[Design and Technology] election promise

pcranswick at aitkencollege.edu.au pcranswick at aitkencollege.edu.au
Thu Apr 19 11:06:50 EST 2007


Hi David,

yes John Garcia does a great job. 

Philip.

On 18.04.2007 at 22:16:57, David Fletcher <dgfletch at bigpond.net.au>
wrote:

> Hi all,

>  

> Further to the discussion regarding maintaining woodwork and
metalwork
> machinery in Technology Departments, many schools employ the
services of a
> most capable and helpful company who will do this on a contract
basis.

>  

> They have also upgraded the necessary guarding on some machines,
replaced
> and/or sharpened cutting blades and expertly installed ducting for
waste
> removal.  They will issue a certificate each year that machines
have been
> checked, maintained and comply with OH&S requirements.

>  

> Generally this can be done in one day, at a very reasonable rate,
and it
> takes the responsibility off the technology teacher who may not
always have
> the time or expertise to carry out this maintenence work.

>  

> The company is  ANVIL SAFETY PRODUCTS.  Contact ... 

> John Garcia

> 342 Stony Point Road,

> Crib Point 3919

> (03) 5983 6063

> FAX 5983 6125

> Email: Anvil at nex.net.au

> I am happy to recommend this company.

>  

> David Fletcher

> Secretary TEAV

> Email  dgfletch at bigpond.net.au

>  

> -------Original Message-------

>  

> From: Kevork Krozian

> Date: 18/04/2007 08:28:49 PM

> To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List

> Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] election promise

>  

> Dear Design and Tech Teachers,

>  

>   It gives me enormous satisfaction when I see your list evolving
along the

> lines the much older IT lists have moved.

> Namely, as professionals you have a voice to express a point of
view, air

> grievances if there are any ( there is no shortage of those in
education it

> seems and why wouldn't there be with such a complex endeavour ? ),
celebrate

> success, support each other with ideas as well as resources.

> Furthermore, I have watched as this list has moved on to discuss
issues of

> resourcing such as lease vs buy , funding, support and the
discussion of

> issues that impact upon your ability to do your jobs as teachers.

>   Ultimately we are here for the students and it is for them that
we are

> striving in order to deliver the best education program.

>  

>   If there is anything I can do to further enhance your mailing
list or your

> support web site at www.edulists.com.au please let me know.

>  

> Best Wishes

>  

> Kevork Krozian

> Mailing List Creator and Administrator

> kevork at edulists.com.au

> www.edulists.com.au

> Tel: 0419 356 034

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: "bazeley" <bazeley at iinet.net.au>

> To: "'Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List'"

> <destech at edulists.com.au>

> Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 8:20 AM

> Subject: RE: [Design and Technology] election promise

>  

>  

> > Hi all

> >

> > Sharing our experiences is very important at this stage
especially when

> > they

> > are as well expressed as Gary, John and others. I think if we can
get

> > enough

> > information together the next letter to the Minister should come
from the

> > TEAV. I am sure David Fletcher and others are listening.

> >

> > I put forward the following example that was helpful in carrying
out the

> > maintenance schedule that I have had difficulty in completing.

> >

> > In 2006 the school was willing to employ an ex trade teacher
with

> > engineering skills for one day. He carried out most of the
maintenance on

> > the machinery in that one day. This was excellent value and a
number of

> > bugs

> > in the machinery were fixed. He was payed for a days CRT work.
Costs for

> > repairs, parts etc came out of woodwork budget.

> >

> > It would be good to hear of other solutions that teachers have
used that

> > work and could help solve problems in the short term.

> >

> > Richard Bazeley

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >  _____

> >

> > From: destech-bounces at edulists.com.au

> > [mailto:destech-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Wragg, Gary
G

> > Sent: Tuesday, 17 April 2007 9:30 AM

> > To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List

> > Subject: RE: [Design and Technology] election promise

> >

> >

> >

> > Sorry to continue the 'Forum' as such, but it is good to hear
tech

> > teachers

> > finally speaking out and a few points are worth elaborating
upon.

