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Interactive
DVD for Pupils and Teachers when involved
in Design Project Work |
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School:
Ash Manor School, Surrey |
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Fellow: Pan Panayiotou |
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Email: ppanayiotou@ashmanor.surrey.sch.uk,
pandesign@hotmail.com |
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Aim/Objective for Project |
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The objective of this project
was to produce an interactive guide for pupils
and teachers when involved in Design project
work. The idea behind the CD/DVD was to use
real designers to lead students through the
Design Process. Having real designers commenting
on how they tackle the problems associated
with their work, the mystery of the Design
Process would become clearer to the students. |
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The Design Process |
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Problem |
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Design Brief |
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Specification |
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Idea Generation |
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Development |
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Testing |
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Evaluation |
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Modifications |
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The list above is what I have
been trying to get students to understand.
For many years as a teacher I have watched
and taught students how to ‘jump’
through these hoops without them having an
understanding of its relevance. I chose to
do this project because I have become frustrated
at the lack of materials that can be used
in the classroom to help students understand
and comprehend the Design Process. |
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The project used: |
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The role of designers
to identify at which stages they have
control and input into a project. |
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British designers and manufacturers
to promote the Design process. |
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Designers to launch a new project
through CD ROM. |
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The CD/DVD leads students through
the Design Process and through examples
showing them the different ways in which
project work can be presented. |
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The CD/DVD has a variety of possible
outcomes and extension tasks on offer
to the pupils. |
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The CD/DVD also has video clips showing
different stages of the Design Process. |
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What I have achieved |
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The objective of
this project was to produce an interactive
CD/DVD guide for KS4/KS5 pupils and teachers,
when involved in Design Project work. The
idea behind the CD/DVD was to produce a piece
of software that uses Designers and Manufacturers
to lead students through the design process.
By using designers commenting on how they
tackle each problem associated with their
work, it shows that the Design Process students
go through, is exactly the same as that in
industry. |
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I initially made contact with
the Design Museum, Design Council, Nick Crosby
of Inflate and James Dyson Foundation
(JDF). From meetings with the Design Council
and the Design Museum it was evident that
I would have to refine my research considerably.
The Design Council were keen to listen extensively
to my ideas but were very reluctant to become
involved. Nick Crosby from ‘Inflate’
was very supportive and encouraging, and took
a great deal of time from his schedule to
listen to my ideas and provide constructive
and focused criticism. The James Dyson Foundation
was very encouraging and provided lots of
positive and influential feedback which helped
me to really focus in on what I wanted to
achieve in this research project. Julia Curry,
Education Liaison Officer at JDF was able
to help me realise what I could realistically
achieve in the time frame I had. |
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Research Processes |
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I used simple interview techniques
to gain the information required. Many of
the interviews were taped using a Digital
Video recorder. This allowed reflection and
further post analysis of what was actually
said. Questionnaires were also used and the
results were analysed to guide the direction
of the project. |
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From student and
Teacher qualitative and quantitative questionnaires
the research showed that students ‘could
not see the direct relevance of Design Technology’
from what they study in the classroom and
many of the students at KS5 saw the subject
as a soft choice for AS level. |
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JDF agreed to help produce and
distribute the CD/DVD through their Educational
boxes which they send out to schools and use
the questionnaires as a source of feedback.
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Personal Reflections |
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I have found the journey that
the project has led me on very rewarding and
exhilarating. I have met fantastic inspirational
individuals who have a real passion and belief
for design. I have found that when I have
come back from a meeting my own teaching has
become more energised.
I have been fortunate to find a good supporter
for my research and have been inspired by
visiting Dyson’s head office in Malmesbury,
Wiltshire. |
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The project has taught me to
be believe in my convictions and in what I
am doing and by having good supporting evidence
and data everything is achievable. |
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very fortunate
to have James Dyson Foundation interested
in the project enough for them to be able
to offer their expertise in the filming of
such a project. James Dyson also agreed to
feature on the DVD and is a fantastic endorsement
of what I have been trying to achieve. My
resources would have produced a DVD but not
to the level I believe I have achieved. |
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Dissemination of Findings |
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The Project findings have
been disseminated to the Senior Leadership
Team at my school, with all the school used
in the pilot study. DATA (Design and Technology
Association) has published the findings and
a review of the DVD in its Designing Magazine,
Summer 2006. Specialist Schools Trust has
also produced an article for its Specialist
Technology colleges.
The DVD will be launched at the DT show in
Birmingham, in November. By that time Version
2 may be available, having taken on board
some of the comments from the questionnaires
sent out. |
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The key to my outcome,
and not necessarily how good I think the end
product has been, has been the involvement
of the variety of different stakeholders.
From meetings at The Design Council to ‘popping’
around to my local 6th Form College, for me
this has been the most rewarding aspect of
the Gatsby Fellowship and seeing the interaction
pupils and teachers have gained by using a
product that I have help create. |
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The award of the
Fellowship, I believe, has allowed me to engage
in a body of research that goes outside the
classroom environment but eventually returns
to disseminate its findings. Finding the time
to visit companies, schools etc is difficult
but without performing these tasks my project
would have had a very simplistic outcome. |
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If there was one significant
piece of information that I would pass on
to future Gatsby fellows it would be, ‘start
with a blank sheet of paper and brainstorm
your wildest aspiration for the project’.
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