'Shaping Things': Design Fiction as a catalyst for design in design and technology

Drawing directly upon earlier work and informed by the findings of more recent studies, inspired originally by the work of Bruce Sterling, this paper presents a collection of narratives from experienced design and technology teachers who were introduced to the notion of ‘design fiction’ during their teacher education programmes to use as a catalyst to effect innovative pedagogical approaches to the teaching of design and technology. Specifically, this paper seeks to explore the advantages of using this notion as a tool to focus not only on the effectual delivery of design, but in order to support the creation of a high-quality conceptual outcomes, where learning is concerned with innovation and the development of skill, rather than to produce a fully functional working model or artefact. Having brought to the fore exemplar work created by the pre-service teachers themselves, presented in the form of vignettes, participants (who are now experienced teachers) give first-hand accounts of the influence that using design fiction as a catalyst for teaching has had on their own classroom practice. Adopting a case study approach, work presents examples of best practice, in practice, and explores specifically the advantages (and disadvantages) of this approach. Participants report how this approach has supported the consolidation of learning, reinforcing skills, knowledge and understanding. Findings also make clear that through the adoption of design fiction teachers witnessed an increase in student motivation to engage in design activity, and notably when working within traditionally gender dominated areas of the design and technology and STEM curricula, gender bias decreased. In summary the work concludes with an overview of useful links as an aid to support those considering the exploration of this approach in their own settings, and in order to build upon work undertaken advocates the need for staff development to ensure developments within the field of speculative design are capitalised upon by teachers of design and technology education. <br/

Developing visual mnemonic codes as an aid to effective memory recall

The use of mnemonics to aid memory recall are widely used within education, and while the effective use of techniques including acronyms, songs and rhymes, as well as patterns in letters or numbers are well-known, the advantages of drawing as an effective cognitive mnemonic strategy are not as well documented.There is however a growing body of research that suggests that when combined with traditional style written notes the use of visual imagery can be an effective tool to aid memory recall.Taking visual notes or as it more commonly known ‘sketchnoting’ can help learners to manage unfamiliar ideas and concepts, assimilate information and to build bridges between concepts, helping to internally process information and recall it more easily.Exploring the concept of self-generated mnemonic codes this research seeks to support those wishing to explore the technique for themselves, or to support others to develop their own personal visual mnemonic ‘shorthand’, a series of personalised images, icons and symbols as a strategy to enhance the process of memory recall. By capturing information in this way ‘purposeful doodling’ can support a learner’s interaction with content on a deeper level, to enhance the effective retention and retrieval of information

Re-imagining the future of design and technology education: An opportunity for curriculum innovation.

Created following the amalgamation of several individual subject disciplines, in England, design and technology is in decline. Debates about its purpose and position have taken place since its inception but arguably these have not transferred into a rigorous research base. There is a growing body of scholars exploring the field, but with the decline of the subject, so the community working and investigating it is also diminished. Without a strong foundation, the actions of the few may not carry sufficient weight to generate full and meaningful debate that would influence those with the power to change policy on curriculum and lead to innovation.If we are to have any hope of reversing the subject’s deterioration, we must do something bold and significant. While an awareness of the subject’s history and its evolution is integral to our understanding of how and why we are where we are, merely reflecting on the past will do little to help the subject move forward. Hence, the principal aim of our research is to explore what a re-designed design and technology could look like. To achieve this, this study draws on different stakeholders’ visions of how they perceive the subject’s future.Theoretical underpinning of this work is derived from abductive grounded theory, which aligns with the researcher’s individual ontological positions. Drawing together the findings from participants, this paper presents outcomes in the form of a ‘living document’. We see this as the first phase in an ongoing study into the future of the subject. Findings indicate a diverse range of opinion relating to the subject’s future. Following analysis, outcomes are discussed, and future steps to re-imagine the subject are then explored

Re-designing Design and Technology Education: A living literature review of stakeholder perspectives

