Information and Design Technology
 
bullet Introduction to MYP technology
bullet Aims
bullet The design cycle

Introduction to MYP technology                                                  ∆ top

Technology and technological developments have given rise to profound changes in society, transforming how we access and process information, how we communicate with others and how we work and solve problems.

The MYP holistic approach to teaching and learning acknowledges that inquiry and problem solving contribute to students’ development of thinking skills and strategies that will equip them to face the rapidly changing demands of the twenty-first century.

MYP technology aims to provide the means and the context to help students become skillful problem solvers, who can appreciate the role of technology in everyday life and society and who can respond critically and resourcefully to real-life challenges.

The MYP technology course aims to:

  • challenge all students by providing opportunities for different needs and learning styles
  • encourage students to explore the role of technology in both historical and contemporary contexts
  • contribute to raising students’ awareness of their responsibilities as world citizens when making decisions and taking action on technology issues.

Characteristics of the subject

Technology exists as a single subject in the MYP in terms of its aims, objectives and assessment criteria. Inquiry and problem solving are at the heart of the MYP technology course.

During the course, students are expected to solve problems through the creation of technological products/solutions. Students investigate problems and use the technology design cycle as a tool to design, plan, create and evaluate products/solutions. A product/solution can be defined as a model, prototype, product or system that students have generated independently.

MYP technology is structured into three main branches: information, materials and systems. Over the MYP, the range of outcomes that students design and create contain a balance of information-, materials- and systems-based products/solutions.

Information

MYP technology enables students to identify, access, evaluate and acknowledge a wide range of information sources. Information-based products/solutions use and/or communicate information to perform a task, achieve a purpose, meet a need or solve a problem. Information-based products/solutions often involve computer technology, for example, desktop publishing (DTP), multimedia packages and web pages. Students are expected to select and handle media and software that are appropriate to the problem being solved.

This aspect of the course should not be confused with the simple use of information as part of the design cycle.

Materials

In many cases creating a product/solution involves using materials. These may be natural or synthetic, and will differ according to geographical location, culture and available resources. Students should be able to identify, combine, experiment with, shape and handle different types of materials, and safely dispose of, or recycle, waste products. Students must select processing techniques that are appropriate to both the chosen material(s) and the product/solution to be created.

Systems

Systems-based products/solutions involve a group of interdependent items that interact regularly to perform a task or achieve a purpose. These items are materials, components or information that have been incorporated into a system in order to provide a solution to a problem. Systems in our environment are very diverse: from a microchip to an aircraft flight-control system; from a ballpoint pen to a plotter; from fire-drill procedures to crowd control; from simple electrical circuits to sophisticated alarm systems. Students need to recognize the parts of a system (input, processing and control, and output) as well as the crucial role each component plays as part of the whole.

Fundamental concepts

Teaching and learning MYP technology is underpinned by the fundamental concepts of the MYP:

  • holistic learning
  • intercultural awareness
  • communication.

Holistic learning

Holistic learning breaks down the artificial barriers of the different subjects commonly found on a school timetable, enabling students to discover the relationships between different areas of knowledge and between the subject’s content and the real world. The areas of interaction encourage dialogue between different subjects and contribute to enhancing students’ understanding of concepts and issues.

This holistic approach implies the need for MYP teachers to:

  • work closely with their colleagues, both within the technology department and in other departments
  • provide opportunities for the coordination and integration of subject matter within and across subject groups.

MYP technology can contribute to the development of holistic learning by providing opportunities for students to:

  • reflect upon the interdependence between technology and other areas of knowledge in the development of products and solutions
  • help students to appreciate how technology and technological developments have shaped everyday life and society.

Intercultural awareness

The opportunity to develop intercultural awareness through technology can only be fully achieved with the collaboration of the whole school community and by building on relations with the outside world. As students learn about their own and others’ social and national cultures they develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and values such as tolerance, respect and empathy.

Schools are encouraged to explore local and global issues from similar and contrasting cultures to their own in developing and implementing their courses. This will help students to broaden their understanding of themselves as individuals and as members of society.

