Indicators of progression: Technological modelling
The indicators that follow describe the knowledge, skills, and understandings that students should be demonstrating in the Technological modelling component of the technology curriculum.
Indicators are provided for each level of the curriculum and are accompanied by guidance for teachers.
- See Indicators of progression for more information about the indicators and how they can be used.
- To learn more about the Technological modelling component, see the key ideas and related resources provided at Technological modelling.
Level one
Achievement objective
Students will understand that functional models are used to represent reality and test design concepts and that prototypes are used to test technological outcomes.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop understanding of technological modelling at level 1, teachers could:
- provide students with:
- the opportunity to discuss why technological modelling is important to the development of technological outcomes and that it involves both functional modelling and prototyping
- the opportunity to discuss that design concepts includes design ideas for parts of an outcome, as well as the conceptual design for the outcome as a whole
- opportunity to interact with a variety of functional models and guide them to identity that the purpose of functional modelling is to test design concepts to see if they are suitable for use in the development of an outcome
- a range of prototyping examples and guide them to identify that the purpose of prototyping is to test the outcome (examples should include the modelling practices of technologists).
- guide students to identify:
- that functional models are representations of potential technological outcomes and that they exist in many forms (for example, thinking, talking, drawing, physical mock-ups, computer aided simulations)
- that prototypes are the first versions of fully completed technological outcomes.
Indicators
Students can:
- describe what a functional model is
- identify the purpose of functional modelling
- describe what a prototype is
- identify the purpose of prototyping.
Strategies for engaging students
| Indicators | Teaching Strategy and explanation | |
| Describe what a functional model is | Define physical and functional attributes first (technological practice) before defining functional modelling. Identify link between physical/functional attributes and functional modelling Using a range of functional models discuss:
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| Discuss examples of functional models. Identify examples of functional models, such as drawings, talking, mockups, recipes. Create a class definition of a functional model and discuss why these help us when developing technological outcomes |
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| What is a functional model? Class discussion: What is a model?/What is modelling?/What is technological modelling?
Why did they do these things?
What is functional modelling? What is prototyping? What is the difference (for example, purpose)? Give students a everyday product they are familiar with (such as a stapler):
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| Identify the purpose of functional modelling | Compare a range of functional models to prototypes. Provide examples of prototypes (such as photos of prototype cars – Future For All) and examples of functional models (such as a sketch of car).
Use a Venn Diagram to record differences and similarities. |
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| Functional modelling of everyday items. Share examples of functional modelling of everyday items (such as the bendy straw, or check out Google Patents):
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| Describe what a prototype is | Look at prototype products (such as cars and other products – see Future For All).
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| Identify the purpose of prototyping | Share examples of prototypes of everyday items (such as the bendy straw prototype, or check out Google Patents).
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Level two
Achievement objective
Students will understand that:
- functional models are used to explore, test, and evaluate design concepts for potential outcomes
- prototyping is used to test a technological outcome for fitness of purpose.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop understanding of technological modelling at level 2, teachers could:
- guide students to:
- understand that design concepts refers to design ideas for parts of an outcome, as well as the conceptual design for the outcome as a whole
- discuss the sorts of things that could be explored and tested using functional modelling.
- provide students with:
- the opportunity to explore a variety of functional models and identify the specific design concept/s being tested
- a range of prototyping examples and guide them to identify the specifications that were used to evaluate the prototype
- the opportunity to discuss how specifications provide a way of measuring the fitness for purpose of the prototype.
Examples should include the modelling practices of technologists.
Indicators
Students can:
- describe the sorts of things that functional modeling can be used for in technology
- identify the design concept being tested in particular functional models
- identify why prototyping is important in technology
- identify the specifications used to evaluate particular prototypes.
Strategies for engaging students
| Indicator | Teaching Strategy and explanation | |
| Describe the sorts of things that functional modeling can be used for in technology | Discuss examples of functional models for a range of products What information about physical nature does this model give me? What information about functional nature does this model give me? What was the purpose of this model? (testing physical attribute and/or functional attributes) |
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| Provide students with examples of technological outcomes alongside possible forms (pictures /photos) of functional modelling. For example:
What can functional modelling be used for? Discuss how each functional model could be used:
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| Identify the design concept being tested in particular functional models | Explore functional modelling in the story of the development of a technological outcome. Give students a story (Gadget Nation book is good) about a technological outcome and its development.
