Design and Technology Education (LJMU)
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    602 research outputs found

    Creativity for 21st Century skills

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    Technology teacher education through a constructivist approach

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    This paper reviews literature on constructivist learning theories relevant to and evident in teacher education in a New Zealand university. These theories are illustrated within an authentic technology education context which involves students from a primary teacher-education degree programme. It investigates how a practical activity, based on constructivist principles, successfully leads to the development of student teachers’ understandings of technology education and technological practice within an initial teacher education programme. The paper describes the practical activity undertaken by final year students where a collaborative ‘company approach’ strategy is used. The data shows that while undertaking a constructivist based activity, students gain a rich understanding of theory related to technological practice and relevant links to learning in the classroom. Examples are presented of the higher level thinking obtained by the students as they participate in this collaborative and cooperative exercise and reflect on their learning

    Teacher responses to a planning framework for junior technology classes learning outside the classroom

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    This paper describes teacher responses to a framework designed to support teacher planning for technology. It includes a learning experience outside the classroom [LEOTC] and is designed specifically for five-year-old students. The planning framework draws together characteristics of technology education, junior primary classrooms and LEOTC to describe the role of the teacher, parent helpers and students as they work through three identified phases – preparing for a visit outside the classroom, participating in a learning experience outside the classroom, and post-visit activities in the classroom. This framework was trialled using a case study approach in two new-entrant classrooms in which students made chocolates for Mothers’ Day as part of a technology unit. Students partook in a LEOTC visit to a chocolate factory in order to examine the practice of experts before designing and making their own chocolate gift. Data sources for this paper included interviews with two participating teachers. The analysis of these suggest the use of the planning framework led to the thorough preparation of parent helpers and students, clearly defined roles for both the teachers and the parents, and the use of valuable strategies which enhanced students memories of their visit and enabled them to apply aspects of the knowledge gained to their own technological practice

    Integration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics: Is this Curricular Revolution really possible in France?

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    The French school system is a subjects-centred curriculum from the beginning of 1960s. This deep-rooted organisation tends to block the several attempts made to integrate the teaching of scientific school subjects. From an historical point of view, this paper describes the curricular system and the issue of its current change. It focuses on the main issue about separation or integration of these subjects in secondary school

    STEM Education: Proceed with caution

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    Dear Minister, This is why design and technology is a very important subject in the school curriculum

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    The paper is in four parts. Part 1 considers the justification for including design and technology in the school curriculum. Part 2 suggests the content for the subject at Key Stage 3. Part 3 describes some of the ways the subject might be taught. Part 4 considers ways in which the curriculum can be devised so that it is irresistible and transformative. A brief conclusion revisits the unique characteristic of the subject

    When Technology and Design Education is Inhibited by Mathematics

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    This paper explores the attitude to Mathematics of B.Ed. (Post-primary) Technology and Design student teachers, in Northern Ireland, and is located within the context of ‘STEM’ (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The aim of the research is to consider whether students’ attitude to Mathematics is different when the subject content is presented within or outside their own subject area. Technology and Design provides both ‘purpose’ and ‘utility’ to the delivery of Mathematics. Based on the results of an attitudinal questionnaire and focus group interviews it has been concluded that there must be corporate responsibility for the teaching and delivery of Mathematics. Those involved in teaching Mathematics, whether directly or indirectly through a different subject area, must not only be knowledgeable in subject content and its associated pedagogy, but ideally convey a positive attitude towards Mathematics

    Connecting Domains in Concept-Context Learning: A model to analyse education situations

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    The use of context-concept education alongside existing approaches is valuable. In this article we introduce a three-domain model for concept-context learning that supports both the design process as well as the idea of concept learning. The model shows how practical and abstract knowledge should be combined to improve contextconcept learning. The model acknowledges the dual nature of products and the need to relate practical, concrete experiences to causal explanations. It distinguishes three domains: the social context, the concrete product and the abstract knowledge domain. Here, the model is used to analyze, explain and suggest improvements for training primary school teachers in the Netherlands. The research data from the in-service teacher training show how continuous movement between the three domains is needed to develop creative, socially relevant solutions. The training would be better aimed towards the needs of the learner if the connection between the theory, concrete experiences with products and the social context is made more visible and inviting

    Creativity and the Brain

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    Parametric Pedagogy: Integrating parametric CAD in Irish post-primary schools

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    Technology education in Irish post-primary schools is undergoing significant change. In recent years the syllabi of all technology-related subjects have been revised. A new subject, Design and Communication Graphics, has replaced the traditional Technical Drawing subject. This new subject aims to develop students’ spatial awareness and graphical communication skills in the context of design. Parametric CAD forms a significant element of the subject. This research paper reports on a study into the use of parametric CAD by teachers in Irish post-primary schools. The research found that teachers were enthusiastic and welcomed the inclusion of the software as part of their teaching. However, the novel teaching environment was challenging which had a significant affect on their pedagogical approaches. The findings highlight the need for affective teacher professional development that explores the declarative as well as the procedural knowledge required for mastery of the CAD software