Ourtown

29 May 2001

Year 9 and 10 Social Science
Level 5

Technology Assessment

Based on the Ourtown Town Planning Simulation

To begin, a few things to think about…

As listed in the matrix, Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum: Coverage Levels 4 and 5, there are three Strands that form the framework for this Essential Learning Area;

Strand A: Technological Knowledge and Understanding;

Strand B: Technological Capability;

Strand C: Technology and Society.

The matrix gives an overview of how the Ourtown Simulation covers each of the Strands and Indicators. As a result, this town planning game satisfies the Technology syllabus requirements and forms the basis for this assessment.

More important, the game is designed to introduce skills, ideas and concepts that are meaningful to students. Syllabus writers and teachers may have their own views about the value of class work. Unless you see the work as having ‘meaning’ for you, little learning takes place. Here are some of the ‘meaningful’ aspects of Ourtown:

We are residents of Christchurch, a large city in New Zealand terms, experiencing constant change:
- redesign of The Square;
- redesign of the city Bus Exchange;
- subdivision of sections for the construction of townhouses;
- redesign of the city centre between the Four Avenues;
- redesign of schools to accommodate new programmes and emphases, (the Aurora Centre: the city-based ICT School)…
As active citizens of the future, we have opportunities to explore or vote on issues affecting this city or any other centre where you are resident. Effective exploration of issues and effective voting requires interest, knowledge and thinking skill.
There is no such place as Ourtown. If you review the base map, there is no scale. If we accept "High Street’ has the same width as Greers Road, that dimension is 25 meters. Measure the dimensions of the Shopping Mall and the Civic Centre. Clearly, these ‘buildings’ are unrealistically small.
This is a minor issue which should not divert you from the major strengths ‘playing’ the Ourtown Game provides.
A cursory reading of the matrix draws your attention to other ‘meaningful’ aspects of this simulation. Here are a few:

Coming to terms with the impact of the motor vehicle on urban design;

Developing an awareness of building form and function;

Understanding a little more about building construction, the materials used and the building process;

Aesthetics; the ‘look’ of a town; its role as pleasant place in which people work and enjoy recreation opportunities;

All urban redevelopment has costs; financial; human; aesthetic; convenience… When thinking about redevelopment costs, we need to keep in balance, ‘costs’ and ‘benefits’;

All redesign planning has to comply with legal constraints;

Urban planning is based on various needs including social an d environmental needs;

Urban planners accept there are many strategies and alternatives to consider. As they design their way forward towards a solution, they are expected to ‘test’, ‘adapt’, ‘refine’ and ‘modify’…
and so on…
A desirable outcome for the Essential Learning Area, Social Studies, is ‘social action’. This means that you will be an active and well-informed citizen empowered by knowledge and skill to act on issues rather than be aware of them.
Likewise, an outcome of the Essential Learning Area, Health, is to understand and develop the concept, a ‘healthy’ environment.

The Ourtown Simulation has other ‘meaningful’ possibilities. When an issue or problem needs exploration, The Six Hats Framework can guarantee a resolution leading to action.

In a similar vein, selected CoRT lessons can shed new light on issues arising while playing the game:
For example:

PMI "What are the interesting possibilities if…?"
FIP "What needs to be done first, then second…?"
C&S "If I make this decision, what could happen now or in the medium or long term?"

Year 9 and Year 10 Social Science Assessment
Level 5

Technology

While previewing this assessment, you need your copy of the handout, "The Ourtown Town Planning Simulation Game: Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum Matrix: Coverage Levels 4 and 5."This document lists the Strands and Indicators that form the basis for this Technology assessment.

Question One

This question relates to:
Strand A:
Technological Knowledge and Understanding
and the listed Indicator, A1.

What factors may have prompted the residents of Ourtown to request a Ring Road, freeing the town centre from through traffic?

What factors may have prompted the residents of Christchurch to accept the need for:
either: The Worcester Boulevard;
or: The Cashel Street Mall;
or: The planning of Johns Road as an express route between Belfast and Yaldhurst?

Question 2 begins on the next page…

Question Two

This question relates to:
Strand A:
Technological Knowledge and Understanding
and the listed Indicator, A2a

When urban redesign occurs, residents are disrupted by the new construction. What processes could have been used in Ourtown to maintain traffic flow when the Ring Road was under construction?

