Engineering Studies (A/T)
Engineering Studies equips students with the skills and knowledge to make positive contributions to the future of societies and the environment. The course promotes the importance of being socially responsible and conscious of global community issues that may impact on the environment and sustainable management of resources.
Engineering Studies can also be combined with Design and Graphics, Design and Textiles or Designed Environments to achieve a major, major-minor or double major in Design and Technology.
The following units can be used to make up an Engineering Studies course.
Engineering Systems
Students learn engineering systems and how multiple components operate and interact, to serve a single function as a solution, taking a holistic view. Systems that may be explored include building, mechanical, electrical or mechatronic systems. Students explore user needs, breaking design problems and solutions into smaller parts. They create design solutions using scientific concepts, mathematical tools and computer-based simulations.
Engineering Processes & Concepts
Students learn about engineering design processes and concepts, and how they are used to develop and optimise solutions to problems, with reference to sustainability, cost and the life cycle of an engineered solution. They explore and investigate existing products, materials and components in response to a design brief. Students design and create working models or prototypes of their solutions.
Applied Engineering
Students learn how engineering design processes are applied to solve existing problems. They explore real world problems of increasing complexity requiring project-based solutions. Students use guidelines and a context to apply knowledge of the engineering process and theory, to develop and respond to design briefs.
Future Challenges & Innovations
Students learn about emerging societal, global and environmental challenges, and the potential for innovative engineering and emerging technological solutions. They explore and research future global challenges. Students’ research and understand the implications, ethical and otherwise for new innovations to develop novel engineering solutions to these challenges.
Negotiated Study
Students study an area of special interest to be decided upon by a class, group(s), or an individual student in consultation with the teacher and with the principal’s approval. The program of learning for a Negotiated Study unit must meet all the content descriptions as they appear in the unit.