Design+Technology+-+Middle+Scool+Exploratory

=Design Technology - Middle School Exploratory= Quarter 2, 2010 Block H Instructor: Daniel Muller

Course Description
Design Technology – Exploratory is a one quarter year 8 required course. In this course students will be guided in use the **design cycle** as they create products and find solutions to solve real world problems. The course encourages students to become skillful problem solvers and to develop an appreciation for the role of technology in society and every day life. Students will gain a clear understanding of how the four stages of the design cycle (**Investigation, Planning, Creation and Evaluation**) are applied in a hands on approach. Additionally, the course emphasizes the importance of developing clear and concise communication by requiring students to document each stage of the design cycle process in a **design folder**.

Unit Question
Why and how do societies convey persistent and important concepts clearly and quickly to all (or most) of its members? Here at AIS/D, how can we better communicate important big ideas (expectations, opportunities, events etc.) so that we are better able to participate in life in the community?

Criteria for Assessment
Evidence of student work to be assessed will be maintained in the student’s __Design Folder__ and will be evaluated against the following criteria.

Criterion A: Investigate
Investigation is an essential stage in the design cycle. Students are expected to identify the problem, develop a **design brief** and formulate a **design specification**. Students are expected to acknowledge the sources of information and document these appropriately.


 * (Design brief:** The student’s response to the challenge, showing how they intend to solve the problem. **Design specification:** A detailed description of the conditions, requirements and restrictions with which a design must comply.)

Criterion B: Design
Students are expected to generate several feasible designs that meet the design specification and to evaluate these against the design specification. Students are then expected to select one design, justify their choice and evaluate this in detail against the design specification.

Criterion C: Plan
Students are expected to construct a plan to create their chosen product/solution that has a series of logical steps, and that makes effective use of resources and time. Students are expected to evaluate the plan and justify any modifications to the design.

Criterion D: Create
Students are expected to document, with a series of photographs or a video and a dated record, the process of making their product/solution, including when and how they use tools, materials and techniques. Students are expected to follow their plan, to evaluate the plan and to justify any changes they make to the plan while they are creating the product/solution.

(Students will sometimes embark upon a very ambitious project, or they may encounter unforeseen circumstances. In some circumstances a product/solution that is incomplete or does not function fully can still achieve high marks for this criterion.)

Criterion E: Evaluate
Students are expected to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification in an objective manner based on **testing**, and to evaluate its impact on life, society and/or the environment. They are expected to explain how the product/solution could be improved as a result of these evaluations. Students are expected to evaluate their own performance at each stage of the design cycle and to suggest ways in which their performance could be improved.


 * (Product testing:** A stage in the design process where versions of products (for example, prototypes) are tested against the need, applied to the context and presented to the end-user or target audience.)

Criterion F: Attitudes in Technology
This criterion refers to the students attitudes when working in technology. It focuses on an overall assessment of two aspects.
 * Personal engagement (motivation, independence, general positive attitude)
 * Attitudes towards safety, cooperation and respect for others.

Note: By their very nature these qualities are difficult to quantify and assess, and assessment should therefore take into account the context in which the unit of work was undertaken.

Other Assessment
Homework Test and Quizzes Wiki Participation

Grading and late work
60% - Design Folder (Criterion A- F) 10% - Participation 15% - Quizzes and Tests 15% - Homework

Late work will be deducted by 10% every missed day. A missed day counts as not turning it in asked for in class.

Expectations
Be safe. Be prepared. Be on time. Show respect for yourself, other and the class environment and materials. Act with integrity. Be an engaged and responsible member of the class community.