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The school library is a great source of information and knowledge. Pupils from the Geits to the Sevenths have found it invaluable in their quest for information on specific design topics. 
Creativity and Decision Making
Design Technology is a subject which demands that the pupil makes decisions, develops initiative, communicates both graphically and orally, and develops practical skills.
Learning is gained through experience, not only through achieving success but also by experiencing failure, and by creating an expectation of quality.The Design Technology Department at the Edinburgh Academy provides pupils with a wide experience in materials, design and engineering. The close links we have with other departments such as physics, electronics, art, computing and mathematics helps pupils bring all their skills together into one subject. Teaching groups are no larger than 14 pupils to 1 member of staff. The department facilities consist of a multi-material workshop and a graphic/modelling studio. The Department is able to cater for all pupils that attend the Academy. Design by its very nature is challenging and interesting and this the basis of good education.
DT in the curriculum
In the junior part of the school all pupils in the Geits to Thirds take DT as a compulsory subject. Geits and Seconds have two lessons a week for one and a half terms then for the remainder of the year do computing. The Thirds again have two lessons per week but take it for the complete year. It is our hope by the end of the Thirds pupils will have enjoyed themselves in the department, and would have learnt some valuable skills. These include use of their initiative, being creative, experimental and being able to make value judgements and decisions concerning design work. All of these attributes are only the beginnings but are important starting points towards becoming a valuable member of society.
Design Technology by its very nature allows staff to work very closely with the pupils. This permits staff to take an active interest in the pupil's welfare, as well as help, praise and encourage pupils on an individual basis. Pupils respond well to this and can produce their best possible work. It is also a subject that caters for able and less able pupils. Pupils are allowed to work at their own pace and be totally expressive in their design work. Along with three-dimensional realisation equal amounts of time and effort are put into research, development and evaluation of each design project, always striving for quality. Many pupils find working together very difficult as they are very competitive. Teamwork is encouraged through small two or three week projects. Life is about working with other people so staff are always encouraged to adopt this teaching approach.
The culmination of the pupil's year of hard work is the end of year Exhibition. It gives all pupils the opportunity to show off their design work and to learn from other year groups. The quality of learning and teaching is of the utmost importance. Learning takes place through courses which are balanced, broad and allow pupils to use their knowledge and skills to make decisions. Their education is enriched by the process of creation whether the outcome is successful or not.
About the Design Technology Department
Our Aims: To equip pupils with a body of knowledge that enables them to solve practical technological problems, through analysis, research and realisation To develop research, graphical and manipulative skills To make pupils understand the role and importance of technology in modern society and to ensure that they have a social responsibility To encourage pupils to see Design outside and within school To enjoy and be confident in their work and to foster creativity To promote links with our surrounding community and industry. To emphasise the safety aspects of working in the workshop, making sure every pupil is aware of the rules. These are to be regularly reinforced to maintain awareness. |
Cross curricular links
The Design Technology department has very strong links with most departments, the strongest being the Physics department. Projects are run with the help of them; they produce the electronic components and we package them. With the Physics, Chemistry and Biology departments we help 5th, 6th and 7th year pupils with various GCSE, Higher and 'A' Level work. This has been very rewarding and helped to give pupils a greater understanding of the need of liaison between people and different disciplines. Over the past years we have enjoyed links with Art, Business Studies, History, English and Maths. |
DT Activities
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Projects
Pupils in the Thirds upwards are able to do their own project work with many GCSE pupils using this time to complete coursework. The senior activity is again well used especially by pupils who were unable to do the GCSE due to subject choices. |
Lunchtime activities
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Junior Links
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To encourage pupils to use their initiative and ingenuity and to develop a questioning mind.jpg)
It is very easy to become caught up in your own departmental work ignoring the wider impact of the subject on the school curriculum. There is so much that can be learnt and achieved through working with other departments, for example, teaching methods, problem solving techniques, the needs of other subjects and probably the most important aspect, giving pupils the opportunity to see subjects not just in isolation but as all subject needing each other and what they may learn in maths for example, can be very useful in the design project work. Time is very tight within the timetable but we make every effort to allocate cross-curricular links with other departments.
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Design Technology activity take place four times a week, from 3.35 - 4.15. A limit of fourteen pupils per session is imposed for safety reasons. These activities are always well subscribed, pupils are encouraged to move onto another activity after a term, due to popularity and an effort by staff to give as many pupils as possible the opportunity to work in the Department.
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In the past pupils have been able to choose the projects they wish to do, but it has been found that the Geits and Seconds are always too ambitious and are not equipped with the necessary skills to produce good quality work, so project are set. 
The Department is open four lunch times a week from 1.00 - 1.30 for pupils of all year groups to finish of school projects or personal projects. In the case of GCSE, Higher and 'A' Level pupils they are encouraged to use this time to continue with coursework, carry on with class work, activity work or work for play sets. There are always at least two members of staff supervising this activity..jpg)
The link with the Junior School is an area which receives attention. We have run projects in the past with Denham Green with whom our GCSE pupils did a terms study on educational toys, it proved an exciting and fruitful experience for all concerned. The final outcome of the project were fully functional three dimensional educational toys, which were tested and then handed over to different departments within the Junior School for use in teaching.This page is: Edinburgh Academy / curriculum / dt / index.htm
