Bill Belcher, Head of Design & Technology
The workplaces of today, and undoubtedly of the future, require a diverse range of skills and capabilities. Workers of the future not only need to have technical abilities, but they need to be able to communicate, think creatively and solve problems. Although I may be somewhat biased, I believe design and technology, in particular the International Baccalaureate (IB) course offering at our school, is in a unique position to help students develop these work-ready skillsets.
Through design and technology, students have the opportunity to become tech-savvy learners, but they are also given the freedom to apply their technical skills in creative ways. This is beneficial in two ways – first, they are more engaged with the technical and coding side of things, and second, it introduces them to the innovative, creative thinking they will need to apply in any job they choose to pursue.
Take programming, for example. From as young as Grade 6, students are introduced to the world of programming, first trying their hands at coding with BBC Micro:bits and using these skills to control the movement of a robot. Here, they master the skill of inputting code to control something in a certain way, and they are also encouraged to think about how these functions could be applied in more complex contexts – such as how do you programme a robot to land on Mars?
In Grade 8, students take on an app design project using MIT App Inventor. They research creating a new app based on a theme of their choice and then set about designing and building it – the project is entirely student-led; we just provide them with the tools and students then go forward with their own ideas. Eventually, as they go up through the school, students are able to progress to more technical software like Java, and similarly have the opportunity to apply their skills in creative ways, thinking about wider problems they might solve.
Throughout all of the IB's courses – whether it be mathematics or drama – a focus is placed on becoming a global citizen and applying knowledge to build a better world. In line with this philosophy, the theme for the Middle Years Programme (MYP) students' design e-portfolios last year was waste reduction and sustainability. This resulted in student work ranging from architect projects looking at creating houses out of recycled containers, to sledges made out of recycled rubbish – which the students even managed to sell at our school's Winter Wonderland!
The importance of sustainable materials is something that any architect or product designer is acutely aware of and this has become an ongoing focus throughout our design and technology courses. If students can understand the importance of sustainability and come up with innovative and unique ways to design and create more environmentally-friendly products now, imagine what they could be capable of in their futures.
The skills that students develop through the design and technology offering – which includes everything from programming and product design, to architecture and multi-media design - often shine through when it comes to the MYP personal projects.
This year, despite COVID-19 circumstances, we're seeing a fantastic variety of projects in the making. One student, Anna, is using her textiles skills to create COVID-secure face masks; another student, Andrei, is using his CAD skills to design a back protector that can be sewn inside a t-shirt. It's safe to say that the 3D printers are always on the go!
Andrei's backpack protector
When students get to the Diploma Programme (DP) things get even more sophisticated. Charlotte, a student in Grade 12, is currently designing a desk that can fit into small spaces for those working from home but with little room to do so.
Building on the sustainability theme, last year a Grade 12 student, Ellen, frustrated by the amount of waste left after festivals, collected up some tents and recycled the material to make waterproof clothing.
Another student, Sam, designed and 3D-printed an attachment for a mobile phone which has a fibre optic cable inside it – the idea being that you could clip it over your phone and direct the light to look around tight corners. He actually used and tested this during his Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) project where he worked at Brooklands Museum, the aviation museum in Surrey, helping to fix and renovate planes.
There are so many mind-blowing projects like this, I couldn't possibly name them all, but it does make me feel incredibly proud to be able to provide young people with the skills and tools they need to run away with these amazing ideas and turn them into real, usable and often game-changing products.