Curriculum aims
Learning and undertaking activities in design and technology contribute
to achievement of the curriculum aims for all young people to become:
- successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
- confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling
lives
- responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
The importance of design and technology
In design and technology pupils combine practical and technological skills
with creative thinking to design and make products and systems to meet human
needs. In design and technology pupils learn to use today's technologies
and participate in developing tomorrow's. They learn to think creatively
and intervene to improve quality of life, solving problems as individuals
and members of a team. Working in stimulating contexts that provide a spectrum
of opportunities and draw on the local ethos, community and wider world,
pupils identify needs and opportunities (IE1 identify questions to answer and problems to resolve). They respond with ideas, products
and systems, challenging expectations where appropriate. They combine practical
and intellectual skills with an understanding of aesthetic,
technical, cultural, health, social, emotional, economic, industrial and
environmental issues (IE3 explore issues, events or problems from different
perspectives). As they do so, they evaluate present and past design
and technology, and its uses and effects. Through design and technology
pupils become confident practically and develop as discriminating users
of products. They apply their creative thinking and learn to innovate, developing
their self-esteem.
Key concepts
There are a number of key concepts that underpin the study of design and
technology. Pupils need to understand these concepts in order to deepen
and broaden their knowledge, skills and understanding.
Designing and making
- Understanding that designing and making has aesthetic,
technical, economic, environmental, ethical and social dimensions (IE3
explore issues, events or problems from different perspectives).
- Producing practical solutions that are relevant and connected to life
in response to needs, wants and opportunities.
- Understanding that products and systems have an impact on quality of
life.
Cultural understanding
- Understanding that designing and making
reflects and influences culture and society (IE5 consider the influence
of circumstances, beliefs and feelings on decisions and events).
- Investigating factors that have led to approaches
to design and design decisions in different societies (IE3 explore issues,
events or problems from different perspectives and IE5 consider the influence
of circumstances, beliefs and feelings on decisions and events).
- Understanding how products contribute to lifestyle and choices (IE4 analyse and evaluate information, judging its relevance and value).
Creativity
- Making links between principles of good design, existing solutions and
technological knowledge.
- Recognising the significance of knowledge and previous experience, searching
for trends and patterns in existing solutions, reinterpreting and applying
learning in new design contexts and communicating ideas in new or unexpected
ways.
Critical evaluation
- Analysing products and solutions (IE4 analyse and evaluate information, judging its relevance
and value) to devise
solutions to practical problems.
Key processes
These are the essential skills and processes in design and technology that
pupils need to learn to make progress.
Pupils should be able to:
- generate, develop, communicate and model ideas in a range of ways, using
appropriate strategies
- respond creatively to briefs, developing their own proposals and producing
specifications for products and associated services
- apply their knowledge and understanding of a range of materials, ingredients
and technologies to design and make their products
- use their understanding of others' designing to inform their own
- plan and organise activities and then shape, form, mix, assemble and
finish materials, components or ingredients, choosing which hand and machine
tools, equipment and computer-aided design/manufacture (CAD/CAM) facilities
to use
- solve technical problems
- reflect critically when evaluating and modifying their ideas and proposals
to improve the product throughout its inception and manufacture.
Range and content
This section outlines the breadth of the subject on which teachers should
draw when teaching the key concepts and key processes.
The curriculum should include at least three of the following product areas:
- food
- resistant materials
- textiles
- systems and control.
In each product area studied, pupils should focus on designing
The study of designing should include understanding of:
- users' needs and the problems arising from them
- the criteria used to judge the quality of products, including fitness
for purpose, the extent to which the products meet a clear need, and whether
resources have been used appropriately
- the impact of products beyond meeting their original purpose and assessing
products in terms of sustainability (IE3 explore issues, events or problems
form different perspectives)
- aesthetic, technical, constructional and
relevant wider issues that may influence designing, selecting materials,
making and product development (IE5 consider the influence of circumstances,
beliefs and feelings on decisions and events).
In each product area studied, pupils should focus on making
The study of food should include:
- a broad range of practical skills, techniques and equipment and standard
recipes, and how to use them to develop, plan and cook meals and single
or multiple products
- how to plan and carry out a broad range of practical cooking tasks safely
and hygienically
- healthy eating models relating to a balanced
diet, nutritional needs of different groups in society and factors (IE5
consider the influence of circumstances, beliefs and feelings on decisions
and events) affecting food choice and how to take these into account
when planning, preparing and cooking meals and products
- the characteristics of a broad range of
ingredients, including their nutritional, functional and sensory properties
(IE4 analyse and evaluate information , judging its relevance and value).
The study of resistant materials and textiles should include:
- a broad range of techniques, including handcraft skills and CAD/CAM,
and how to use them to ensure consistency
and precision (IE4 analyse and evaluate information , judging its relevance
and value) when making single and multiple products
- the behaviour of structural elements (IE4
analyse and evaluate information , judging its relevance and value)
in a variety of materials
- how to use materials, technology and aesthetic qualities to design and
make products of worth
- how to prepare and assemble components to achieve functional results.
The study of systems and control should include:
- the practical application of systems and
control (IE4 analyse and evaluate information , judging its relevance
and value) in design proposals
- electrical, electronic, mechanical, microprocessor and computer control
systems and how to use them effectively
- how to use understanding of systems and control to assemble subsystems
into more complex systems
- feedback and how a variety of inputs can give rise to a variety of outputs.
Curriculum opportunities
During the key stage pupils should be offered the following opportunities
that are integral to their learning and enhance their engagement with the
concepts, processes and content of the subject.
In ways appropriate to the product area, the curriculum should provide
opportunities for pupils to:
- analyse products (IE4 analyse and evaluate
information , judging its relevance and value)
- undertake focused tasks that develop skills, knowledge and understanding
in relation to design and make assignments
- engage in design and make assignments in different and progressively
more complex contexts
- work individually and in teams taking on different roles and responsibilities
- work with designers and makers where possible to develop an understanding
of the product design process
- use ICT as appropriate for image capture and generation, data acquisition,
capture and handling, controlling and product realisation
- make links between design and technology and other subjects and areas
of the curriculum.
