The BP Challenge is not:

A technology lesson on its own

BP Challenges are best used to introduce technology topics, rather than as lessons on their own, as they are powerful contexts for developing some essential skills (e.g. group skills) and experiencing some principles of design (e.g. tension and compression elements in structures).

A substitute for a structured technology programme

BP Challenges are useful activities to introduce topics, to generate enthusiasm and to model principles of technology, but are not intended as a technology education programme.

A substitute for authentic experiences

The 'Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum' statement requires authentic experiences to form the foundation for many of the learning experiences, and although BP Challenges attempt to maintain as high a level of authenticity as possible, the use of cheap, readily available and easily handled materials such as newspaper will always restrict their use to introducing principles and skills. Of course, you could develop the Challenges so that the disposable materials are replaced with permanent materials