The Aurora Centre at Burnside High School is a large building. Its construction has been rapid. How have the contractors managed the construction of this large building in such an efficient way?

Question Three

This question relates to:
Strand A:
Technological Knowledge and Understanding
and the listed Indicator, A2b

Once the Ring Road was constructed in Ourtown, a variety of accessibility problems emerged.
What were some of these problems and how would the town council have learned about them?

The redesign of the Christchurch Square has been controversial. The Press newspaper occasionally publishes an article with the header, "Fix It!"
How does the Christchurch City Council learn about public dissatisfaction with The Square redesign?

Question 4 is on the next page…

Question Four

This question relates to:
Strand A:
Technological Knowledge and Understanding
and the listed Indicator, A3

The new shopping mall in Ourtown contains a number of shops and other services, is close to car parks and requires landscaping to improve its immediate environment.
Draw a diagram to show these interactions.

After "I Block" was completed at Burnside High School, landscaping was begun and continues.
Landscaping will be part of the redesign process when the Aurora Centre construction is completed.
What landscaping would be appropriate?

Question Five

This question relates to:
Strand A:
Technological Knowledge and Understanding
and the listed Indicator, A4

During and after your redesign of Ourtown, you met in teams to ‘compare notes’.
Why was team work such an important part of the redesign process for you?

Mr Ian Krause, an architect, designed both "I Block" and the Aurora Centre. The buildings have a similar construction and ‘look’. What factors would Mr Krause have had to consider when designing these buildings for Burnside High School?

Question 6 begins on the next page…

Question Six

This question relates to:
Strand B:
Technological Capability
and the listed Indicator, B5

Consider the new buildings in Ourtown.
Why would they be constructed in a similar manner to the Burnside High School Aurora Centre?
How would this method of construction satisfy environmental and community needs?

The Resource Management Act (1991) gives planners guidelines about what is possible and what is not possible?
Why is this act so important?

Question Seven

This question relates to:
Strand B:
Technological Capability
and the listed Indicator, B6a

Select one of the buildings you located near the centre of Ourtown.
Make a list a list of the factors you had to consider before you selected your final position for the building.
Justify why you placed the building on the site selected.

In our part of Christchurch, there are a number of large roundabouts. These are more dangerous for road users than intersections controlled by traffic lights. Despite this shortcoming, roading engineers continue to design roundabouts for some city intersections. Why?

Question 8 is on the next page…

Question Eight

This question relates to:
Strand B:
Technological Capability
and the listed Indicator, B6b

After the construction of the Ring Road in Ourtown, there were buildings to locate; the three car parks, the Civic Centre for the Arts, the town hall extension and the shopping mall.
Explain the best order in which these buildings could be built and explain your reasons for the order chosen.

After the completion of the Aurora Centre, Burnside High School will begin a long-term building programme that includes a new administration block, a new library and a new staff room.
Do you think this building programme meets the needs of most students? Explain your views.

Question Nine

This question relates to:
Strand B:
Technological Capability
and the listed Indicator, B6c

You have drawn diagrams of two Ourtown buildings.
Explain your planning for both buildings making particular note of why you designed each building in the manner shown.

In the Ourtown Game, what method do you think would have been better to use in order to arrive at quality solutions:
- team submissions?
- the best individual submissions?
Explain your choice of option.

Question Ten

This question relates to:
Strand B:
Technological Capability
and the listed Indicator, B6d

After the redevelopment of the Ourtown town centre, you were asked to design an environmental plan for a part of the town affected by the redevelopment.
Explain your redevelopment plan emphasising two principles;
- how the plan improved the environment for Ourtown residents;
- how the plan improved the Ourtown natural environment.

Question Eleven

This question relates to:
Strand C:
Technology and Society
and the listed Indicator, C7

Like the residents of Christchurch, the residents of Ourtown need to accept that change happens continuously.
What other values and beliefs do town dwellers need to have in order to come to terms with change?

Question Twelve

This question relates to:
Strand C
Technology and Society
and the listed Indicator, C8

You have recently located a mall in Ourtown.
Shopping malls have been a feature of New Zealand town life for more than 20 years.
What are some of the benefits provided by malls?
What are some of the problems caused by malls?

Suburban malls in Christchurch are keeping people out of the central city shopping area. Is this a good or bad thing?

