EST400 COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT

DESIGN BRIEF

Name:Naomi MathewClient:Alison Schipp

Context/Problem

My client is a Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 teacher who uses story stones during play times as an educational toy. However, problems have arisen with the safety of the stones as some students have been tempted to throw them and have hit other students on accident. The weight of the stones in the bag is also an issue as the younger children struggle with carrying them back to the shelves when they pack up. In addition, the stones do slip out of the bag quite easily.

Challenge

I am going to create a product that has a similar use to that of story stones and is also appealing to and practical for Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 levels. The product needs to be lightweight but sturdy, easy to store and carry and be safe for the students to use. The product should be relatively small.

Specifications Should not exceed 20cm in any dimension Should have a carrying feature Should be simple for targeted year levels to use Should be light Storage should not be in the form of a bag(refer to Appendix 1)

INVESTIGATIONMy investigation started with the tools that I already had as I was trying to create this product at a low cost. This led me to the understanding that I possessed vices, a saw, safety goggles, sandpaper, safety gloves, a mask and a hammer. These tools and equipment would be ideal for creating a product made out of wood. I considered using wood as it is readily available, relatively cheap, sturdy and there are many different types of wood with associated properties available. I also considered Plexiglass as it would be relatively easy to cut using the score and snap method and it would be lightweight and sturdy. However, I chose to use wood because I felt that it was aesthetically better, it was cheaper and there were many types of wood that I could investigate to suit my purpose. I finally chose Treated Pine and MDF for the storage box and MDF coasters as a replacement for the story stones. I considered solely using MDF or Balsa wood sheets for the storage box but they were too thin and would not be sturdy enough. The Treated Pine was sturdy, cost effective, durable and relatively light in the amounts needed. It is also environmentally friendly as the extra wood was recycled by my clients school and used in their garden. Acrylic paint was used on the wood as the colours were vibrant and bold which would appeal to the younger students and it was easily applied on the pine and MDF surfaces. I also decided to add a handle to the box to make it easier for the younger students to hold it. I chose a metal handle over a wooden handle as I knew that would be quite solid and would not chip if hit. My investigation also led to the understanding that I had to work between 7am and 8pm when I used the hammer in accordance with Residential Noise Regulations.

SOLUTIONS

DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCTMaterials: Treated Pine wood, MDF, acrylic paint, handles, screws and nailsTools and Equipment: Saw, hacksaw, pencil, eraser, ruler, markers, hammer, paint brushes, toothpicks, face mask, protective goggles, safety gloves, screw driver, sandpaper and vicesProcess: The first step in creating the product was measuring the pieces of pine and MDF that would be needed using a pencil, eraser and ruler. The next step was cutting them to size using a saw and vice. I stood sideways when cutting the wood and used the appropriate protective equipment such as safety gloves, face mask and protective goggles as well as wearing closed-toe shoes for safety purposes. There were some issues that arose with cutting the wood such as not having the appropriate work bench which made cutting the wood quite hard as it was not sturdy. After trialling a few different places, I found a table that was secure enough to cut the wood on. The next step was cutting grooves into the wood. This was quite difficult as the saw I was using had large teeth and was too cumbersome and therefore did not allow me to create the small grooves. As such, I bought a small hacksaw which worked better as it had smaller teeth and was easier to manoeuvre. Next, I sanded down the pieces of wood to give it a smoother finish and to ensure that the pieces of wood were exactly the size they were meant to be. I used a mask and safety goggles to protect myself. After that, I painted the pine and the MDF with a few coats of acrylic paint. Once the paint dried, I nailed the pieces of wood together one at a time. As it was problematic trying to hold the wood in the correct position while nailing, I asked for a second pair of hands to do the holding while I hammered. I ensured that I held the hammer in the middle of the shaft for better grip and control. Then, I attached the handles onto the box using a screw driver and screws. Once the storage box was finished, I slid the pieces of MDF that had been cut as segregators into the grooves and placed the story shapes into their allocated compartments.Description: The final product is a rectangular prism which is open on top. The inside of the box has been segregated into three sections where the story shapes are kept. The handles have been placed on the top of the box as opposed to the sides in an effort to keep it slightly more compact. One feature of this product is the compact nature of the story shapes which allows for a greater quantity of shapes to be stored in the box. This product is slightly different to story stones as the shapes have been segregated into categories which are Characters, Place and Object so that it is slightly more structured for younger students. As this product is aimed at younger students, each category has been allocated a certain shape and colour. The outside of the box has been divided into three sections and painted with the colour of the corresponding shape. This provides a visual indicator to the younger students of where each shape needs to go, making it easier and more efficient to pack up. The outside of the box also features an Instructions panel which provides simple advice on how they can use the product for its designed use. Handles have also been added to the box to add to the aesthetics of it as well as its practicality.

DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTIONALITYThe story shapes are lightweight which makes it safe and practical for Prep, Grade 1 and 2 students to be using. The addition of the handles to the storage box, which is relatively lightweight, makes it even easier for the product to be carried and used. Pine wood was used for the majority of the box because it added to its durability and considering the quantity of wood used, would still ensure that the box was light. The rectangular shape of the box and its size ensures that it can be easily stored. The instructions and colour scheme of the product makes it easy to use while the colourful pictures ensure that it is appealing to the targeted year levels.

EVALUATION OF PRODUCT AND PROCESSI believe that this product is quite successful as the size and shape of the product make it lightweight and easy to store. The story shapes are also a safe alternative to the stones that were previously used. One of the main features of this product that is successful is the colour-coordinated shapes and sections as I believe this makes it easy to use and to pack up. The handles make it easy for students to hold onto the box and the lowered sides of the box ensure that students have easy access to the story shapes. However, if presented with a similar challenge, I would try to add a lid to the box so that the story shapes are more protected when stored and the box can be stackable. This would mean removing the handles from their current position and perhaps placing them on the sides of the box as well as raising the height of the sides so that a lid can be placed on top. The construction process was quite successful as I had a clear order of what needed to be done. However, I would ensure that I am continuously checking that all the pieces of wood fit together well before painting as I had to sand down the MDF wood after it had been painted because it did not fit smoothly into the groove. I would also use a vice to hold together the pieces of wood that need to be nailed as it might move less and the result would be a more even finish.

TASKS PERSONAL IMPACT AS AN EDUCATOROne of the ways in which this task has impacted me as an educator is by giving me insight into the necessity for the different stages of the process, from the investigation to the evaluation. This will be reflected in the way I teach as I would place more emphasis on the understanding of the actual process rather than the product. This task has also encouraged me to teach technology more in my classroom as it naturally allows for the integration of other subjects as well as practical skills which would result in a more holistic form of teaching.

PICTURES1. Measuring pieces of wood.

2. Cutting pieces of wood to size

3. Measuring and cutting the MDF dividing pieces

4. Measuring and cutting grooves into the wood

5. Sanding pieces of wood

6. Marking up painted sections

7. Painting wood, coasters and MDF

8. Product after final base coat

9. Nailing pieces of wood together

10. Storage box completely assembled

11. Screwing on handles

12. Finishing details on coasters and storage box

13. Final product

AppendixAppendix 1: Communication with client