Background
Students.
Queen Margaret College is a private girls school located in central Wellington and is an "IB World School authorised to teach the International Baccalaureate Diploma."
Technology is compulsory for years 7-10 although year 10 students can choose their own option. Students in years 11-13 then choose between technology - digital technologies or materials as subjects.
International Baccalaureate and the technology learning area
Barbara Knight, Head of Department of Technology, has built a reputation for creating ambitious projects with a strong client-student relationship. Barbara's year 10 technology class falls under the International Baccalaureate Diploma's Middle Years Programme for years 7-10. For technology, the International Baccalaureate has a design cycle that goes through investigation, design, planning, create, evaluation, and attitudes sections. While these different stages can be catered to fit a particular programme of learning or teaching method, assessment always falls within these sections.
Barbara feels that the International Baccalaureate works well within the technology learning area.
She says, "It fits in because we look at different components of practice that are in the New Zealand curriculum framework for technology such as modelling, functionality, developing a brief, and evaluation."
Collaboration with industry and other teachers
Barbara established a working relationship with Te Papa Store at Te Papa Tongarewa The Museum of New Zealand creating prototypes of souvenirs suitable to sell in their store. This programme of learning was such a success that the relationship continued. This included a programme of learning that contributed to Wellington's city-wide celebration of the Wearable Art Awards event. Barbara and the students worked in conjunction with long-term collaborator Kylie Merrick from Wellington High School. Barbara's students created fantasy wearable art garments for a Te Papa store window display – see Technology Online Wearable Arts collaboration.
T-shirt context
Student with screen.
The Queen Margaret College Technology Department organised a charity fundraiser fashion parade that featured work of technology student projects from all year levels. The proceeds of the event were gifted to the Breast Cancer Research Trust. The end-of-year fashion parade served as a context focus.
For this event, Barbara's year 10 students made T-shirts. They developed a screen-print graphic portraying a positive life message for the Breast Cancer Research Trust (inspired by the Glassons Breast Cancer T-shirt campaign). The project promoted student awareness of an important cause, while developing sewing construction, research, design, visual communication, and promotional skills.
The students designed and manufactured the T-shirts themselves and presented their outcomes in the fashion parade at the end of the year, displaying their work to the school and community.
The project was a success with students, parents, and teachers. Barbara decided to continue the T-shirt programme of learning, though with significant changes. These changes provided a natural progression, offered new challenges, and increased the student's knowledge and skills.
See: Pre-planning for how Barbara changed the programme of learning.