They identify the design concepts being tested in the functional modelling done. Discuss both the functional models that were described in the story, as well as other forms of functional modelling that could/might have been done but were not written about. They also describe the information the technologist gained from that functional modelling. |
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| Identify why prototyping is important in technology | Explore prototyping in the story of the development of a technological outcome. Give students a story about a technological outcome and its development.
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| Prototype products that have never gone into production. Show examples and discuss the following.
My Rare Collection Of 250 Unreleased Apple Products Hap Plain has amassed a collection of more than 250 unreleased Apple products. |
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| Identify the specifications used to evaluate particular prototypes. | Show examples and discuss the following.
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Level three
Achievement objective
Students will understand that:
- different forms of functional modelling are used to inform decision making in the development of technological possibilities
- prototypes can be used to evaluate the fitness of technological outcomes for further development.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop understanding of technological modelling at level 3, teachers could:
- provide students with the opportunity to:
- explore different forms of functional modelling and guide students to gain insight into the different types of information that have been gathered
- discuss how functional modelling informs decision making and guide them to identify the benefits and limitations of functional modelling in examples provided
- understand that benefits include such things as reducing the risk of wasting time, money and materials and limitations arise due to the representational nature of modelling. That is, what is being tested is necessarily partial and therefore prototyping is required to fully test the outcome
- discuss that specifications include both acceptability and feasibility considerations related to the outcome’s fitness for purpose
- to explore a range of examples of prototyping and guide them to gain insight into how appropriate information can be gained to evaluate a technological outcome’s fitness for purpose against the specifications
- discuss the role of functional modelling and prototyping to develop an understanding of the importance of both in technological development.
Examples should include the modelling practices of technologists and should provide students with the opportunity to explore both successful prototypes and those that did not meet specifications.
Indicators
Students can:
- discuss examples to identify the different forms of functional models that were used to gather specific information about the suitability of design concepts
- identify the benefits and limitations of functional modelling undertaken in particular examples
- describe examples of particular prototypes that did not meet specifications.
- explain why functional modelling and prototyping are both needed to support decision making when developing an outcome.
Strategies for engaging students
| Indicators | Teaching Strategy and explanation | |
| Discuss examples to identify the different forms of functional models that were used to gather specific information about the suitability of design concept | Identify information gained from a model. Have examples of different models (drawings, sketches, circuit diagrams, mock-ups, prototypes).
Venn diagram of two types of models
Class brainstorm
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| Estimate what information modelling will provide, then reflect on actual findings. For each form of modelling used, students estimate:
Reflection:
Watch video clip of functional modelling by BMW (Design process of BMW 7 series) and identify the forms of models in it (such as tape drawing, CAD, clay model).
Discuss how functional models and prototypes provide different evidence. Introduce and explore what CAD is, and discuss the kind of information it provides as a functional model. |
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| The form of modelling used needs to suit the technological outcomes. Discuss with students why some forms of modelling are more suited that others to testing design ideas. For example:
Have students suggest possible modelling techniques to test a specific desirable attribute in a technological outcome. Analyse an existing technological outcome and suggest what modelling forms would have been used to test the outcomes attributes during its development. A Technologist (product designer) shares the modelling they have undertaken and explains how each model informs their decision-making. Prototyping and Model Making |
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| Identify the benefits and limitations of functional modelling undertaken in particular examples | Explore functional modelling in the story of the development of a technological outcome. Give students a story (Gadget Nation book is good) about a technological outcome and its development. Students identify:
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| Benefits and limitations of my own modeling. For each form of modelling done or identified students ask:
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| Describe examples of particular prototypes that did not meet specifications | Explore prototype products that have never gone into production Show examples and discuss the following.
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| Explain why functional modelling and prototyping are both needed to support decision making when developing an outcome. | A Technologist (product designer) shares the modelling they have undertaken and explains how each model informs their decision-making. Prototyping and Model Making | |
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Venn diagram Explain what they have in common in terms of their purpose and the evidence they do and do not provide. This can highlight how they are both needed to support decision making. |
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| Investigate product flops. Read about a product that failed. Identify possible reasons why this product failed.