Skills

The combination of Social Studies Processes and national curriculum Essential Skills in this assessment are:

Values Exploration: Work and Study Skills

Social Decision Making: Self-management and Competitive Skills.

Time Allocation

After description and discussion in class, the time allowed for the completion of this assessment is:
One weekend and one week of homework time.

The Grading Schedule

Question #	Grading Criteria	Grade
A1	Three accurate factors were given for Part 1. Three accurate factors were given for Part 2.	5
	Two accurate factors were given for Part 1. Three accurate factors were given for Part 2.	3
	Two accurate factors were given for Part 1. Two accurate factors were given for Part 2.	1

A2a	Three accurate processes were given for Part 1. Three accurate statements were given for Part 2.	5
	Two accurate processes were given for Part 1. Three accurate statements were given for Part 2.	3
	Two accurate processes were given for Part 1. Two accurate statements were given for Part 2.	1
A2b	Three problems were specified for Part 1 including how the council would have learned about them. Three accurate statements were given for Part 2.	5
	Two problems were specified for Part 1 including how the council would have learned about them. Three accurate statements were given for Part 2.	3
	Two problems were specified for Part 1 including how the council would have learned about them. Two accurate statements were given for Part 2.	1

A3	Three accurate interactions were shown for Part 1. Three comments about appropriate landscaping were suggested for Part 2	5
	Two accurate interactions were shown for Part 1. Three comments about appropriate landscaping were suggested for Part 2.	3
	Two accurate interactions were shown for Part 1. Two comments about appropriate landscaping were suggested for Part 2.	1

A4	Three accurate observations about the value of teamwork and the design process were given for Part 1. Three factors of importance to Mr Krause were given for Part 2.	5

	Two accurate observations about the value of teamwork and the design process were given for Part 1. Three factors of importance to Mr Krause were given for Part 2.	3
	Two accurate observations about the value of teamwork and the design process were given for Part 1. Two factors of importance to Mr Krause were given for Part 2.	1

Question #	Grading Criteria	Grade
B6a	Three accurate factors were noted each factor being justified for Part 1. Three accurate observations were given about why roundabouts continue to be constructed at city intersections for Part 2.	5
	Two accurate factors were noted each factor being justified for Part 1. Three accurate observations were given about why roundabouts continue to be constructed at city intersections for Part 2.	3
	Two accurate factors were noted each factor being justified for Part 1. Two accurate observations were given about why roundabouts continue to be constructed at city intersections for Part 2.	1

B6b	At least three appropriate observations were made about building sequence including acceptable explanations for Part 1. At least three student needs and appropriate explanations were given for Part 2.	5
	At least two appropriate observations were made about building sequence including acceptable explanations for Part 1. At least three student needs and appropriate explanations were given for Part 2.	3
	At least two appropriate observations were made about building sequence including acceptable explanations for Part 1. At least two student needs and appropriate explanations were given for Part 2.	1

B6c	Three appropriate explanations were given for Part 1. Three appropriate answers were given to satisfy the explanation for Part 2.	5
	Two appropriate explanations were given for Part 1. Three appropriate answers were given to satisfy the explanation for Part 2.	3
	Two appropriate explanations were given for Part 1. Two appropriate answers were given to satisfy the explanation for Part 2.	1

B6d	The schedule is on the next page…
B6d	Three accurate points were made about the environmental improvement. Three accurate points were made about the improvement of the natural environment.	5
	Two accurate points were made about the environmental improvement. Three accurate points were made about the improvement of the natural environment.	3
	Two accurate points were made about the environmental improvement. Two accurate points were made about the improvement of the natural environment.	1

Question #	Grading Criteria	Grade
C7	Five acceptable values and beliefs were given.	5
	Four acceptable values and beliefs were given.	3
	Three acceptable values and beliefs were given.	1

C8	At least three benefits/problems caused by malls were given for Part 1. At least three reasons were given for Part 2.	5
	At least two benefits/problems caused by malls were given for Part 1. At least three reasons were given for Part 2.	3
	At least two benefits/problems caused by malls were given for Part 1. At least two reasons were given for Part 2.	1

Skills

The quality of your answers means you have been awarded the following grades for the nominated skills:

Values Exploration: Work and Study Skills

Values Exploration: Problem-solving Skills

W G Allan: Social Sciences Department: Tikanga-a-iwi