Technology unit planning

Your school programme design provides the focus of learning within the unit in terms of the strand components the unit seeks to progress. Your programme will indicate whether the major emphasis in the unit should be on the transformation of information, energy, or materials.

Examples from units

Celebrating Matariki – Brief development, outcome development, and evaluation are the focus for the curriculum learning outcomes. Technological modelling is explored and understandings from knowing about, and using models, were used extensively to help the children develop their understanding of the brief and make decisions for the final outcome. Transformation of information is the main emphasis in this unit.

Toys and games – Brief development, outcome development, and evaluation are the focus for the curriculum learning outcomes. Characteristics of technological outcomes and technological products were explored as understanding how toys and games have changed and how the properties of different materials used was important for the development and evaluation of their developing design ideas for a new toy. Transformation of information is the main emphasis in this unit.

Personalised pen – Two components of technological practice ("planning for practice" and "outcome development and evaluation") are focused on as the curriculum learning outcomes. In the Cellphone/iPod holder unit the focus is on brief development and outcome development and evaluation. Technological modelling and characteristics of technology (by way of the technology cycle) are explored in both these units to increase the quality and fitness for purpose of the outcomes produced. Transformation of materials is the main emphasis in both these units.

Sunsafe – Brief development and outcome development and evaluation are the focus for the curriculum learning outcomes and formal assessment. Planning for practice is supported within the learning experiences, but not an assessment focus. Technological modelling, technological product, characteristics of technology, and characteristics of technological outcomes are explored throughout the learning experiences. Transformation of materials is the main emphasis in this unit.

Is bling still in? – Brief development and planning for practice are the focus for the curriculum learning outcomes. Characteristics of technology and technological products and characteristics of technological outcomes are also explored. Transformation of materials and information are emphasised in this unit.

Selecting the context is a critical part of unit development as it provides authenticity to the learning experiences. The selection of an appropriate context is informed by:

• the nature of the learning experiences
• school-based resources – particularly teacher expertise and interest
• student interest
• available community resources.

A rich context helps stimulate and maintain student (and teacher!) interest throughout the unit's delivery.

Examples from units

Celebrating Matariki – The context reflects the wider cultural life of the students and school, celebrating this important Māori/national event.

Sunsafe – The context of cancer prevention was selected, based on the teacher's expertise and view of its importance to all students in terms of their health and well-being.

Personalised pen and Cellphone/iPod holder – The context reflects the materials and resources the school had available and the potential needs of the students and/or their family members.

Is bling still in? and Toys and games – The contexts are derived from teacher experience regarding areas of high interest across a range of diverse students.

In all cases, teachers selected contexts which were rich enough to embed learning outcomes that would lead to students being offered opportunity to achieve in the areas determined by the curriculum focus.

All technology units should have specific predetermined learning outcomes and differentiated assessment criteria to guide the development of planned learning experiences during unit delivery.

Learning outcomes are either:

• curriculum driven – directly related to the identified curriculum strand component/s.
• context driven – the knowledge and skills the teacher identifies as critical for students to progress their learning in technology in the particular context.

Examples of curriculum driven learning outcomes – Technological practice

Celebrating Matariki – Learning outcomes from the Level 1 AOs for brief development and outcome development and evaluation. Students work from emergent to level 1.

Toys and games – Learning outcomes are from the level 1 brief development and outcome development and evaluation achievement objectives.

Personalised pen – Learning outcomes are from planning for practice and outcome development and evaluation. The learning outcomes capture achievement across levels 1-3.

Cellphone/iPod holder – Learning outcomes are from brief development and outcome development and evaluation. The learning outcomes capture achievement across levels 1-4.

Sunsafe – Learning outcomes are from brief development and outcome development and evaluation. The learning outcomes capture achievement across levels 1-4.

Is bling still in? – Learning outcomes are from the level 3 brief development and planning for practice achievement objectives.

Examples of context driven learning outcomes

Celebrating Matariki – Students develop their knowledge of Matariki and its cultural significance to undertake brief development in this context.

