Living Technology
People cannot live without food and for many eating is an enjoyable daily routine. Food also has cultural and social significance, reflecting national origins and bringing families and friends together. Food often plays a central part in celebrations. Food design can mean deciding what ingredients to put in tonight’s stir-fry, developing new food products, designing a menu, formulating recipes and even arranging food to enhance its visual appeal. We consume few foods in their natural state; most must be cooked, combined or arranged to make them more palatable. The decisions we make during these processes are food design.
Home Econmics
Home Economics is a Senior Authority subject undertaken in Years 11 and 12 that contributes to an Overall Position.
Home Economics is an academic subject with a strong practical component. It has a unique place in the senior school curriculum as it focuses on the well-being of individuals and families in everyday activities. People need to have food, textiles and shelter as well as satisfactory ways of meeting social, emotional, physical, financial and intellectual aspects of well-being.
WHAT DO STUDENTS LEARN?
There are three areas of study in a Home Economics course:
- Food Studies
- Living Environments
- Textile Studies
Students will study the core and at least one elective from each area of study over the two year course.
HOW DO STUDENTS LEARN?
Home Economics combines investigative and practical approaches to student learning. Students are encouraged to use a range of planning and decision making processes in both theory and practical tasks. They will acquire subject knowledge and develop their reasoning skills through research tasks.
In practical tasks, students will plan and organise, make decisions about processes, create products through the performance of practical skills, and evaluate the effectiveness of processes and products.
PREREQUISITE SUBJECT
There are no prerequisite subject requirements and the course is suited to new students. Students who have studied Food Technology, Families and Society or Health in years 9 or 10 will find this background useful.
HOW IS STUDENT WORK ASSESSED?
Assessment in Home Economics is based on three criteria:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Reasoning processes
- Practical performance
Students are assessed using written tests which consist of objective and short response questions, extended written responses such as research assignments and reports and practical tasks involving decision making, planning and evaluating as well as performance in practical skills.
Queensland Certificate of Education - 4 points
