Subjects/ Strands
- What is Food Technology?
- What is Resistant Materials?
- What is Systems and Control Technology?
- What is Textiles Technology?
What is Food Technology?
It is about:
- Developing a broad range of practical skills, techniques, equipment and standard recipes, and how to use them to develop, plan and cook meals and single or multiple products
- Learning how to plan and carry out a broad range of practical cooking tasks safely and hygienically
- Learning about healthy eating models relating to a balanced diet, the nutritional needs of different groups in society and the factors affecting food choice and how to take these into account when planning, preparing and cooking meals and products
- Understanding the characteristics of a broad range of ingredients, including their nutritional, functional and sensory properties.
Safely and hygienically: This includes understanding the principles of food safety and knowing the hygienic procedures to follow when preparing, cooking and storing food.
Balanced diet: This includes learning about the components of a healthy diet by classifying food into groups. Pupils should also understand the relationship between food, good health, growth and energy balance throughout life.
Nutritional, functional properties: This includes how the characteristics of ingredients help achieve a balanced and varied diet.
Sensory properties: This includes appreciating different flavours and using appropriate vocabulary to describe tastes that have been experienced
What is Resistant Materials?
- It is about developing a broad range of techniques, including handcraft skills and CAD/CAM, and how to use them to ensure consistency and precision when making single and multiple products
- Learning about the behaviour of structural elements in a variety of materials
- Learning how to use materials, smart materials, technology and aesthetic qualities to design and make products of worth
- Learning how to prepare and assemble components to achieve functional results.
Traditional Handcrafts – For example – Wood, Metal and Plastic manufacturing skills and techniques
CAD/CAM: For example, using a computer-operated cutter/plotter, lathe, milling machine, router, laser, rapid prototyping equipment. This will include design using 2d and 3d modelling software.
Consistency and precision – For example - awareness of industrial testing processes industry standards and tolerances. Safe and accurate use of cutting tools. Safe, advanced/creative use of machine technology
Structural elements: This includes understanding loads and other forces, resistance to loads without deforming, and the connection and transfer of forces within a structure.
Materials, smart materials, technology and aesthetic qualities: This includes recognising that new materials are being developed all the time and understanding the tension between cost, the demands of the product and sustainability issues, such as minimising waste and reusing materials.
What is Systems and Control Technology?
- It should include the practical application of systems and control in design proposals
- Learners should study electrical, electronic, mechanical, microprocessor and computer control systems and how to use them effectively
- It should include using systems and control to assemble subsystems into more complex systems
- It should include feedback and how a variety of inputs can give rise to a variety of outputs.
The practical application of systems and control: This includes managing the sequence of operations in mechanical, electrical, electronic, pneumatic or combined systems.
Assemble subsystems into more complex systems: This includes integrating subsystems to manage particular events in a larger designed and made product, for example to control the location of objects using light.
Feedback: For example, using feedback from a heat sensor to trigger a mechanical action.
What is Textiles Technology?
- It is about developing pupils’ ability to use a broad range of traditional handcrafts and CAD/CAM techniques
- How to ensure consistency and precision when making single and multiple products
- Learning about the structural and physical properties of various fabrics, their technological and aesthetic qualities including smart materials
- To design and make products of worth
- Design, prepare and assemble components to achieve functional results.
Traditional Handcrafts – For example - dyeing, printing, embroidery, appliqué, devore, batik etc.
CAD/CAM - For example - using 2D design software such as Photoshop to explore shape, pattern and colourways, a computerised sewing-machine, plotter or laser cutter.
Consistency and precision – For example - awareness of industrial testing processes industry standards and tolerances. Safe and accurate use of cutting tools. Safe, advanced/creative use of machine technology i.e. free machine technology, dedicated embroidery machines, button holing.
Single and multiple products – For example - the principles of making in quantity, input and output in mechanical, electrical and electronic textiles equipment. Understanding of industrial processes such as quality control and assurance, costing, couture/custom made, batch and mass production.
Structural and physical properties – For example - use tests to identify the properties of fabrics, their classification, understand how properties affect choice and use of fibres, yarns and fabrics.
Smart Materials – For example - The development of modern “clever” or “smart” textile products and understanding the tension between cost, demands of the product and sustainability issues, such as minimising waste and reusing materials.
Design – For example - Considering the purpose and user, the criteria used to judge the quality of products, including fitness for purpose. Considering the impact of products and sustainability issues. Using ICT and fashion illustration techniques.
Make – For example - complex appropriately reinforced 3D structures, constructing toiles, and understanding of industrial processes.
Prepare- For example - making and adapting flat patterns, appropriate modelling techniques, communicating processes for making, understanding how models and patterns are made in industry and pattern layouts.
