The Role of Published Materials in Curriculum Development and Implementation for Secondary School Design and Technology in England and Wales

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This paper discusses the ways in which teachers exploited a set of curriculum materials published as a vehicle for curriculum innovation, and the relationship between chosen modes of exploitation and teachers' own perceptions of how the materials had 'added value' to their teaching. The materials in question were developed by the Nuffield Design and Technology Project ('the Project') to offer a pedagogy appropriate to the statutory curriculum for secondary school design and technology education in England and Wales (DFE/WO 1995). The Project had sought both to inform the statutory curriculum, and respond to its requirements. An earlier case study (Givens 1997) laid the foundations for the survey that is reported here. This paper focuses on the teaching of pupils aged 11-14. It finds that while most teachers made at least some use of all the various components of the publications, they were selective. While the Study Guide, which carries out a meta-cognitive dialogue with pupils, was generally underused, those teachers who did use it perceived greater value added by the materials as a whole to the quality of pupils' work, their effectiveness in design and technology and their autonomy.Key words: technology education, design and technology education, curriculum innovation through publication, meta-cognition, study guides, students' guides, pupils' guides 2 MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF NATIONAL CURRICULUM DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY THROUGH CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLICATION: THE NUFFIELD DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY PROJECT Design and technology was introduced as a new subject into the National Curriculum of England and Wales in 1990 (DES/WO 1990). A central feature of the subject is that it required pupils to design and make products. Designing and making engages students with thinking about the made world and how they might intervene to change it. The educational value of this work does not depend on the worth of the products that pupils design and make; the activity itself is held to be highly significant because " the process of trying to create change requires pupils to engage in a challenging, enriching empowering activity" (Kimbell, Stables & Green, 1996, p. 29).The Nuffield Design and Technology Project was initiated in 1990 as schools were required for the first time to teach design and technology. It soon became clear to the Project that many teachers were finding it extremely difficult to meet these new requirements. This was echoed by the findings of Her Majesties Inspectors of Schools; the annual report for design & technology in 1990design & technology in -1991design & technology in (DES 1992) makes sorry reading and shows a decline in pupils ability to design and make since the introduction of the National Curriculum, particularly in the 11 -14 age range. The Project took a three-pronged approach to address this by: i) promoting and contributing to a radical revision of the Statutory Orders to make them accessible to teachers.ii) establishing a clear pedagogy that teachers could use to tea...

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