> >

> > 1. Teaching conditions

> >

> > In the 1970's, class sizes in workshops were capped at 20. Rooms
were set

> > up

> > for 20 with a max of 24. Staff were allocated 'machining time' in
lieu of

> > a

> > technical assistant. Over the last 30 years our conditions have

> > deteriorated

> > and programs have been compromised. The transition from
trade-based to

> > design-based learning increases workloads and has dramatically
altered the

> > function of technology teachers. Students' work requires
individual

> > machining - different from the old 'industrial model' where all
did the

> > same

> > thing. Teachers are now forced to spend more time in the
machining rooms

> > leaving up to 28 students unsupervised in a workshop full of
sharp things!

> > Huge problems with responsibility!!

> >

> > 2. Technology Assistants

> >

> > Trade teachers in the past maintained their own equipment,
repaired and

> > built furniture, etc. With the current paucity of tradespeople,
this now

> > needs to be either outsourced - or more likely - facilities just
fall into

> > disrepair. When I asked for a Tech assistant (a la Food Tech,
Science and

> > languages, etc!) to assist with maintenance and machining VCE
work, and

> > despite a recognition of the need, the standard response was that
there

> > 'was

> > no budget allocation available - nor likely to be unless
government

> > provides

> > it'. Budgets are documents that reflect the priorities of a
school and

> > government. The implications are obvious.

> >

> > 3. Provision of Resources.

> >

> > Capital equipment costs are a huge impost on school budgets. Much
of the

> > valuable machinery was disposed of with the demise of the Techs
and little

> > has been replaced. Yet, the demands on a growing Technology
curriculum

> > have

> > increased exponentially. Out-dated, unsafe equipment and
resources impact

> > heavily on the classroom and confidence of teachers.

> >

> > On a final note, I recently contacted Lorraine Tran and the TEAV
about

> > supply of technology software for schools being provided by the
government

> > in a similar manner to the Laptop and Microsoft programs. The
responses

> > from

> > both were heartening, particularly given the political
restraints

> > operating

> > around them. I guess we should now support them in supporting
us.

> >

> > I applaud those who have taken up these important issues.

> >

> >

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> > Gary Wragg

> >

> > Rosebud Secondary College

> >

> >

> >

> >  _____

> >

> > From: destech-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Hallsworth,
John J

> > Sent: Mon 16/04/2007 8:59 PM

> > To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List

> > Subject: RE: [Design and Technology] election promise

> >

> > Well it's really interesting to hear a few colleagues speaking
out over

> > the

> > conditions we face and our lack of "real" support and resourcing.
 Of

> > course, we have all been thinking those same thoughts but haven't
had an

> > oopportunity to voice them.  The biggest problem is, I believe,
isolation.

> > Technology teachers - "tradies" if you like, have dropped off the
top of

> > the

> > pile through retirements disillusionment and frustration.  There
are so

> > many

> > of us who are working in schools where the technology staff has
been cut

> > back significantly and is being propped up by teachers who are
not really

> > qualified to teach the resistant materials and technology
subjects, God

> > love

> > 'em.  Blind Freddy could see that it is near impossible to do
justice to

> > the

> > running of a technology facility, when you have to teach a full
load.  It

> > is

> > akin to being a shop foreman in industry, and also having to work
full

> > time

> > on the bench.  I think there has been a view over recent years
that

> > technology or trade subjects would just go away and die if you
starved

> > them

> > of resources,  However, that doesn't appear to be about to happen
because

> > the popular view is now that technology subjects are vital to the
future

> > of

> > our students.  So, if that's the case, then the Government,
Principals and

> > College councils need to put their hands in their pockets and
provide us

> > with the same support that Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Food
tech,

> > Integration and ICT (to name but a few) receive. Back to the
subject of

> > Isolation - there needs to be a body (possibly TEAV) that will
act as a

> > voice for technology teachers on the hard issues.  A voice that
will

> > gather

> > together the facts (we know the government loves to measure data)
and

> > present them in a rational, but forceful way, not for my sake or
your

> > sake,

> > but for the sake of our students who are, I believe, getting a
raw deal

> > through the unrealistic demands on us all.

