Design Technology — Year 12

 

Design Technology Overview
Curriculum

Year 12 - Autumn 1: Year 12 - Design and Manufacturing Principles

Students will begin the year enhanching knowledge of material knowledge, looking beyond the main families of woods, metals and plastics - into composites, ceramics and 'Smart' materials. Students will complete mini design and making based projects - building on their research and marketing skillsets from GCSE. Students will also begin to cover business terminology, marketing, production and manufacturing considerations and looking at product life cycles and sustainability of current products.

Students will receive assessment grades based on the AS level criteria for their projects completed and design principles shown.

Design
To create and formulate ideas

Consumer
Person who uses or buys the product we are designing

Development
Refining a design idea experimenting with features

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Students will look at building their confidence in analysing products and giving their opinion on design choices.

Create a supportive community:
Students will build on their knowledge of sustainable design, recyclable materials and how manufacturing can affect communities and social elements within different cultures.

Year 12 - Autumn 2: Year 12 - Building on manufacturing knowledge and prototyping

Within the second Autumn term, students will begin to bring their ideas to life through a range of practical activities - starting with redesign and analysis of existing products. Students will gain experience in more developed manufacturing techniques and learn the values of modelling with a variety of materials, including clay, Styrofoam and manufactured boards.

Students will receive a grade per assessment objective against their design projects, looking to analyse their design and making knowledge

Prototype
A experimental version of an idea to test if it works in reality

Manufacturing
Making a product using machinery or hand techniques

CAD
Using a computer to design a product

CAM
Using manufacturing techniques which are led by a computer

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Students will build on their self confidence - allowing them to create and lead projects more indepentantly

Create a supportive community:
Students will build on their knowledge of sustainable design, recyclable materials and how manufacturing can affect communities and social elements within different cultures.

Year 12 - Spring 1: Year 12 - Building on manufacturing knowledge and prototyping

Within the Spring term - students will continue to bring their ideas to life through a range of practical activities - continuing with redesign and analysis of existing products. Having worked with styrofoams and modelling materials, students will also now begin to look at the use of CAD/CAM and its role in the prototyping world.

Students will receive grading awarded for use of technical knowledge, design and making principles - and manufacturing skills in the workshop throughout various short projects

Laser cutting
A machine which uses intense amounts of energy to burn through materials

3D printing
A machine which uses molten plastic to form 3D shapes

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Students will continue to analyse and reflect on existing products - allowing students to critically evaluate existing products.

Create a supportive community:
Students will build on their knowledge of sustainable design, analysing products and design processes and their impact on the environment, culture and population

Year 12 - Spring 2: Year 12 - Redesign Project

Continuing into Spring 2 - students will continue to bring their ideas to life through a range of practical activities - continuing with redesign and analysis of existing products. Students will begin to further develop their understanding of detailed manufacturing methods and principles, leading on designing a product of their own and creating a prototype of an existing product. Students will learn how to initiate independent research, investigating design possibilities and beginning to decide on a target market. These skills will be built upon the GCSE criteria but in further depth.

Students will complete the project independently which will marked in a similar style to GCSE based projects. Students pages of coursework are marked independently against the assessment criteria provided by the exam board.

Design feature
A unique feature of the product which gives incentive for consumers to buy it

Aesthetics
How a product looks

Ergonomics
How a product feels in your hand

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Students will consider the needs and cultural requirements of different end users of their products

Create a supportive community:
Students will consider the needs and cultural requirements of different end users of their products

Year 12 - Summer 1: Year 12 - Redesign Project

Students will continue to the design phase of their projects this term, starting to model and create prototypes for the redesign project. Students will utilise their knowledge of materials and manufacturing to aid their design decisions. A variety of more complex manufacturing methods will be shown and put into practice to create highly detailed and developed models.

Students project will continue to be marked on a page by page basis - according to the AQA assessment criteria. A particular emphasis is put on the final design and modelling tasks.

USP
What makes the product stand out - why it is unique

Innovation
Creating an idea which is forward thinking to solve a problem

Aesthetics
How a product looks

Ergonomics
How a product feels in your hands - texture, shape

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Students will build on their confidence in practical skillsets, using never before seen materials and methods to extend their personal knowledge and experience

Create a supportive community:
Students will continue to analyse the impact of designing their product on the relevant population and environmental factors.

Year 12 - Summer 2: Year 12 - Major Project (DME)

Students will commence their major project which contributes 50% of their mark this term. Students will produce their own product from scratch, in relation to a brief set by the exam board. This does provide more flexibility than at GCSE. Students will begin by using all their knowledge gained in their AS year to conduct this project independently and showing their design decisions along the way. Investigation and market research in greater depth is the main focus of this term.

Students will have their coursework marked against the AQA agreed assessment points available online. Students will complete the first 2 sections this term - A/B.

Design brief
A statement of intent

Specification
What a product must do

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural

Develop the individual:
Students will be building on their confidence and self-reflection skills through putting all their higher level knowledge into practice in this major project

Create a supportive community:
Students will continue to reflect and analyse the impact on cultures, populations, environment and economy of the local area of their project in use