New Zealand's future relies on encouraging young New Zealanders to pursue careers with a technological focus. Technology education not only gives all students a level of technological literacy, but also provides senior secondary students with an educational foundation for technology related careers.

Technology in The New Zealand Curriculum is a dynamic and future focused framework for teaching and learning in technology. It gives students challenging and exciting opportunities to build their skills and knowledge as they develop a range of outcomes through technological practice. They bring together practical and intellectual resources in creative and informed ways to engage with the many technological challenges of today's world and of those in the possible future.

Junior Technology
The junior Technology programme at St Mary’s College covers a range of technological areas such as Materials Technology, Design and Visual Communication and Digital Technology. As well as creating and producing student orientated technological outcomes, the girls learn vital skills such as communication, self-management, participation and safety. As Technology is such a diverse and multi skilled subject it is easy to incorporate the New Zealand Curriculum into our learning experiences. Technology has natural and fluid relationships with other subjects such as the sciences, the arts, mathematics, and social sciences.   The current Year 7 and 8 projects incorporate a range of technological areas through creating functional hand puppets and designing and producing educational books and toys.

The Year 9 students spend time in the individual technological areas designing and modelling a wrist watch, designing and producing promotional material for a café and creating unique bag designs for a client.

The Year 10 students can choose an option subject from Design and Visual communication, where the focus is on logo, packaging and architectural design, Materials Technology, where students create sleepwear and enter the Sylvia Park Young Designers Competition with personal theme inspired garments, and Digital Technology, where students learn about a range of software including generating websites, promotional material and media design.

Senior Subjects (11 to 13)

Design & Visual Communication
Design & Visual Communication is an NCEA course for years 11 & 12. Between one and two major project are completed throughout the year for Internal Assessment and a selection of work will be used for the External Assessments at the end of the year. Sketching, rendering, CAD model making and a variety of technical drawing skills will be developed throughout the course. This subject is for students who have a flair for design and attention to detail.

Digital Technologies
The aim of the course of study in Digital Technology is to enable students to develop their knowledge and skills in the use of a wide range of computer software and digital technologies. Digital technologies include the formatting, integration and presentation of digital information for the communication of ideas.  Digital skills enable students to participate in a future knowledge society.  Students will need to be able to develop original digital media outcomes while learning concepts, techniques and skills in computer graphics, desktop publishing, animation, web design, digital video and digital audio.

Graphics
This course is offered at year 13 and there is a choice of two out of three major projects throughout the year for Internal Assessment and these projects will be used for the negotiated brief and presentation External Assessments at the end of the year. Advanced sketching, rendering, model making and a variety of technical drawing skills will be developed throughout the course. This subject is for students who have a flair for design and attention to detail.

Information Technology
This course is offered at year 13 and teaches product design and project management - skills which translate into many areas of life. Students work with clients, experts, suppliers, consumers, wider community stakeholders and classmates to address a chosen need and to develop outcomes for their selected target market. Product design involves research, trials, on-going evaluation and testing its “fitness for purpose”. Project management involves planning, predictions and reflections, all integral parts of Information Technology.

Materials Technology
This programme is offered to years 11, 12 & 13 and gives students the opportunity to explore creative design through sketching and modelling and construction skills in Materials Technology. Two projects are completed during the year. The first project generally involves the exploration and development of a conceptual design. The student develops their skills as the outcome is then explored in a model. The second project can include materials research and investigation prior to the development of a full size prototype. Some of the materials research is good evidence for an External Achievement standard.

We believe it is important for students to take ownership of their learning and aim to provide many opportunities for students to make personal decisions and individualise their projects.