[Design and Technology] destech Digest, Vol 180, Issue 21 - Working safely during COVID-19

Foster, David B foster.david.b at edumail.vic.gov.au
Sun May 17 02:04:38 UTC 2020


Thanks Lorraine,


As OH&S rep at my school I have only received the information that came after the press release of our return. On Thursday the principals had a meeting and that information was passed on by or prin, who I am lucky enough to have a great working relationship with. I get the feeling not much has been decided by the department.

She has said she would consider having an ES staff member in my classes to help regulate the flow of students in the room.

I have some time up my sleave as we lost our VCE classes due to falling numbers (VCAL has grown to more than 50% of our student population) and the fact I spend at least the first two weeks working on the design process.

I will send an email to Health Advice department requesting some advice.


Thanks again Lorraine.


Regards, David Foster




________________________________
From: destech <destech-bounces at edulists.com.au> on behalf of Foster, David B <foster.david.b at edumail.vic.gov.au>
Sent: Sunday, 17 May 2020 11:28 AM
To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] destech Digest, Vol 180, Issue 21 - Working safely during COVID-19


Thanks Peter,


I am in a now smaller state school, we lost our VCE last year which gave me a chance to work more with VCAL and junior classes. I had planned to lock my tools up and only make available the cabinets that were required for each class. I was going to make up a tick sheet that I would fill in at the end of the day or after class that would let the cleaners know what to focus on. Now the cleaning budget does not allow for my room or arts to be cleaned.

My principal has suggested she might try to get an ES person in to assist with students movement during my classes. I usually don't do prac for the first 2 weeks as we work through the design process so I have some time up my sleave.  Students throughout the school will sterilize their hands before entry to class and after class. The PPE is one I had not got to thinks and like you we only have a limited supply.


Thanks again for your response. Lets hope this is not the end of our practical classes.


Cheers, David Foster

Western Heights College


________________________________
From: destech <destech-bounces at edulists.com.au> on behalf of Peter Murphy <plmurphy78 at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, 16 May 2020 2:04 PM
To: destech at edulists.com.au
Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] destech Digest, Vol 180, Issue 21 - Working safely during COVID-19

Hi all,

Just a bit of insight into what we are planning to do at my large government school.

We have considered options of cleaning tools / equipment and lack of school PPE (that would normally be shared by students) and the lack of PPE in stores for our students to buy themselves. Hand washing upon workshop entry will also not be enough as it will not prevent sneezing etc.

We have decided it is not possible to operate safely with practical activities in Design and Technology due to these issues including the unrealistic increase in workload for ourselves and our technician (we have 3 workshops to maintain). Some of our teaching staff and their family members are also immunocompromised which is another serious factor we have taken into consideration.

The only making that will occur is in Year 12 VCE Product Design and Technology as it has been mandated by VCAA. We will take all steps we can to ensure the safety of these students and teachers - but it may be an impossible challenge, especially for one teacher whose husband keeps very poor health.

Our school is also in consultation with the AEU about a range of issues including how teachers should handle mandated practical tasks during the current pandemic.

Instead we will continue to run our "online curriculum" of coding and digital design tasks in class and limit the movement and interaction of students wherever possible. We will do this until the end of Term 2 and reassess the situation next semester, but we are prepared to continue with non-practical task for the remainder of the year if required. This will obviously not be as fun or engaging for our students as making would be but our responsibility is to keep our staff and students safe above all else.

Good luck everyone - stay safe!

Peter Murphy













Peter Murphy

Leading Teacher - STEM

Northcote High School



T  +61 3 9488 2300

E  murphy.peter.l at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:murphy.peter.l at edumail.vic.gov.au>

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Today's Topics:

   1. Return to school (Foster, David B)
   2. Re: Return to school (Lorraine Tran)


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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 15 May 2020 12:45:48 +0000
From: "Foster, David B" <foster.david.b at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:foster.david.b at edumail.vic.gov.au>>
To: "destech at edulists.com.au<mailto:destech at edulists.com.au>" <destech at edulists.com.au<mailto:destech at edulists.com.au>>
Subject: [Design and Technology] Return to school
Message-ID: <4b5bdd7908f94a8c8c7ec037cb7e7f95 at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:4b5bdd7908f94a8c8c7ec037cb7e7f95 at edumail.vic.gov.au>>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hello everyone,


I am just curious to find out what sort of processes have been put in place or are going to be put in place for  lessons in your Technology rooms. The department has provided money for a cleaner at state schools but it is only for the high use areas (well that's what I was told) like door handles, toilets and benches.

