Design, Engineering and Technology Department

Throughout S1 and S2 all pupils will have studied a course which includes craft work; product design theory and practice; graphic presentation skills including technical drawing, computer aided drawing and computer aided graphics; electronic systems; structures; mechanisms and energy. The course leads naturally into five subjects offered by the department: craft and design, enterprise through craft, graphic communication, skills for work and technological studies. All five subjects are offered at a variety of attainment levels catering for a wide range of technological capabilities.   Scroll through our content below to view our subject information. Craft and Design Standard grade craft and design seeks to develop the intellectual capacity and practical skills of pupils through the process of designing and making. Central to this is the encouragement of pupils to develop the skills necessary to solve realistic problems and then to evaluate the solutions objectively. The design problems encountered will extend over a wide range of activities and materials from those emphasising practical applications of technology to those more concerned with aesthetic values. Craft and design strives to provide opportunities for pupils to think creatively and inventively, to find realistic situations for organising their thinking, and to be successful in creating items which are uniquely their own. To create a piece of craft work from initial design to manufactured product is a demanding tasks both practical and intellectually. Pupils will experience this through the use of wood, metal and plastic in the design and manufacture of products such as child’s seating, toothbrush holders and CD-DVD storage. Pupils then converge their experiences and skills to focus on a final 4th year design and manufacturing task of their choice within a given theme – reflecting that of the Higher Product Design course. The integration of design and workshop experience offers a highly fertile learning environment encouraging independence, maturity and has a particular relevance to personal and social development. Craft and design may encourage pupils to pursue careers in any aspect of the design, engineering and construction industries. The course is offered at credit, general and foundation levels general and credit levels and will cover six areas of study - tools and process - materials - the design process - modelling - presentation techniques - making and manufacture Enterprise Through Craft This national qualification course is workshop based and provides many skills which are appropriate to a wide range of working environments. The course will contribute to the knowledge, understanding and practical experience of the candidate whose aspirations and abilities are towards practical work in a craft based discipline. As well as fostering qualities of self esteem, technological confidence, self discipline and maturity, the enterprise through craft course allows for the growth of imagination and development of ideas through the creation and maintenance of practical forestry woodwork projects such as picnic benches, bird boxes and feeders. The course structure provides enterprise experiences that develop the pupil’s interpersonal skills, marketing skills, evaluation skills and team working skills whilst raising awareness of local and global environmental conservation. In addition, students focus on the practical elements of woodworking tool skills and care, construction, health and safety and work environment awareness. This course is best suited to pupils who wish to pursue a career in practical based industries with focus on the marketing and promotion of craft products but would find the demands of manufacturing tolerances at Intermediate 1 and 2 Practical Craft Skills a difficulty. Elements of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award are also achievable through this course and it would be expected that pupils work towards this achievement. The course will be offered at two National Qualification levels – Access 2 and Access 3. To gain full course award, candidates must achieve all the component units. The elements, or principle areas of learning, under which enterprise through craft will be assessed are as follows: - Working with craft tools - practical craft skills - craft work enterprise Graphic Communication Standard grade graphic communication introduces pupils to the diversity of presentation methods and enables them to select appropriate graphic techniques and media to present information otherwise inadequately served by the spoken or written word. It includes computer aided graphics and draughting methods together with illustration and presentation techniques, formal drawing board skills and sketching. The use of computers are an essential part of the course and is advocated both as a practical experience for pupils and as an appropriate learning strategy. Through the development of technical drawing and graphic design skills, the course may also motivate pupils to pursue vocational interests in such careers as architecture, surveying, draughting, science, engineering, design and marketing. The course is offered at credit, general and foundation levels covering seven areas of study: - manual graphic illustration techniques - computer aided graphics - computer aided drawing - technical drawing - modelling and developments - graphic theory - 3 dimensional computer modelling   The course is externally assessed in three elements: Drawing abilities; illustration and presentation; Knowledge and interpretation This course provides progression to intermediate 1 & 2, higher and advanced higher graphic communication. Skills for Work – Engineering Skills The Skills for Work - Engineering Skills course has been designed to provide a basis for progression into further education or for moving directly into training in employment within an engineering sector. The overall purpose of this course is to ensure that candidates start to develop skills and attitudes for employability, positive attitudes to learning, an understanding of the workplace, core skills (communication, numeracy, information technology, problem solving and working with others), and in addition, the key generic and practical skills required within an engineering sector. A major element of this course will be linking with local employers and engineering experts to deliver particular experiences which cannot be accessed within the traditional classroom environment. The Course will focus on the broad areas of Mechanical, Fabrication, Electrical, Electronic, Maintenance and Manufacture Engineering, with an element of Design. This allow’s candidates to gain transferable skills which can be applied to any of the engineering disciplines. The course is offered at two National Qualification levels - Intermediate 1& 2. To gain award for the course, candidates must achieve four component units from the range below. Employability skills will permeate all areas of work. The specific units which pupils will complete are dependent on the attainment level to which they study. The elements, or principal areas of learning, under which Skills for Work will be assessed are as follows: - Mechanical                                              - Electrical/Electronic -  Fabrication                                              - Manufacture and Assembly - Mechanical and Fabrication                     - Maintenance - Design and Manufacture Technological Studies This standard grade course enables students to understand the role and impact of industrial and manufacturing technology on the world in which they live. It provides opportunities for candidates to develop core skills (including communication, numeracy, information technology and problem solving) which are essential in everyday life and in the workplace. A feature of technological studies is that candidates are not only required to process information and to develop understanding of industrial technological concepts but, in addition, they are required to demonstrate capability in applying these technological concepts to the solution of practical problems. Technological studies offers students the opportunity to meet with and engage in modern technologies at first hand and, in doing so, seek to inspire positive attitudes to careers in technology such as engineering, construction, science and all aspects of industrial and product design. The course is offered at credit and general levels only and will cover six areas of study: - systems - programmable control - pneumatic systems - energy - applied electronics - mechanical systems The course is externally assessed in three elements: Knowledge and understanding; reasoning and numerical analysis; application of technology This course provides progression to intermediate 2, higher and advanced higher technological studies. * Pupils who opt to study physics will find the technological studies course very complementary.