Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Week 2 - The Design Cycle

The Design Cycle


Through studying the ‘The Technology Design Cycle’ in this week’s topic, the following stages were highlighted as fundamental in the cycle according to my understanding:

1.      Identify a need
Refine the nature of the need – who is affected by it and what is the solution?
For example, creativity and independence in the area of technology in the classroom is lacking. Children in some schools are not given the chance to explore technology through an inquiry approach to the subject.

2.      Research the Problem
Research is required to get better insight of the problem and essential, achievable solutions – what are the boundaries? What is available to create a solution?
For example, what digital technology is available to the targeted schools e.g. ipads, computer labs, IWB (interactive whiteboards)?

3.      Formulate a Design Specification
Specifications should be established in the formation of the design – what time, expense, materials, processes, safety precautions etc. will be needed?
For example, say the design solution for this problem is to have the children design their own app/game for the use of a computer or iPad – possibly a term may be needed for children to do this in depth and properly, a computer lab or numerous iPads may be needed, a free legal site/app will be needed to be accessible for students to create their own app/game, a safe working environment will need to be organized etc.

4.      Designing a Solution
Designing and ‘justifying’ the solution – how does it meet the criteria?
For example, students are expected to be competent in working with design technology and knowledgeable of how devices work and how their design can affect others. This design suits this criteria.

5.      Building a Prototype
Identifying the design process – how will students be expected to create the given design?
For example, students are expected to plan design as a hard copy with their aim, their colour scheme, the theme of the game, their target audience, their potential problems, their solutions etc.

6.      Evaluating and Rethinking
Problems are evaluated and the planning is altered to suit the new and improved design.
For example, it would seem apparent the more students would have access to a computer rather than an iPad both at school and at home, therefore it would be more appropriate to have them design a computer game rather than an app.

Overall it is obvious through the given example throughout the steps, the Technology Design Cycle is a useful guideline to use in pedagogy to ensure all aspects of a particular design are covered before implementing.




Here are Some Reflections to Course Readings

Teaching Technology, purpose and pedagogy – Reflection

·   Jones, Buntting and de Vries (2013). The developing field of technology education: a review to look forward. 

Jones, Buntting and de Vries, essentially review technology and the development of throughout the last 20 years. They provide an in depth synthesis of where it is now, where it is heading and how educators should cater for this. Jones et al. elaborate a useful strategy for implementing technology in the classroom,  “For technology education, Jones and Moreland’s (2003) model identifies seven constructs that seem important: the nature of the subject and its characteristics; conceptual and procedural knowledge, so that specific learning goals can be identified; knowledge of the curriculum; knowledge of student learning and progression; specific teaching and assessment practices of the subject; understanding the role and place of appropriate subject-related contexts; and managing the classroom environment in subject-appropriate ways. (2013, p. 200).”

This quotes makes it seem important to be aware of the diverse levels of students, knowing where you need them to be (learning wise), consequently what it is that needs to be taught and essentially how you are going to implement this in a way that the students will cope with. Perhaps to cater for diverse learning capabilities set up a range of learning areas in the class room – have the students rotate in groups between the use of ipads, computers, IWB, watching a clip and have this as coverage of technology on a specific topic e.g science (this way you kill two birds with one stone). Lastly, the authors make it clear that teacher knowledge is the most important aspect in this pedagogy, it is critical that the teacher remains up to date with modern day implementations and curriculum.

·         Read the following paper by Theodore Lewis (2009): Creativity in technology education: providing children with glimpses of their inventive potential. 

Lewis accentuates the significance of creativity in this subject area.“It is clear from the sparse mainstream educational literature on inventiveness in the schools, that the efforts within technology education are not well known outside the field. More needs to be done across countries to make educational policy makers and researchers more aware of this aspect of the subject. Invention and design are correlated (2002, p. 262).” Important Implementations within technology to encourage creative technology include:
  •        Problem solving
  •         Divergent thinking
  •              Combination thinking
  •             Metaphorical thinking
  •              Analogical thinking
  •        Metaphorical thinking




Brief points highlighted within the article

   -  Students should be presented with a problem and left to decide their own solution using whichever -method they choose –this will determine their learning strategy
     
 -    The successful and unsuccessful student reflections during class discussion will elaborate to them the connection between problem solving and technology in today’s society

      -Having the students work collaboratively with their peers in this subject area will allow them not only to develop literacy skills but form a broader knowledge base on working with technology through sharing skills and ideas.

Advantages of Concept Mapping 
Here is an example of my own...



References

Buntting, J., Vries, D. (2013). The developing field of technology education: A review to look forward. International Journal of Technology Design Education, vol. 23, pp. 191-212.

Collab, K. (2014). Bubblus: Brainstorm and create. Retrieved from https://bubbl.us/

Lewis, T. (2009). Creativity in technology education: Providing children with glimpses of their inventive potential. International Journal Of Technology & Design Education, 19(3), 255-268. doi:10.1007/s10798-008-9051-y.

Mawson, B. (2003). Beyond the design process: An alternative pedagogy for technology pedagogy. Retrieved from http://technology-pedagogies.com.au  


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