Supporting Learning Environment Level 1

To support students to undertake outcome development and evaluation at level two teachers could:

• ensure that there is a brief with attributes against which a developed outcome can be evaluated
• establish an environment that encourages and supports student innovation when generating design ideas
• provide opportunities to develop drawing and modelling skills to communicate and explore design ideas. Emphasis should be on progressing 2D and 3D drawing skills and using manipulative media such as plasticine, wire, card etc
• provide opportunities to develop skills required to produce their outcome
• guide students to evaluate their outcome against the brief.

Describe potential outcomes, through drawing, models and/or verbally

Directed conversations about possible design ideas.

Teacher provides questions for students to guide discussions when developing a potential outcome(s) e.g.

• what sort of materials do you think you could use to make a … ?
• how do you think you’d join the different bits of your … together?

Drawing objects to show design features

Students draw everyday objects without worrying too much about their artistic value. Concentrate students on depicting design features, e.g. labeling parts and indicating materials and possibly some overall measurement of these objects. Encourage use of no erasers in the first instance – if students want to change something they have drawn then get them to use another colour.

Introduce the language of outcomes (e.g. mock up, model, prototype).

Common terminology – graphic and written description. Use strategies such as:

• PSSD (Purposeful silent sustained drawing / design) and labeling.
• Progressive Dictionary (as a class tool)
• I Have / Who Has card game

Identify potential outcomes that are in keeping with the attributes and selects one to produce

Give students a brief and a selection of possible products that may or may not meet the brief.

Explore the products to determine if they meet the brief. Describe what needs to be changed to allow the product to meet the brief.

We (the students in this class) need something to put felts and pencils in at school. It needs to be … (attributes relevant to students).

Discuss what would make the product suitable for holding the felts and pencils. Provide students with examples of possibly products that would resolve the need as explore if they would be suitable for putting felts and pencils into at school e.g.

• overnight bag
• plastic bag
• sunglasses case
• pencil case - metal and fabric
• drinking glass

Describing existing products

Give students a range of existing products and ask them to describe what they do (their proper function)

Produce an outcome in keeping with identified attributes.

Record in a template the process students go through to develop their outcome.

Encourage students to describe each stage of the process and discuss whether it allowed the outcome to meet the identified attributes.