Your Subject in the Curriculum

Task 1

The National Curriculum – Mission and Purpose

The National Curriculum has been modified over the past two decades to provide pupils with an introduction to the core knowledge that they need to be educated citizens. It introduces pupils to the best that has been thought and said; and helps to create an appreciation of human creativity and achievement (DfE, 2013).

The National Curriculum acts a framework document (guideline) to education. According to Bourdillon and Storey, the school curriculum is more important than the National Curriculum since it includes all aspects of school life and organisation that affect teaching and learning, not just the content or syllabus (Bourdillon and Storey, 2002). Furthermore, the school curriculum tends to reflect upon the local community, parents, pupils and central government (Bourdillon and Storey, 2002).

The role of Design and Technology in the School Curriculum

Design and technology (D&T) was first introduced to the school curriculum in England and Wales in 1989 and is now firmly established as an important part of the curriculum in many countries (Owen-Jackson, 2008). The subject is set to introduce practical and technological skills through creative and innovative thinking (Owen-Jackson, 2002a). Using an activity-focused approach, a high-quality design and technology education is aimed to give the pupils opportunities to create, innovate, design, make and evaluate a variety of well-crafted products.

According to module 1A the main learning objective is to use critical and creative thinking whilst considering the latest technologies and the impact of future technological developments on the products and their purposefulness. Using the design and technology syllabus in conjunction with the school curriculum students are aimed to develop the thinking ability to improve quality of life and to solve problems as individuals and also as members of a team. Furthermore, D&T has its own distinctive knowledge,...