Design & Technology
Design & Technology (D&T) education emphasises on the development of cognitive skills and abilities unique in the field of design. It goes beyond students merely learning content knowledge and developing problem-solving skills. Rather, learning in D&T is about students developing a way of thinking and doing to visualise and concretise design solutions for real-world contexts.
In D&T, students learn mainly through design-and-make projects guided by a design process which entails identifying design needs from real-world experiences, generating and developing ideas; and realising the design solution, with research carried out when necessary.
The D&T Syllabus emphasises the following:
- Thinking through sketching to generate and to develop design solutions
- Exploration and experimentation of ideas through mock-ups so as to allow students to fail early in seeking a practical and appropriate design solution for the user
- Making of prototype as a as a cognitive and hands-on endeavour
D&T education aims to nurture in our students a way of thinking and doing – designerly dispositions that are inherent in design practices- through designing and making. The designerly dispositions are as follows:
- Embracing uncertainties and complexities
- Be cognizant of and resolve real-world, ill-defined problems
- Relentless drive to seek out how thigs work
- Use of doodling and sketching, and 3D manipulation of resistant materials as a language for visualisation, communication and presentation
D&T is offered at both lower and upper secondary levels. While the lower secondary curriculum is compulsory, the upper secondary curriculum is offered as an elective which is suitable for students with talent and interest in pursuing design-and-technology related field of study or work after secondary school.
Both the lower and upper secondary syllabi comprise of three parts; Design Project, Presentation and written examination. One important component of the Design Project is the Design Journal, a detailed document of the design process.
Lower Secondary projects:
Upper Secondary projects:
