It has been a joy witnessing the enthusiasm and growth evident in Technologies classes this term. Students are always so excited and surprised when they create something in the kitchen that is both healthy and delicious.
This is the second year that our Rehoboth Primary campuses have incorporated Technologies as a stand-alone subject. So, what exactly is ‘Technologies’? Generally, technologies are anything we use to improve or extend our abilities. We use technologies in every subject we study at school and in everything we do at home. Technologies range from the spoon we use to eat our breakfast, to the language that we use to communicate everyday, and to the mobile telephone we use to send multiple messages to several people all over the world in only a few seconds. The Technologies curriculum we teach in Australia is broken down into two main categories – Design and Technologies, and Digital Technologies.
At Rehoboth’s Kenwick Primary campus, we teach the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program and the Engineering Design Process in Design and Technologies. In Digital Technologies, we teach about computers, coding and cybersecurity. Technologies is such an exciting subject for our students to participate in; every student dreams of extending their current abilities to become more intelligent, efficient and impactful. The greatest challenge we experience when teaching Technologies is ensuring that our students are discerning regarding what gadgets they use and how they use them. Students learn to ask questions about the origin of the technologies they use, and critique them to decide whether they are beneficial or destructive. It is vital that we consider how we, as Christians, can walk by faith in this new and unfamiliar territory.
When learning new technologies, one of our main considerations is how we can use this technology to serve others. We can grow food in our garden and give it to churches that run soup kitchens and other community events; we can cook meals and place them in the school freezer to be distributed to families during times of need; we can design and produce an app that will improve health outcomes for vulnerable people groups. The key is to find a place where God-centred trust and tech-wielding skills complement one another. If you would like more information on this, I highly recommend you read God, Technology and the Christian Life by Tony Reinke (2022).
It has been a joy witnessing the enthusiasm and growth evident in Technologies classes this term. Students are always so excited and surprised when they create something in the kitchen that is both healthy and delicious. They are thrilled when they observe the tiny seeds they planted grow into strong, nutritious and delicious flowers, fruits and vegetables. Students find joy in caring for our insects, birds and reptiles. They use their imagination and design skills to create scarecrows and critter habitats. God, the ultimate Creator, has provided so much in this world for us to nurture, enjoy and share.
We value parent support in our Technologies programs. Everything we do in Technologies is resource-intensive and requires ongoing maintenance, review and upgrades.
If you have any time or expertise available to support our programs, Mrs Kate Witcombe would love to hear from you! You can email Kate on kwitcombe@rehoboth.wa.edu.au. We are a community! Any hours you spend supporting us can be signed off as College Support Hours.
