Overview
Our inaugural year as Design and Technology was filled with excitement and renewed enthusiasm in all subject areas. The introductory MYP Design course in Year 7 was reviewed with students studying Digital Technologies, Food Technology, and Textiles over one semester. Students in Year 8 studied Engineering for the first time as part of their Design selective, studying one term of Engineering and one term of their choice of Food Technology or Textiles. They put the new laser cutter through its paces, churning out nearly 200 timber ply lamps and countless earrings, trolley keys, bag tags and guitar picks. In Years 9 and 10, the Design and Technology electives included Engineering, Food Technology, Information Technology, Sustainability and Textiles. Guest speakers visited our classrooms and the two Engineering classes had the opportunity to visit the AIS Sports Engineering department organised by our newest teacher, Dr. Tom White. We were blown away by our senior students in Design and Graphics and Design and Textiles, their extraordinary work showcased at the mid and end-of-year CAPA showcases.
Year 7 Design – Aminda Byrne and Ruth Merton
Stepping into the design classroom for the first time, students can enter a world with immense possibilities. The rooms are filled with opportunity and inspiration. As we settled in, we realized that this room is a workshop of innovation. Through hands-on practical and informative theory, we discovered the unique possibilities textiles hold. In this article, we will share our experiences in the Textiles classroom – highlighting the skills we have developed, the adversity we faced, and the appreciation we have for this elective and those who teach it.
In our first term of Textiles in Year 7 we worked on making a handy pouch, using the Shibori tie-dyeing technique. With the help of our design teacher, Ms. Davis, we were able to complete this functional pouch in only 3 weeks whilst acquiring new skills and techniques. Some of these techniques we learnt were; threading the sewing machine, how to operate and use a sewing machine, different Shibori tie-dye techniques, how to quilt, how to make seams, and how to complete an in-class booklet using our organizing and time management attributes.
Throughout our time ‘testing’ the Textiles elective we also came across many adverse situations. This included machine malfunctions, which fortunately were mended due to the help of Ms. Davis and other students. We also grew to love the art of sewing, despite hardship along the journey.
Thus, it is evident the art of textiles is a magnificent pathway filled with opportunities and development that one must try. Through this journey in creating our handy pouches, we acquired new skills, and techniques despite the challenges and for that we are profoundly grateful. We would like to commend Ms. Davis and all the supportive teachers that have guided us through this elective.
Year 8 Textiles – Sophie Galea
Textiles and fashion had never been my thing. Sure, I would create the odd bag or stuffed animal every once in a while. Usually, they didn’t turn out. I found they looked like a couple of threads holding together a lump of fabric. So I dumped the idea for a while, but subconsciously there was this idea in my head. It was a fact that no matter what, nothing would work, and that something would always fail no matter what.
At the start of the year, I had the choice to pick Food Technology or Textiles. I just could not decide! After debating with myself for a long time, I came to the decision that I would pick Textiles for Semester 2 of Year 8. At the beginning of Semester 2, I found out my class, teacher and room. I was very lucky to receive Ms. Davis as my teacher. For the Semester 2 course, the assignment was to make a hoodie. I couldn’t wait! We began laying the groundwork, cutting out fabric and starting on the pocket. And there I made my first mistake. I sewed on my pocket wonky.
I begged Ms. Davis not to make me re-sew it. I wanted to finish the pocket that day. But, as Miss should have, she made me unpick the pocket and sew it all again. The message was still there. “It’s not going to work. It’s not going to work”. Fast forward, and I am about halfway done, and by now, I’ve learnt a lot! I learnt how to use machines like the overlocker (my personal favourite) and the cover stitch machine. I learnt how to thread a bobbin, and of course, how to get first pick of the machines. Continuing with the hoodie project, I stumbled on my second mistake. I sewed the ribbing on wrong and had to waste an entire lesson unpicking. And the message is now getting louder and louder. “I told you so”. You wouldn’t be able to make this.” Anyway, after a lot more mistakes and unpicking, my hoodie was finished! The ribbing was fixed, the hood was on and my initials were ironed on in a cursive white font. I felt satisfied. I had heaps of time and not too much work, or so I thought. Then came the theory work. So 700 pages of theory later, Year 8 was sat down, and given a long speech about our options for electives in Year 9. Never, ever would I ever think I would choose Textiles as an elective In Year 9. But here we are, and next year I am studying Textiles, costume and interior design. If I could summarise this entire long essay, I would say that first of all, CHOOSE TEXTILES, but secondly, it’s ok to make mistakes. And, yeah I know it’s cringe and whatever but it’s true. So yeah, I might fail, and yeah it might not work, but what’s the point if you don’t try, real failure is for those who don’t try at all.
