Overview - Secondary D&T

The core experience in design and technology is essentially about providing opportunities for students to develop their capability, through combining their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding in order to create quality products. The Design and Technology Association places emphasis on "quality" products as there is great benefit in students experiencing success and seeing and handling products that are well made. In addition the Association sees the preparation of young people for citizenship in a technological society as a central activity within the subject.

The core activity of design and technology involves investigative, disassembly and evaluative activities related to products and their applications; focused practical tasks to develop skills and the fields of knowledge; materials and components; control and systems, which include mechanical, electrical and electronic and pneumatic, structures; quality and health and safety. The knowledge used in design and technology is critical to the sound development of products. This knowledge and understanding will be taught specifically within D&T, but will also be drawn from other curriculum areas like science, mathematics, art and design, business education, information technology, environmental education and economic and industrial understanding.  D&T will also contribute to these subjects and some other curriculum areas.

Design and technology provides excellent opportunities for students to apply value judgements of an aesthetic, economic, moral, social, and technical nature in their designing and to existing products and their applications.

Students will use a range of communication skills, including verbal, graphical and modelling skills, to help their thinking and ability to take action in the process of designing.

D&T provides excellent opportunities for teamwork.

The subject has a crucial role in developing industrial partnerships where work in school can have a realistic focus by active involvement of industry in  project work or by illustrating industrial processes or techniques.

Design and technology involves a distinctive creative process that combines the intellectual with practical skills through purposeful practical activities. The creative process in which students are engaged is iterative, with the crucial parts being the user or customer of the product and the quality of the product itself. Designing involves a series of identifiable activities set out below:

The nature of design and technology is such that it should provide opportunities for students to engage in activities that are challenging, relevant and motivating. Giving students enjoyment, satisfaction and a sense of purpose, and enable them to feel they can play a constructive role in a technological society. Any design and technological activity should be a learning experience whereby the students' repertoire of knowledge, skills and understanding is extended and applied in increasingly more diverse and sophisticated ways.

D&T Association Membership

Secondary membership focuses on providing project ideas, high quality case studies and regular news and information updates. Whatever your material specialism, the publications, website and professional development events will meet your requirements.