Why learn Design and Technology ?
Design and Technology in our schools build on the skills and knowledge children have already learnt through their younger years. It engages increasingly sophisticated resources, including dedicated teaching environments, manufacturing equipment and specialist teaching. As a student progresses through this period of learning, they may be given the opportunity to focus on specific aspects of a subject such as product design, engineering, systems and control, electronics, textiles and graphics, however, at its core, there is one central theme, creativity and imagination.
Students learn to design and manufacture products that solve genuine and relevant problems within different contexts, whilst considering their own needs, wants and values and that of others.
To do this effectively, they need to acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on additional disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. (C-STEAM)
Design and Technology is a practical and valuable subjects. It actively encourages children and young people to contribute to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of themselves and those around them.
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. In addition, 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.
Design and Technology is the key to inspiring the next generation of designers and engineers and it is important to continue to invest in our next generation of children. Students are now combining DT with more traditionally academic subjects, like maths and physics, offering much that is relevant in the modern world, blending science and the arts, and focusing on economic and environmental issues.