Talking D&T
Talking D&T is a podcast about design and technology education. Join me, Dr Alison Hardy, as I share news, views, ideas and opinions about D&T. I also talk about D&T with teachers, researchers and academics from the D&T community.
The views on this podcast are my own and of those I am interviewing and are not connected to my institution. Much of the content is work in progress. As well as talking about D&T, I use it to explore new ideas and thoughts related to D&T education and my research, which are still embryonic and may change. Consult my publications for a reliable record of my considered thoughts on the topic featured in this podcast.
This podcast is independently produced and funded by Dr Alison Hardy. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representative of Nottingham Trent University. All views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not reflect the views of the University.
Podcast music composed by Chris Corcoran (http://www.svengali.org.uk)
Talking D&T
When outsiders define your field: who decides what counts as value?
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Talking D&T +
Exclusive access to premium content!In this episode, I share some fascinating early findings from our ongoing survey exploring how people value design and technology compared with art and design. The research reveals both consensus and divergence amongst teachers, lecturers, and sector leaders – and the patterns emerging are already prompting important questions about what we prioritise in our subject.
We've identified five key value themes for design and technology, and I discuss their rank order along with the small but telling gaps in how different groups rate making and careers. The qualitative themes emerging for art and design are particularly intriguing, especially regarding the "outside looking in" perspective that seems to bias the subject towards career preparation. I explore why this matters and what it tells us about how we perceive these closely related subjects.
One of the most significant findings concerns out-of-field teaching and its impact on subject culture. When teachers without specialist backgrounds deliver our subject, how does this shift what we value? And more importantly, what does this mean for curriculum aims and how we assess what students learn?
I discuss practical ways we might align our values with curriculum and assessment, drawing on the emerging data to consider how we bridge the gap between what we say we value and what we actually prioritise in our teaching. There's a clear need for more art and design respondents to refine our analysis, so please do share the survey links in the show notes with colleagues across both subjects.
How might your own values for design and technology align with these emerging themes, and what conversations might this spark in your department?
Link to survey: https://bit.ly/Valueofdesigned
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