A socio cultural constructivist approach to technology teaching - pipe dream or possibility?...
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Transcript of A socio cultural constructivist approach to technology teaching - pipe dream or possibility?...
A socio cultural constructivist approach to technology teaching - pipe dream or
possibility? Resources to support an appropriate
pedagogy
David BarlexDirector Nuffield Design & Technology
STEM Consultant for the D & T Association
Senior Lecturer Brunel University
UPDATE Glasgow December 2007
Presentation overview
• Defining a socio cultural constructivist approach
• Conditions for success• Lessons from Nuffield Design & Technology
• Lessons from Electronics in Schools• Lessons from Young Foresight• Summing up
Defining a socio cultural constructivist approach
Teaching that provides pupils with the opportunity to use their life experiences of the world outside school and prior learning in school to support designerly activity and critique through dialogue with others.
More common in primary schools
Conditions for successTIME
RESOURCES
EXPERTISE
SUPPORT
Drip feed or immersion?
Intellectual and physical
ITE, PD, & from outside teaching
SMT
Professional Association
Collegiality
Lessons from Nuffield Design & Technology
Designing and making a something for a somebody
A BIG Task sometimes called a Capability Task
To be successful a pupil needs to use the learning from Small Tasks sometimes called Resource Tasks
Because you can’t run on empty
See www.secondarydandt.org & www.primarydandt.org
Looking at Design Strategy Resource Tasks
Lots of opportunities for the SCC approach
Using the PIES approach to needs and wants
Understanding winners and losers
Teaching a Capability Task (i)
CapabilityTaskActivity
Teacher decisions
Introducing
Talkstart
Walkstart
Handstart
Readstart
Computerstart
See start Self start
Linking Which other area of the curriculum do you want your pupils to use in thisCapability Task? Is it . .maths, science, art & design, IT, one of the key skills, literacy, citizenship?
The brief What is the scope of the brief? Just how open or closed should it be for yourpupils?Closed – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Open
Trappingideas andfirstfeedback
Use getting design idea strategies for pupils to produce initial design ideas.Do you want them to produce just one idea each or lots of different ideas?Display the ideas so that each pupil can get feedback from the rest of thegroupJ ust one idea – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Lots of ideas
Teaching a Capability Task (ii)
Thespecification
How complex should the task be for particular pupils?Negotiate the specification with individual pupils to achieve gooddifferentiation.Simple – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Complex
Modellingsolutions
What’s the diversity of experience here?How many different sorts of modelling will be happening in your class toproduce prototype products?J ust one sort – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Several different sorts
Secondfeedback
Working in pairs pupils take on alternate roles of client and designer.Client has specification and designer has prototype product. Will theproduct meet the specification? Will it delight the client? What questionswill the pupils ask ? Will you give them questions or will they make themup?Given questions – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Free questions
Teaching a Capability Task (iii)
Teacherfeedback
Use prototypes and pupil’s Nuffield Note Book to give three point feedbackto each pupil• a comment about the design • a comment about the production •
a comment to motivateeither overall or a point of detail personal to the pupil
Production What range of tools, materials and technical components will pupils useNarrow range – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Wide rangeWill all the pupils be able to make their design? How much help will youneed to give? Can they help each other? Will you need to demonstrate? Willyou need to set up specialist making stations? ?
Finalfeedback
How will your pupils evaluate their products?On their own? In pairs or small groups? Through general class discussion?What criteria will they use for this evaluation?
Taskreview
How did the pupils perform in the Capability Task? What did they learn?What might they do better next time?On their own? In pairs or small groups? Through general class discussion?Target setting for the next Capability Task
See Teacher’s Guide in Designing at KS3 www.secondarydandt.org
Lessons from Electronics in Schools
MarketingWho it’s for
ConstructionalHow it fits together
ConceptualWhat it does
TechnicalHow it works
AestheticWhat it looks like
Consider constructing a working radio circuit
Consider designing and making a working radio for your gran who has limited manipulative abilities and poor sight
Lots of opportunities for the SCC approach
Lessons from Electronics in Schools
MarketingWho it’s for
ConstructionalHow it fits together
ConceptualWhat it does
TechnicalHow it works
AestheticWhat it looks like
What about social impact? What about economic impact?
What about environmental impact? Lots of opportunities for the SCC approachSee
www.electronicsinschools.org/index.php
Lessons from Electronics in Schools
Conceptual Technical Aesthetic Constructional
Marketing
BIG Task 1 Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
BIG Task 2 Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
BIG Task 3 Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
BIG Task 4 Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Pupil or teacher?
Etc
This design decision audit reveals the opportunities for the SCC approach
Lessons from Young Foresight
• Pupils design but NOT make• Products and service for the future• Using new and emerging technologies in their design proposals
• Writing their own design briefs• Working in groups• Supported by mentors from industry• Presenting their proposals to their peers, teachers and mentors and to adult audiences at innovation conferences REQUIRES the SCC
approach
Conceptual design with the Young Foresight Tetrahedron
Technology
Society
Markets
People
See www.youngforesight.org
The QTC Challenge
• QTC is clever stuff. • It comes as thin sheets or a powder.• It can be built into textiles or fixed to hard
surfaces.• In a relaxed state it is a good insulator.• When it is stretched, squashed or twisted it
becomes a conductor.• The harder you stretch, squash or twist it the
better it conducts.• It’s already been used in power tools and a
robot hand.
• What would you use it for?
Pupils’ concept 1
Pupils’ concept 2
Pupils’ concept 3
A response to a more open challenge
Summing up
• Socio cultural constructivism defined
• Conditions for success - imperative to the endeavour
• Nuffield D&T - a simple effective pedagogy supportive of SCC
• EIS - design decision audit revealing opportunities for SCC
• Young Foresight - collaborative conceptual design requiring SCC