Design and Technology
Why is it Important to Seek Help? With students in Year 12 (Textiles and Design, Design and Technology and Industrial Technology) nearing the completion of their Major Projects, Term 3 is a time to reflect on the quality of work they have produced and celebrate their achievements. There are several factors required for students to be successful in their project. These include; sound research, creative idea generation, good time management and the skilful application of tools and machines. Another significant factor that does not always come to light is the ability for a student to connect with industry experts. It is a significant step for a student undertaking a project to reach out to others in their community and seek advice on what might be the best way forward. Students who place themselves in a vulnerable position of admitting they need help, also demonstrate they are able to take responsibility and autonomy for their project in seeking information to drive their project forward – not simply relying solely on their teacher. Several of our Senior students have connected with industry experts this year and it has made a significant impact on the success of their projects. Liberty Jacobs in Design and Technology has interviewed physiotherapists and elderly people to clarify their needs for improving mobility. The walking poles she has designed for the elderly incorporates 3D printed suspension technology into the foot of the poles and has been achieved by her working closely with Wojciech Wawrzyniak from Konica Minolta. Nick Heberden in Design and Technology has worked closely with Ben Larsen (Owner of Pedals Plus, Gordon) to better understand the needs of cyclists when riding and the range of bicycle designs that the safety technology he has developed, could be
18 • The Barker • Issue 132 • Spring 2021
implemented for. The experience and reassurance that Nick has gained has been encouraging from Ben. “It makes perfect sense for you to produce your design as you are combining essentially three products into one, being a camera, a light, and a Varia (a sensor) as long as you are able to get the size and battery life right”. Ben Lam in Industrial Technology is producing a traditional violin and he has worked closely with Raymond Howes, who has produced violins and other strings intruments for over 30 years. This project has taken over a 160 hours to complete and Ben would not have been able to complete such a project without the guidance and mentoring provided to him by Raymond on the multitude of specialised processes required in the carving of spruce, maple and ebony, the testing of resonance and the techniques used for inlaying purfling, producing joints and gluing components using traditional hide adhesive. This is the second student Raymond has mentored – (Rachel Liang – violin, 2018 who went on to study Architecture at Sydney University) being the first. We are extremely grateful to Raymond for the time and wisdom he has imparted to our students. Darren Woodrow Head of Design & Technology
