Developing e-learning in the DT curriculum: Critial reflection and conclusions

Technology enhanced learning intervention: have I met my primary aims and objectives?

5^th Form Design and Technology.

One of the overriding aims of the tel intervention at school W was to address the issues of poorly executed, unfinished practical projects in the lower school. Since my appointment at Head of Department in September 2011 the introduction of a strategically planned curriculum, ambitious projects that utilised more effectively the range of excellent facilities available and five extra-extracurricular “Open Workshops” each week has resulted in huge strides forward. However, two main barriers to effective learning and progress remained; a time scale of five to six weeks in which to complete a practical project, invariably squeezed by additional extra-curricular commitments and a lack of prior DT experience.

In 2011 the Modernist-inspired tea light holder project took place in the Lent (spring) term. By the end of the six week rotation, although the quality of the practical work had improved immeasurably, 45% of the projects remained unfinished. Those who had missed one or two double practical lessons comprised the lion’s share of that 45% and they had floundered when they returned to the workshop after a week’s absence. Of the unfinished projects, most required at least two to three hours work, rather than being a relatively quick final assembly exercise. Because I felt it vital that pupils completed their practical work and retained the high levels of engagement and enthusiasm that were beginning to prevail, extra-curricular Open Workshops ran for the duration of the term during which the vast majority of pupils did finish their work, all to a high standard in terms of build quality, aesthetics and quality of finish.

My main objective was to support individuals at risk of falling behind due to missed practicals, a lack of experience or confidence by providing a video library of demonstrations used during the project.

 

 

Manufacturing Processes:

 

1.Marking out mild steel: using engineer's blue and a range of marking out tools.
2.Wasting mild steel: cutting using a hacksaw, junior hacksaw, tin snips; drilling using a pillar drill.
3.Shaping and smoothing mild steel: cross and drawfiling / use of abrasives
4.Facing off mild steel tube: completed by technician.
5.Prepping and permanently joining mild steel: fluxing, brazing.
6.Pickling mild steel: using dilute hydrochloric acid and quenching.
7.Cleaning and prepping mild steel for a surface finish: abrasives.
8. Dip coating mild steel.
9. CNC routing birch ply base: completed by technician.
10. Production of birch ply arm using a bag press:completed by technician.
11. Prepping brich ply for a surface finish.
12. Birch ply: applying a surface finish: varnish / paint.
13. Permanent assembly using adhesives: gluing the arm to the base using PVA.
14. Non-permanet assembly using mehcanical fttings: pan head screw and dome nut.

The tea light holder project was run in the Play (autumn) term in 2012. Out of a cohort of 120, 75% of the pupils have fully completed their projects, an improvement of 30%. Out of the thirty tea light holders that remain unfinished, most of the manufacturing processes are complete and only final assembly, a task that requires roughly ten to fifteen minutes, is required.  In terms of pure number crunching and allowing pupils to make progress, ultimately the intervention has been a success. Pupils who have missed a lesson have used the school You Tubechannel via the workshop laptops or the desk PC to watch or revise the demonstrations before tackling a manufacturing task. Even if they have still required input from myself they have been far more focused in the type of help they have asked for and far more focused when working independently. A number of the more organised pupils have viewed the videos in between lessons so that on their return to the workshop, they are up to speed. Nineteen videos are now loaded on the school You Tube channel and to date; they have been viewed 429 times which is encouraging. What has been noticeable is that pupils from other year groups have been asking about them and using them; consequently links to the site have been added to the side bars on the Upper Shell (Year 11) blog and the DT host blog.
However, although in terms of completed projects the term has been a success, it is difficult to accurately extrapolate exactly how much of this is down to the videos, how much is down to the Open Workshops and how much is due to the increasingly positive and engaged atmosphere within the department as a whole. Boys have been clamouring to attend Open Workshops and tellingly, were anxious to take work home for Christmas. Only four completed projects remain unclaimed. Feedback from other members of staff has also been extremely positive with one colleague remarking that she had “just seen a lovely sight, a 5^th Former walking along the pavement with a grin from ear to ear proudly carrying his DT project.”

I was a little surprised as to how underwhelmed the 5^th Form were when it came to QR codes. Whilst talking to the previous year’s 5^th Form during the summer term about my proposed intervention, their feedback was highly enthusiastic, prompting a range of suggestions as to how the technology could best be used. However, the quick straw polls conducted during the summer term did not in fact reflect how many pupils have access to a working smartphone in the autumn.  In addition, several problems emerged when pupils tried to access the videos via their phones and they preferred to use the laptops and desk PC. Some felt that the QR codes were a little bit “gimmicky” and those who found them most useful were the ones who tended to be more technologically savvy in the first place. Some of the more reluctant pupils did view the codes more favourably when they were able to scan a code stuck on the front cover of their exercise book to watch the videos at home. The older boys were nothing short of scathing (although they did begrudgingly admit that the mounted QR codes looked “quite cool”) remarking that the technology was becoming increasingly out of date and QR codes were “pointless.” When pressed further, the individual concerned explained that QR codes have a limited life span and that NFC (Near Field Communication) is the way forward. Something to bear in mind for the future perhaps?

Not all pupils were convinced by the value of using videos in the first place despite professing to be “visual learners” which seems rather contradictory. A November questionnaire revealed that although the vast majority of the year group felt that time pressures presented the biggest hurdle to success in DT, they were adamant that they had no difficulty in remembering practical instruction from week to week, something with which I would whole heartedly disagree! Out of the sixty boys given questionnaires, fifty six completed them and it was interesting to note that when asked to state their preference regarding the use of illustrated worksheets, videos or teacher input to consolidate and clarify learning, the vast majority preferred teacher input with an even split between worksheets and videos. Some went further, declaring videos “completely useless” because “they do not explain and are unclear.” Some responses were more helpful in that they explained that the videos would be more helpful if they contained a clearer commentary rather than background sound picked up in the workshop and captions explaining the method. These are points that I will certainly take on board for next year and I will be investigating software such as screencast to edit and improve the overall quality of the videos. I think that now all the videos are complete and the majority of the QR codes are in place it will be easier to embed them into the project from the outset as a teaching tool and as visual prompts; to validate their role as part of a blended approach and dispel the sense that they have been ad hoc “bolt-ons” throughout the duration of the project.

The bigger picture.

The biggest surprise has been how positively the blogs have been received by the 5^th Form and the GCSE students. During the first week of the September term it emerged that neither year group was particularly enthused by the prospect of using a personal blog to record their progress or receiving feedback, but did value the role of a blog as a collaborative and communicative learning tool. It was particularly heartening to see the Upper Shell blog used during the recent Christmas holiday by students abroad. The Lower Shell (Year 10) has asked repeatedly when “their blog is going to be set up.” In addition to the 5^th Form and Upper Shell bogs I have set up a DT host blog, or “mother ship blog” as it is referred to as a central focal point for students in the sixth form who are not taking an exam course. A level DT is not offered at school W but it is clear a significant number of six form students still have an interest in practical work and miss DT. It also acts as in information hub for students with a general interest in design and engineering and for parents who wish to find out a little more about the subject. As the blog evolves, hopefully it will be instrumental in raising the overall profile of DT within the school and combatting some of the misconceptions harboured by pupils and parents.

Recently refurbished foyet: this is the first port of call when prospective parents tour the science building in which DT is housed. The QR code links them to the host blog and the page explaining Design Technology.