The Design & Technology curriculum at Haute Vallée aims to ensure that our students develop the key understandings and technical competencies necessary to create, design, implement and operate a range of artifacts. To meet this aim, the curriculum structure and activities will develop students’ skills to be able to critique their own ideas and products, as well as the work of others (both locally and abroad).
A distinctive feature of the program is the provision of an immersive learning environment in which students work collaboratively in creating prototypes to solve real world technical problems in a variety of contexts.
It is intended that an important outcome of this program is the development of competencies and skills to build students capability to become self-directed learners – self-motivated, confident, and able to work effectively as individuals and in team contexts.
The curriculum also supports the wider HV attributes and seeks to maximize students’ learning potential in these areas.
Implementation
The instructional approach focuses on providing an immerse learning experience, incorporating a wide range of active learning methods that facilitate students’ understanding and competence in applying technology. These include individual and team projects (some chosen by the students themselves), interactive videos, and a technology-based ‘help-desk’ that provides an ongoing experiential learning experience and feedback function. This is supported throughout with key concept theory lessons to regularly reinforce the skills learnt in practical sessions, and to build a solid understanding of the subject content knowledge.
The structure of the curriculum includes the following pedagogic elements:
Challenging goals, differentiated where relevant with choice, to provide intrinsic motivation and opportunities for seeking personal improvement and high levels of attainment
Clear routines are in place for regular use of DIRT and peer assessment
Regular Skills audits to allow students to make rapid progress in the subject
Underpinning technical and process skills are the primary focus, replacing an over- emphasis on a fully completed product
Teachers allow students to make mistakes and learn from these (with appropriate support)
Teachers share the learning journey and regularly check that students know how the work fits into the long-term goals
Homework reinforces the learning and, at KS4 prepares students to learn at a higher level through flipped learning.
Impact
The impact of the curriculum is ascertained through a range of quantitative and qualitative data. These include:
The level of attainment and progress of students in external exams
Performance and progress in students written and practical work during the course program
Levels of student intake for D&T in KS4
Student feedback through course evaluation
Student’s positive contributions to local industry projects.
