TP011

Authentic practices as used in the Food Technology Industry

Michelle McDonald

Workshop Aims

• To give delegates the opportunity to experience authentic practice (with emphasis on Viscosity measurements) which reflects the real world of food based technological activity.
• To give teachers of food technology information on viscosity resources which will enable them to carry out authentic practice in the classroom.

Presentation Overview

Research into Technology Education stresses the importance of teachers being informed by knowledge of the nature of technology as it is actually practised¹.  This research also contains a warning that teaching which doesn't reflect the real world of technological activity is unlikely to develop children's awareness and appropriate use of technological thinking¹.  It has been shown that teachers will need to experience technological practice in some form to become confident in the teaching of technology².

This workshop will enable participants to become familiar with technological practice, as used in the commercial world of food production.  Participants will carry out an investigation into viscosity using several different starch products.  Viscosity of each sauce will be measured and recorded.  Samples that have been made earlier and frozen will be on display, as different starches react differently to freezing.

Intended Audience

Teachers of food technology – in particular those teaching NCEA

Biographical Information

Name:                        Michelle McDonald
Qualification:              BCAPSc (Otago University); Dip Tchng (Auckland)

Teaching experience:
            1993-1994     Rangitahi College, Murupara
            1994-2000     Te Aroha College
            2000-2002     Relief and part-time work at Wairoa College
            2002-2004     Sir Frank Markham Community School, Milton Keynes, England
            2004-present day – Te Puke High School (HOD from 2007)
            2009               Royal Society of New Zealand Teacher Fellow, hosted by Food                                    Bay of Plenty and Priority One (Tauranga)

Background

My year as a Royal Society NZ Teacher Fellow has enabled me to work alongside food technologists in a range of different food manufacturing industries.  I have been able to find out more about what it means to practice "food technology" in the commercial world. 

I also had the opportunity to complete some papers in Technology Education from Waikato University. These papers provided a valuable theoretical insight into technology education. 

I am now looking forward to delivering food technology as it is meant to be taught when I return to the classroom in 2010.