D&T in Scotland

Russell White

Introduction

The current Technological Education curriculum was introduced in 2010 as part of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). Children from 3 to 15 years old are entitled to learning within the Technologies curricular area, with a broad suite of Technological Education qualifications subjects on offer to 16 – 18 year olds who wish to pursue Technological Education qualifications in the Senior Phase of Secondary School.

The Technological Education curriculum can be difficult to define in practice, though all local authority schools implement Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) (Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, n.d.a) what is enacted by individual schools may demonstrate somewhat different subject identities and therefore different curriculum experiences. However, Curriculum for Excellence aims to offer teachers and departments notable agency (at least in policy) in how they shape the technological experiences that their pupils take part in. Some may say that CfE can be seen as less of a ‘curriculum’, and more of a ‘framework’ for learning and teaching.

It is also of interest that across Scotland the identity of Technological Education can vary even in name. ‘Technological Education’ is the title given to the subject area by the General Teaching Council of Scotland, but individual departmental titles range from ‘Technical Education’, ‘Craft, Design & Technology’ and ‘Design & Technology’, to ‘Design, Engineering and Technology’, and ‘Graphics, Design & Manufacture’, to name a few.

However, the development of Technological Education within the ‘new’ curriculum has not been without its varied challenges, with policy led change having inconsistent enactment in the classroom (Humes and Priestly, 2021).

Overview of the Technology Curriculum

Pupils aged 3-15 years (including early years, primary and part of secondary level education) experience what is called the Broad General Education Phase (Education Scotland, n.d.). Learning and teaching is designed around ‘Experiences and Outcomes, rather than more a traditional assessment outcomes model’ (Education Scotland, 2008, 2017). Within what is regarded as the ‘D&T’ part of the Technologies curricular area (which includes Computing, and Food and Textiles also),">Experiences and Outcomes’ are arranged into ‘Curriculum Organisers’ (Education Scotland, 2017), which essentially break down the Technologies ‘curricular area’ into discrete subject specific learning. The ‘Craft, Design, Engineering and Graphics’ organisers are:

  • Designing & constructing models/products
  • Exploring uses of materials
  • Representing ideas, concepts and products through a variety of graphic media
  • Application of Engineering

In addition, curricular area wide responsibility sits within the organisers of:

  • Digital Literacy
  • Technological Developments in Society and Business

Technological experiences within the Broad General Education phase are also underpinned, not just by what children should experience, but also by what they should ‘become’ as stated in the CfE four capacities:

  1. successful learners
  2. confident individuals
  3. responsible citizens
  4. effective contributors

(Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, n.d.b).

Additionally, the Technological Education curriculum supports whole school responsibilities relating to Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing.

16 – 18 year olds undertake Senior Phase certificate qualifications at various levels. These are typically National Qualifications set by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and introduced in 2013/14. The core suite of Technological Education subjects received a mixed critique from teachers and pupils. Consequently, some schools have opted to also use alternative providers offering such courses as the Design, Engineer and Construction (D.E.C.) (Design Engineer Construct, n.d.), or the Daydream Believers Creative Thinking qualification (Daydream Believers, n.d.). Some schools believe these offer a more diverse range technological qualification courses that better meet the needs and interests of their learners.

Technological Education qualification can be undertaken at various different levels (SQA, n.d.c), depending on the age and stage of the pupil and the specific subject. The levels most commonly attempted include:

National 4 and National 5 levels: These are most commonly attempted in 4th year of school (16 years old) but can be undertaken in 5th and 6th year also (17/18 years old).

Higher level: Normally undertaken in 5th and 6th year (17/18 years old)

Advanced Higher level: Normally undertaken in 6th year (18 years old)

The core Technological Education suite of qualification subjects are often considered to be the following:

  • Design & Manufacture
  • Engineering Science
  • Graphic Communication
  • Practical Woodworking
  • Practical Metalworking

Nevertheless, to better tailor qualifications and courses to pupil interests and needs, National Progression Awards (SQA, n.d.a) and Skills for Work (SQA, n.d.b) qualifications have gained popularity. These qualifications range from Engineering and Automotive Skills, to Jewellery and Furniture Making.

Looking to the future, it should be noted that in June 2023 Hayward’s Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessments, ‘It’s Our Future: Report of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment’ (Scottish Government,2023), was published with a range of significant recommendations for curriculum and assessment in Scotland. How this will shape Technological Education is Scotland is yet to be seen.

Teaching, Uptake, Resources and Research

Technological Education remains a popular choice in Scottish schools, with uptake in the senior phase increasing overall in recent years (Education Scotland, 2022). As has been suggested above, there has been a decline in what could be considered two of the mainstream and creative qualifications of ‘Design & Manufacture’ and ‘Graphic Communication’, in favour of more practical qualifications, such as Practical Woodworking and Practical Metalworking. Encouragingly, Engineering Science has been showing a gradual, if not modest, increase in popularity (Education Scotland, 2022).

