Design, Creativity and Technology Level 6 (Years 9 and 10)
Learning focus
As students work towards the achievement of Level 6 standards in Design, Creativity and Technology, they specialise in a specific area of design and technology. Specialisations could focus on specific materials areas (such as wood, metal, plastics, food, ceramics or textiles) or technological systems (such as computer-controlled systems, electronics or mechanisms or combinations of these), or particular design/technology areas (such as home economics, fashion, robotics, furniture, agriculture and horticulture).
They continue to pose and define design problems by working with a variety of design briefs within various contexts including those that have transferability into the workplace and broader community.
Students develop design briefs within open-ended design guidelines. Referring to the design brief, they consider and investigate aspects of function and aesthetics. Students become discerning and discriminating thinkers, able to address controversial, complex and ethical design and technology issues and dilemmas, such as trade-offs in the selection and use of materials. They further develop the capacity to model, assemble and disassemble products and systems, and communicate their ideas verbally, and with two-dimensional drawing and three-dimensional modelling, including computer-aided design (CAD).
Students, individually and in teams, investigate systematic and creative and critical thinking approaches for generating innovative technological products (for example, educational games, toys or equipment for a local kindergarten, or a solar model car), including time and resource management. They explore and assess the past, and potential future, consequences of technology on society, culture and the environment.
Using annotations (including the use of appropriate technical language) and through discussion, students explain and justify design features, characteristics and properties of selected materials/ingredients, systems components and their interrelationships, performance, energy requirements and production techniques in relation to the design brief. Students at this level are open to the iterative nature of the design process and the importance of continuous reflection when addressing design and technology situations and problems. They develop an increasing range of investigation (including testing), questioning and checking techniques when investigating, designing, planning and evaluating products and systems.
Students safely and efficiently construct products, models or prototypes to specifications and standards. They make decisions about safety precautions and wear personal protective clothing and equipment when necessary. Students further develop skills in using a range of techniques, equipment, tools, some of which are complex; for example, the lathe, computer-aided milling machine, and vacuum former. They also develop skills in using suitable materials/ingredients and/or systems components (or combine simple sub-systems to produce more complex systems) to specified levels of accuracy and precision, and with consideration to risk assessment processes. They are encouraged to make adjustments to tools and equipment and carry out basic maintenance. They learn to use time and resources economically and try to minimise waste.
Students are encouraged to document their design, production and evaluation activities in an electronic or manually-produced portfolio. They participate in and lead discussions on evaluating their own and other people's thinking in relation to creative and innovative products. Through creative processes, reflection and evaluation, they examine and acknowledge a range of perspectives, and consider the value of diverse opinions about design and technology.
Students develop appropriate evaluation criteria and use them to assess design ideas, choice of materials/ingredients and/or systems components, production techniques and/or performance of a system. They learn to analyse and evaluate a new material or process and discuss innovation and emerging technologies in primary industry or the manufacturing industry.
Standards
Investigating and designing
At Level 6, students identify considerations and constraints within a design brief. They undertake research relevant to the design brief. They locate and use relevant information to help their design thinking and identify the needs of a variety of client/user groups. When designing, they generate a range of alternative possibilities, use appropriate technical language, and justify their preferred option, explaining how it provides a solution to the problem, need or opportunity. They make critical decisions on materials/ingredients, systems components and techniques based on their understanding of the properties and characteristics of materials/ingredients and/or of the relationship between inputs, processes and outputs. They effectively use information and communications technology equipment, techniques and procedures to support the development of their design and planning. Students take account of function and performance, energy requirements, aesthetics, costs, and ethical and legal considerations that address the requirements of design briefs. They identify a range of criteria for evaluating their products and/or technological systems. Students plan a realistic and logical sequence of the production stages, incorporating time, cost and resources needed for production.
Producing
At Level 6, students implement a range of production processes accurately, consistently, safely/hygienically and responsibly, and select and use personal protective clothing and equipment when necessary. They produce products/systems using complex tools, equipment, machines, materials/ingredients and/or systems components with precision. They clearly explain decisions about the suitability of materials/ingredients, systems components, energy requirements and production techniques based on their understanding of the properties and characteristics of materials/ingredients, and the inputs, processes and outputs of systems.
In response to changing circumstances, they adapt their methods of production and provide a sound explanation for deviation from the design proposal. They make products/systems that meet the quality, aesthetic, functionality and performance requirements outlined in the design brief.
Analysing and evaluating
At Level 6, students use evaluation criteria they have previously developed, and critically analyse processes, materials/ingredients, systems components and equipment used, and make appropriate suggestions for changes to these that would lead to an improved outcome. They use a range of suitable safe testing methods in this analysis. They relate their findings to the purpose for which the product and/or system was designed and the appropriate and ethical use of resources.
They synthesise data, analyse trends and draw conclusions about the social, cultural, legal and environmental impacts of their own and others’ designs and the products/systems, and evaluate innovative new technology in the manufacturing industry.
Downloads
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Design, Creativity and Technology booklet (
PDF - 247KB) - Design, Creativity and Technology standards table (Doc - 47KB)
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Victorian Essential Learning Standards Level 6 ( PDF - 788KB)
