AS 91361 Annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 14 MB]

TKI Technology assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of sociocultural factors, and how competing priorities are managed, in technology.

This involves:

• discussing the interactions between sociocultural factors and technological developments in a field of technology
• discussing the decisions made to manage competing priorities within a development in a field of technology.

The student established relevant socio cultural factors and emphasised the complexity of their interaction in the field of medical equipment technology (1). The socio cultural nature of the need in each case was explained (2).

The interaction of social, environmental, economic and cultural factors were discussed for a IV flow controller (3) and baby incubator (4). Competing priorities were identified and explained, and the student discussed how these have been managed during key aspects of the process.

Differing needs of the varying groups interacting with the M8 Intensive Care Bed were emphasised (5). Political factors were discussed (6).

Differences between the M8 Intensive Care Bed and the other two innovations (the IV flow controller and the baby incubator) are emphasised, with the narrowing of the marketing focus influencing the detail of the decision making (7).

The final summary discussed additional socio cultural influences on technological innovation in this field (8).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could increase the scope of competing priorities identified as coming from interactions of socio cultural factors. This could make the discussion of the student’s management of these priorities richer and more comprehensive.

For Merit, the student needs demonstrate in-depth understanding of sociocultural factors, and how competing priorities are managed, in technology.

This involves:

• explaining the interactions between sociocultural factors and technological developments in a field of technology
• explaining the relationships between competing priorities and aspects of technological practice in a field of technology
• explaining how competing priorities were managed within a development in a field of technology.

The student explained interactions between socio cultural factors including economic, environmental, political, cultural factors and technological developments in the field of medical equipment technology (1). This includes explaining the effect of cost, codes of practice, equipment standards, import restrictions, low cost infant incubators, and comparing the use of the critical care bed and the Acuset IV flow controller.

The relationship between some competing priorities and aspects of technological practice were explained (2). This included the identification of need, design process, operating environment and manufacturing considerations.

How competing priorities were managed within the development of the IV infusion controller was explained (3). This included balancing the need for acquiring technical expertise within a limited budget and ethical responsibilities. 

To reach Excellence, the student could extend the breadth of the management of competing priorities across more than one innovation, so that a discussion is presented.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of sociocultural factors, and how competing priorities are managed, in technology.

This involves:

• explaining the interactions between sociocultural factors and technological developments in a field of technology
• explaining the relationships between competing priorities and aspects of technological practice in a field of technology
• explaining how competing priorities were managed within a development in a field of technology.

Interactions between economic, environmental, political, social and cultural factors influencing the design and use of school furniture were explained (1). This included explaining what was happening in education in the first part of the 20th Century, the social changes that occurred after the Second World War, and the socio-cultural changes of the later 1980’s.

Some relationships between competing priorities and aspects of technological practice in school furniture design and manufacture were described. This description included innovation, design, material selection and manufacturing requirements (2).

Competing priorities within stakeholder groups for a furniture company were described (3). The student identified and explained how competing priorities were managed within the development of a range of classroom furniture (4).

For a more secure Merit, the student would need to add more detail so that the explanations were strengthened.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of sociocultural factors, and how competing priorities are managed, in technology.

This involves:

• describing the interactions between sociocultural factors and technological developments in a field of technology
• describing the relationships between competing priorities and aspects of technological practice in a field of technology
• describing the competing priorities that were managed within a development in a field of technology.

Competing priorities due to sociocultural interactions and their relationships to aspects of technological practice within the classroom furniture industry were identified and described (1). This included describing how a furniture company undertook research to make design decisions in consideration of cost, user comfort, maintenance and life expectancy.

Competing priorities that were managed within the Bodyfurn development were described (2). A range of desks and chairs matched to student size and with the required strength, stability and maintenance features were developed. Storage problems were overcome. Changes were made to the manufacturing process to accommodate school budgets.

To reach Merit, the student would need to explain interactions between socio-cultural factors, and the influence of competing priorities and how they were managed within the classroom furniture development process.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of sociocultural factors, and how competing priorities are managed, in technology.

This involves:

• describing the interactions between sociocultural factors and technological developments in a field of technology
• describing the relationships between competing priorities and aspects of technological practice in a field of technology
• describing the competing priorities that were managed within a development in a field of technology.

The student described interactions between economic, environmental, political and social factors within the field of medical equipment technology (1). This included describing the effects of lower manufacturing costs and considering the end user.

The relationship between competing priorities and aspects of technological practice in aspects of medical equipment technology including identification of need, design, material selection, manufacturing requirements were described (2).

Competing priorities that were managed within the development of the IV infusion flow controller were described (3). This included balancing the need for input from technical expertise with the cost of such input, and selecting materials for manufacturing that fitted with the budget.

For a more secure Achieved, the number of interactions identified between socio-cultural factors and technological developments should be increased. This would better enable the competing priorities involved to be described. Identifying more than one innovation would provide greater opportunity to extend the detail encompassed in the range of management strategies described.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of sociocultural factors, and how competing priorities are managed, in technology.

This involves:

• describing the interactions between sociocultural factors and technological developments in a field of technology
• describing the relationships between competing priorities and aspects of technological practice in a field of technology
• describing the competing priorities that were managed within a development in a field of technology.

The student described some social and cultural influences on the design and use of school classroom furniture (1). This included consideration of the physical size of the users.

Some competing priorities have been identified in terms of economics and functionality. The student described how these were managed within the design and manufacture of an industry’s classroom furniture range (2).

To reach Achieved, the student would need to describe a greater number of interactions between a broader range of socio cultural factors in the field of classroom furniture technology. More consideration should be given to specifying competing priorities which had to be addressed in the development work.