Home Economics, Agriculture (Farm), Design & Technology, Digital Technology and Photography.
Home Economics
Home Economics is a multidisciplinary subject that covers Food Science, Textiles, and Caring for Others. It is offered to students at Mount Barker Community College from Year 8 to Year 12. It is a fun subject that teaches many practical life skills. Students learn how to cook healthy meals, how to cater for events, and how to budget. They learn how to hand sew, machine sew and follow a pattern. They can also learn some basic caring for children skills. Each year group focuses on something different.
Year 8 Fun Foods and Textiles
In the Food Science unit of the course, there is an introduction to Food Safety and Hygiene, simple cooking techniques, and basic nutrition. The students design their own lunchbox, and they make and decorate a gift cake.
In the Textiles unit, they learn some basic craft sewing techniques. They investigate different textiles, make a few small handcrafted gifts, and design and make an appliqued apron.
Year 9 The Travelling Chef and Tailor
In the Food Science unit, they travel around the world (but stay in the Home Ec. room!) learning about different cultures and cooking international foods. This includes trying out a variety of new cooking techniques, for example, steaming a Chinese Sponge Cake, trying new flavours including making their own curry powder. They also learn about the factors that affect food availability and design their own pizza. We finish by organising an “International Celebration” for lower school students to enjoy.
In the Textiles unit, they learn various embellishing techniques, as well as how to use the sewing machine and overlocker before designing their own pencil case.
Year 9/10: Students may have the option to study one or more of the following courses. Note that not all of the following courses are offered every year. Students are asked for their preferences and the most popular courses run.
Introduction to Catering – In this unit students gain an insight into the hospitality industry by learning more advanced cooking techniques as well as planning and running their own catering events.
Plantagenet Chef – In this unit students study fast food and nutrition, while facing a variety of “MasterChef” like challenges.
Upcycled Textiles – In this unit they learn more advanced sewing techniques and are supported to devise their own upcycled product.
Caring for Children – In this unit students study, among other things, child development, the importance of play, nutrition, and budgeting. They keep a journal of their learning, take the RealCare babies home, and design and make a play activity.
Year 11 and 12 Food Science and Technology General Course
It is largely based on gaining an understanding and experience of the hospitality sector. It includes, among other things; Safety and Hygiene Rules and Regulations, nutrition, special food needs, as well as examining the properties of food and how they are affected by different cooking techniques. This unit of study is consolidated by a great deal of practical work where they often have to design and adapt their own dishes.
Facilities
The Home Economics department has a large cooking room with 10 cooking benches, a dedicated sewing room, and an outdoor herb garden and study area.
Teacher: Shannon Parker
Assistant: Debbie Crofts
Agriculture (Farm)
Students study a broad range of agricultural topics that provide an introduction to various enterprises on the college farm. These include viticulture, poultry, aquaculture, horticulture, wool, red meat production, and broadacre farming. Students work with sheep and cattle including some handling of the show cattle from the ‘Barker High’ Murray Grey Stud.
Students have the opportunity to learn a variety of skills on the farm including sheep and cattle yard work, fencing, general, horticultural and vineyard maintenance. Students also assist in other animal husbandry work that includes feeding, marking, tagging, drafting, numerous breeding services, and shearing shed operations.
Students in Year 10-12 have the opportunity to complete Certificate I in Agrifoods and Cert II in Rural Operations, these are nationally accredited qualifications.
Annual events farm students participate in include Wagin Woolorama, Perth Royal Show & Albany Agricultural Show. Students also have the privilege of other farm visits within the Plantagenet Shire that demonstrate best practices in their specific operations.
Staff members: Jay Rowles (Farm Manager), Trevlyn Smith, Linda Drage.
Design and Technology
For students in Year 7 to 10 the Design and Technology Department offers courses relating to wood, metal, plastics, and more generalised courses involving mechanical workshop, welding, and aspects of Building and Construction.
In Year 11 and 12, there are several pathways that can be achieved by the students through Curriculum Council Courses of Study and VET competencies. Materials Design and Technology Wood (MDT) is a feature of this school.
MDT is a design and skills-based course with the challenge to create a personal item of furniture with a degree of difficulty incorporating drawers or doors, together with some written assignments associated with their projects, and to aid in the planning or evaluation of their desired product.
General Workshop is a compilation of skills development allowing some student activities to contribute to their Certificate I or Certificate II achievement. Throughout the year, such skills as welding, metal lathe turning, mechanics and some building and construction skills are attained by the students.
Technical Graphics is now part of the new courses of study under the Design units.
The course allows for further development of Technical drawing skills in the areas of design, architecture and graphic communication.
Teacher: Craig Gibson
Digital Technology
Digital Technologies is compulsory in Years 1 through to 8. Digital Technology is offered as a semester-long elective in Year 9 and 10.
Digital Technologies is a subject that helps students to become innovative creators of digital solutions and includes the practical application of the ICT general capability.
The components of digital systems are:
- Hardware, software, and networks and their use.
- How data is represented and structured symbolically.
- Collecting, managing, and analysing data.
- Providing solutions by investigating, designing, producing, evaluating, and collaborating.
Year 1 to 6 Teacher: Ms Susan Plewright
Year 7 & 10 Teachers: Ms Alison Forrest
Digital Photography
Digital Photography is taught for one semester in Year 9 and 10.
Digital Photography provides students with an opportunity to plan, compose, photograph, and edit an assortment of images. Students research the principles and elements of design, the different genres in photography, and the career paths available. Students develop an understanding of other artists’ work and their inspirations in the production of their own work.
Students use Adobe Photoshop for editing and produce a number of activities demonstrating their abilities using this software
Teacher: Ms Alison Forrest