Design and Technology

Subject Teacher: Mr David Bunce

Examination board: IGCSE Cambridge, CIE0979

Course Content 

IGCSE Design Technology is a 2 year course with 3 assessed components. 

Common Content - Product Design 

1. Design and society

2. Environment and sustainability

3. Communication skills

4. The use of technology in design and making

5. Health and safety

Specialised Content - Resistant Materials 

6. Materials and material properties

7. Measuring, marking out and assembly

8. Manufacturing processes

9. Joining processes

10.  Finishing processes

Non Examination Assessment (NEA) - Design and Make Project 

This course provides an opportunity for students to develop design thinking skills, practical skills and creative skills with a strong focus on the moral, ethical and environmental implications of future products which will shape the world in which we live. 

Assessment Structure

How will you be assessed? 

Paper 1: Product Design (25%)

This paper requires the students to sketch and annotate three different design ideas for a particular product, which is designed to assess design thinking skills.

Duration - 1 hour 15 minutes

Paper 2: Resistant Materials (25%)

This written paper contains short-answer questions which is designed to assess the students knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes. 

Duration - 1 hour 

NEA - Design Project (50%)

The design project is a practical element to the course, where the students will design and make a product of their choice. The project is divided in 7 criteria which will be presented in the form of a design portfolio. The portfolio will be internally assessed and externally moderated. 

Duration - Approximately 40 hours are allocated to the design project, which is usually started towards the end of Year 10 and completed by March in Year 11. 

Careers

Design Technology teaches you a wide range of skills which are useful for many subjects and an ideal foundation for further study of design at IB Diploma or A Level. This course is ideal for students who have aspirations for creative subjects like Architecture, Product Design, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Graphic Design. It can also lead to careers in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and other vocational routes, like Computer Software Development, Robotics and AI.