Primary design and technology

WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY? flickr.com/ilovebutter

WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY? Technology is a distinct form of creative activity where human beings interact with their environment to bring about change in response to needs, wants and opportunities. Technology Education in Scottish Schools: A Statement of Position from Scottish CCC (1996) “ ”

TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION The central theme in technology education is that all pupils will be afforded the opportunity to acquire a broad based 'technological capability' through an extensive and diverse range of activities and experiences. Environmental Studies: Technology 5-14 National Guidelines (2000) “ ”

CURRICULUM for EXCELLENCE Well-designed practical activities in the technologies offer children and young people opportunities to develop: curiosity and problem solving skills, a capacity to work with others and take initiative planning and organisational skills in a range of contexts creativity and innovation, for example though ICT and computer aided design and manufacturing approaches skills in using tools, equipment, software and materials skills in collaborating, leading and interacting with others

Well-designed practical activities in the technologies offer children and young people opportunities to develop:

curiosity and problem solving skills, a capacity to work with others and take initiative

planning and organisational skills in a range of contexts

creativity and innovation, for example though ICT and computer aided design and manufacturing approaches

skills in using tools, equipment, software and materials

skills in collaborating, leading and interacting with others

CURRICULUM for EXCELLENCE critical thinking through exploration and discovery within a range of learning contexts discussion and debate searching and retrieving information to inform thinking within diverse learning contexts making connections between specialist skills developed within learning and skills for work evaluating products, systems and services presentation skills

critical thinking through exploration and discovery within a range of learning contexts

discussion and debate

searching and retrieving information to inform thinking within diverse learning contexts

making connections between specialist skills developed within learning and skills for work

evaluating products, systems and services

presentation skills

PLANNING UNITS OF WORK Considerations: level, stage, nature of pupils big concepts past experiences – task, context, media, skills prior learning – concepts, processes, K&U, skills diagnostic and formative assessment information time and resources – available vs. desirable Primary Technology in Scottish Schools & primarydandt.org

Considerations:

level, stage, nature of pupils

big concepts

past experiences – task, context, media, skills

prior learning – concepts, processes, K&U, skills

diagnostic and formative assessment information

time and resources – available vs. desirable

BIG CONCEPTS Identifying needs, wants and opportunities Understanding users, clients and consumers Exploring and understanding markets, marketing and target groups Importance of front end design – research and exploration Redefining briefs and developing specifications Being analytical and carrying out evaluative observations Exploring human factors and values Being logical and/or intuitive in creative thinking Communicating in range of ways Modelling (from mind’s eye to testing/appraising)

Identifying needs, wants and opportunities

Understanding users, clients and consumers

Exploring and understanding markets, marketing and target groups

Importance of front end design – research and exploration

Redefining briefs and developing specifications

Being analytical and carrying out evaluative observations

Exploring human factors and values

Being logical and/or intuitive in creative thinking

Communicating in range of ways

Modelling (from mind’s eye to testing/appraising)

PURPOSES OF LEARNING ACTIVITY Develop knowledge and understanding Illustrate concepts Gain skills Provide strategies Experience processes and related resources Communication Explore values and attitudes

Develop knowledge and understanding

Illustrate concepts

Gain skills

Provide strategies

Experience processes and related resources

Communication

Explore values and attitudes

MATERIALS OF DESIGNING, MAKING, IMAGINEERING AND THINKING Wood Plastic Card, paper, graphics, etc. Metal Foodstuffs Technical (e.g. mechanical) components Fabric Found and recycled

Wood

Plastic

Card, paper, graphics, etc.

Metal

Foodstuffs

Technical (e.g. mechanical) components

Fabric

Found and recycled

DECISION MAKING Teacher derived constraints and design decisions? Pupils’ design decisions? context media/material outcome type management time allowed assessment

Teacher derived constraints and design decisions?

Pupils’ design decisions?

context

media/material

outcome type

management

time allowed

assessment

BAGS PROJECT

USEFUL PLANNING COMPONENTS Small task An activity which focuses on introducing or developing proficiency in a skill, knowledge and/or expose attitudes among the pupils relevant to the big task. Big task A major design and make challenge. Case study task Learning experience which takes a broader look at environmental, socio-cultural and economic implications of particular products. Likely to include historical perspectives.

Small task

An activity which focuses on introducing or developing proficiency in a skill, knowledge and/or expose attitudes among the pupils relevant to the big task.

