St Joseph’s Catholic College provides a safe, caring and supportive environment in which each student is shaped by her relationship with Jesus in the Catholic tradition and is inspired by St Mary of the Cross MacKillop to make a difference in the world.
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Technology and Applied Studies
Technology and Applied Studies (TAS) consists of subjects that have a course relevant practical component and is vitally concerned with the use of technology to complete tasks.
Most subjects offered have a design component that assists the students to interpret appropriate problems they are solving and aids them to develop creative and innovative solutions.
These subjects foster the intellectual, social and moral development of students. As the girls research design briefs and tasks, they learn to apply knowledge and demonstrate skills relevant to the problem they are solving. The students increase their capacity to manage their own learning while problem solving and are able to apply the skills learned to their own real life situations.
TAS improves the capacity of students to work individually and also with others as part of a group in solution seeking, or to complete practical tasks such as food preparation.
Respect for cultural diversity and the environment are integral parts of the TAS syllabi. Groups are studied in depth as part of the Stage 6 Community and Family Studies program of study and Food equity is explored in the Food Technology arena. Environmental responsibility and ethical design are examined in Textiles and Design, Industrial Technology Timber and Technology Mandatory.
In the TAS subjects we make use of different technology which aids students to become flexible in their solutions and develop effective comunication skills. In learning about technologies, the girls use a range of materials, tools and techniques relevant to the issue beign researched. They can then draw on these experiences to manage and achieve real life solutions. This type of thinking integrates both procedural and conceptual knowledge while using the design process and promotes life-long learning.
All skills are taught relevant to the stage level of the students and as the girls progress throughout each course it increases in complexity.
Subjects Offered in TAS
Stage 4: Years 7 and 8
Technology Mandatory. This is a compulsory course taught over two years and encompasses the technologies relevant to – Plastics, Graphics, Food Technology, Textiles, and Timber. A design folio is completed and the studetns develop their own practical experience that is assessed.
Stage 5: Years 9 and 10
- Food Technology
- Industrial Technology Timber
- Graphics Technology
- Textiles Technology
Stage 6: Years 11 and 12
- Community and Family Studies
- Food Technology
- Industrial Technology Timber
- Textiles and Design
- Exploring Early Childhood
All subjects offered in stages 5 and 6 are electives and are chosen according to student interest. In Stage 6 all subjects except for Exploring Early Childhood contribute towards an ATAR.
Industrial Technology Timber and Textiles Technology both have a practical component to the course that is marked externally for the HSC.
Exploring Early Childhood
Both Year 11 and Year 12 Exploring Early Childhood students have a biannual excursion. The first stop is a preschool where the girls have the opportunity to observe and play with young children and practise their positive interaction skills first hand. The girls then learn about the intricacies of child care as a career choice as well as what types of programs are developed for young children.
Our next stop is Erina Fair Library where we receive a very informative talk on literacy, books and children. How and why we should read to young children is discussed and the girls learned about the various programs run to suit our local community. The girls from St Joseph’s are then able to relate this information to their child literacy unit of study.
After lunch, the girls participate in a “treasure hunt” of all child related facilities available at Erina Fair. They located baby feeding and eating areas – including parent rooms. They then evaluate child play and entertainment areas.
The day gives the opportunity to discover services and possible careers related to child care.
All year 11 Exploring Early Childhood students will be participating in the worthwhile experience of parenting a computerised baby for the weekend throughout terms 2 and 3. I hope the “grandparents” enjoy this experience as much as the girls.
