Problem-solving engineering students, Peter Moyes Anglican Community School, Mindarie
Students at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School say the new Engineering Studies course has enabled them to enhance their problem-solving skills.
Although there are only six students in the course this year, positive feedback from those students has resulted in a lot of interest in next year's course.
Teacher Andrew Milne said students had thoroughly enjoyed the task of designing and constructing a remote control vehicle.
Student Max Doyle says the skills he has learnt in the new Engineering Studies course has helped him with other courses, such as Physics.
"In first term, students investigated the uses of robots, in second term they designed and built their own remote-control vehicle and in third term they evaluated what they learned and achieved," Mr Milne said.
"In the development of their vehicle, students learned about gear ratios and the electronics of steering," he said.
"We purchased remote-control car kits and each student had to design the chassis and steering as part of the design task.
"As well as studying mechanical and electronic theory and developing a health and safety report, students also had to develop a promotional advertisement for their product.
"For those students who were also studying Media Production and Analysis, they were able to develop a web page promoting their vehicle, which served to meet an outcome in both courses."
Mr Milne said the Engineering Studies course allowed students to develop their skills and abilities at their own pace.
The "high flyers" can take the course as far as they want and the less able students still learn a lot of practical and theoretical skills, he said.
Max Doyle, 16, said it was very empowering to be able to follow and understand the theory of electronics and to know how to put something together.
Originally interested in becoming an electrician, Max said he is now aiming to study electrical engineering at university.
"What I have learned in Engineering Studies has also helped me in my Physics course. The theory of the Physics course, for example - equations, applies to the practical work we are doing in engineering," Max said.
"The course also provides a lot of independence, yet we know that Mr Milne is happy to help at any point. Even if we're not stuck, he will come and explain something to us."
Mr Milne said 18 students had enrolled in the Engineering Studies course in Year 11 next year.
