Cars are technological outcomes

James Mawson: So the curriculum focus was the nature of technology. We were looking at the purpose that the technologist was thinking about, characteristics of technological outcomes, physical attributes, and the functional attributes.

James Mawson: Ok guys, so today we’re going to have a think about the cars that we looked at last week. We thought about the technologist and what the technologist was thinking about and we had a technologist standing up here. And, they were thinking about something. I wonder what they were thinking about, because we’re going to use what we learnt last week and see if we can apply it to something different, something new.

So I’m going to have a look at some new cars because we talked about this last week – a car that’s around today like that one, or if you want to, a car that might be around in the future. So I’m going to choose that one at the top, because it’s a little bit like my car. So I'm going to draw it in the middle, and I can see it’s got some wing mirrors on. I can see it’s got some windows on. Is there anything else I missed, can you see anything?

Student: You forgot the number plates.

James Mawson: The number plates. We need those but I don’t know whether we’ll need those in the future or not so I’m just going to draw those on there. And, last one from Marley.

Student: What about those things in the middle?

James Mawson: Yes, I wonder what they’re for!

James Mawson: We are going to draw our car in our books and I’m giving out five points for everybody for the table when you’ve got your pencil dancing.

So what are we talking about next? When the technologists designed this car, what was the technologist thinking about? Oh my goodness I just heard it, the technologist talked about the purpose. And what was the purpose (I’m going to give it a little title because it’s important) what was the purpose that the technologist was thinking of for this car?

Student: To drive.

James Mawson: Yes, it’s got to drive, it's got to be able to be steered, hasn't it. That’s a good one. I want you to talk to your friends and say, What's the purpose of the car that you chose.

Student: Hi, I’m a technologist.

James Mawson: Which car did you design, technologist?

Student: I’m designing a car now.

James Mawson: You’re going to do it for 2014. What’s the purpose of your car, technologist?

Student: To steer fast.

James Mawson:  Oh it’s got to steer fast. Great! Thank you, technologist.

James Mawson: So, at the end of the lesson, I’m going to say, “Can you tell me the purpose of your technological outcome, the purpose of your car and tell me some of the characteristics, the attributes of the car.”

So what were the characteristics? We talked about this so I’m guessing that you’ve got a few ideas already.

Amy, what were the characteristics?

Student: Brown.

James Mawson: Yes they decided that they wanted it to be brown.

Student: If wheels were made out of magnet you could just drive upside down on a tunnel.

James Mawson: Well, you might want that for your future car, when you’re designing your future one. Do you know what? Even in 2014, even now, technologists are coming up with new things.