> >

> >

> >

> > John Hallsworth

> >

> > Montmorency Secondary College

> >

> > Para Rd, Montmorency, 3094

> >

> > Ph: 9435 6399 Fax: 9434 6259

> >

> > visit www.vcedesigntech.com <http://www.vcedesigntech.com/>   -
you just

> > might find it useful !

> >

> >

> >

> >  _____

> >

> > From: destech-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of

> > fbu at brightp12.vic.edu.au

> > Sent: Mon 16/04/07 4:32 PM

> > To: destech at edulists.com.au

> > Subject: RE: [Design and Technology] election promise

> >

> >

> >

> > John Hallsworth

> >

> > Montmorency Secondary College

> >

> > Para Rd, Montmorency, 3094

> >

> > Ph: 9435 6399 Fax: 9434 6259

> >

> > visit www.vcedesigntech.com <http://www.vcedesigntech.com/>   -
you just

> > might find it useful !

> >

> > Yeah, I can relate to that. No time allowance or recognition
(unless it is

> > convenient for admin) for ordering materials, sharpening,
maintenance,

> > fixing, getting quotes etc for repairs, adjusting equipment ,
record and

> > accounts keeping, etc. There is only me here in Bright, and I run
both

> > wood

> > and metal tech from year 8 to 12. With a full teaching load it is
now

> > impossible to keep up with the maintenance. Some band aid
sollutions

> > included  an attempt to get Rotary Club to send volunteers. This
took a

> > fair

> > bit of time to set up and only lasted  one session. I now have a
retired

> > gent to do some for cash - he is good so far but tends to go for
holidays

> > during the winter. I have had 7 years of negotiations with the
principals

> > and the powers that be. The bottom line is always that, according
to

> > principals of other like schools, their tech staff seem to cope
well

> > without

> > additional assistance and do all this work within their
class-room

> > preparation time. Apart from that there is no

> >  funding.

> >

> > So my question is, are the tech areas well maintained, and who
does the

> > work? (and are these people fairly reimbursed for that work?).
Because

> > sure

> > as hell I cannot do that part of the job effectively on a full
teaching

> > load.

> >

> > Fran Burgers

> >

> >  "Ripley, Robert R" <ripley.robert.r at edumail.vic.gov.au> on Sun,
15 Apr

> > 2007 10:43:10 +1000 wrote:

> >> After 2 days at school during the term break, doing jobs that
could not

> >> be

> > done during school days because of teaching committments,
(General machine

> > maintenence, changing cutters, repairing/sharpening tools,

> > unloading/stacking material deliveries), all the while observing
that

> > Science, Food, IT etc have assistant teaching personel, I'd
suggest an

> > addition to your note to the Minister -

> >>

> >> Staffing the 'Technical' areas with suitably skilled teachers
and

> > appropriate servicing personel is as important as funding for
equipment

> > and

> > building replacement/upgrade.

> >>

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> >> _______________________________________________

> >> http://www.edulists.com.au <http://www.edulists.com.au/>  -
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> >> Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by

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> > Curriculum and Assessment Authority and

> >> TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria

> >

> >

> > ---

> > fbu at brightp12.vic.edu.au

> > http://www.brightp12.vic.edu.au/

> > _______________________________________________

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> > Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by

> > http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au <http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/>  -
Victorian

> > Curriculum and Assessment Authority and

> > TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria

> >

> > Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential.
If

> > received

> > in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening
or using

> > attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any
loss,

> > damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the
sender or

> > not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any
attached files

> > our

> > liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments.
Any

> > representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual
sender,

> > and not necessarily those of the Department of Education.

> > _______________________________________________

> > http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe,
unsubscribe

> > Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by

> > http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority

> > and

> > TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria

> >

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> > http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe,
unsubscribe

> > Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by

> > http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority

> > and

> > TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria

>  

> _______________________________________________

> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe,
unsubscribe

> Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by

> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority
> and

> TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria

>  

>  

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