CourseworkOrder Description
Discussion Board Activity 1.2
Complete and discuss.
Take a paperclip and place it in front of you. (The size, colour or design of your paperclip is of no relevance.) Try to think of a different use for that paperclip.
It may be a practical, ornamental, or fanciful idea. Make your paperclip into the required shape. Show someone else your new design and explain its use. Ask them to do
the same. You have just completed a Technology activity which you can also use in the classroom. You began with an object which was made of a material with particular
properties. You redesigned that object to fit another purpose. You then demonstrated or communicated your idea to an audience. Which aspects of Technology and Design
were involved in this activity?
12112182Discussion Board Activity 1.3
Discussion Board Activity 1.3
Complete and share drawings and ideas with your group.Consider the chair in which you are sitting.
Is it comfortable?
Is it practical?
Does it fit with the rest of the furniture in the room?
Does it support your back adequately?
Is it easy to keep clean?
Are there any features which you particularly like?
Are there any features which you particularly dislike?
After you have evaluated your chair, draw a design for a new chair which addresses some of the problems which you have identified.
You have just completed a Technology activity which focused on evaluating an existing product. It could lead on to making a model of a new chair, or writing to the
chair manufacturer with suggestions for improvement.
10410479Discussion Board Activity 1.4
Discussion Board Activity 1.4
Imagine that you have just been alerted to a dangerous situation occurring within the building that you are in.
Draw up an emergency evacuation procedure for the occupants of the building. Trial the procedure in a variety of emergencies, for example, a fire in the next room, a
gas leak in the kitchen, a hostage situation, and a storm which has made the building unsafe.Was your procedure effective in each case? Who would need to know the plan? How would you ensure that everyone was safe? How would the information about the procedure
best be conveyed to those who need to know
878767Discussion Board Activity 1.5
Discussion Board Activity 1.5
How do you distinguish in your mind between science and technology? Would you feel comfortable teaching technology from the more integrated (interactionist) approach
or via a demarcation approach? Do you consider that the scientific principles inherent in a technological device need to be taught prior to the
exploration/construction of the device (technology as applied science) or should the science derive from the technology (materialist view)? Might the approach used
depend on a range of factors? What might these factors be?
696950Discussion Board Activity 2.1
Discussion Board Activity 2.1What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a Design, Make, Appraise approach?
Remember back to, or redo, some of the tasks in Module 1.16316362Discussion Board Activity 2.3
Discussion Board Activity 2.3
Glance around at your immediate environment, and perhaps your kitchen also, and make a list of all the different types of materials (such as wood) that comprise the
items/objects in that environment. Hazard a guess if you are uncertain about any specific material.Group the materials on your list under headings, according to the origin/ source of the materials you have listed and record these sources. For example, wood, card and
paper all originate from plants/trees.Are you aware of new technologies causing a change in the materials used for any of your items?
Glance around at your immediate environment, and perhaps your kitchen also, and make a list of all the different types of materials (such as wood) that comprise the
items/objects in that environment. Hazard a guess if you are uncertain about any specific material.Group the materials on your list under headings, according to the origin/ source of the materials you have listed and record these sources. For example, wood, card and
paper all originate from plants/trees.Are you aware of new technologies causing a change in the materials used for any of your items?505042Discussion Board Activity 2.4
Discussion Board Activity 2.4
Materials properties
Gather together three stationery items. For example, pencil, eraser, ruler, etc. List the items by name and state the material(s) from which each item is made.
Consider the functions of the different parts of the item (if the Item does have more than one part) and the materials which comprise these parts. For example, the
pencil has a core and an exterior part.Record these functions.
Identify the properties of the materials that contribute to the safe use and effective functioning of the item. Include the materials from all parts of the item.
Test each of the items by exerting a reasonable force, using your hands to push/pull/twist. Note if the material is inclined to snap, splinter, bend, distort, regain
shape, stretch, compress, tear, etc. Record any pertinent information about the materials behaviour.
Comment on the suitability of the materials used, in line with purpose for which the item is designed, and in respect of the behaviour under reasonable force.383835Discussion Board Activity 2.5
Discussion Board Activity 2.5
1. Describe a system that controls some aspect of your life. This can be a self imposed or institutional system. Identify the component parts of the system and
note how these parts are connected/work together so that an intended outcome is achieved. This needs only be a brief response.
2. Machines are systems comprising moving parts (mechanisms) which act together to do a particular job. Examine a simple household machine, such as a hand held rotary
beater or drill. As far as possible, identify and sketch the various parts of the system (components of the machine) and describe how these work together to make the
machine function. Are any gears or pulleys or wheels present? Are there any superfluous parts?404029Discussion Board Activity 3.1
Discussion Board Activity 3.1Read the book Who sank the boat? by Pamela Allen. (If you do not have access to this book, choose another popular childrens story or nursery rhyme and make up your
own design challenge.)
Design and make a boat that will hold a heavy weight using only plasticine or modelling clay.
Remember the paperclip, evacuation procedure and chair activities from Module 1? You have completed a series of activities which address nearly every outcome of the
Technology and Design learning area. Some activities result in a physical product or artefact, while others are ideas or plans for systems. Some activities arise
naturally from the students environment (for example, complaints about the comfort of their chairs, or not being served in turn at the canteen), while others are
artificially imposed by the teacher (the paperclip, or a literature-based challenge). Some activities require little or no equipment and resources, others need many
materials. Nearly all activities can be adjusted to suit a wide range of interest and ability levels.
The suggestions which follow can be modified for any context, and as you become more familiar and confident in the Technology and Design area, you will realise that
most teachers unknowingly already cover many of the Technology and Design outcomes in other subject areas. It is simply a matter of changing the focus of the activity
so that the Technology outcomes are evaluated. Remember, there are many ways to introduce Technology into a primary classroom.222216Discussion Board Activity 3.2
Discussion Board Activity 3.2
The following example of one teachers preliminary planning around a Design Brief allows you to see some of the components which have to be taken into account.
Sometimes, details can only be filled in once the project has commenced, and the students level of interest and involvement can be determined. For instance, this
activity could span up to six weeks if the interest level was high, but might only take two weeks. Many aspects of this planning, such as the integration with other
learning areas, will need to be expanded before the activity is undertaken so that the teacher has an adequate overview. Please discuss the teachers roles in planning
around a Design Brief.171715Discussion Board Activity 3.3
Discussion Board Activity 3.3Find at least 2 teacher resources (websites, books, etc) which provide ideas for integrated units of work. Share these with your fellow students on the discussion
board or at the workshop