Design & Technology (Singapore Secondary School Syllabus)

This Design & Technology (D&T) syllabus engages students in designing and prototyping ideas by applying technology. It builds upon prior D&T experiences, emphasizing understanding everyday activities and creating possibilities for improvement. Through the design process, students develop creative, critical, and reflective thinking, utilizing graphical tools and technology.

Aims

The D&T syllabus aims to enable students to:

• Develop confidence, pride, and tenacity by exploring real-world design opportunities.
• Develop mindfulness, empathy, and sensitivity by improving aspects of their environment.
• Embrace complexities, uncertainties, and the social dimension of design.
• Cultivate thinking through doodling and sketching/drawing.
• Experiment and prototype ideas using appropriate materials and tools.
• Build on their innate curiosity and ability to create.
• Exercise judgment and make evidence-based decisions (technological, aesthetic, economic).
• Develop safe working habits.

Assessment Objectives

D&T assessment covers three domains:

• Knowledge with Understanding: Applying D&T knowledge, understanding the design process, and managing projects effectively.
• Design Thinking Skills: Identifying design opportunities, generating ideas, and analyzing information for informed decisions.
• Design Manipulating Skills: Sketching solutions, building mock-ups, and using technology for prototyping.

Scheme of Assessment

The assessment comprises two components:

• Paper 1: Written Examination (2 hours, 40%): Design-centric questions assessing knowledge application of Design (Section 1) and Technology (Section 2 - structures, mechanisms, electronics).
• Paper 2: Design Project (22 weeks, 60%): Individual coursework involving a design and prototyping project based on a given question. It includes a Design Journal (documentation of the design process) and a Presentation Board (visual communication of the proposed design solution).

Subject Content

The syllabus content is divided into two sections:

Section 1: Design

Covers project planning, research, data analysis, design brief formulation, idea generation, ergonomics, sketching, and design principles.

Section 2: Technology

Covers materials (plastics, wood, metal), material properties, forces, structural strengthening, control systems, electronics, mechanisms, and workshop processes (measuring, marking, shaping, joining, finishing).

Design Process

The Design Process is central to the syllabus, guiding students through Needs Analysis, Idea Conceptualisation, Development and Prototyping, supported by Research. It involves iterative cycles of designing, sketching, modeling, experimenting, and evaluating to arrive at a proposed design solution. The use of doodles, sketches, drawings, and mock-ups is essential for visualizing and refining ideas. Prototyping involves working with resistant materials, applying knowledge of structures, mechanisms, and/or electronics. Continuous evaluation and refinement are crucial for achieving a practical and appropriate solution.