Design and Technology
Case Study 1
Year 10 students designed, produced and marketed a new muesli bar. Product development and marketing managers from a local food manufacturer participated in ‘witness sessions’ about product development. The students, working in teams, were given a production budget and had to use ingredients and materials from a priced list. The food technology group took responsibility for designing and producing the muesli bar, and making recommendations for packaging the product, e.g. by giving dimensions and ingredients. The graphic communications group designed and produced the packaging. Teams had to work within the budgets allowed, and set a sale price. Groups agreed a name and branding for their product. Teams launched their new products at a presentation for customers. Working in teams, the students displayed creativity and decision-making skills. They learned about business practise and how to carry out financial planning and budgeting.
Case Study 2
A well-known local structure provided a focal point to illustrate aspects of design and technology. Year 10 students investigated the history and construction of a famous bridge. A local engineer participated in a discussion with the students about bridge construction. The students, working in teams, had to produce plans and a model of a bridge to meet a given specification. They assumed the role of a construction company bidding for the contract to design and build the bridge. Their model bridge had to be strong enough to support a predetermined load. Students had to ‘buy’ materials to build their bridge, and were expected to keep to a budget. The students gave a presentation of their plans and displayed a model of the bridge to a panel, which included the engineer. Feedback was given for each design, and a winning design was selected. Students showed autonomy and confidence and demonstrated creativity, decision making, budgeting and presentational skills.
Case Study 3
Key stage 4 students were asked to design a personal alarm (buzzer/bleeper), which was easy to carry. The device had to be incorporated in a fashion item, which appealed to young people aged 11 to 19. An appropriate range of materials was made available, at set prices, for use in its design and construction. Students were allowed to bring in reasonable amounts of additional materials to enhance their product, but the realistic cost of these had to be included. The students, working in teams, produced a range of design concepts and drawings, selecting one for the production of a working prototype. Students set a sale price for each item. A local manufacturer of electronic goods including alarms, and a small business producing jewellery, both provided support for the students during the project. The students displayed and demonstrated their products to each other, and a winning design was chosen by peer assessment. Students demonstrated creativity, market awareness and simple budgeting.
Case Study 4
During a class visit to a well-known local manufacturing company, the year 10 design and technology group met the marketing manager, who spoke about the importance of the company brand in raising awareness of the company and its products. This led to a challenge to the students to design and make a new corporate character and associated merchandise (e.g. key ring, calendar). The aim was to produce a slogan and merchandising materials, suitable for the target market, to promote the company and its products. Working in teams, the students produced designs and drawings and made their selected items, using a range of appropriate materials (e.g. textiles, wood and metal). Students had to present their work to a panel including the company’s marketing manager. The panel provided feedback for each team, and selected the best design. Students demonstrated creativity, initiative, market awareness and presentation skills.
Case Study 5
A large mixed school established a link with a big toy store on a retail park. Design and technology students visited the store to investigate the range of products available. They focused on how toys are designed for different age groups, and produced a report, showing key design features in relation to the age of children. Additional material was collected from magazines and catalogues. Using their experiences, students worked in teams to create a toy shop in school. Each team took responsibility for designing and making a toy suitable for an age range defined by them. They also gave it a name. The students produced packaging showing the name and the design features that made the toy attractive to the defined age group. A display area was set up for the shop, and the store manager visited the school, giving feedback to the group on the ideas and items displayed. Students demonstrated creativity, initiative and market awareness.
Case Study 6
Working in collaboration with the school’s drama group, a year 10 design and technology group took part in a theatre production enterprise. A visit to the local theatre to learn about stage sets and production provided experience to help them produce ideas for sets and costumes. The students produced concept drawings and designs for discussion with the drama group. The selected items were made by the design and technology group, using a range of appropriate tools and materials. They also took responsibility for producing publicity leaflets and posters for the production, and for setting up and running the ‘box office’, to sell tickets to parents and other visitors. This included advance publicity, and sales on the door. The students recorded the costs of materials, from a simple price list, and monitored the income from ticket sales. The students demonstrated creativity, flexibility and the ability to negotiate, and learned about budgeting, marketing and promotion.
Case Study 7
Food technology students ran a competition based on a popular TV series. Working in teams, they were given the brief to create a meal or snack (hot or cold) which could be prepared in 20 minutes. A chef from a local restaurant visited the group to discuss how dishes are created and how kitchen staff work as a team. The students first planned their meal, which had to be within the budget provided, bringing in supermarket receipts to help them make the right choices. They also planned how to operate as a team to make the meal in the time allowed. Students bought their ingredients, keeping the receipts. In the next session, they produced their meal, working against the clock. Chefs from the local restaurant and snack bar joined the session as judges, giving feedback to each team, and eventually choosing a winner. Students demonstrated teamwork, creativity, time management and how to keep within budget.
Case Study 8
A school wanted to make its annual open day an attractive event for everybody. It commissioned the year 10 design and technology group to help. Students worked in teams on allocated tasks. Some investigated how shops, market places and ticket offices used signs, stands, posters and displays to attract people. Other groups collected information from departments in school and talked to staff to identify the unique selling points of different subjects. They then used their research to design and make attractive and imaginative display stands, banners and signs for the school open day, both for the main entrance and for individual departments. They also constructed a questionnaire to find out the views of visiting parents and to get some ideas for improvements the following year. Students were helped by guidance from the conference organiser of a hotel that hosted national conferences and exhibitions. Students demonstrated research skills, communication, teamwork, creativity and imagination, and how to work to quality standards against a deadline.
