NAAIDT: NAAIDT Project Exchange: Using ICT to support researching and designing

Using ICT to support researching and designing
Kent LEA
Submitted by: Paul Shallcross and Jennifer Ayres

Reception	Whole Class Project	Resistant Materials	Engineering
KS1	Individual Project	Graphics	CADCAM
KS2	Short Task	Food	Catering
KS3	Research and Investigation	Textiles	Fashion
KS4	Enterprise activity	ICT	Electronics
Post 16	Product Analysis	Systems and Control	Structures
Embedding ICT in DT

Lesson Context
This unit is expected to take 9-12 hours.

This is one of three units that focus on using ICT: this one in year 7 on using ICT to support researching and designing; one in year 8 on using ICT to support making; and one in year 9 on using ICT to forge links with the world outside school. These units ensure progression in using ICT effectively when designing and making.

This unit suggests activities for all materials areas, although no textiles DMA is included. It is important that the department plans as a team so that pupils are able to draw on knowledge, skills and understanding from across the units to reinforce their learning and avoid unnecessary repetition.

Resources Needed
· general software, eg word processing, spreadsheet, database, draw/paint, multimedia, DTP, browser and internet connection
· D&T software, eg CAD (computer-aided design), nutritional analysis, simulations
· CD-ROMs for researching
· a CNC (computer numerically controlled) mill or engraver
· a colour printer
· a plotter/cutter
· polystyrene sheets for DMA stencils/templates, eg 2mm * 160mm * 90mm
· useful websites on design and new products, eg
- www.nutrition.org.uk
- www.ffvib.co.uk
- www.ctdg.nildram.co.uk
- www.design-council.org.uk
- www.technologyindex.com/education
- www.data.org.uk
- www.dtonline.org
- www.foodonline.com

Teacher Preparation
It is helpful if pupils have:
· used a variety of information sources, eg books, CD-ROMs, the internet, to carry out research
· learnt how to seek information using CD-ROM and the internet

Pupils should have gained the above knowledge, skills and understanding in years 5 and 6, through unit 5A 'Musical instruments' and unit 6A 'Shelters' in the key stage 2 scheme of work, or similar projects.

Project Brief
Stencils you like
Young children often use drawing templates or stencils, which are fun to use and help to develop drawing skills. They use them to outline shapes of common animals, objects, letters, numbers and characters. Find an interesting theme for a drawing template similar to these that would appeal to young children. Use ICT to draw and present your ideas, and then make the stencils to a high standard.

Sports drink
Design and make a sports drink high in vitamin C that would appeal to teenagers. Use ICT to model the cost and nutritional profile of the drink. You could also use the internet to find out about existing products and their cost.

Maze game
A maze game, in which a ball bearing is rolled along cut tracks, can be a fun way of developing hand control. Use ICT to draw and present your ideas, and use a CNC milling machine to produce a maze suitable for one or two ball bearings. The game should fit comfortably in the user's hand.

Design and Manufacture
All the DMAs give pupils an opportunity to use ICT appropriately when designing.

Pupils gain the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to carry out the DMA successfully through product evaluation activities and focused practical tasks.
They:
o learn the advantages and disadvantages of using ICT to develop and model designs
o use ICT when generating, developing, modelling and communicating design ideas
o use 2-D draw/paint software to produce accurate drawings and high-quality images
o recognise that all software programs have preset patterns and limitations
o access existing computer databases to look for information on materials/ingredients and processes, eg to research effectively
o use spreadsheets for modelling, eg costing materials, components or ingredients
o learn that 3-D modelling software can create realistic representations of a finished product.

There are also opportunities for pupils to:
о model their ideas by transferring a computer-printed design on to other materials
о use simulation software to investigate and analyse the functioning of systems they have designed
о use ICT to help them test a design before starting to manufacture it.

Differentiation
At the end of this unit

Most pupils will:
plan a strategy for finding information for a particular purpose; use appropriate search methods; recognise the context from which information is drawn; compare information from different sources; design and use questionnaires and tests to capture data, and process, interpret, analyse and display information; use ICT to simulate procedures, generate graphs, produce images to communicate ideas, explore given models and create models of their own to help them make decisions about a design; be critical and largely autonomous users of ICT and consider its limitations when designing and making; use ICT equipment and software to communicate ideas and information in a variety of forms, or to cut and shape materials accurately (if appropriate)

Some pupils will not have made so much progress and will:
select resources that could provide the information required; organise information and ideas; look for and explain patterns in results and indicate whether the conclusions drawn support any predictions made; use a range of ICT tools and assess their value when designing and making.

Some pupils will have progressed further and will:
select from a range of ICT tools and sources, and use those that are appropriate for a variety of tasks; understand the uses, advantages and disadvantages of particular modelling techniques; design and produce instruments, eg questionnaires, to minimise bias in data that they collect; identify trends or patterns in results and try to explain conclusions; work competently and effectively with a range of ICT tools and materials; reflect critically on their own and others' use of ICT; recognise the impact of new technologies on ways of working outside school

Additional Information
Out-of-school activities and homework
Pupils could:
· find out how the manufacturing industry uses CAD to generate, explore, develop, model and communicate design ideas
· find a number of products they think were designed using CAD. Pupils could explain why they think this is the case and describe why the designer might have chosen to use CAD
· explain when they might use generic software in their D&T work, eg spreadsheets, databases, multimedia presentations, draw/paint software.

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