Design Technology
Technology surrounds us. Everything made by humans has been designed and created with technology. Technology includes the materials, knowledge, and processes required to create all the gadgets, products, and structures we use every day.
Design Technology (DT) at BBIS links to a wide array of professions. This is because Technology classes involve much more than computing: DT students at BBIS have exposure to areas such as Architecture, Graphic Design, Product Design, Engineering and Movie Making.
The use of a variety of computer software helps students document, visualise, and produce their work. Current DT students draw in three dimensions, create movies, manipulate pictures, and research and document their ideas and thoughts. Our DT programme works to remain up-to-date and reflect aspects of current applications of technology.
The holistic approach of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) to teaching and learning acknowledges that inquiry and problem solving contribute to students’ development of thinking skills and strategies. MYP Design Technology aims to provide the means and the context to help students become skilful problem solvers who appreciate the role of technology in everyday life and all aspects of society, and who can respond critically and resourcefully to real?life challenges.
The MYP Design Technology course intends to:
- challenge all students to apply practical and creative?thinking skills to solve problems in technology.
- encourage students to explore the role of technology in both historical and contemporary contexts.
- raise students’ awareness of their responsibilities as world citizens when making decisions and taking action on technology issues..
Characteristics of the subject
Technology is one of the eight subject groups in the MYP with defined aims, objectives, and assessment criteria.
Inquiry and problem solving are at the heart of MYP Design Technology. During the five-year course, students are expected to solve problems using technology. But the solution is only part of the process: DT uses the "design cycle" as the model for thinking about and investigating problems as students design, plan, create, and evaluate the products/solutions that they have generated.
(A "product/solution" can be defined as a model, prototype, product, or system that students have generated independently.) Thus students become actively involved in the whole design process, rather than merely on the final product/solution.
The IB Technology continuum
MYP Design Technology builds on experiences of inquiry that students have gained in their time in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). Even when there is no technology component in the PYP, the use of structured inquiry is a precursor to the problem?solving and inquiry?based approach of DT.
Grades 11 and 12 students in the IBCC programme and BBIS High School Diploma are able to continue with Design Technology through their IB programme. The course combines self-directed projects with business-related projects.