Year 9 and 10 Textiles – Olive Hanley and Madeleine Sill
This year in Textiles, we have focused on innovation and sustainability. In the first semester, we focused on creating innovative sleepwear or activewear for a target audience. This was a good unit that allowed new students joining Textiles to learn the skills and helped experienced students further develop their skills. We learnt how to read and adjust a pattern to create our sleepwear, learning what the best fabrics are and what elements need to be incorporated to make it a functional and innovative design. In Semester 2 we have been learning about sustainability and broadening our mindset of global interests including connecting textile waste to international concerns. We have looked at different types of fibres, learning that there is both natural and synthetic which can then be split into woven, non-woven and knit. We have practised a range of techniques including patchwork and how to use soluble stabilisers to make fabric from scraps. This taught us how to repurpose old fibres and utilise scrap fabrics to create new products. We had a lace demonstration to show us the production of different designs and fabrics. This helped us do prior research and allowed us to complete our assessment where we were making a bespoke textile product for a client.
Overall, this year we have improved our technical skills, learnt how to adjust and read patterns, improved our design skills learning how to be innovative and sustainable in our textile production.
Senior Design and Textiles – Rebecca Price
This year in Senior Textiles, the two units we have completed are Design for Communication and Design for Futures. These units extended our understanding of the fashion industry and the role of designers in communicating brand stories and in determining the effects of a design on our planet. Our class is a very supportive and close-knit group, which makes the class even more enjoyable as everyone within it is extremely passionate, and uniquely approaches each assignment, with no two people doing alike projects. Some of the highlights of this year in Senior Textiles include redesigning second-hand business shirts into new designs, the Reconciliation Day Public Holiday major work practical day, and creating our miniature zero-waste pattern garment.
Year 9 and 10 Sustainability – Ms. Erin Barry
The Sustainability elective class focused on sustainable food production, transport choices, and biodiversity this year. In the food and water unit, students learnt about sustainable food production and consumption, including the drawbacks of large-scale commercial farming and monoculture, the paddock-to-plate philosophy, urban farming, and regenerative agriculture. One of the key activities was the design of a carbon-friendly menu, where students explored ways to reduce food-related carbon footprints.. While learning about sustainable transport, students analysed transport systems from around the world, including Melbourne, Canberra, Tokyo, and Portland. This helped students to understand how active transport and effective public transport systems impact not only the environment but improve the lived experiences of residents. Guided by the College’s biodiversity restoration project, students designed landscape garden plans to improve biodiversity in their home or their local community, showing that everyone has the ability to make a small change in their garden or local environment to restore native biodiversity to the area and providing food and habitat for a range of species.
In the garden, students enjoyed a highly practical experience harvesting (and eating!) the summer crop, including tomatoes, corn, basil, capsicum, and chillis, and many others. They also planted seeds in the greenhouse and cared for our chickens.
Students had the opportunity to practise paddock-to-plate principles by preparing dishes such as bruschetta and pumpkin soup using ingredients they harvested themselves. This garden-to-table approach allowed students to appreciate the entire food cycle, from growing produce to creating meals.
A highlight of the year was a visit from Sam Vincent, a local regenerative farmer and author of My Father and Other Animals who shared his experience and knowledge of regenerative agriculture with the Sustainability class and Sustainability at Merici club. His insights inspired students to think more critically about sustainable agricultural practices and their role in shaping a healthier planet. Through these enriching activities, the Sustainability class empowered students to actively contribute to a more sustainable future.
