Technology

Grades 9 & 10

In grades 9 and 10, students are required to take Design Technology each year.

Design and Technology

Design and Technology is a unique aspect of a student’s education, with both the process and the product being important. The subject involves designing and making quality products which can be tested and evaluated using a variety of materials, equipment and processes. Students undertaking the Grade 9 and 10 course will be using strategies to develop solutions to set problems. Students will have a planned and progressive experience of Design and Technology which is appropriate to their abilities and relevant to their future needs as active participants in a technological society.

In design and technology, students gain and apply knowledge and understanding of: existing products; materials and components including joining and combining processes, recognising new materials and processes, and identifying their potential uses; structures; communications technology; mechanisms and control systems; new technologies and new technological applications, including computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM); single and quantity production techniques, including those focusing on quality assurance; health and safety.

Grades 11 & 12

IB Design Technology (Standard Level and Higher Level)

Design Technology consists of gathering information about the present state of the world around us, processing that information and planning for some kind of intervention either by modifying what is already there or introducing something new. The designer is not just interested in the material environment but also the political, social and economic considerations which affect people's priorities.

The core material provides information about and experience of designing and the role of the designers. At the same time it provides details about materials and processes to allow students to get a feel for the work of designers through investigative and project work. All students must complete at least two design technology projects as an integral part of their internal assessment. The projects are designed to link together aspects of the course in a problem solving context. These give students the opportunity to use their skills and knowledge in situations that are realistic, challenging and open enough to bring all elements of the design process together in the search for solutions capable of meeting the specifications. Whilst the practical assessment of both the Standard and the Higher Level course is the same the Higher Level provides extension in terms of the theoretical aspects studied. The project work accounts for approximately 33% of the student’s final grade.