Starting the journey: discovering the point of D&T

Starting with the question ‘Why teach Design and Technology in secondary schools?’, this paper describes the first stages of a journey to discover a values framework for D&T in English secondary schools. Events and reflections, some of which are described, have informed the initial stages of my PhD studies which is to develop a framework defining the value of D&T in secondary school education in England. This paper is a presentation of some initial findings for the framework. This is only the start of my PhD journey in which there are three stages: 1. An exploratory study of interviews and personal rationales to develop a framework of the value of D&T, 2. Using the framework to make judgements about the profiles different stakeholders have of the subject 3. Using the framework, evaluate the practice in schools The values reported here have been identified from two stakeholder groups: trainee D&T teachers from my own university and D&T academics. At this stage in the study I am not comparing the values held by different stakeholders only in discovering their values which will inform the values framework

What’s D&T for? Gathering and comparing the values of design and technology academics and trainee teachers

Some who read and research about Design & Technology (D&T) would say that the concept of value is key to understanding and defining D&T. Closer inspection reveals though that there are two ways in which values are defined in D&T: how values are taught and learnt about in D&T to use them to make judgments in D&T lessons, and also how values are developed in pupils as a result of studying D&T. Layton’s seminal keynote speech is the notable exception to these two classifications. In 1992 he shared a new perspective of values and D&T: how different stakeholders value the school subject D&T (1992a). The work presented here builds on Layton’s ‘new’ perspective and compares how two D&T stakeholder groups value D&T. The opinions of trainee D&T teachers and D&T academics, both directly affected by these changes were analysed using a grounded theory coded method. This resulted in a series of twenty-two values that facilitated comparison of the two group’s values. Further analysis revealed there were many similarities between the two groups, and only a few differences. However these differences showed the trainees did not believe D&T can be about the process of designing or identifying the needs of others, both values central to the original purpose of D&T in England and recognised by the academics. One implication for this, as schools take more ownership of teacher training, is that the value of D&T is likely to move further away from the D&T academics’ influence and be based upon the ‘spontaneous’ (Dow 2014, p.151) values developed through classroom practice with little reference to external opinion. Future work could widen the scope of the research, incorporating the values of other stakeholder groups into the values series and hence become a new tool to support the development of design and technology education, which hopefully will benefit others as they reflect on why they teach, research or use D&T

Pioneers in the Victorian provinces: veterinarians, public health and the urban animal economy

From the 1850s in Britain, concerns were growing about the role of animals in transmitting disease to man, whether through the food chain or through infection. While London is often seen as providing a model for public health reform, it was the great provincial cities that initiated veterinary involvement in public health in the closing years of the century. The emergence of this new strand of public health activity is the subject of this paper

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A survey of the marine environment near the city of Monterey ocean outfall

The California Department of Fish and Game and the State Water Resources Control Board (through Regional Board #3, Central Coast) entered into an agreement whereby Department biologist-divers conducted a subtidal ecological investigation of the marine environment in the vicinity of the City of Monterey ocean outfall. The objective of the study was to provide the Regional Water Quality Control Board with data to assist them in evaluating the effects of the discharge on the marine environment. The determinations made by biologist-divers included: (i) the number and diversity of the plant and animal life; (ii) substrate characteristics; and (iii) physical parameters, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen levels and clarity. Additionally, benthic samples were obtained by the divers and/or by a Ponar grab at each station. The State Water Resources Control Board reimbursed the Department for part of the expenses incurred during this study. (27pp.

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