Years 7 to 8
Technologies
ASTECTDEY78
Years 7 to 8 Design and Technologies Achievement Standard
5 statements aligned to content descriptors and elaborations
Achievement standard (as ACARA publishes it)
Achievement standard
Click any sentence to jump to its statement and linked content descriptors.
By the end of Year 8 students explain how people design, innovate and produce products, services and environments for preferred futures. For each of the 4 prescribed technologies contexts they explain how the features of technologies impact on design decisions, and create designed solutions based on analysis of needs or opportunities. Students create and adapt design ideas, processes and solutions, and justify their decisions against developed design criteria that include sustainability. They communicate design ideas and solutions to audiences using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, including using digital tools. They independently and collaboratively document and manage production processes to safely produce designed solutions.
The 5 achievement standard statements
Open a statement to see the content descriptors ACARA links to it, then open a descriptor's elaborations.
By the end of Year 8 students explain how people design, innovate and produce products, services and environments for preferred futures.
Content descriptorAC9TDE8K01 Knowledge and understanding
analyse how people in design and technologies occupations consider ethical and sustainability factors to design and produce products, services and environments
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration researching current information on animal welfare when designing an animal shelter or researching intellectual property or the significance of offshore manufacturing in a country in Asia when designing a 3D printed product
- Elaboration investigating traditional and contemporary design and technologies, including from countries across Asia, and predicting how they might change or be sustained in the future in response to technological, environmental or economic change, for example the production of contemporary textile designs using traditional batik techniques and modern dyes in Indonesia
- Elaboration comparing the design and production of products, services and environments in Australia and a country in Asia by identifying needs and new opportunities for design and enterprise, for example design, promotion and marketing of a Western Australian wheat variety especially bred and grown for the making of udon noodles in Japan
- Elaboration researching the rights and responsibilities of those working in design and technologies occupations, for example taking into account First Nations Australian protocols and Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights
- Elaboration analysing the ethical and social requirements when designing solutions for cultural groups including their involvement and consultation, for example designing a solution with community members from other cultural backgrounds or those who usually communicate in a language other than English
Content descriptorAC9TDE8K02 Knowledge and understanding
analyse the impact of innovation and the development of technologies on designed solutions for global preferred futures
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration analysing competing factors, including social and ethical factors, that influence the design of services for First Nations Australian communities in areas classified as remote, for example a natural disaster warning system for the Koeybuway and Moegibuway Peoples of Saibai Island, who are vulnerable to flooding and rising sea levels
- Elaboration investigating techniques used by land managers for managing and reducing bushfires in forests, for example techniques used by local First Nations Australians or smart technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, artificial intelligence, cameras and drones
- Elaboration investigating traditional, contemporary and emerging design and technologies, including from a country in Asia, and the need for more sustainable patterns of living, and predicting how they might change in the future in response to social, technological, environmental or economic change, for example the diversity of house design or waste management practices
- Elaboration investigating influences impacting on manufactured products and processes such as historical developments, societal change, new materials, accessibility guidelines, control systems or biomimicry, for example researching the development of Velcro, which was inspired by burrs, or researching contemporary designers who use new materials to design and produce innovative products
- Elaboration considering factors that impact on innovation, for example developing novel ideas, responding quickly to change, creating a point of differentiation, adding value for society, reducing costs and improving efficiency
For each of the 4 prescribed technologies contexts they explain how the features of technologies impact on design decisions, and create designed solutions based on analysis of needs or opportunities.