Personalised pen and Cellphone/iPod holder – The learning outcomes reflect the knowledge and skills the teacher considered necessary for students working with plastics for the first time.

• The year 7 Personalised Pens unit focuses on developing students 2D and rendering techniques
• The year 8 Cell-phone/iPod holder unit focuses on embedding drawing skills to increase the accuracy of working drawings, which are the final evaluation against the brief prior to manufacture of the prototype.

Sunsafe – The learning experiences support four context specific knowledge and skill leaning outcomes support. All of these are important for the students to achieve in order to enhance their brief development, and outcome development and evaluation work.

Examples of curriculum driven learning outcomes – Nature of technology and Technological knowledge

Celebrating Matariki – One of the learning outcomes focuses on technological modelling, this is a useful way for students to progress their competency in undertaking both brief development and outcome development and evaluation.

Toys and games – Two learning outcomes are derived from the components of characteristics of technological outcomes and technological products.

Personalised pen and Cellphone/iPod holder – Learning outcomes are from the characteristics of technology and technological modelling.

Is bling still in? – Learning outcomes are from characteristics of technology, characteristics of technological outcomes, and technological products to support the technological practice.

Negotiated learning outcomes

Predetermined learning outcomes – The majority of the learning outcomes (both curriculum and context driven) should be developed at the planning stage of the unit

Negotiated learning outcomes – During the teaching of the unit, there will be opportunities to develop additional or negotiated learning outcomes in response to student interests, the direction of students' technological practice, and/or the identification of further contextualised learning needs.

Negotiated learning outcomes may be developed for the whole class, a particular group of students within the class, or individual students. Negotiated learning outcomes should have associated assessment criteria and specific learning experiences developed to support them. When planning learning experiences, it is useful to note when potential negotiated learning opportunities may arise.

• Sunsafe – This unit includes negotiated learning outcomes.

Assessment/Success criteria

Once the learning outcomes have been developed, assessment criteria should be developed to ensure all students have their learning:

• supported (via diagnostic and formative assessment strategies)
• validated (via summative assessment strategies).

Developing appropriate assessment criteria relies on identifying students' current levels of knowledge/skill/competency in relation to the learning outcomes if data is available, or the estimation of this if no clear data is available. Use the levelled achievement objectives from the NZCurriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007) and indicators of progression to develop differentiated criteria for the curriculum driven learning outcomes.

Sunsafe
Contains differentiated instructions for the students spanning across levels 2, 3 and 4.

The learning environment guidelines are used to determine the level of support students require – for example those working towards level 2 and 3 require the need or opportunity to be established by the teacher, where as those working towards level 4 should be working with the given context and issue to identify their own need or opportunity.

Differentiated assessment criteria across level 1-4 of the achievement objectives for brief development and outcome development and evaluation are included along with criteria for the context driven knowledge and skill learning outcomes.

Technology terms, symbols and images/visual communication

Note down key words, symbols, or images that students should be familiar with by the end of the unit in relation to the identified curriculum strand components and the context. Learning experiences developed as part of the unit plan should provide opportunity for students to explore these terms and employ them in their work.

Toys and games – Introduces children to the terminology of a target market. Children explore the purpose that toys and games might be developed for, and how this purpose might be linked to its target market. 

Toys and games, Personalised pen, Cellphone/iPod holder, Is bling still in? – Students' ability to communicate effectively using drawings and/or specialised graphical techniques is critical to technology feature in these units. 

Once the learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been established, start to formalise the ideas for learning experiences into a unit "plan of action". Structuring the learning experiences chronologically helps to ensure enough time is allocated and resources required can be accessed in plenty of time to ensure that student learning is supported rather than impeded.

A unit planning template is a useful tool for relating the curriculum to planned learning experiences. That is, key competencies, values, other curriculum links, as well as the specific learning outcomes and assessment criteria (both curriculum driven and contextual), and words, symbols and images.

