About Design & Technology...

Design and Technology (DT / D&T) is an area of study that applies academic learning from all other subject areas to theory based and practical based outcomes. It can be split into a few main categories:

1) Electronic Products 2) Food Technology 3) Graphic Products 4) Product Design 5) Resistant Materials 6) Textiles Technology.

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What skills do i need to study Design & Technology?

• Reasoning

• Engaging with the topics / teachers / each other.

• Being thoughtful, asking questions, drawing on our previous experiences.

 

• Resourcefulness

• Thinking outside of the box.

• A can-do attitude. Being purposeful.

 

• Reflection.

• Constant thinking about how you can improve your skills as a student of D&T and as a maturing young person.

 

• Respect.

• An enthusiastic attitude.

• Behaviour. Caring. Making good choices.

• Dedication. 

• Good communication.

 

• Resilience.

• Can do attitude.

• Hard work ethic. Self directed study should be the same as class contact hours.

• Willingness to put in extra time.

 

• Responsibility.

• Good time keeping.

• Independence.

• No excuses.

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What skills will I get with Design and Technology?

As well as the specific knowledge gained from studying Design and Technology, you’ll develop many transferable, highly valued work-related skills, for example-

 

• Being logical and pragmatic.

• Solving problems with creativity and innovative strategies.

• Process and outcome focused.

• Realisation of abstract concepts.

• Having the ability to design and develop economically viable products.

• Being conscious of global social, cultural and environmental issues.

• Attention to detail.

• Numeracy and high levels of computer literacy.

• Being effective communicators, in different formats.

• capable of team working and able to take on responsibility.

• Recognising and integrating the expertise of others.

• Independence and self-motivation.

• Time management, meeting deadlines.

 

Motor Skills

A recent study identified a correlation between using hand tools and the operations within the brain that trigger the same neurological pathways in the same brain region as learning a language. ​It has been suggested that this could relate back to early mankind (use of tools / development of language).

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The opportunities in D&T for continuous, deliberate ‘practice of skills’ combined with sensory feedback and feedback from others in GCSE will assist with ‘motor learning’- permanent changes of the ability to perform a task. Which, as an adult, we can sometimes take this for granted.​

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Cultural stereotypes and norms involve fine visual motor skill tasks being geared towards girls and object manipulation- kicking, throwing etc towards boys. In D&T we actively break down these barriers and limitations.

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What is the difference between Art & Design and Design & Technology?

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​What careers can I do with Design and Technology?

• The developing world is in desperate need for students and graduates with great strengths in its engineering, design and technology sectors.

• Universities recognise D&T as a very important subject and a very challenging one. 

• 70% of top graduate salaries are D&T related. 

• A Harvard University study shows that you will be employed more quickly upon graduation with STEM / DT and be in a higher paid career than any other qualification.

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What if i don't want to study D&T?

• A lot of people change their mind at the end of Y10 / Y11, as their future career pathway has changed.

• It is extremely difficult to skip GCSE and then pick D&T as an A-Level

• A lot of students from other subjects want to come and use the facilities, but we have to say “no”; as ultimately it means the D&T staff doing the work. 

• 70% of top graduate salaries are D&T related. 

• Many Alumni tell us how grateful they are that they studied D&T at GCSE, even if they didn’t study the subject at A-Level, as it prepared them for university and how to breakdown an assignment into manageable chunks.

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If you haven’t guessed it by now, jobs in the engineering, Design and Technology fields are some of the most prestigious and well paid jobs in the world… it all starts by studying Design and Technology!

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