Mapping D&T Knowledge: Beyond Conceptual and Procedural

Send me a message. In this episode, I delve deeper into the forms of knowledge that underpin design and technology education. Building on McCormick's conceptual and procedural knowledge framework, I propose a more nuanced approach that considers design knowledge and technological knowledge as existing on a spectrum. I explore how these knowledge types can be visualised as intersecting axes, creating four quadrants that help teachers plan their curriculum more effectively. This framework isn't meant for pupils but serves as a planning tool for teachers to develop knowledge systematically over time. Drawing on Vincenti's work on engineering knowledge, I highlight the importance of design criteria and design instrumentalities – the tools and procedures used when designing. These elements are crucial for pupils to build their repertoire of skills and understanding as outlined in the National Curriculum. The reality of diminishing teaching time for D&T presents significant challenges for delivering the curriculum comprehensively. This framework offers a way to make informed decisions about what to include and exclude whilst ensuring pupils' design and technology capability continues to develop. How might you use this knowledge framework to review your current planning? Could mapping your curriculum against these knowledge types reveal gaps or opportunities for deeper learning? Join the conversation and share your thoughts on how we might better structure D&T knowledge in our teaching. Look out for the next episode where I'll be discussing the often-overlooked but central role of values in design and technology education. Acknowledgement: Some of the supplementary content for this podcast episode was crafted with the assistance of Claude, an AI language model developed by Anthropic. While the core content is based on the actual conversation and my editorial direction, Claude helped in refining and structuring information to best serve listeners. This collaborative approach allows me to provide you with concise, informative, and engaging content to complement each episode. Support the show If you like the podcast, you can always buy me a coffee to say 'thanks!' Please offer your feedback about the show or ideas for future episodes and topics by connecting with me on Threads @hardy_alison or by emailing me. If you listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, please take a moment to rate and/or review the show. If you want to support me by becoming a Patron click here. If you are not able to support me financially, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or sharing a link to my work on social media. Thank you!