I am a little concerned that my tools won't be wiped down after a lesson or even at the end of the day. I run woodwork, metals and systems by myself not to mention VCAL classes. Our students are very active as a rule and I want to make sure they are safe and so am I.

I am also the OH&S rep at our school and I have a vested interest in making sure everybody is safe. I know there is no golden rule for dealing with this situation and solutions might sometimes work and on other occasions might not. As a designing community I feel we are in the best position to come up with some plans. So I would like to encourage a discussion on this matter.


Regards, David Foster

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 and Training.
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 16 May 2020 13:27:28 +1000
From: Lorraine Tran <tranlorraine at gmail.com<mailto:tranlorraine at gmail.com>>
To: "Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List"
        <destech at edulists.com.au<mailto:destech at edulists.com.au>>,  "Compton, Leanne L"
        <compton.leanne.l at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:compton.leanne.l at edumail.vic.gov.au>>
Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] Return to school
Message-ID:
        <CAPsWVPD8wWB-hkKBi4hDrop8ODqTZ-3_tWM2iprMdcd32HOVpQ at mail.gmail.com<mailto:CAPsWVPD8wWB-hkKBi4hDrop8ODqTZ-3_tWM2iprMdcd32HOVpQ at mail.gmail.com>>
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Hi David

You've started a very important discussion here.

A few things I've been thinking about are:
1. What information is the Department of Education, Catholic Education or
Independent Schools (as the employer) supplying teachers?
There doesn't seem to be anything too specific about prac classes in terms
of what the Department has on its website at
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/Pages/coronavirus-advice-schools.aspx#link59
However, you could send an email with your specific concerns to
health.advice at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:health.advice at edumail.vic.gov.au>

2. What PPE do you and your students need in additional to what you
normally do? Will this need to be cleaned or disposed of, and will your
employer provide this? We are told that masks do not need to be worn (in
general) but what about the possibility of coming into contact with an
asymptomatic student or a student who sneezes out of the blue?

3. In a work situation, to assess the OHS risk of activities, we need to
assess the LEVEL of risk. On what basis can we do this? We are told that
students are low-risk, but many of our senior students have part-time jobs,
such as at McDonalds. How about the level of risk of transmission of
Covid-19 to teachers, technicians etc?

4. At the VCAA webinar held this week for VCE Product Design and Technology
teachers, we were informed that students are to do the mandated production
work in Units 3 and 4 because it's an important part of the curriculum and
what students enjoy. VCAA explained that they had done extensive
consultation with the 3 sectors (Department of Education, Catholic
Education and Independent schools). So can the VCAA inform us of what that
extensive consultation told them in terms of shared use of tools and
equipment needed for safe delivery of the practical component of the
curriculum they mandate must be delivered to VCE PDT students, beyond
trying to maintain a safe distance, handwashing and personal hygiene (which
are difficult to implement in any class of students anyway)?

5. David - as the OHS rep at your school, are you being provided with
professional learning by your employer in response to the coronavirus
environment and is it specific to the different learning areas within the
school? It's your employer's responsibility to do that.

Just a few thoughts and more questions.

Clearly, David, you have pointed out the lack of information/advice
available to allow you to safely carry out your work and to keep you and
your students safe whilst delivering the curriculum. Let's hope the
information, processes and procedures are forthcoming for the return of
teachers and students to schools.

Let's keep the discussion going.

Stay safe everyone.
Lorraine Tran









On Fri, 15 May 2020, 10:46 pm Foster, David B, <
foster.david.b at edumail.vic.gov.au<mailto:foster.david.b at edumail.vic.gov.au>> wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>
>
> I am just curious to find out what sort of processes have been put in
> place or are going to be put in place for  lessons in your Technology
> rooms. The department has provided money for a cleaner at state schools but
> it is only for the high use areas (well that's what I was told) like door
> handles, toilets and benches.
>
> I am a little concerned that my tools won't be wiped down after a lesson
> or even at the end of the day. I run woodwork, metals and systems by myself
> not to mention VCAL classes. Our students are very active as a rule and I
> want to make sure they are safe and so am I.
>
> I am also the OH&S rep at our school and I have a vested interest in
> making sure everybody is safe. I know there is no golden rule for dealing
> with this situation and solutions might sometimes work and on other
> occasions might not. As a designing community I feel we are in the best
> position to come up with some plans. So I would like to encourage a
> discussion on this matter.
>
>
> Regards, David Foster
> 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 and Training.
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