where are we now

Where Are We Now

2016 The Current Position

If you tell pupil often enough, or give them the impression that they are no good, then that is how they will be—this of course starts with segregating at eleven.

‘The Wilting Tree’

We learn from history that we do not learn from history! - Hegel (and Churchill!)

It is interesting to note that things have turned full circle. The design and technology Association now works on a similar model to that of the old Institute with its conferences, courses, branches, summer schools, etc. The one big difference is that much of what the Institute offered was free at the point of delivery. This was do to an attitude of mind that prevailed at the time where good education was paramount, and the assistance to teachers should be as accessible of all as possible. Also, there was little shortage of enthusiastic teachers prepared to get involved.

Have we lost the Plot? as mentioned elsewhere it seems that the foremost aim in the education of our children is to prepare them for the world of work. Our pre-occupation with examination and test results seems to exclude numerous other educational elements. Capability to think and reason. Develop confidence in their own decisions. Learn how to learn. Build upon their inquisitiveness. Analysis. Geometry has been thrown out of the window and little remains in the curriculum. Why? - when it is such a mind stimulating activity with such close connections with real life. Digital pursuits are so important in this day and age, but there is such a strong argument for both to be pursued. As Thomas Sheraton says in his book - THE CABINET-MAKER AND UPHOLSTERER'S DRAWING BOOK, 1802 - Geometry literally means, to meafure the earth, but in praftice is applied to many arts and trades, as well as fcience in general. With refpedl to that part of it which becomes ufeful to us, it is pleafant and eafy, readily underftood, and of a mechanical nature. It may or may not be significant, I think it is, that a true circle cannot be drawn digitally. On this basis there always remains a disparity with nature. As technology advances, the real and existing world does not change and we have a responsibility to prepare our young people for it. Add note on 'my department section' referring to the help of colleagues.

Reply from the Secretary of state Dear Mr Sagar am writing on behalf of the Secretary of State to thank you for your email of 21 March about Design and Technology (D&T) education. are always grateful when people take the time to write to us and I thank you for sharing your concerns and views. The department believes that D&T is an important subject that is part of a broad and balanced curriculum.is compulsory in state maintained schoolskey stages 1 to 3. are doing much to promote theof D&T includingintroduction of the reformed national curriculum2014, the introduction of reformed qualifications for first teaching from September 2017 and recruiting top graduates intothrough. curriculum, launched in September 2014, has been developed to be more rigorous, to help provide the skills children need to become the next generation of British designers and engineers.is a stronger focus on processes of iterative design, technology andwith other STEM subjects such as mathematics and science. are taught the skills and expertise to design and make products andthe work of leading designers from the past and present. is much greater use of design equipment to keep pupils up to speed with the fast-changing high technology industry e.g. 3D printers, laser cutters and robotics. curriculum requires an increase in the level of technical knowledge and use of electronics, e.g. pupils are taught to incorporate and program microprocessor chips into products they have designed and made. D&T GCSE and A level qualifications, which will be taught from September 2017 have beento be more rigorous and to build on the reformed.new qualifications move&T on from its craft based routes, into a cutting-edge qualification thatstudentsintostudy andemployment. new D&T GCSEs and A levels are available for first teaching from 2017.The content for GCSEs and A levels has been published and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-design-and-technology https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gce-as-and-a-level-design-and-technology The government continues to support D&T teacher recruitment through bursaries of up to £12,000.knowledge enhancement courses are available for those candidates who need to refresh or boost their knowledge of D&T prior to commencing teacher training.department also provides a specific webpage through the ‘Get into Teaching’ website for potential D&T trainee teachers: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/explore-my-options/teach-design-and-technology. hope I have reassured you that the department is determined to offer an education that will allow pupils to reach their potential and succeed. you for writing on this important subject. Your correspondence has been allocated reference number 2017-0017587. If you need to respond to us, please visit: https://www.education.gov.uk/contactus and quote your reference number. As part of our commitment to improving the service we provide to our customers, we are interested in hearing your views and would welcome your comments via our website at: http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/YBK1O/ Yours sincerely Debra Wind Ministerial and Public Communications Division Web:https://www.education.gov.ukTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/educationgovukFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/educationgovuk

The iterative design process may be applied throughout the new product development process. However, changes are easiest and less expensive to implement in the earliest stages of development. The first step in the iterative design process is to develop a prototype. The prototype should be evaluated by a focus group or a group not associated with the product in order to deliver non-biased opinions. Information from the focus group should be synthesized and incorporated into the next iteration of the design. The process should be repeated until user issues have been reduced to an acceptable level.

