Delivery
Carolyn used the first term and a half to teach skills and knowledge to her students. Although the Technological Knowledge strand of the Technology curriculum was not due to be introduced to classrooms until 2008, she began teaching it during this time in the hope that her students would benefit from this knowledge when doing their projects.
The Extreme Makeover unit started in June when students were asked to investigate their family's favourite recipes and identify one they could make into a healthier version. They were encouraged to look through old family recipe books and talk to their families about where the recipes came from, and what made them family favourites. After selecting a recipe they were asked to justify why they had chosen that particular one.
Niki, and nutritionist and Healthy Food Guide contributor Bronwen King came and talked to the students about the project, and how recipes are developed for the magazine. They discussed technological practice in the test kitchen, and how a recipe has to be accurate, straightforward and look like the kind of food that the magazine' readers would want to make.
Having an 'outside' authority talk about their own technological practice impressed the students more than the ordinary classroom teacher ever can. Carolyn says that while students will come up with key factors for their brief they don't really engage with the importance of it, and are often doing it because they've been told to write a list. Niki and Bronwen talked about their key factors – a recipe has to be healthier than the original, it still has to taste good and look good. Hearing that key factors are important to the Healthy Food Guide moved the concept from a theoretical to a real one for students, and was the first time some of them really understood the significance of key factors.
Niki spoke to the class about the expectations around working with a client. Students would be working with their individual families as they developed their recipe and reporting back to the Healthy Food Guide team as well. She provided an incentive for outstanding work: if any projects were suitable for the Extreme Makeover category she would consider publishing them in the magazine.
After deciding on a recipe, the students did some research on the original ingredients and their properties, before beginning to experiment on how they could make their dish healthier. Pasta meals were the most popular option and there were also waffles, banana fritters, South African pancakes, chocolate cake, self-saucing pudding, cheesecake, and a traditional Korean dish.
As they worked on adapting their recipes, the students investigated which ingredients they might adjust and which would be suitable to substitute, to make something that was more nutritious while retaining the same taste and appearance.
When trialling each version the students consulted with their families on taste, texture and appearance. They also consulted with other stakeholders such as friends or classmates.
When the development stage was completed the students were required to write a report on their recipe in the style of the Healthy Food Guide Extreme Makeover pages. Everyone then did a presentation to Niki about their product, explaining the changes they had made and their families' responses to it.
