Reimagining Design and Technology Education: The D&T Association's Innovative Approach

Talking D&T

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Early this year I had the pleasure of interviewing Tony Ryan, the Chief Executive of the Design and Technology Association. In this episode, Tony shared exciting updates about the association's initiatives to support and advance design and technology education in the UK.
We discussed the "Reimagined" program, which focuses on developing a design-driven, problem-solving approach to the subject at Key Stage 3. The association has created 12 units of work, with plans to release up to 30, inspired by real-world challenges provided by over 300 industry partners. These units aim to engage students in iterative design, CAD, and 3D printing while fostering essential skills like tenacity and collaboration.
Tony also highlighted the Association's efforts in primary education, with the popular "Projects on a Page" resources and plans to digitize them for interactive classroom use. We touched upon the lobbying efforts to ensure design and technology remains a valued subject in the curriculum and the need for evidence-based research to support these initiatives.
Throughout our conversation, Tony's passion for the subject and dedication to creating innovative, accessible resources shone through. I'm excited to see the impact these projects will have on students and teachers alike.
(Text generated by AI, edited by Alison Hardy)
From the Design and Technology Association
Re-imagining report
Inspired by Industry: www.inspiredbyindustry.org.uk, including the dinosaur unit (click on the 'promotional displays' button).
Projects on a Page is sold separately, it is better value purchased with primary school membership

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Luvut

1. Future of Design and Technology Education (00:00:00)

2. Creating Free Units of work (00:07:09)

3. Developing Design and Technology Education (00:17:01)

4. Design and Technology Education Advocacy and Expansion (00:27:46)

5. Building Teachers' Agency (00:40:18)