Note:  Students enrolled in IB Design Technology III-IV  are required to take the IB exam.  There is a fee associated with this test.  Students who may need financial assistance should contact the IB coordinator.  College credit may be available based on test score and institution.  

Course Description:  Diploma Program design technology is based on a model of learning that incorporates knowledge, skills and design principles in problem-solving contexts, while at the same time maximizing the use of local and readily available resources. It assumes no previous experience in either technology or design. The intent is not solely the acquisition of knowledge about design and technology, which may change or become outdated, but is about learning how to adapt to new experiences and to approach problems with the appropriate skills and the relevant techniques to identify the important elements and crucially develop optimum solutions. 

The design cycle is at the core of the course, and it is expected that students will use this process in the practical investigative work as well as in the theory. Each element in the design cycle represents an aspect of design technology, which, when viewed together, constitutes a holistic approach. Any given element is therefore only to be seen in the context of the whole process.  

To design with technology is to use human ingenuity in selected activities in order to meet needs and find solutions. This can be achieved through existing or new technologies. Design consists of gathering information about the problem or opportunity, processing that information, and planning for some kind of intervention either by modifying what is already there or by introducing something new. The designer is interested not just in the material environment but also in the social, technological, economic, environmental, political, legislative and ethical considerations that affect people’s priorities.