Ms. Erin Barry
Teacher
Food Technology – Ms. Amy Hazelwood
Food Technology has had a busy year this year with all students having fun and learning about different aspects of food. Year 7 was introduced to Food Technology this year through the unit Food for Life with a special focus on nutrient-dense foods (superfoods!). They learned about safety and hygiene in a domestic kitchen and built their technical skills with practical cooking lessons including crowd-favourite chicken pesto pasta, scones, scrambled eggs and apple crumble. Learning about superfoods, students learned how to make healthier salads by designing and preparing their own salads at home. In this unit the students are also introduced to the MYP Design Cycle which allows them to think critically and creatively throughout the design process.
Year 9 have extended their knowledge and skills in Food Technology this year. In the first semester, classes learned about global, national and local food security. Through research, they explored food security at a household level and designed nutritious and budget-friendly meals with limited resources. In the second semester, students learnt about event catering, food styling and food service. Through their design task, they learned what it takes to design an event menu with complementing canapes. This included a practical exam, providing an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and technical skills in a time-pressured environment. This unit proved to be way more fun as students made food such as mini thai sausage rolls, mini chicken and leek pies, melting moments, and apple tarts. The final task for Year 9 was to design and build a gingerbread house. The gingerbread houses are part of MYP Service as Action and were sold to support the Vinnies Christmas Appeal. All the girls had to design, prepare and build the gingerbread houses from scratch which tested their creativity and cooking skills, however, the finished product looked amazing.
Year 9 and 10 Engineering elective – Isabelle Jerga
Engineering is an exciting and interesting class. We have explored many topics such as bridge building, assistive design, electricity, renewable energy, and wind turbine design. We all learnt about the design process and were able to apply our knowledge through building balsa wood truss bridges. We were tasked with 3-D printing an assistive design to help someone with a joint condition complete everyday tasks such as using a toothbrush or using cutlery. This was a challenging task that we had to use creativity and innovation to complete. We have had the privilege of going to the AIS and meeting with assistive design engineers. They work with Paralympians and athletes to create designs that assist them in their sport and further enhance their performance. The content learned was intriguing and inspired some girls to want to follow a STEM career path. We have been able to form an understanding of how many things work in the world around us. We had the opportunity to talk to Dr. David Osmond who spoke to us about wind turbines and how they can produce energy. This helped us gain an understanding of renewable energy. Engineering is a fascinating class that has allowed us to gain knowledge and understanding as well as have fun with new people.
A special note of thanks
As the newest and smallest Department at our great school, our student success this year is owing to the hard work and dedication of both our wonderful students and the dedicated team of teachers who support them. It has been a true pleasure to work alongside them as we defined what it means to be a designer at Merici in the 21st Century. Through collegial conversations and student insights, our programs have continued to evolve and draw from best practice technologies in education as well as our Diocesan initiative – Catalyst: High Impact Teaching Practices. The team is set for further renewal in 2025 with the appointment of a new Coordinator as I move into a different role at the College.
Our 2024 teaching team included:
Ms. Erin Barry (Sustainability extraordinaire), Mr. Fabrice Boone (our very own French chef), Mr. Weber Chan (IT wiz kid), Mrs. Elizabeth Chase (accomplished hoodie guide and overlocker mechanic), Ms. Diana Davis (Textiles gatekeeper and precision sewing influencer), Ms. Amy Hazelwood (Fighting Fit Foodie), Mr. Damien King, Mrs. Sue Paton, Ms. Brittney Pimm (Gifted in Graphics) Mrs. Jill Rennie (Foodie Angel), Mrs. Stephanie Spiller (jack of all trades, master of one?) and the Doctors White, Dr. Kathryn and Dr. Tom (leaders of legendary engineering).
Our support team:
A huge thank you to our support team of Mrs. Sharon Henderson, Mr. Jack Elliott-Dunn and Mr. Dylan Craven who made sure we had everything we needed to run our classes including functioning equipment and tools. And also for the countless hours running the laser cutter. A special mention goes to Mr. Jackson Cannell who dedicated weekends in the depths of winter to cut the first round of timber lamps. Additional thanks to those who moonlighted/ jumped in to assist including Ms. Virginia McLeod, Mrs. Kelley Thurling, Mr. Brodie Calagos, Mrs. Karen Williams, and Mr. Jin Kook.
Mrs Stephanie Spiller
Design and Technology Coordinator
