Knowledge of technical areas TCA 8-1

• Indicators
• Progression
• Teacher guidance
• Contexts for teaching and learning
• Assessment for qualifications

Knowledge of technical areas focuses on understanding the way such areas are applied indifferent technological fields.

This objective links with technological products as it deals with developments in specific fields of technology and applications within that field.

Indicators

Progression

This learning objective draws together knowledge that students have covered over a period of time, particularly from the Nature of Technology and Technological Knowledge components and specialist knowledge and skills. At level 8 students will explain how technical ideas have underpinned past, contemporary, and possible future developments in diverse fields of technology.

Note: This learning objective does not have a preceding learning objective at levels 6 or 7.

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Teacher guidance

To support students to understand the application of technical areas to specific fields, at level 8, teachers could:

• support students to be aware of a wide range of fields in which applications of technical areas are of key importance. Examples of fields include: medicine, sports, military, communications, entertainment, urban planning, food production
• provide students with examples of technical areas and support them to explore the technical ideas that have led to the development of these areas and their changes over time. Examples of technical areas include: nano-technology, laser technologies, virtual modelling, robotics, artificial intelligence
• provide students with the opportunity to discuss how and why technical areas have been applied in different fields (or in the same field) at different times, geographical locations and socio-cultural contexts in the past
• provide students with the opportunity to explore and discuss potential developments in technical areas and debate how these could be applied in fields in the future.

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Contexts for teaching and learning

• The teacher may specify the context for the activity in discussion with the class and/or you may allow individual students to negotiate an alternative context.
• The students may present their report in any appropriate format and medium that they have agreed with you in advance. For example, they could present it as a slideshow, a display board, a written report, or a portfolio. Creating a report or other means of presenting information (for example, video, oral, written report, poster, slide show) is an individual activity, but students may investigate the selected field and technical area either independently, with a partner, or in a group.
• Students may need guidance on establishing credible evidence about the selected technical areas and fields of technology.
• Student evidence may include annotated photographs, flow diagrams, written text, drawings, and website links.
• All sources of information must be acknowledged in the student evidence.

Students can gather and analyse information individually or in groups, but must develop and present their own ideas for assessment.

They will need to:

• describe a technical area (for example functional foods) and its application within a specific field (for example health enhancement and disease prevention)
• explain the technical ideas and developments that created the technical area
• describe and explain current limitations and opportunities of the technical area in relation to the specific field
• explain the potential for future developments of (functional foods) in relation to the field of (health enhancement and disease prevention)
• discuss feasible future applications of (for example functional foods) related to the field of (health enhancement and disease prevention). 

Literacy considerations

This standard requires students to research and synthesise information to create report or presentation that demonstrates their understanding of the application of a technical area within a field of technology.

Resources to support student achievement

• Level 3 Technology assessment resources
• Technology online: Technology in the NZC – Indicators of progression
• Technology online: Technology in the NZC – Progression diagrams 
• Wool innovations
• Impact resistant
• The Harakeke Project at Industrial Research
• Skateboards made out of harakeke?
• Technology matrix 2013 – draft
• Technology Conditions of Assessment – draft
• NZQA Technology exemplars

Indicators of progression

• Indicators of progression

General resources

• Food nanotechnology
• Nanoscience explained 

The science and technology of what we wear

• In Episode 6 of Ever Wondered? Dr John Watt looks into the future of our super textile – wool – as well as finding out how Kiwi ingenuity is influencing sporting attire.
• Using advanced concrete technology
• Robots Learning

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Assessment for qualifications

The following achievement standard could assess learning outcomes from this learning objective:

• AS91619 Generic technology 3.14: Demonstrate understanding of the application of a technical area to a specific field

• Assessment resources

Key messages from the standard

Technical area includes artificial intelligence, nanotechnologies, smart materials, cryptographic algorithms, Computer Numerical Control, functional foods, laser technologies, modern materials, virtual modelling, and robotics.

Specific fields in which technical areas may be applied include: medical, sporting, communication, entertainment, food, gaming, and military.

Last updated November 24, 2023

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