What does the course entail?

The Materials Design and Technology General course is a practical course, with the design and manufacture of metal products as the major focus. There is also the flexibility to incorporate additional materials from outside the designated context. Students examine social and cultural values and the short‐term and long‐term impacts of the use and misuse of materials and associated technologies. Through this inquiry, experimentation and research, students develop their creativity and understanding of the society in which they live.
Working with materials, students develop a range of manipulation, processing, manufacturing and organisational skills. When designing with materials, they develop cognitive skills, such as solving problems, generating ideas, creative design strategies and communicating what they do. This makes them more technologically literate and as consumers, enables them to make more informed decisions about the use and misuse of technology.
The Materials Design and Technology General course aims to prepare students for a future in a technological and material world by providing the foundation for lifelong learning about how products are designed and how materials are developed and used.

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“During the Y11 General Metal Work course I constructed a small furniture item, a coat rack and more smaller projects. I enjoyed this course because it touches on all of the aspects of metal work and I have gained skills that I can use in future jobs.”
 - Deacon W - 

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What units will be covered in this course?

Year 11
Units 1 & 2

Unit 1
Students are introduced to the fundamentals of design. They learn to communicate various aspects of the technology process by constructing what they design.
Throughout Unit 1, students learn about the origins, classifications, properties and suitability for purpose of the materials they are using, and are introduced to a range of production equipment and techniques.

Unit 2
Students are introduced to a range of technology skills and are encouraged to generate ideas and realise them through the production of their design projects. They work within a defined environment and learn to use a variety of relevant technologies safely and effectively.

Year 11 Assessment Structure

• 25% Externally Set Task
• 60% Production
• 25% Response​

Year 12
Units 3 & 4

Unit 3
Students develop an understanding of the elements and fundamentals of design.
Students learn about manufacturing and production skills and techniques. They develop the skills and techniques appropriate to the materials being used and gain practice in planning and managing processes through the production of design project. They learn about risk management and ongoing evaluation processes.

Unit 4
Students learn about the nature of designing for a client, target audience or market. They develop creative thinking strategies, work on design projects within specified constraints and consider the environmental impacts of recycling of materials.
​Students extend their understanding of safe working practices and contemporary manufacturing techniques and develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required to manage the processes of designing and manufacturing.

Year 12 Assessment Structure

• 25% Design
• 50% Production
• 10% Response
• 15% Externally Set Task

Head of Learning Area: Mr Jeremy Powell
Contact Number: 9591 4257
​Contact Email: [email protected]