Content descriptorAC9TDE8K03 Knowledge and understanding
analyse how force, motion and energy are used to manipulate and control engineered systems
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration analysing how wind turbines harness the motion of propellers to transform wind energy into electricity, and how this energy is used to sustainably power communities classified as remote, such as on Waiben (Thursday Island) in the Torres Strait Islands and in Gawa on Elcho Island near the northern Arnhem Land coast
- Elaboration investigating the technologies in a control system for an identified need or opportunity and user, for example the Corriong or Millowl (Phillip Island) penguin weighbridge that enables collection of data about penguin weight and foraging duration
- Elaboration experimenting to select the most appropriate principles and systems on which to base design ideas, for example testing structural components for strength
- Elaboration testing functionality of an idea by producing prototypes and jigs, including the use of rapid prototyping tools such as 3D printers
- Elaboration calculating an engineered system’s outputs, for example speed, brightness of light, volume of sound to determine when the system might fail
- Elaboration experimenting with control systems to understand motion, for example programming a microcontroller or an object-based programming application to control a system such as a remote-controlled car or robotic arm
- Elaboration investigating components, tools and equipment in terms of force, motion or energy, for example testing the durability of batteries or determining the effective range of wireless devices
Content descriptorAC9TDE8K04 Knowledge and understanding
analyse how food and fibre are produced in managed environments and how these can become sustainable
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration analysing traditional First Nations Australians’ food and fibre sources for potential species that offer benefits in sustainability, such as conserving water use and resources needed for processing
- Elaboration comparing land and water management methods in contemporary Australian food and fibre production with a country in Asia, for example comparing the use of robotics, drones, global positioning system (GPS) technologies, minimum-tillage cropping, water-efficient irrigation and smart farm monitoring and controlling systems for increasing efficiency of farm operations and crop protection, and the impact of cash crops versus staples on social sustainability
- Elaboration investigating how animal and plant crops are grown and the ethical and sustainable techniques used to increase food production, for example comparing the use of herbicides or medicines when producing food and fibre products and recognising the need to increase food production using cost-efficient, ethical and sustainable production techniques
- Elaboration outlining physical and chemical characteristics of soil and their effects on plant growth when producing food and fibre products, for example comparing the effect on soil characteristics of different farming practices
- Elaboration investigating different animal nutrition strategies such as grazing and supplementary feeding, and their effects on quality when producing food and fibre products, for example meat tenderness, wool-fibre diameter (micron), milk fat and protein content
- Elaboration recognising the importance of food and fibre production to Australia’s food security and economy, including exports and imports to and from countries across Asia, for example exports of Tasmanian Candy Abalone (wild-caught dried abalone)
Content descriptorAC9TDE8K05 Knowledge and understanding
analyse how properties of foods determine preparation and presentation techniques when designing solutions for healthy eating
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration analysing how First Nations Australians prepare foods for healthy eating, for example using cooking methods that improve edibility, such as removing bitterness to make yams more palatable, roasting bunya nuts to improve texture and flavour, and on many occasions, carefully selecting wood for roasting and smoking to complement the flavour of foods
- Elaboration explaining how food preparation techniques impact on the sensory properties, such as flavour, appearance, texture and aroma of food, for example the browning of cut fruit, the absorption of water when cooking rice, and the selection of timbers when smoking foods
- Elaboration investigating the relationship between food preparation techniques and the impact on nutrient value including how a recipe can be modified to enhance health benefits, for example stir-frying, steaming vegetables, leaving skin on vegetables or removing skin from chicken
- Elaboration analysing food preparation techniques used in different cultures including those from countries across Asia and the impact of these on nutrient retention, aesthetics, taste and palatability, for example stir-frying, steaming, poaching and using a wide variety of vegetables
Content descriptorAC9TDE8K06 Knowledge and understanding
analyse how characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment can be combined to create designed solutions
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration investigating the significance of hafting in First Nations Australians’ traditional toolkit, including how the characteristics and properties of materials are combined to create a designed solution, for example modern hatchets have seen little innovation since the hafted stone hatchet that combines the benefits of a lever and a wedge to create durable tools that reduce effort
- Elaboration investigating aspects of technologies specialisations, for example in architecture, critiquing the design of an existing building to identify features of passive design or, in fashion, evaluating the sustainability of different fibres
- Elaboration investigating a broad range of technologies – tools, equipment, processes, materials, systems and components − when designing for a range of technologies contexts, for example analysing the benefits and disadvantages of building an animal shelter such as a dog kennel with wood, metal and synthetic fabric in terms of function, tools and equipment needed to produce it and expected durability
