Curriculum conversation

s between science and

D&TDavid Barlex

Formerly Senior Lecturer in Education at Brunel University

Visiting Lecturer Roehampton University

Overview This morning

Presentation and questions Developing the basis for a conversation

This afternoon Presenting to the Science PGCE students The conversation Presenting to the SLT

Design decisions in design &

technology

MarketingWho it’s for

ConstructionalHow it fits together

ConceptualWhat it does

TechnicalHow it works

AestheticWhat it looks like

Developing the ability to make design

decisions

Four teaching strategies

Designing without making

Designing and making

Making without designing

Exploring technology and society

Making without designing

Would Year 7 like to make a scooter they could ride out of the workshop?

Designing without making

Technology

Society

Markets

People

Designing without making

Which is more sustainable a towel or an electric powered hair dryer? Design a cradle to cradle hair dryer

Which is more sustainable, a broom or a vacuum cleaner? Design a cradle to cradle vacuum cleaner.

Designing and making

Outcomes …AffordableManageableHigh learning valueIntriguingDesirableNon-trivial

Exploit phenomena

Embrace modern technology

Involve life cycle considerations

Have utility

Conceptual

Technical

Aesthetic

Constructional

Marketing

Design decisions

Exploring technology and society

Is technology autonomous and beyond our control or is technology under human control? Does technology control us or do we control technology?Is technology value neutral or does it have implicit values?Does the availability of technology change human behaviour?

Who decides which technologies are developed?

Who decides which technologies are adopted?

What’s the optimum balance for your school?

Curriculum conversations

On what basis?

Purposeful activity in one subject

is enhanced by

the utility of other subjects

The making of design decisions

is enhanced by

the utility of science and mathematics

The General Case

Demonstrating the enhanced achievement

The utilisation of science and mathematics enhances pupil achievement not only in design & technology but also in science and mathematics

In design & technology

The challenge

Why bother?

What might pupils learn in science that is useful to them in design & technology?

Torben Steeg

The usual suspects …

Electricity, energy, materials and structures, forces and motion, food and nutrition

But more importantly …

Scientific thinking