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Level four
Achievement objective
Students will understand how:
- different forms of functional modelling are used to explore possibilities and to justify decision making
- prototyping can be used to justify refinement of technological outcomes.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop understanding of technological modelling at level 4, teachers could:
- provide students with the opportunity to:
- explore how using different media influences the type of information that can be gathered
- discuss how different possibilities can be explored through functional modelling of design concepts and prototyping in order to make socially acceptable as well technically feasible decisions.
- guide students to examine examples of:
- functional modelling practices to identify how these were used to explore possibilities and gather different types of information to justify design decisions
- prototyping and identify how information from these were used to justify the fitness for purpose of technological outcomes or to identify the need for further development.
Examples should include the modelling practices of technologists and should include instances where refinements to the prototype were required to meet specifications.
Indicators
Students can:
- explain how functional modelling and prototyping allows for consideration of both what "can" be done and what "should" be done when making decisions
- discuss examples to illustrate how particular functional models were used to gather specific information about the suitability of design concepts
- identify information that has been gathered from:
- functional models about the suitability of design concepts and describe how this information was used
- prototyping and describe how this information was used.
- describe examples to illustrate how prototypes were tested to evaluate a technological outcome’s fitness for purpose.
Strategies for engaging students
| Indicators | Teaching Strategy and explanation | |
| Explain how functional modelling and prototyping allows for consideration of both what "can" be done and what "should" be done when making decisions | Student investigation of what they consider an unfavourable outcome. Students investigate an existing technological outcome that they believe "should not" have been made (for example, weapons, nanotechnology, cell phones), and present their justification as to why it "should not" have been created.
Class creates a bank of questions that need to/should be considered when developing a technological outcome. For example:
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| Discuss examples to illustrate how particular functional models were used to gather specific information about the suitability of design concepts | A Technologist (product designer) shares the modelling they have undertaken and explains how each model informs their decision-making. Prototyping and Model Making | |
| Identify information that has been gathered from functional models about the suitability of design concepts and describe how this information was used |
Weird or unsuccessful products Explore weird or unsuccessful products that did not do enough functional modelling before production.
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| Describe examples to illustrate how prototypes were tested to evaluate a technological outcome’s fitness for purpose |
Bad designs/prototypes
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| Read about a product that failed. Identify possible reasons why this product failed. How could technological modelling have lessened this product failure?
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| Identify information that has been gathered from prototyping and describe how this information was used. | Examples of prototype products (such as cars, potato peelers, hair dryer).
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Level five
Achievement objective
Students will understand how:
- evidence, reasoning, and decision making in functional modelling contribute to the development of design concepts
- prototyping can be used to justify ongoing refinement of technological outcomes.
Functional reasoning is the basis for exploring the technical feasibility of the design concept and the realised outcome. That is, "how to make it happen" in the functional modelling phase and the reasoning behind "how it is happening" in prototyping.
Acceptability (including socio-cultural and environmental dimensions) is explored through practical reasoning surrounding the design concept and realised outcome. That is, the reasoning around decisions as to "should it happen?" in functional modelling and "should it be happening?" in prototyping.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop understanding of technological modelling at level 5, teachers could:
- provide opportunity for students to:
- identify practical and functional reasoning underpinning technological modelling
- explore how informed and justifiable design decision making relies on both functional and practical reasoning and draws from evidence provided from modelling
- understand that maintenance requirements can be identified through prototyping and guide them to identify that maintaining an outcome can involve controlling environmental influences and/or undertaking ongoing refinements of the technological outcome.
- guide students to analyse examples of:
- functional modelling practices to explain how these were used to gain evidence to justify design decisions with regards to both technical feasibility and acceptability. Such justifications will rely on the synthesis of evidence gained from modelling that sought feedback from different stakeholders
- prototyping to explain how results were to used justify an outcome as fit for purpose or requiring refinement.
- support students to gain insight from prototyping examples into how testing procedures can provide information regarding maintenance requirements of a technological outcome.
Examples should include the modelling practices of technologists and should include instances where refinements to the prototype were required to meet specifications.
Indicators
Students can:
- identify examples of functional and practical reasoning within design decision making
- explain how evidence gained from functional modelling was used to justify design decisions
- identify examples of functional and practical reasoning underpinning prototype evaluations and the establishment of maintenance requirements
- explain how evidence gained from prototyping was used to justify outcome evaluation as fit for purpose or in need of further development.
