Clarkson CHS

Design & Technology

Design and Technology courses offer the student the opportunity work in Woodwork, Metalwork, Plastics and Design. The D&T courses in Year 8 and 9 aim to introduce fundamental skills and knowledge essential for the future development of more complex skills.

Students opting for further studies in Year 10 (Senior School) are able to take on challenging models and designs in the area or ‘context' of their choice including Computer Assisted Drawing and Design, Metalcraft and Jewellery Making. These courses extend the developing knowledge in a stimulating, safe and fun learning environment where students are encouraged to seek out ideas and research and create unique designs, whilst solving a set of design criteria.

The Year 11 and 12 students will soon be embarking on Courses of Study which is an exciting Department of Education and Training initiative. In 2006 the D&T courses will be moving towards this structure with the implementation in 2007-08.

Furniture Design and Technology in Year 11 and 12 offers the student a chance to specialise in an area of choice in the designing and manufacture of furniture pieces. Students also learn vital theoretical knowledge that will hold them in good stead for entry into both TAFE, Tertiary Education or the Workplace.

Computer Assisted Drawing and Design takes a student on a journey into the high-tech world of design and engineering. In 2006 we aim to provide not only the latest hardware but also industry standard software so that skills learnt translate into industry, TAFE and the workforce by following Common Assessment Framework.



Home Economics

This is a highly practical area in which students are encouraged to express themselves and develop skills in decision making and problem solving through the medium of food and textiles. The home economics subject area continues to gain momentum and interest with the addition of highly experienced and qualified teachers to the team. Years 8 and 9 provide students with the opportunity to develop some basic skills in the areas of food and textiles. Students develop understandings of the process involved in planning and producing items to their own design and improving upon them throughout the semester. These skills are strengthened and added to in later years. Students are also provided with opportunities to integrate their skills with enterprising projects such as the 2006 recipe book and oven mitt gift which also included their Information Technology skills as well as skills from the design and technology learning area. This has proved to be a very successful program.

The transition year of year 10 provides students with more opportunities to expand their skills and experience of food in courses such as “Traveling with Your Taste buds” “Celebrating With Food” and “Food In Focus”. Students can also increase their skills and involvement with textiles through a more detailed and complex course using various fabrics and techniques. In addition the course in “Cottage Craft” encourages students to create more personally relevant items.

Courses in “Child Development” and “Child Care” are available at this year level also. These courses teach students about the changing needs of a baby and small child as they develop and change through the first ten years of life. Being taught by industry experienced teachers in “Food Production” throughout years 11 and 12 provides students with the skills and understandings to produce a wide variety of quality products. They develop the ability to produce restaurant style meals on a number of occasions and these skills are transferable to the hospitality industry or are equally useful in their everyday life after school.

Information Technology

Currently the Information Technology department boasts an update to its already impressive facilities - 350 brand new computers running the latest hardware and software. In addition, new teachers with extensive IT industry experience have joined the department.

Our courses include provision for the latest technologies, newly available software titles and the latest demands of the industry. We offer a structured progression of skill learning from Year 8 through to Year 12 with each year building on the last, plus our students get to be involved in interesting multimedia projects that focus on local businesses and the surrounding community. In fact, we are also now running industry recognised qualifications in the form of NTIS Certificates which are more "real-world" and therefore more relevant to the industry.

Our students are actively encouraged to experiment with new technologies and are given the freedom to incorporate them into their projects if they wish. Therefore with courses constantly evolving to take on board these new technologies, there are no limits to what students can achieve and no restrictions on their learning.