This is a task for ALL my pupils.  When you get the chance, please go HERE and complete my IT survey.  No personal details will be stored or even asked for.  I’m doing this so i can get an idea of the IT and computing equipment pupils in JP have access to.

Thank you for your help Guys and Girls!

Hi guys, i hope you had a relaxing September Weekend (apart from the homework!!!).  I have been working hard on the latest Podcast (Number 21) and redesigning things on here for my second Blog competition.

The new Podcast is all about Plastic Manufacturing Processes, its a cracker at 10 minutes long, but it covers processes like vacuum forming, blow moulding, extrusion and rotational moulding.  Get it from YOUTUBE, iTunes or from me in school for your MP4 Player

The competition prize is once again a sparkly, podcast loaded MP4 player provided by me!  Check HERE for more information.

WIN A PHILIPS MP4 PLAYER LOADED WITH ALL THE LATEST PODCASTS.

Keeping with the spirit of things, i am launching a competition to win yet another Philips 2gb MP4 player loaded with loads of goodies.  This time, the competition is a little more difficult and will really test your graphics skills!  Here is the brief…

You have to design a Christmas Card front cover for Mr & Mrs B’s Christmas Cards this year.

We usually include a photo of ourselves on our Christmas Cards to our families and close friends, this year, i want my pupils to design the graphic for the front of the card.  The card should obviously have a Christmas theme and to help you design it you can ‘right click’ on the two avatars above and save them to help you include Mr & Mrs B in the card.

The competition will run from 1st October to 4th December 2009.  Entries can be submitted by hand or email etc and MUST include your name and class so that we know who to give the prize to.  All entries should be A5 in size, that’s HALF of an A4 sheet of paper.

Good luck to all who enter!

Say no more!

The folio front cover and NAB Assessment Criteria can be downloaded HERE. It contains the weighting of the assessment marks for your Design Analysis task set today.

I will be uploading a new Plastics Podcast over the next couple of days to aid your studies, until then, “Accept this gift as a sign of respect on your daughters wedding day.” (Godfather Movie Quote there guys!).

After much research and discussion with Mr Smith and Mr Gorman, it seems that the body of Power Tools is usually manufactured from Injection Moulded ABS plastic. Thats all i’m saying on the matter. Good site here! Donno why i said that?

Good luck guys, use your DESIGN NOTES and study notes i have provided you with and you will be fine.

Homework has been issued to the S3 Graphics Class and has to be returned on Wednesday after the Holiday Weekend.

You have to produce 2 Road Signs in this task, on 1 sheet of A4 paper.  Good use of colour and layout techniques are expected at this stage of the course.

Sign 1 should warn drivers of the possible dangers of a Volcano in the area.

Sign 2 should inform drivers of a nearby tourist volcano beauty spot.

Have Fun!

Here we are delighted with ourselves after the tour of the Assembly and Machine Shop in Doosan Babcock.  Everyone had a great time and were really impressed with the whole visit.  The trip definatley sparked some good discussion and thinking, with some pupils showing an interest in applying for an apprenticeship with Doosan Babcock.

We started the day with an excellent presentation on the role of manufacturing at the Renfrew plant and a bit of info about the company itself.  We then split into teams and got the chance to visit the Machine Shop and Assembly areas where pupils got the chance to experience manufacturing in real life.  Everyone was asking questions and clicking like crazy with their cameras.

Eddie then took us over to see Nicola at the Technology Center and we had the chance to visit the test labs where all the hi-tec science and testing goes on.

The pupils enjoyed playing with the model of the ‘Carbon Capture’ Renewables Power Plant which is a full working Power Plant at the Renfrew site.  It is hidden in a hangar out of site because of the top secret research that goes on there.

A big shout out (and massive thanks) to Eddie, Wullie and  all the guys at the site for a fantastic day and memorable experience.

Click the Doosan Babcock image to be taken to the company website to find out more about what they do!

You can view and download more photos of the day HERE.

All that remains now is the big question…

Where will Eddie and the guys at Doosan Babcock be placed in our COOL WALL?

This is us sitting in the conference room waiting on our first presentation.

My S5 Product Design class are embarking on an industry visit to Doosan Babcock in Renfrew. They are a worldwide engineering company and it is hoped that the day will provide the basis for forming links between areas on the course and act as a basis for discussion in class.

– Post From My iPhone 3GS

I knowt his isn’t strictly educational, but look what I just found in my bathroom sink.

I had to use barbeque tongs to throw it outside – after attacking it with wasp spray to stun it. Anyone who knows me knows how irrational I get over spiders, Mr A had to rescue me when I had 1 in class a while ago!!!

Anyway, here’s the education bit: spiders can survive being flushed down toilets or sinks by creating an air filled pocket around their body with their legs. This helps them breathe and float back to the surface.

– Post From My iPhone 3GS

Loads of new updates on TmT this week.  You will notice the You Tube badge around the site.  I have now uploaded all the Podcasts onto a YouTube channel so that they are now accessible by pupils who do not have the ability to download the iTunes or MP4 versions.  In future, if i produce a Podcast, it will be available on iTunes, YouTube and available in the Learn-it zone for download to your MP4 players.  If you want the Podcasts on your mobile then you can download them from YouTube (You need to get your own video converter) and convert them to 3gp format.

I have added a few more presentations to the Product Design page of the Blog.  These include Materials Powerpoint Presentations which are used in class and a Design Movement presentation by one of our S6 pupils.

Our Cool Wall is now up and running with the first 6 items having being placed on it last Friday. It took the class about 40 minutes to ‘argue’ the case and place for each product on the Cool Wall!  The most disappointing thing was that the class all agreed that I was not as cool as an XBox 360 Elite. (But i am cooler than an iPhone)!!!