Marine challenge makes a splash in Gold Coast schools

It all started when a Gold Coast technology studies teacher returned to the classroom after an 18-year teaching break.
 
David Oswald left a teaching position in 1988 to pursue work in the manufacturing and design industry. When he returned in 2006, he was disappointed to find the manual arts curriculum had not changed.

With the support of his school, King's Christian College, at Reedy Creek, David set out to establish an education framework that gave a modern, innovative outlook to manufacture and design. The result was the Gold Coast Digital Manufacturing Marine Challenge (GCDMMC).

The challenge is a workplace excellence program funded by the Queensland Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation and Department of Education and Training and supported by Gold Coast industry organisations.

The GCDMMC is supported by the Manufacturing and Engineering Gateway Schools Project, an initiative that connects Queensland secondary schools with manufacturing and engineering enterprises, registered training organisations and tertiary institutions.

As part of the marine challenge, years 10 and 11 students work in teams and with industry professionals to design, analyse, test and manufacture radio-controlled boats.  The teams compete in an inter-school racing competition to see whose boat reigns supreme.

While the program is embedded specifically into the participating schools' years 10 and 11 engineering and technology curricula, many more students are indirectly involved in the challenge. David estimated that in 2009-10, between 450 and 600 students in years 7 to 12 across participating schools contributed indirectly by working on components of the boats.
 
In 2009, the challenge's first year, six Gold Coast schools participated. In 2011, seven schools are taking part.

David said while there had always been manual arts subjects in schools, the traditional "hammer and chisel" approach was not reality in the manufacturing and engineering industries.

"The world moves on and we have to move with it. It's not about designing something with your hands, but designing something digitally and using equipment to do the hands-on work because that's what happens in reality.

"It would be a disservice to kids if we didn't make this move into digital manufacturing. If we just taught them woodwork skills, while that is beneficial to carpentry, it is not beneficial to many other manufacturing trades."

With 20 years of technological advances to catch up on, schools use computer-aided drafting and manufacturing software, CNC machining, and 3D printer equipment to produce their boat designs.

As well as initiating the challenge, King's Christian College is GCDMMC's 'lead' school, which means it supports other Gold Coast schools in successful industry engagement. It is also a Gateway School to the manufacturing and engineering industries, with a focus on school-industry partnerships.

"It's not about keeping the program to ourselves, and receiving all the praise. It's about sharing the vision with other schools," David said.

Nerang State High School's technology department head Mark Simpson said Nerang SHS wanted to be involved because it showed interest in its students' skill levels and the school was keen to "test the boundaries" and try new initiatives.

Both David and Mark believe the heart of GCDMMC's success is not about high-tech boat manufacturing specifically, but lies in the challenge's process.

"It teaches students to design, problem solve and analyse situations. The initiative happens to just focus on boats, but the grounding we give them allows them to apply it to any field," David said.

"It spikes their curiosity to want to know how things are made ... I've seen them become more aware of the world they live in."

Mark said the aim was to give "intellectual skills back to the children" so they had an intellectual capacity that could be applied to many areas.

For example, students could apply the design process and skills to make helicopters, medical equipment, or prosthetic limbs.

"Boat-making is just a 'vehicle'. It's really about engaging students in modern thought processes."

Mark said the approach was so successful that many non-manufacturing faculties within the participating schools, including Nerang SHS, were looking to re-develop their curricula to integrate the new approach to teaching students.

Sixteen major industry partners are sharing the vision. Throughout the challenge, Gold Coast manufacturers and suppliers interact with students during the pre-design and design phases.

For example, an industry participant can explain what makes a good hull before the design begins and give feedback after design work has been completed. Students might digitally design a hull, which can then be sent to a fluid analysis centre to get feedback on the design feasibility. 

David said industry professionals were amazed at the finished boats. "They walked in and saw high-end, carbon fibre, high-powered, machine-operated boats. It's not amateur work we are working towards and achieving, it's of a professional, industry standard."

While the challenge relies on the vision and commitment displayed by David, Mark and teachers at other participating schools, both men are realistic about how the challenge became possible.

"Without government support and our partners, we wouldn't have had any money to bring our vision to life. It's them that made it all possible," David said.

Mark said the challenge was unlike initiatives that ran for a few years but later "fizzle out".  "The challenge is growing from strength to strength. That is only set to continue if we are backed and funded," he said.

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