MYP technology can contribute to the development of intercultural awareness by providing opportunities for students to:

  • use local and global examples to examine the influence and the use of technology in different societies and cultures
  • reflect upon their role and responsibilities as consumers and developers of technology in both local and global settings
  • promote understanding of and respect for alternative viewpoints from different societies when solving technology problems.

Communication

Communication is fundamental to learning as it supports inquiry and understanding. A good command of both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication is essential to learning, understanding and expression. Technology has dramatically changed the way we access information, communicate with others and solve problems.

MYP technology can contribute to the development of communication by providing opportunities for students to:

  • become competent in the use of ICT when accessing, processing and communicating information
  • respond to technology challenges and communicate their ideas creatively through design
  • explore and assess the effectiveness of different forms of communication
  • evaluate information and acknowledge sources appropriately.
  • Aims and objectives
    MYP technology aspires to develop creative problem solvers who are caring and responsible individuals, able to respond critically and resourcefully to the demands of the increasingly technological society and to appreciate the importance of technology for life, society and the environment.

 

Aims                                                                                       ∆ top

The aims of any MYP subject and of the personal project state in a general way what the teacher may expect to teach or do, and what the student may expect to experience or learn. In addition they suggest how the student may be changed by the learning experience.

The aims of the teaching and study of technology are to encourage and enable students to:

  • develop an appreciation of the significance of technology for life, society and the environment
  • use knowledge, skills and techniques to create products/solutions of appropriate quality
  • develop problem-solving, critical- and creative-thinking skills through the application of the design cycle
  • develop respect for others’ viewpoints and appreciate alternative solutions to problems
  • use and apply ICT effectively as a means to access, process and communicate information, and to solve problems.

Objectives

The objectives of any MYP subject and of the personal project state the specific targets set for learning in the subject. They define what the learner will be able to do, or do better, as a result of studying the subject.

The design cycle is a model and it is intended to be the central tool to help students to create and evaluate products/solutions in response to challenges. The MYP technology design cycle consists of four major stages and these relate to the objectives of the course.

Investigate

Students identify the problem to be solved. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • evaluate the importance of the problem for life, society and the environment
  • outline the design brief.

Students should develop the design brief. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • formulate and discuss appropriate questions that guide the investigation
  • identify and acknowledge a range of appropriate sources of information
  • collect, analyse, select, organize and evaluate information
  • evaluate the sources of information.

Students formulate a design specification. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • list the specific requirements that must be met by the product/solution
  • design tests to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification.

Plan

Students design the product/solution. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • generate several feasible designs that meet the design specification
  • evaluate the designs against the design specification
  • select one design and justify its choice.

Students plan the product/solution. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • construct a plan to create the product/solution that has a series of logical steps
  • construct a plan to create the product/solution that makes effective use of resources and time
  • evaluate the plan and justify any modifications to the design.

Create

Students use appropriate techniques and equipment. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • use a range of appropriate techniques and equipment competently
  • ensure a safe working environment for themselves and others.

Students follow the plan. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • follow the plan to produce the product/solution
  • evaluate the plan and justify any changes to the plan (when necessary).

Students create the product/solution. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • create a product/solution of appropriate quality.

Evaluate

Students evaluate the product/solution. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • carry out tests to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification
  • evaluate the success of the product/solution in an objective manner based on testing, their own views and the views of the intended user
  • evaluate the impact of the product/solution on individuals and on society
  • explain how the product/solution could be improved.

Students evaluate their use of the design cycle. At the end of the course, they should be able to:

  • evaluate their performance at each stage of the design cycle
  • suggest ways in which their performance could be improved.

Attitudes in technology

This objective goes beyond technology and refers to encouraging attitudes and dispositions that will contribute to students’ development as caring and responsible individuals and members of society.

This objective is set in the context of the technology class (and it is also present in MYP sciences as “Attitudes in science”) but will pervade other subjects and life outside school. It includes notions of safety and responsibility when working in technology as well as respect for and collaboration with others and their shared environment.

During the course, students:

  • carry out units of work in technology using materials and techniques safely and responsibly
  • work effectively as members of a team, collaborating, acknowledging and supporting the views of others
  • provide evidence of personal engagement with the subject (motivation, independence, general positive attitude) when working in technology.

The design cycle                                                                      ∆ top

         

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