to find out more about the possibilities in Technology either as a career or just as an important life skill should speak with one of the Technology teachers.

David Ebert

Technology Learning Area Leader