Iterative design is a design methodology based on a cyclic process of prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining a product or process. Based on the results of testing the most recent iteration of a design, changes and refinements are made. This process is intended to ultimately improve the quality and functionality of a design. In iterative design, interaction with the designed system is used as a form of research for informing and evolving a project, as successive versions, or iterations of a design are implemented. GCSE Subject Content A Level Subject Content Primary National Curriculum Primary Programmes of Study Secondary National Curriculum Secondary Programmes of Study My Letter to The Secretary of State (21 March 2017) - Justine Greening Dear Secretary of State. As a retired professional in the field of Design & Technology education, and having spent a life-time in various rolls within the subject area, I am extremely concerned regarding recent developments. I believe many children are being denied vital opportunities for pursuing routes to much needed careers. I implore you to consider the vital role this element of education has in the development of young people. The specific educational impact is so misunderstood by society, together with some of those who claim to represent it, that its very existence has become inconsequential. The future impact from ignoring it will be far more severe. The mental activities, and learning processes engendered within this activity fill a void within a student’s educational development, whilst complementing other subjects within the school curriculum. The outcome from involvement in this area is far more academic than generally appreciated with a result that it spawns mature attitudes towards the man- made world. More important is the enthusiasm it can generate in young people towards appropriate careers and personal development, which if left unharnessed become sterile. When ‘skill’ is mentioned no-one ever attempts to define exactly what it means, which is significant as the field covered by the term is vast. If we are referring to creative and manufacturing skills, these can only be manifested in youngsters who have developed an enthusiasm at school. They cannot easily be taught later in life. In fact, some skills require a life- time to perfect. Having ‘cut my teeth’ in an earlier system, and now embracing the new directions, I support my comments with a depth of experience which has come from a variety of rolls including, extensive teaching to all ages; running D&T departments; heading a professional association; inspecting schools; together with a variety of other rolls. Retirement has not dampened my enthusiasm! For a more detailed statement please link to my website ( www.gsagar.com ) where I have attempted to give a clearer picture of the subject. Not easy as the subject is quite complex, hence the difficulty with people understanding it. The subject has a long history and pedigree as can be seen in my historical time-line. If nothing is done to rectify this problem, we risk ‘throwing the baby out with the bath water’. I appreciate that your time is constrained, but would be grateful for any attention you could give to my request. Thank you for your kind attention

I am the last person to do or say anything to undermine Design and Technology. In fact, having been a prime mover in the 1980’s, and having been involved in the production of national conferences, I have a number of years of successful teaching to support my observations. Examples of my school involvement can be seen at —––. It hurts a little to constantly read about the trashing of the past work of people like myself who grew up in the craft era. I probably have the best appreciation of the transition and morphing of the subject. The ‘New Subject’ did not suddenly appear out of thin air! There is a long history and development in this area which I am attempting to catalogue having been very much ‘in the thick of it’. I can confidently state that the change began in —–––––. Most of the movers and developers of D&T cut there teeth in the EIDCT, and particularly The College of Craft Education, taking advantage of the changes in higher education and teacher training and moving to their respective places in the universities and inspectorate. Many of us worked very hard - on a voluntary basis (this is what you did in those days as people were genuinely enthusiastic) - whilst still teaching to create the basis for this transformation, and much of the philosophy and basis of the subject was driven by practicing teachers. I was practising basic Designing and Making in 1970. Convincing colleagues, however, was another matter. Having retired in 2005 I look back and wonder how my woodwork and metalwork became this holistic approach to conceptual inventiveness and creativity. How was it that I had the opportunity to run a European D&T project, and latterly inspecting the subject area along with allied elements. The whole area has developed so much. Sadly the social and political problems have not moved for many decades. It is now as it was then that colleagues focus was on the title of the subject along with its status. This is when it all started falling apart in the early 80’s when the establishment demanded the taking over of any forward thinking from the teachers at ground roots level. ‘Teachers’ what do they know?! Any development work must be left to the colleges, hence the ‘famous names’. I hope to do some justice to this subject development, and follow on from th excellent works detailing the development from early times by Blatchford and Penfold. I am lucky as I have the internet! This situation is just getting worse. When is DATA going to stop trashing the ‘subjects’ of the past? When are they going to stop displaying their ignorance and naivety of what really went on. It’s a New Subject is the constant cry. Even after 30 years no impact has been made - does this not say something. The public, especially the older variety, cannot be treated as idiots, and the majority are not interested in the academic practical argument, but they do identify with the traditional concepts, and they know what is needed. As for the Government, their heads have always been hidden in a place without light, and always will be. Therefore it is no use winging about the status quo, better to look for alternative strategies of introducing solutions to these very significant needs. Instead of building Status in the subject, perhaps moving to a direct intervention in solving the Country’s needs in skill shortage, and enthusing youngsters towards taking up the more thankless tasks would be more successful. Identify the problem, research, set the objective, design the solution, and then act!

Because it is a relatively new subject there is a widespread misunderstanding about the nature of the subject amongst Government ministers, civil servants, industry, parents and, unfortunately, some headteachers and teachers. In too many places the subject is still identified with its craft roots and the low academic status that is often associated with practical/technical/creative subjects. (DATA 2016 Report).

The hard fact is that they are just not interested! It is expensive, it is messy to timetable, and above all else it is difficult. The above passage gives an indication of the pointless aspirations. It gives the impression that DATA sees itself as an ‘academic institution’ levelling itself alongside other subject which have always been accepted as so. This can never be - Plato made sure of that, and the universities would entertain nothing else. What is true, if academia is about thought and thinking, then a true designer craftsman is way beyond others. D&T can never merge with other subjects in peoples’ minds. However, it can work in parallel. I successfully taught D&T with Craft together for a good number of years. I often describe the Department as a model for a manufacturing industry whereby at one end was Design, in the middle was manufacturing using CNC and the like, and at the other end was the opportunity for pupils to immerse themselves in the joy of making through Craft - particularly silversmithing. A microcosm of a small industry.

newly qualified teachers often start teaching D&T without sufficient subject-specific Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and many experienced primary teachers have received little or no D&T Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in recent years (DATA 2016 Report)

One very large factor separating D&T from other core subjects is the concept in other peoples’ eyes that it is Industry Specific - training students in the needs of commerce and industry. English and Maths for instance is very much a vital life skill. The public in general, particularly parents, just do not see D&T as vital in their childrens’ development.

Why is Secondary D&T important? Design and technology is a practical and valuable subject. It enables children and young people to actively contribute to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of themselves, their community and their nation. It teaches how to take risks and so become more resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable. Students develop a critical understanding of the impact of design and technology on daily life and the wider world. Additionally, it provides excellent opportunities for students to develop and apply value judgements of an aesthetic, economic, moral, social, and technical nature both in their own designing and when evaluating the work of others. ( From DATA )

2015 - Ouch!