Strategies for engaging students
| Indicators | Teaching Strategy and explanation | |
| Identify examples of functional and practical reasoning within design decision making | Define evidence and reasoning. Discuss and define what evidence is and what is reasoning. Brainstorm possible evidence and reasoning based on examples of functional modeling |
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Visiting technologists
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| Explain how evidence gained from functional modelling was used to justify design decisions | The tradition of clay modelling in car design – designers and technologists share stories about their functional modeling. | |
| Identify examples of functional and practical reasoning underpinning prototype evaluations and the establishment of maintenance requirements | Examples of how prototypes can provide this information. Explore examples of technological outcomes where a prototype did or had the potential to inform the technologist of the maintenance requirements to ensure continued optimal performance over time. Use examples of products that have recently been recalled – such as seat belts in cars, baby buggy.
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| Explain how evidence gained from prototyping was used to justify outcome evaluation as fit for purpose or in need of further development. | Discuss how prototyping is used to test technological outcomes in situ and provide evidence that the outcome is fit for purpose.
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Level six
Achievement objective
Students will Understand the role and nature of evidence and reasoning when managing risk through technological modelling.
Functional reasoning is the basis for exploring the technical feasibility of the design concept and the realised outcome. That is, "how to make it happen" in the functional modelling phase and the reasoning behind "how it is happening" in prototyping.
Acceptability (including socio-cultural and environmental dimensions) is explored through practical reasoning surrounding the design concept and realised outcome. That is, the reasoning around decisions as to "should it happen?" in functional modelling and "should it be happening?" in prototyping.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop understanding of technological modelling at level 6, teachers could:
- guide students to:
- explain how practical and functional reasoning underpin technological modelling.
- understand the concept of risk as it relates to reducing instances of malfunctioning of technological outcomes, and/or increasing levels of outcome robustness
- understand how technological modelling is used to manage risk through exploring and identifying possible risk factors associated with the development of a technological outcome.
- support students to analyse examples of technological modelling to understand how risk is explored and identified within particular technological developments.
Examples should include the modelling practices of technologists and should include instances where modelling was undertaken to explore and identify risk.
Indicators
Students can:
- describe practical and functional reasoning and discuss how they work together to enhance decision making during technological modelling
- explain the role of technological modelling in the exploration and identification of possible risk/s
- discuss examples to illustrate how evidence and reasoning is used during functional modelling to identify risk and make informed and justifiable design decisions
- discuss examples to illustrate how prototyping provides information to determine maintenance requirements to ensure minimal risk and optimal performance over time.
Strategies for engaging students
| Indicators | Teaching Strategy and explanation | |
| Describe practical and functional reasoning and discuss how they work together to enhance decision making during technological modelling |
Define practical and functional reasoning Practical reasoning focuses on "should we make it happen?" and "should it be happening?". Both practical and functional reasoning focuses the need to consider both what "can" be done and what "should" be done when making design decisions. |
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How practical and functional reasoning enhance decision making Explore notions of practical reasoning, social responsibility, and environmental responsibility. |
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| Explain the role of technological modelling in the exploration and identification of possible risk/s |
Technological product flops/disasters Another option is to explore smaller household products Discuss possible technological modelling that might have been used and what risks they could have identified had modelling been used.
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| Discuss examples to illustrate how evidence and reasoning is used during functional modelling to identify risk and make informed and justifiable design decisions | Technological product flops/disasters. Strengths and weaknesses of certain technological models for risk exploration within a context (Titanic) or in general. Brainstorm to identify different forms of technological modelling (mock ups, drawings, circuit diagrams/software, prototypes, testing etc) that could help identify risks. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each modelling type in relation to the risk factors they could/might have been identified.
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| Discuss examples to illustrate how prototyping provides information to determine maintenance requirements to ensure minimal risk and optimal performance over time | Discuss how technologists use prototyping to determine maintenance requirements for an implemented technological outcome and ensure minimal risk and its optimal performance over time. Find examples of where this has been successful such as iPhone, Samsung, Toyota vehicles. Investigate why and how effective prototyping could have contributed to the outcome’s success. |
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Level seven
Achievement objective
Students will understand how:
- the “should” and “could” decisions in technological modelling rely on an understanding of how evidence can change in value across contexts
- different tools are used to ascertain and mitigate risk.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop understanding of technological modelling at level 7, teachers could:
- support students to explore how:
- context impacts on the perception of the validity of evidence presented. Therefore, shifting from one context to another can change the status of the evidence provided by technological modelling.
