Developing a deeper understanding of design in technology education

Abstract

The fundamental position for this chapter is that design is central to being human— everyone designs and engages in the process of designing. However, design is different in different contexts. While designing is an innate capacity, it is also a disciplined activity system located in industry, commerce, the arts and education, and has multiple definitions and uses. Common across contexts is that all design should be creative (though not all creativity involves design). Design also involves riskiness and uncertainty, and is an integral aspect of a sustainable economy, ethical lifestyle and the shaping of communities. While such views of design represent empowering learning opportunities for children associated areas such as creativity, riskiness and uncertainty have become increasingly marginalised in educational contexts demanding ever-greater accountability in terms of productivity and performativity. An opportunity does, however, arise when considering futurefocussed technology education programmes that value ‘design thinking’ and how this can contribute to students’ learning and ‘being’.