Created following the amalgamation of several individual subject disciplines, in England, design and technology is in decline. Debates about its purpose and position have taken place since its inception but arguably these have not transferred into a rigorous research base. There is a growing body of scholars exploring the field, but with the decline of the subject, so the community working and investigating it is also diminished. Without a strong foundation, the actions of the few may not carry sufficient weight to generate full and meaningful debate that would influence those with the power to change policy on curriculum and lead to innovation. If we are to have any hope of reversing the subject’s deterioration, we must do something bold and significant. While an awareness of the subject’s history and its evolution is integral to our understanding of how and why we are where we are, merely reflecting on the past will do little to help the subject move forward. Hence, the principal aim of our research is to explore what a re-designed design and technology could look like. To achieve this, this study draws on different stakeholders’ visions of how they perceive the subject’s future

Reviewing the Impact of the National Strategies Design and Technology Framework for Key Stage Three: A small-­‐scale evaluation of the Design and Technology Framework in England

Since the beginning of Design and Technology (D&amp;T) in the English secondary school curriculum, the teaching of design has been identified as less effective than that of making. Research Questions: What are the experiences of pupils between the ages of 12 and 14 of design learning? Purpose of Study: In 2004 as part of the National Strategies, the D&amp;T framework was launched, aiming to support the teaching of design skills. This is a small-­‐scale study, which begins to explore the experiences of pupils and teachers in four schools in the Northwest of England. Research Methods: The study used a mixed methods approach, gathering quantitative and qualitative data in a questionnaire with a convenience sample of school pupils. The questionnaire responses are analysed alongside qualitative interviews with D&amp;T teachers from the schools. Findings: The findings indicate that many pupils had a clear understanding of the role of designing. However, some common assumptions of the nature of design activity centering on the act of sketching or drawing were evident. The majority of pupils were unable to accurately identify the names of many of the design activities introduced as part of the framework. Conclusions: Whilst some progress has been made in the teaching of design, through the use of design activities introduced in the D&amp;T Framework, the support experienced by teachers was limited and were not sustained beyond the initial training. There are implications for initial teacher educators in supporting beginning teachers and balancing the tensions trainees experience whilst on placements in school. Key Words: Design, designing, pedagogy, teacher educatio

Humanising the design and technology curriculum: Why technology education makes us human

As practical and creative education in England continues to experience challenges and a relative loss of status, this paper argues for the importance of a broad and balanced curriculum and in particular design and technology (D&amp;T) education. This paper is a position piece and discusses some of the challenges facing D&amp;T. Calling for a reinvigoration of the subject to its original intentions, as the first National Curriculum subject in the programmes of study for England - discussed in the 1980s and enacted in 1990 – we explore how perspectives on education, curriculum and technology are politically informed and constructed. This paper reasserts the fundamentally humanising nature of technology in society. Drawing on ideas from science and education, both within and outside of D&amp;T, the authors explore the cultural aspects of the subject; beyond the technical and economic arguments

Disseminating Academic Research

With a growing number of conferences including poster presentations within their programmes, research posters are an increasingly popular way for scholars from a range of academic disciplines to disseminate their research. When presented in an effective visual format, the academic research poster has the potential to draw interested parties to engage directly with the work under consideration, creating a platform for informal academic discourse between researcher and delegate. Hence communication of research in this way is a powerful method for scholars to share and gain perspectives on their work in real time. Typically, an academic poster is a combination of text, charts, and images, with the most effective academic posters being those that summarise the important aspects of the research concisely, and that present findings in a visually stimulating way, one that is both easy to read and understand. However often, because of poor design practices, ideas and concepts are not always conveyed successfully and as a result opportunities for effective dissemination are reduced or lost. Considering the formal elements of design, and software, printing, copyright and permissions, irrespective of the academic discipline, this poster is designed to facilitate researchers with basic design knowledge which they can use as a tool to support and guide them in their ability to produce visually appealing academic research posters. Dawne Irving-Bell Centre for Learning and Teachin