Samoa School Syllabus - Design Technology

Design Technology Curriculum

This curriculum, implemented in 2022 by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, emphasizes problem-solving and exploration within technical fields. It aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of materials, processes, and design principles, fostering resourcefulness, innovation, and critical analysis skills.

The curriculum focuses on a "design and make" approach, challenging students to develop individual solutions, think creatively, and critically evaluate their work. This approach encourages students to engage in the entire production process, from initial design to final product and presentation.

The curriculum is structured around six key strands:

1. Design: Students learn the design process, analyze design decisions, and apply creativity to practical problem-solving. 2. Drawing: Students develop graphic and verbal communication skills through sketching and technical drawing. 3. Tools: Students gain knowledge of safe tool use, care, and maintenance for various hand and power tools. 4. Materials: Students explore various materials, focusing on wood and metal, understanding their properties, sources, and production processes. 5. Processes: Students learn and apply appropriate processes for working with materials and tools, emphasizing good trade practice. 6. Technology: Students explore the nature of technology and its impact on lives and the environment, including responsible resource management.

Each strand includes specific aims and learning outcomes for each year level (Years 9-12). Language and communication skills are integrated throughout the curriculum, with specific learning outcomes related to oral and written communication.

The curriculum emphasizes essential skills development, including communication, problem-solving, aesthetic judgment, social and cultural skills, work and study skills, knowledge integration, and effective technology use. A four-part design model (investigating, designing, producing, and evaluating) guides students through the design process. Project-based learning is central, with projects designed to connect learning to real-world contexts, develop specific skills, and integrate the curriculum strands. Inclusive education and gender inclusivity are also emphasized.

Design Technology Curriculum Strands: Years 9-12

The following sections detail the specific aims and learning outcomes for each strand across the four year levels.

Strand 1: Design

• Aim: The Design Process - learning how designers and technologists work.
• Major Learning Outcome: Students will learn and use the design process.
• Year 9: Explain the design process, identify design brief components, use design specifications, and develop investigation skills.
• Year 10: Explain the importance of specifications, use specifications in design briefs, interpret problems and specifications, develop design skills, and understand client constraints.
• Year 11: Write design statements, resolve material and process choices, communicate design thinking, explain design briefs, and evaluate product outcomes.
• Year 12: Specify criteria for plans, identify evaluation criteria, undertake research, prepare sketches and plans, test and modify ideas, and select appropriate solutions.
• Aim: Design Evaluation - the thinking part of Design Technology.
• Major Learning Outcome: Students will analyze and explain design decisions in products.
• Year 9: Compare designs and defend choices.
• Year 10: Reflect on the design process, develop critique perspectives, investigate problems, and explain design choices.
• Year 11: Evaluate product outcomes against specifications and evaluate product strengths and weaknesses.
• Year 12: Review criteria and standards, suggest improvements, and prepare analysis reports.
• Aim: Applying the mind - using skills and imagination to solve problems.
• Major Learning Outcome: Students will apply imagination and creativity to solve practical problems.
• Year 9: Develop planning and management skills, apply the design process, and explain adaptation needs.
• Year 10: Adopt safe working practices, identify personal weaknesses, interpret design briefs, accept flexibility needs, work cooperatively, work independently, test products, and recognize multiple solutions.
• Year 11: Explain working within rules and procedures, initiate design briefs, investigate solutions, and defend products.
• Year 12: Manage quality, safety, and cost, maintain equipment, apply principles in new situations, work collaboratively, implement solutions, and use resources appropriately.

Strand 2: Drawing

• Major Learning Outcome: Students will develop the ability to communicate in graphic and verbal forms.
• Year 9: Develop sketching skills, demonstrate knowledge of technical drawing techniques, and apply standard practices.
• Year 10: Produce concept sketches, draw formal instrumental drawings, demonstrate knowledge of geometric constructions, complete working drawings, read and interpret drawings, and apply standard practices.
• Year 11: Compile design sketches, produce working drawings and rendered sketches, apply intersection principles, understand intersection procedures, and name geometric solid parts.
• Year 12: Apply technical graphics principles, identify and determine forces, construct a helix, produce orthographic views, apply projection procedures, apply isometric and perspective drawing, apply helix curve to projections, and produce assembly drawings.

Strand 3: Tools

• Major Learning Outcome: Students will gain knowledge of the safe use and care of tools.
• Year 9: Identify and use basic hand tools, adjust tool settings, and explain safety needs.
• Year 10: Recognize and use specialist hand tools, maintain hand tools, utilize power tools, and maintain and sharpen edge tools.
• Year 11: Use woodworking and metalworking machinery, maintain machine tools, and avoid unsafe machine use.
• Year 12: Explain tool storage importance, identify and maintain tools, demonstrate correct tool use, and safely use and maintain woodworking machinery.
• Major Learning Outcome: Students will set a good personal example in safe practice and attitudes.
• Year 9: Explain safety needs, move safely in the workshop, and describe safe practice needs.
• Year 10: Demonstrate safety consciousness, dress and work safely, and conform to safety standards.
• Year 11: Avoid dangerous machine use and act responsibly.
• Year 12: Safely use and maintain machinery and demonstrate safe handling and workshop safety.

Strand 4: Materials

• Major Learning Outcome: Students will study and use a variety of materials.
• Year 9: Identify and evaluate common workshop materials and explain the tree growth process.
• Year 10: Explain material nature and suitability, identify tree species and conversion processes, and investigate wood properties.
• Year 11: Consider alternative materials, select and apply finishes, and shape and form metal components.
• Year 12: Identify and use fasteners, determine material costs, explain material construction processes, and explain material properties.
• Major Learning Outcome: Students will understand the working qualities of materials.
• Year 9: Describe basic metal properties and classify metals.
• Year 10: Identify common metals and production processes, explain factors determining metal nature, and describe timber treatment needs.
• Year 11: Choose and apply surface finishes.
• Year 12: Explain material quality and use, identify and explain material properties.

Strand 5: Processes

• Major Learning Outcome: Students will gain knowledge and understanding of workshop processes.
• Year 9: Prepare materials, measure, and cut accurately.
• Year 10: Demonstrate construction techniques, select and dress materials, set out and check measurements, and select joining methods.
• Year 11: Match and prepare materials for joinery, check components for accuracy, apply development practices, solve intersection problems, and apply intersection principles.
• Year 12: Interpret engineering drawings, apply development practices, solve intersection problems, construct solutions, apply wood finishes, and plan project execution.
• Major Learning Outcome: Students will understand and demonstrate good trade practice.
• Year 9: Dress and assemble materials and clean up work.
• Year 10: Set out work using conventional methods, prepare and cut joints, demonstrate craftsmanship, appreciate care and attention to detail, and complete a Study Unit in Building Construction.
• Year 11: Avoid surface damage, appreciate craft skills, demonstrate knowledge of finishes, and complete a Unit Study.
• Year 12: Apply skills to new situations, explain material properties and assembly principles, construct accurately, and manage quality, safety, and cost.

Strand 6: Technology

• Major Learning Outcome: Students will understand the nature of technology and its effects.
• Year 9: Explain the role of technology and describe its effects.
• Year 10: Investigate technology's impact on Samoan culture.
• Year 11: Participate in a study on technology's effects in the workplace and identify the role of design and technology in crafts and industry.
• Year 12: Recognize environmental concerns, consider solution implications, and reflect on personal achievement.

Oral and Written Communication

The curriculum also includes learning outcomes for oral and written communication skills, developing progressively through the year levels. These skills are integrated into the practical tasks and projects within each strand.