Recruitment of Technological Education teachers has been of concern for some time, with vacancies going unfilled and technological curriculums being forced to narrow in some schools as a result. There is evidence that the very broad nature of the curriculum can lead to not all teachers being fully confident in delivering all curricular content, and this may influence gaps in curricular entitlements, particularly with Engineering Science related learning (Education Scotland, 2014). In the Broad General Education phase (12- 15  years. old) there can be evidence of a bias toward craft and graphics learning, with design or technology/engineering receiving less exposure (Education Scotland, 2014).

Research about Technological Education in Scotland is limited. Key contributors in recent years are S. McLaren (previously of the University of Edinburgh, Moray House School of Education & Sport) and D. Morrison-Love (University of Glasgow).

Summary

The structure of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, in combination with the diverse range of Technological Education progression routes and qualifications, offers a range of positive destination opportunities, including work, apprenticeships, further education and higher education.

Technological Education is Scotland paints a varied picture, in some ways maintaining valuable traditional and historical legacies, but whilst also being provoked into grasping new opportunities through technological developments such as AI and digital manufacture, or by alternative curricular opportunities and qualifications.

Technological Education certainly faces current challenges such as teacher recruitment, funding, improving female pupil uptake, and limited research capacity for Technological Education in Scotland. Looking to the Horizon, the Hayward review into assessment and qualifications for all secondary subjects in Scotland will no doubt influence future developments in the Technological curriculum.

Yet Scottish Technological Education continues to offer an impressive breadth of learning, courses and qualifications to young people, all of which support a wide range of pupil needs and progression routes into a changing world.

References

  1. Daydream Believers (n.d.) Daydream Believers Creative Thinking Qualification. Available at:  https://daydreambelievers.co.uk/qualification (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  2. Design Engineer Construct (n.d) DEC Qualifications. Available at:  https://designengineerconstruct.com/qualifications (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  3. Education Scotland (2008) Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies, Experiences and Outcomes. Livingston: Available at: https://education.gov.scot/media/nqgj0egw/technologies-es-os.pdf (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  4. Education Scotland (2014) Building Society. Young Peoples Experiences and Outcomes in the Technologies. Livingston: Available at:  https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/22403/2/TechnologiesImpactReport__tcm4-850866_Redacted.pdf (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  5. Education Scotland (2017) Benchmarks, Technologies. Livingston: Available at: https://education.gov.scot/media/irimoozl/technologiesbenchmarkspdf.pdf (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  6. Education Scotland (2022) Craft, Design, Engineering and Graphics in Local Authority Secondary Schools. Livingston: Available at:  https://education.gov.scot/media/zeofthjq/craft-design-engineering-graphic-in-la-secondary-schools-11-22.pdf (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  7. Education Scotland (n.d.) Broad General Education. Available at: https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/curriculum-in-scotland/broad-general-education (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  8. Humes, W., Priestley, M. (2021) ‘Curriculum Reform in Scottish Education: Discourse, Narrative and Enactment’ in Priestley, M, Alvunger, D, Philippou, S, & Soini, T (eds) Curriculum Making in Europe : Policy and Practice Within and Across Diverse Contexts. Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 175-198
  9. Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. (n.d.a). Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. Available at: https://home.scotlandscurriculum.scot/5/ (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  10. Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (n.d.b). Scotland’s Approach. Available at: https://home.scotlandscurriculum.scot/3/ (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  11. Scottish Government (2023) It’s Our Future: Report of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment. Edinburgh: Available at:  https://www.gov.scot/publications/future-report-independent-review-qualifications-assessment/documents (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  12. SQA (2024) Attainment-Statistics-Provsional-2024. Available at:  https://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/attainment-statistics-provisional-2024.xlsx (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  13. SQA (n.d.a) Browse National Certificates and National Progression Awards. Available at:  https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/24071.html (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  14. SQA (n.d.b) Skills for Work. Available at:  https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/79148.html (Accessed: 16/10/24)
  15. SQA (n.d.c) National Qualifications explained. Available at:  https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/79148.html (Accessed: 16/10/24)

Links

  1. Curriculum for Excellence Information: https://education.gov.scot/curriculum-for-excellence/
  2. Curriculum for Excellence, Building the Curriculum 3, A Framework for Learning and Teaching: https://education.gov.scot/media/0cvddrgh/btc3.pdf
  3. Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies, Principles and Practice Guidance Document: https://education.gov.scot/media/vmqiajxt/technologies-pp.pdf
  4. Daydream Believers Website: https://daydreambelievers.co.uk
  5. Scottish Qualifications Authority website: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/70972.html
  6. Scottish Qualification Authority core Technological Education qualification information websites:

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