Design and technologies education is the cornerstone of progress; it empowers individuals with knowledge, critical and creative thinking skills, and the ability to innovate in a rapidly evolving world. For design and technologies educators, the Australian Curriculum provides a blueprint of educational priorities to foster these capabilities, emphasising the importance of engaging in design processes that value a range of solutions across broad technologies contexts. Exploring and developing innovative food and fibre solutions is both vital and valuable within a rigorous Design and Technologies curriculum. So why is it that food and fibre design lenses are not often embraced as viable design opportunities?

From limited budgets and resources through to the notion that there is little scope and interest for designing within these areas, there are many reasons why schools may opt to not authentically engage with food and fibre design contexts. This interactive session will unpack and challenge some of these misconceptions and perceived barriers, flipping the narrative by showcasing a multitude of ways food and fibre contexts can be adopted in the classroom and how these can facilitate improved design skills.

Is it possible to engage in the design of food and fibre products without actually cooking or sewing? How can we use digital technologies to enhance the investigation and development of innovative food and fibre solutions? What cross-curriculum priorities can be enhanced through the exploration of food and fibre technologies? We will unpack all of these questions and more by getting hands-on engaging with a range of learning experiences and assessment tasks that ignite student engagement in food and fibre contexts. These activities will range in scope from experiences that rely on minimal resources through to experiences that involve engaging with innovative technologies and materials.