Design & Technology S1/S2
During your work in the Department you will learn about Technology, Design, Craft and Graphics
Type of classroom arrangement
You will work in groups and on your own. Sometimes you will make projects using your own ideas. At other times it is better to work in groups where you can be helped by, or help, others. This can be lots of fun. You may even be working on a production line for one project. Whatever method is used you will make a number of projects to take home.
What do we expect from you regarding homework and class work?
It’s simple - we expect you to work hard and do your very best. Whether the work be Technology, Design, Craft or Graphics you should listen carefully and take part in answering questions. Homework is seen as very important. It will normally be given once a week. It could be sketching ideas, gathering information or finishing class work. We would expect all pupils to have a basic set of coloured pencils for use at home.
Skills that you will learn
There are many skills to learn and develop. Accuracy and neatness are very important and you should work hard at trying to develop these. You will probably learn a lot of new skills. You may never have used a drill or held a saw before. By the end of S2 you should be able to carry out many practical tasks using a range of tools and processes. Various materials will also be used. You will also learn some industrial uses of computers, build up good sketching and drawing techniques and learn about how technology affects us.
How will you know how well you are doing?
Your teacher will assess every piece of practical work you make and record it on a profile sheet. You will be able to see this sheet. You will also need to write your own assessment of your work - we call this Evaluation. When your report card is due your teacher will look back to your profile sheet.
In Graphics and Technology most of your work will be assessed all of the time. If you do one piece of work that is not to your usual standard - don't panic - we look at your overall progress.
Safety
You must not wear rings or dangly jewellery in the workshop. Long hair must be held back to avoid contact with machinery. Nylon-based or similar tracksuit clothes pose considerable Health and Safety risk in a workshop. No pupil dressed in this way will be allowed to carry out practical work. Footwear must give protection against sharp, heavy or hot items. Any pupil with footwear which is flimsy, unstable or exposes large areas of the foot, will not be allowed to carry out practical work.