- Elaboration considering the ways in which the characteristics and properties of technologies will impact on designed solutions, for example the choice of building materials and housing design in Australia and a country in Asia; the properties of textile fibres and fabrics that determine end use in a range of settings such as architecture, medicine, sport and automotive
- Elaboration explaining safe work practices for using specific equipment or materials, for example producing a safety information video that details risk management practices for using tools or equipment including considering how the properties of some materials suit certain designs and may cause harm if manipulated in an unsafe way in the classroom or within a community such as ventilation when sanding timber
- Elaboration testing and selecting the most appropriate hand tools, equipment, processes and materials to produce a product, for example a stool or smartphone stand that can be assembled from bending and interlocking cardboard pieces or from wood using a laser cutter or other digital tools
- Elaboration investigating carbon fibres (reinforced polymers) and graphite fibres which are strong, stiff, lightweight material used in specialised high-performance products, for example on the design of sporting equipment
Content descriptorAC9TDE8P01 Processes and production skills
analyse needs or opportunities for designing, and investigate and select materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to create designed solutions
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration considering First Nations Australian community needs when identifying opportunities for designing, for example considering the needs of local groups when designing energy supply or community housing solutions in areas classified as remote
- Elaboration considering community needs when identifying opportunities for designing, for example gardens for a community centre, cost-effective food service for a sport club
- Elaboration experimenting with traditional and contemporary technologies when developing designs, and discovering the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, for example comparing a hand-sewn product with one produced using a sewing machine
- Elaboration investigating emerging technologies and their potential impact on design decisions, for example flame-retardant fabrics, self-healing materials, virtual reality or aquaponics
- Elaboration examining, testing and selecting a variety of suitable materials, components, tools and equipment for each design project, for example the durability differences between natural hardwood and plantation softwood timbers, which determine their suitability for interior or exterior use
- Elaboration analysing the viability of using different techniques and materials in areas considered remote, isolated areas or less developed countries and selecting appropriate materials to acknowledge sustainability needs by using life cycle thinking
- Elaboration creating a survey to determine students’ food choices and developing a range of healthy food items such as snacks, juices, breakfast or nourish bowls such as a Buddha bowl which could be sold at the school canteen
Students create and adapt design ideas, processes and solutions, and justify their decisions against developed design criteria that include sustainability.
Content descriptorAC9TDE8P02 Processes and production skills
generate, test, iterate and communicate design ideas, processes and solutions using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, including using digital tools
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration using a variety of strategies such as brainstorming, sketching, 3D modelling and experimenting to generate innovative design ideas to present to others
- Elaboration considering which ideas to further explore and investigating the benefits and drawbacks of ideas including identifying factors that may hinder or enhance project development, for example using digital polling to capture the views of different groups in the community to inform the production of a solution designed with intercultural understanding
- Elaboration developing models, prototypes or samples using a range of materials, tools and equipment to test the functionality of ideas
- Elaboration producing annotated concept sketches and drawings, using technical terms, scale, symbols, pictorial and aerial views to draw environments; production drawings, perspective drawings, orthogonal drawings; patterns and templates to explain product design ideas
- Elaboration documenting and communicating the generation and development and selection of design ideas for an intended audience, for example developing a digital portfolio with images and text which clearly communicate each step of a design process
Content descriptorAC9TDE8P04 Processes and production skills
develop design criteria collaboratively including sustainability to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration developing design criteria collaboratively to evaluate designed solutions in terms of accessibility, aesthetics, functionality and sustainability, for example recording design goals from people interviewed as prospective users of the finished product, service or environment or including life cycle assessment criteria
- Elaboration developing design criteria including Safety by Design principles, for example do the ideas promote safety through prevention, protection and proactive change
- Elaboration re-evaluating, iterating and modifying design processes to improve efficiency and increase production, for example when mass producing a product for an enterprise or improving sustainability
- Elaboration evaluating designed solutions and processes and transferring new knowledge and skills to future design projects, for example considering project planning skills learnt in producing an engineered product and using them in future projects
They communicate design ideas and solutions to audiences using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, including using digital tools.
