D&T

Silveira, V. & Mburu, P. K.

Using biomimicry as an approach in a D&T classroom aligns with the National Curriculum framework DfE (2013, p.2) in England which states:

When designing and making, pupils should be taught to use a variety of approaches. For example, biomimicry and user-centred design, to generate creative ideas and avoid stereotypical responses. 

Helen Brink

Gifted students are a heterogenous group, Dai & Chen, (2013), and Gagné (2004; 2005) describes giftedness as developmental and malleable abilities which need catalysts to develop into talents. These catalysts can be, for example, derived from educational settings. Therefore, it is important that the technology education provides gifted students with opportunities aligning with their needs, so they can develop their abilities.

Trudi Barrow

AI provides innovative tools and approaches for teachers to enhance learning experiences. This guide delves into how AI applications in text-to-text, text-to-image, and image-to-image transformations can be effectively utilised by teachers within D&T education.

Matt McLain

Matt McLain

Lee Shulman (2005) introduced the term signature pedagogies, in relation to education and learning in the professions, and refers to the commonly used and accepted approaches or “characteristic forms of teaching and learning” (Shulman, 2005, p. 52) with a discipline. If ‘signature’ refers to a unique characteristic, then ‘pedagogy’ can be broadly defined as the “interactions between teachers, students, and the learning environment and the learning tasks” (Murphy, 2008, p. 35). It is also important to point out that signature pedagogies are:

Alison Hardy

In D&T the concept of ‘value’ has been primarily used in relation to subject content, pedagogy and outcomes, but Layton (1992a, p.1) points out:

If some views on values and technology appear to you as the only possible ones, take this as a sign that you have neither understood the relationship of values and technology, nor the reason why an understanding of this is important.

Trudi Barrow

AI provides innovative tools and approaches for pupils to use in D&T. This guide delves into how AI applications in text-to-text, text-to-image, and image-to-image transformations can be effectively utilised by pupils within D&T education as a design tool and as an emerging technology (Barlex, Steeg and Given 2020).

Ulrika Sultan

Suzanne Gomersall and Alison Hardy

Design and Technology (D&T) has been a part of the primary curriculum in England since the 1990s. While it has faced challenges such as limited teacher training and competition with core subjects like English, Mathematics, and Science, D&T offers valuable learning experiences and should be given due importance in all primary schools.

Alison Hardy

Design and Technology (D&T) is a unique subject that teaches pupils how to intervene in the human-made world to create improvements. While different countries may emphasise different aspects of the subject the core purpose remains consistent: developing pupils’ technological literacy and design and technology capability.