What next?
Students working
Sue says that as the unit was so successful and showed such potential in how it could be approached, she will definitely do it again. Although this does present her with a dilemma – Sue prefers to change units each year so that students don't come in with fixed expectations of what they will do each term, and to keep it fresh for herself by doing new things. However, the Year 6 students were so impressed when they watched the awards show that they are eager to work on the unit, so instead of leaving it for a few years she may decide to repeat it in 2010.
When she repeats the unit, Sue says she will look at introducing another aspect to it, following on from student interaction with a client and stakeholder. As the Technology curriculum has been developed and introduced the school has gone from teaching only the Components of Technological Practice (Brief development, Planning for Practice, Outcome Development and Evaluation) to introducing (in 2009) the Components of Nature of Technology (Characteristics of Technology, Characteristics of Technological Outcomes) and Components of Technological Knowledge (Technological Modelling, Technological Products, Technological Systems). Sue would add some aspects of these components to the unit, although she has not planned this as yet.
Although Trash to Fashion was planned as a cross-curriculum unit, Sue is passionate about teaching Technology as a separate subject, noting that it caters for a very diverse range of students and that the experience in Technology class influences student decision-making in choosing secondary school subjects and future careers.
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