Supporting Learning Environment Level 7

To support students to develop understanding of technological systems at level 7, teachers could:

• support students to understand the concepts of redundancy and reliability in relation to technological systems. Redundancy relates to the inclusion of additional components and/or subsystems to duplicate a function or functions. This duplication provides ‘back-up’ or allows for increased ‘fail safe’ tolerances. Reliability relates to the probability that a system will perform a required function under stated conditions for a stated period of time
• support students to identify and analyse a range of examples of technological systems to gain insight into how redundancy and reliability factors have impacted on system design, development and maintenance decisions. Examples should include system design, development and maintenance practices of technologists.

Explain the concept of redundancy in relation to technological systems

What is redundancy? Class discussion.

Use examples such found on the internet to illustrate the concept of ‘redundancy’ e.g. members within structures (bridge or can design)
Establish a class definition for ‘redundancy’
Using examples to illustrate points made, discuss advantages and disadvantages of redundancy in the design of development, and maintenance of technological systems

Discuss examples of particular technological systems to illustrate how factors related to redundancy impacted on system design, development, and/or maintenance decisions.

Case study of a chosen system.

Students select a system both within their own and others practice. Examine how redundancy has been incorporated into the system and how this has impacted on system design, development and maintenance.

Design Exercise to incorporate redundancy.

Teacher provides diagrams of a system that does not incorporate redundancy. Students design a way to incorporate redundancy.

Explain the concept of reliability in relation to technological systems

What is reliability? Class discussion.

Use examples such as power supply to illustrate the idea of reliability. Reliability in technological systems refers to a systems ability to perform consistently and maintain its expected functions when operated within a specified manner.
Students identify and describe other examples.

Discuss examples of particular technological systems to illustrate how factors related to reliability impacted on system design, development, and/or maintenance decisions.

Case study of a chosen system

Students select a system both within their own and others practice. Examine how reliability has been incorporated into the system and how this has impacted on system design, development and maintenance.