For examples of a range of formats used to provide a unit overview see the units:

• Celebrating Matariki
• Toys and games 
• Personalised pen
• Cellphone/iPod holder
• Is bling still in? 

The specific format and level of detail used to document unit planning is not important. Select what works for you. However, having some mechanism for recording "planning thinking" is an important part of managing the complexities during the more practical aspects of developing appropriate learning experiences. It also makes this information readily available for ongoing reflection and critique before, during, and after unit delivery.

The critical consideration in planning learning experiences for a unit is the students – their learning needs and interests. Plan rich, focused learning experiences that include all the students in your class. The unit examples provide learning sequences in varying levels of detail. The level of detail documented by teachers varies as per personal preference and/or school expectations.

Potential safety issues
Note any potential safety issues at this stage of development. Learning experiences should seek to address these safety issues and work to mitigate any risks identified – see Personalised Pens and Cellphone/iPod holder which have a strong focus on workshop safety.

Human and physical resources
Clearly identify human and physical resources that will be required in the unit and note these alongside learning experiences to ensure they are available as appropriate – see Toys and games, Personalised pen, and Sunsafe.

Resources as a lesson sequence level
You may find it useful to show resources at a lesson sequence level as well – see Personalised pen and Cellphone/iPod holder.

Initial learning experiences should focus on ensuring that students understand the:

• nature of the unit and the expectations on them in terms of what they will be involved in
• expected learning that will occur.

Provide opportunities for students to enhance their understandings of what is expected of them through:

• analysing other students work from past units – for example:
  • illustrative exemplars, used in Toys and games
  • past students portfolios, used in the Personalised pen and Cellphone/iPod holder units
  • past outcomes in the Is bling still in? unit.
• providing teacher developed examples, used in the Sunsafe unit
• talking to technologists about how they work.

Discuss key terminology and develop shared understandings of these terms to ensure learning for students is maximised.

Plan to undertake diagnostic assessment (formal, informal or a mix of both) in the initial sessions to ensure that:

• the planned learning outcomes and assessment criteria are appropriate for meeting student learning needs
• all students are provided with opportunity to progress current levels of understanding/competence.

Subsequent learning experiences should focus on providing scaffolded experiences to ensure that these shifts occur.

Pedagogical strategies

Employ a range of pedagogical strategies based on the students and their learning needs. How you mix and match these strategies often determines how interesting the students find the unit, and how successful they are in achieving the learning outcome in focus.

Specific skill develooment
Learning outcomes focused on specific skill development or safe use of equipment – use teacher demonstration followed by scaffolded opportunities for students to practice the skill or use of equipment in a low risk environment.

• Personalised pen and Cellphone/iPod holder units – students practice skills in working with plastic and honing finishing techniques to make a small personal item (the key tag or skate board) prior to undertaking the major outcome for their selected client.

Critically analysing objects
Learning outcomes focused on critically analysing objects, environments or events (Analyse past and contemporary technological outcomes and developments) – use "compare and contrast" strategies.

• Toys and games unit – students identify how toys have changed over time and why this might be. Students identify a range of materials and explore why each may have been selected for use based on their properties.
• Is bling still in? – students identify aesthetic and functional properties of materials in jewellery.

Making informed choices
To make informed choices with regards to the selection and manipulation of different materials, students need experience in handling them alongside conceptual understandings of their composition and properties – give students frequent "playing" opportunities to explore materials in a safe environment.

After these hands-on experiences, students are more likely to be motivated to undertake research into the conceptual understandings of materials, and their research findings will often make more sense.

Investigating perspectives
Use social interactions with others in the class and/or outside people such as visiting technologists to encourage students to investigate the perspectives of others and provide justification for their decision making.

Provide opportunities for students to give and receive peer critique, debate contentions issues, undertake ongoing discussions of progress and explanation of decisions as a class and 1-1, interview others, listening to and interact with guests, and so on.

Revisit concepts, skills and practices across a range of contexts supported by explicit discussion of the similarities and differences – this helps students to progress understandings in keeping with the achievement objectives.

More information 

• Effective pedagogy in the NZC