Content descriptorAC9TDE8P02 Processes and production skills
generate, test, iterate and communicate design ideas, processes and solutions using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, including using digital tools
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration using a variety of strategies such as brainstorming, sketching, 3D modelling and experimenting to generate innovative design ideas to present to others
- Elaboration considering which ideas to further explore and investigating the benefits and drawbacks of ideas including identifying factors that may hinder or enhance project development, for example using digital polling to capture the views of different groups in the community to inform the production of a solution designed with intercultural understanding
- Elaboration developing models, prototypes or samples using a range of materials, tools and equipment to test the functionality of ideas
- Elaboration producing annotated concept sketches and drawings, using technical terms, scale, symbols, pictorial and aerial views to draw environments; production drawings, perspective drawings, orthogonal drawings; patterns and templates to explain product design ideas
- Elaboration documenting and communicating the generation and development and selection of design ideas for an intended audience, for example developing a digital portfolio with images and text which clearly communicate each step of a design process
They independently and collaboratively document and manage production processes to safely produce designed solutions.
Content descriptorAC9TDE8P03 Processes and production skills
select, justify and use suitable materials, components, tools, equipment, skills and processes to safely make designed solutions
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration developing innovative ways of manipulating technologies by comparing and choosing the most appropriate options to design a solution using traditional or contemporary materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and considering alternatives including emerging technologies that could be substituted to reduce waste or time
- Elaboration practising techniques to improve expertise, for example handling animals, cutting and joining materials such as metal, textiles, timber
- Elaboration developing technical production skills (techniques) and safe independent inclusive working practices to produce quality solutions designed for sustainability
- Elaboration identifying and managing risks in the development of various projects, for example working safely, responsibly, cooperatively and ethically on design projects; assessing and responding to uncertainty and risk in relation to long-term health and environmental impacts, for example ensuring appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn or that ventilation is appropriate where solvents, glues or 3D printers are used
- Elaboration considering how to improve technical expertise required to use tools or equipment needed to design a solution, for example using an online tutorial to learn to use software for design or production
Content descriptorAC9TDE8P05 Processes and production skills
develop project plans to individually and collaboratively manage time, cost and production of designed solutions
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration interpreting drawings to plan resources and production steps needed to produce products, services or environments for specific purposes, for example identifying resource requirements from specifications on a labelled drawing and collaboratively developing a detailed procedure
- Elaboration identifying risks and how to minimise them, organising time, evaluating decisions and managing resources to ensure successful project completion, for example using digital tools to keep track of tasks, resources, expenses and deadlines
- Elaboration investigating the time needed for each step of production, for example estimating time allocations on a planning template for the different stages of the design process needed to produce a clock, acoustic speaker or desk lamp using prior knowledge, research and testing
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Years 7 to 8 Design and Technologies. Use it to plan teaching and assessment with the Australian Curriculum v9.
At a Glance
| Strand | Substrand | CDs | Elaborations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and understanding | Technologies and society | 2 | 10 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Technologies context: Engineering principles and systems | 1 | 7 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Technologies context: Food and fibre production | 1 | 6 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Technologies context: Food specialisations | 1 | 4 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Technologies context: Materials and technologies specialisations | 1 | 7 |
| Processes and production skills | Investigating and defining | 1 | 7 |
| Processes and production skills | Generating and designing | 1 | 5 |
| Processes and production skills | Producing and implementing | 1 | 5 |
| Processes and production skills | Evaluating | 1 | 4 |
| Processes and production skills | Collaborating and managing | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 11 | 58 | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should students know by the end of Years 7 to 8 Design and Technologies?
By the end of Year 8 students explain how people design, innovate and produce products, services and environments for preferred futures. Read the full standard
How many Content Descriptors support this standard?
11 Content Descriptors support this Achievement Standard (Knowledge and understanding: 6, Processes and production skills: 5).
How does this compare to Years 5 to 6?
The Years 5 to 6 Design and Technologies standard (ASTECTDEY56) covers the preceding curriculum level. Standards build progressively, with Years 7 to 8 expectations extending what was introduced in Years 5 to 6.
Is this from the latest Australian Curriculum?
Yes, this Achievement Standard is from the Australian Curriculum version 9.0 (AC v9), the most current version published by ACARA.