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Design and technology
Innovation and emerging technologies
The history of Australian innovation
In the Design and Technology
HSC course you will learn about historical and cultural influences
on designing and producing and the factors that impact on the
success of innovation. The Powerhouse Museum has produced a web
site which explores the most important innovations of the century:
Australia
innovates 
. This
tutorial uses this web site to help you identify and acknowledge
historical and cultural influences on design and technological
development.
Outcomes
This material addresses aspects of the following syllabus outcomes:
H2.1 The student explains the influence of trends in society on design and production.
H3.1 The student analyses the factors that influence innovation and the success of innovation.
Source: Board of Studies NSW, Stage 6 Design and Technology Syllabus, Preliminary and HSC Courses (2007)
What is innovation?
According to the Powerhouse Museum web site innovation is:
Something useful that's resulted from a new idea.
Something could be a thing you can touch and see or a process for making or doing things or even a system for organising other things.
In choosing those items that would be included on the web site the museum focused on the hundred years since Federation. To make the choices they asked the following questions.
Did the innovation:
- represent a major breakthrough?
- greatly change the way things were done?
- have a major impact on Australian life?
- create or boost an industry and provide new jobs?
- enjoy great export success?
The innovations are listed according to the year they were introduced into the marketplace or made available. This was often different to the year the original idea was developed.
Extract from Australia Innovates, viewed 12/5/03 <http://203.10.106.20:80/australia_innovates/view/index.cfm?behaviour=view_article&Section_id=110>.
Activity
From the A century of innovation tab, select one innovation from the
categories below. Read the information presented and use the
links at the end of the information to research it further.
Choose from:
- Agriculture and food
- Communications and IT
- Energy and environment
- Health
- Household and clothing
- Leisure
- Manufacturing
- Research
- Transport
- Future.
The edge of innovation
Australians continue to be innovative. Find out about innovative Australian projects being developed by universities, the CSIRO and industry. (Click on Links + References)
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