Materials are the basic ingredients of technology. Materials are used to make machines and these machines
use materials to make products. Materials also supply the energy to enable technology to function.
Throughout history, the evolution of technology has been largely determined by the availability of materials.
The strong historical links between materials, design and technology remain significant in society today. As
long as the desire to create new opportunities and to continue to improve our quality of life remains, the
development of materials will continue.

The Materials Design and Technology (General) course is a practical course. The course allows teachers the
choice to explore and use three materials learning contexts: metal, textiles and wood with the design and
manufacture of products as the major focus. There is also the flexibility to incorporate additional materials
from outside the designated contexts. This will enhance and complement the knowledge and skills
developed within the course as many modern-day products are manufactured using a range of different
material types. Students examine social and cultural values and the short-term and long-term impacts of the
use and misuse of materials and associated technologies. Through this inquiry, experimentation and
research, students develop their creativity and understanding of the society in which they live.

Working with materials, students develop a range of manipulation, processing, manufacturing and
organisational skills. When designing with materials, they develop cognitive skills, such as solving problems,
generating ideas, creative design strategies and communicating what they do. This makes them more
technologically literate and, as consumers, enables them to make more informed decisions about the use
and misuse of technology.

The course outcomes are relevant to a number of learning areas, including but not limited to, Technology
and Enterprise, Society and Environment, The Arts, Science and Mathematics. This course also connects to
the world of work, further vocational education and training and university pathways. Students may achieve
vocational education and training (VET) competencies as they complete their design projects, while at the
same time, developing cognitive skills fundamental to designing in a practical context. This process enhances
employability and may lead to further training and employment opportunities in areas that include textiles
and clothing, manufacturing, design, built environment, science and engineering.

The Materials Design and Technology (General) course aims to prepare all students for a future in a
technological and material world by providing the foundation for lifelong learning about how products are
designed and how materials are developed and used.