Big task

A major design and make challenge.

Case study task

Learning experience which takes a broader look at environmental, socio-cultural and economic implications of particular products. Likely to include historical perspectives.

small task case study task big task big task small task small task case study task small task small task small task

SMALL TASKS Teacher control over procedure and majority of decisions Small tasks focus on: media processes knowledge skills strategies procedures attitudes cutting/joining fabrics or resistant materials making frames making boxes health and hygiene when using food graphic techniques making electrical switches applying surface decoration to fabric or resistant materials graphic techniques using computer collecting/recording data

Teacher control over procedure and majority of decisions

Small tasks focus on:

media

processes

knowledge

skills

strategies

procedures

attitudes

cutting/joining fabrics or resistant materials

making frames

making boxes

health and hygiene when using food

graphic techniques

making electrical switches

applying surface decoration to fabric or resistant materials

graphic techniques using computer

collecting/recording data

BIG TASKS Pupils make design decisions Teachers set parameters Pupils have greater control over procedure Pupils can: apply learning creatively demonstrate initiative display autonomy apply and extend K&U use skills select media & processes

Pupils make design decisions

Teachers set parameters

Pupils have greater control over procedure

Pupils can:

apply learning creatively

demonstrate initiative

display autonomy

apply and extend K&U

use skills

select media & processes

DESIGNING WITHIN CONTEXT

IDENTIFYING NEEDS IN THE CLASSROOM What do we need? something to put our gym kit in, somewhere to store colouring pencils, something to tell us when it’s time to go for lunch, somewhere to display our work when it’s finished, something to wear to protect our clothes when painting, something to communicate to our parents what’s going on in our school

NEEDS CAN BE RELATED TO ONGOING PROJECTS Design and make: a burglar alarm a moving bridge an astronaut’s suit weather instruments a musical instrument mountaineering equipment

NEEDS IN FICTIONAL CONTEXTS Design and make: a growing beanstalk for Jack to climb a covered wagon for the ‘Oregon Trail’ a replacement flashing eye for the ‘Iron Man’ a carriage for Cinderella and Prince Charming a state of the art broomstick for the ‘Worst Witch’ a night-light to help the ‘Owl who was Afraid of the Dark’

LINKING TECHNOLOGY WITH OTHER SUBJECTS e.g. maths: from 2D nets to 3D forms readymech.com

We’ll have a look at some existing sweets boxes and take them apart to see how they are made. SWEETS PACKAGING I’ll give the children a net that they can copy on to stiff card, and I’ll show them how to score, fold and glue carefully to make a box. Later, they can design and make their own, varying the shape and size.

I’m making a package that looks like a robot so that you can play with it after you’ve eaten the chocolate inside. It’s going to have a square head and a long rectangular body and the two bits will be joined using a big tab that folds and tucks into the neck. My box is going to have four sweets in it so I’m going to make it quite flat. It will be a rectangle. I’m making the lid separate. It’s got to look good so it will sell at the school fair… I’m going to cover it with gold foil and tie it with something bright.

Consider shape, colours, materials, adornments, quality… SWEETS PACKAGING: TAKING IT FURTHER

… branding, marketing, protection of contents, transportation

INFORMATION Legal requirements: ingredients, net weight, ‘best before’ date

Consider the life cycle of the packaging, e.g. recycling flickr.com/pluralzed ECO-SCHOOLS

What about healthy eating? (‘King size’ bar replaced by ‘Duo’!) HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOLS

USING A STIMULUS THEME

VISUAL VOCABULARY BANK & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

DESIGNING SKILLS: DISCUSSING & DECIDING

MAKING SKILLS: CUTTING & STICKING

MAKING SKILLS: JOINING, MEASURING

ENJOYMENT & PERSEVERANCE

FINAL PRODUCTS

EVALUATION & CELEBRATION

WORKING ON A REAL WORLD PROJECT

P5 – S2 pupils redesign a corner shop in their local community

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SHOP INSIDE AND OUT

INTERVIEWING, FILMING, MEASURING [images removed]

LOOKING AT THE DETAIL

MODELLING IDEAS THE FINAL PROPOSAL

What they enjoyed: 1. Working together 2. Making the models 3. Colouring in PUPILS FEEDBACK What they didn’t enjoy: 1. Tidying up 2. Brushing up 3. Cleaning up

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