What Does Design and Technology Learning Really Look Like?

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a research study
investigating the relationship between intended learning
and actual learning in Design and Technology lessons
(Southall, 2015). The research focused upon the ‘pre
active’ phase of the teaching-learning process, that is the
teacher’s planning processes and procedures. The
planning processes and procedures used by teachers are
an essential pre-requisite to ensuring students’ progress
their learning and consequently a vital aspect of teaching.
Unfortunately however, it is an area of teaching often only
considered in the context of ‘novice’ teachers. With the
recent increasing focuses on the production of
measurable learning ‘outputs’ in education, understanding
the mechanisms behind effective planning processes that
provide appropriate learning experiences, producing a
range of learning outcomes is challenging for teachers and
schools.
The concept of being able to identify students’ learning
and consequently plan for, capture and then gather
learning, is directly related to the notion of learning
outcomes, however can learning outcomes demonstrate
the type of learning required to progress in Design and
Technology? The role and function of a learning outcome
within the teaching-learning process, the influences on
and issues involved in the application of Design and
Technology learning outcomes will be discussed.
Seventy lesson plans were analysed and the intended
learning outcome was identified and compared with the
actual learning outcome produced during the lesson. The
findings from this study reveal that the dominant,
systematic planning model used by many teachers,
provides only to a limited extent the relational framework
for the intended and actual learning that supports the
teaching-learning process. The prevailing focus on learning
outcomes identified during this research is, it is argued,
unable to fully support the multidimensionality and
multimodality integral to Design and Technology learning.
Instead it is restrictive and promotes a limited approach to
the subject in relation to both teaching and learning. The
study concludes that the planning processes and
procedures in Design and Technology need to be
developed with the clear intention of strengthening their
role within the teaching-learning process. This would
encourage the development of the underlying important
principles inherent within the subject and support
teachers’ and students’ achievement, creativity and
enjoyment in teaching and learning in the classroom.