- and why different people and communities accept different types of evidence as valid. That is, the status given to evidence is dependent on a range of factors including ethical views and the perceived authority of people involved in the presentation of the evidence
- decisions underpinning technological modelling based on what should and could happen, rely on an understanding of how evidence gained may differ in value across contexts and/or communities
- technological modelling is used to ascertain and mitigate risk. Ascertaining risk involves establishing the probability of identified risks. Mitigation involves taking steps to reduce the probability of the risk being realised and/or severity of the risk should it be realised
- support students to analyse examples of technological modelling to understand how risk is ascertained and mitigated within particular technological developments
Examples should include the modelling practices of technologists and should include instances where modelling was undertaken to mitigate risk.
Indicators
Students can:
- discuss examples to illustrate why the status of evidence gained from technological modelling might change across contexts
- explain why different people accept different types of evidence as valid and how this impacts on technological modelling
- explain the role of technological modelling in ascertaining and mitigating risk
- describe examples to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of technological modelling for risk mitigation.
Strategies for engaging students
| Indicators | Teaching Strategy and explanation | |
| Discuss examples to illustrate why the status of evidence gained from technological modelling might change across contexts |
Status of evidence For example, the developers of an AS Colour T-shirt www.ascolour.co.nz give more status to the evidence gained about environmental impact than the developers of low cost high profit T-shirts. |
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| Explain why different people accept different types of evidence as valid and how this impacts on technological modelling |
Differences in people Talk about what makes one person accept something, when another rejects it? Think about:
Explore examples of different forms of technological models/evidence and identify the advantages and disadvantages of each for identifying and mitigating risk, for example, a prototype car being testing in physical environment compared with a CAD representation of the same design. Explore how different people/groups (based on list above), may approach technological modelling and discuss the reasons for this, for example, an engineer, a food technologist, a packaging designer. |
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| Explain the role of technological modelling in ascertaining and mitigating risk |
Refer to the technological product flops/disasters activity in Level 6 above. Expand to focus on the role of technological modelling in ascertaining and mitigating risk. |
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| Describe examples to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of technological modelling for risk mitigation | Refer to the technological product flops/disasters activity in Level 6 above. Expand to focus on the risk mitigation, not just exploration. | |
Level eight
Achievement objective
Students will understand the role of technological modelling as a key part of technological development, justifying its importance on moral, ethical, sustainable, cultural, political, economic, and historical grounds.
Teacher guidance
To support students to develop understanding of technological modelling at level 8, teachers could support students to:
- develop a critical and informed understanding of why technological modelling is an important aspect for ensuring responsible and defensible decisions are made during the design, development and any subsequent manufacturing of technological outcomes.
- analyse examples of technological modelling practices that were undertaken to address a range of competing and contestable factors to gain insight into how these factors can be handled.
- These factors arise from such things as differing moral, ethical, cultural, and/ or political views and the way in which people adhere to and understand issues such as sustainability, globalisation, democracy, global warming.
Examples should include the modelling practices of technologists and should include instances where modelling was undertaken to deal with competing and contestable factors.
Indicators
Students can:
- explain the role of technological modelling in making informed, responsive and defensible design and development decisions
- explain the role of technological modelling in making informed, responsive and defensible manufacturing decisions
- discuss examples to illustrate a range of technological modelling practices that have been undertaken in situations with competing and contestable factors
- critique examples of technological modelling practices in terms of how well they address underpinning factors.
Strategies for engaging students
| Indicators | Teaching Strategy and explanation | |
| Explain the role of technological modelling in making informed, responsive and defensible design and development decisions |
Functional modelling and design decision-making Make sure students justify how their technological modelling allowed them to determine that their technological outcome was fit for purpose. |
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| Discuss examples to illustrate a range of technological modelling practices that have been undertaken in situations with competing and contestable factors | Compare and contrast two technologists’ practice or case studies focusing on how their modelling choices and decisions were made for competing and contestable factors. | |
| Critique examples of technological modelling practices in terms of how well they address underpinning factors. | Compare and critique two technologists’ practice or case studies focusing on how their modelling choices and decisions address underpinning factors. | |
Indicators of Progression – Technological modelling (Word 2007, 130 KB)
Indicators of Progression: Complete set (A3, by strand) – pdf file, 340kb
Indicators of Progression: Complete set (A3, by level) – pdf file, 319kb