Reflections on my first three weeks as a Design and Digital Technology student!

Wow, what a whirlwind these last few weeks have been. I was quite excited to start this subject but really had no idea what it would entail apart from learning a few things on the computer. I know how to work my way around a few basic computing sights but did not expect to be bombarded with all these new things so fast!! However, I am glad that we did get thrown in the deep end as it enabled me to learn lots of new things. Some of them were blogging (aarrgghh), twitter, wiki's (oh the dramas'!), online mindmapping using a variety of different sights (which i quickly learnt that my computer was OLD and wouldn't work with some of the new programs). I have always wanted to learn about blogging as I have dreamed of writing my own family/craft/diy blog one day so this has made it one step closer to reality.

The last few weeks I have learn't about the technology design cycle (there you go I just learn't how to link the webpage!!) and started a design challenge of my own. It has been a huge learning curve to see how much work is put into a simple activity for a classroom. I have lots and lots of respect for teachers and am quickly realising the amount of work that is put into each individual task. I learn't how to do a risk analysis, a product overview, a decision making matrix to determine the final product and how to navigate the Australian Curriculum so that my design challenge meets the right standards. I chose a challenge that would get my students to investigate different ways they can use heat to transfer an image to a candle that would later be used for christmas presents for their families. I even got to construct my design which was really fun and watch my children (12, 10, 7 and 5) attempt it to determine the best age to set this design challenge for. After completing all the documents I was asked to do for this challenge (risk assessment, design spec etc) I realised that if I was to ask a student to fill out these forms they would have no idea. They are a bit to involved for the age group I was targeting. In my classroom I would probably adapt these documents to make them a bit more interactive eg, group brainstorming as to the risks involved or the different items needed to produce the product. Adapting these documents would enable them to still be heavily involved in each of the processes need to complete the stages of the design cycle.


I can see why design and digital technology can be a fantastic inclusion in a classroom. Children of today love anything digital and incorporating that into a classroom will engage them for longer periods of time. It will also teach them skills that they will most definitely need in highschool and university themselves and of course by the time they finish school if they haven't got a grasp on the digital side of life they will struggle.

I am really loving this subject and the amazing things it is teaching me. I am looking forward to moving on in the design cycle process and including lots of design and digital technology in my classroom pedagogy.