Phase 2 Schools: St Kentigern and Carmel Colleges

St Kentigern and Carmel College joined the Beacon Practice initiative in 2006 with the overall goal of"integrating a generic technological approach at all levels and allow for seamless progression within a quality Technology programme".

Teachers in both schools worked on strategies to help students identify the relevance of their learning in technology education. These included establishing a common language at all levels to help increase technological literacyand helping students make links to relevant technologies outside of their own practice. The use of graphic organisers and providing students with specific and appropriate feedback were also trialled with success.

School management continues to be supportive of technology education and plans have been developed to better promote technology within the schools and to their wider communities.

Teachers worked with Futureintech Ambassadors and other outside technologists. This provided expertise in specialist areas for both teachers and students. Food technologist Carol Pound visited both schools to share specific Food Technology knowledge, and followed up with meetings and workshops through 2006 and 2007.

Strong links were also developed between schools and New Zealand Food Science and Technology (NZIFST), with St Kentigern College involved in planning a 'Big Day Out' in April 2007, where Auckland secondary school students and teachers visited a variety of food manufacturers/research institutes.

At St Kentigern College, Sandra Davies joined the project in 2007 following completion of her Royal Society Teaching Fellowship in 2006. New Head of Department, Mark Lambert who joined the programme informally during the first year also came into project in an official capacity in 2007 to further extend progress through increased department professional development.

Sandra's work to engage the interest of boys in her Year 9 Textiles class is featured in the case study: CP 801 Flying High.

Carmel College teachers Daphne Vogel, Sandy Goonan and Dianne Purcellfocussed much of their work at Year 9 and 10 levels, including the general Year 9 Technology programme, the introduction of Bio-related technology into the Year 9 programme, and on the Year 10 Materials, Food and ICT.

In 2007 work was done with BP facilitator Ange Compton to clarify and apply the new curriculum and help relate student work to the levels of progression. "Our understanding of the new strands has increased substantially from discussions with Ange and other Beacon teachers where we 'unpacked' the components of each strand," says Carmel College Beacon Co-ordinator Daphne Vogel. "Angealso encouraged us to use the Technologists' Practice case studies from Techlink to present generic planning techniques to all technology classes."

Integrated methods used in by other Beacon teachers and increased use of outside experts in technology programmes increased the students' confidence in their own practice."Involvement with Carol Pound also helped SG understand technology education in a much wider sense and make the generic links across a range of tech areas. It has also helped with making links with what is happening in industry."

"Students enjoyed the visits/interactions/ leading questions from both Ange and Carol. This has increased their confidence in their own thinking, made them more independent in their practice and enabled them to participate more readily in individual consultations."

Alternative ways of collecting evidence –camera, video, audio recordings – were developed and alternative assessment schedules trialled. "These have so far proved successful – students find these easier to relate to their practice – and have also been useful for peer assessment," says Daphne.

To round off the Beacon Project the main focus at the end of 2007 was to develop an overview of a Year 7-13 programme for the department, including levels of progression and possible areas where the two new curriculum strands can be incorporated.Activities relating to the new strands were included in unit planning for 2008.

Reflections

In her final Beacon Practice report, Daphne says that "the last two years have been an extremely positive experience. We are now comfortable with early focus on generic skills and knowledge followed byspecialised skills and knowledge incorporated into each student's individual Technological Practice as necessary.With the new Overview, there are more defined levels of progression in unit planning as well as in progression from Year 7 to Year 13.

"There is increased co-operation and integration across the Department with generic, area-specific and some combined technological context projects. Relationships have been built with outside technologists and their associated companies.

"Board of Trustees, Senior Management, staff, parents and the wider community have greater understanding of what Technology is about through the promotion of technology via presentations, staff involvement and showcasing students' work.

Daphne says the goals for 2008 are to consolidate the knowledge gained from the Beacon practice and continue to improve Technology programmes to ensure students are gaining access to resources to undertake Technological Practice to develop quality solutions, and to continue to experiment with the two new strands within Technological Practice in all subject areas. "We will also continue to build relationships with outside technologists at both junior and senior levels, andintroduce programming and specialist multimedia activities in ICT.