Reflection so far: Engaging students in a design challenge

Upon entering this course I have to admit I was a little cautious about how much would be required (of us as Uni students and then implementing the new curriculum as teachers). I was quite worried that the new technologies curriculum would not 'mesh' well with other subjects and would be yet another disjointed aspect to student's learning (which sadly is how some educators have taken the new curriculum as a whole).
Surprisingly I found that this subject will integrate really well with other subjects, creating a more holistic teaching experience.
For example, for my design challenge I am designing and creating a herb garden to be used in the school tuck shop using sustainable practices and recyclable materials. Aside from the design and technologies aspect of the curriculum this covers, some of the other curriculum elements it can also cover are:

• English - writing procedural texts (for construction), perhaps the construction of a scientific report.
• Science - labelled diagrams, how plants grow (growing conditions), photosynthesis, how plants get their nutrients.
• Maths - budgeting, cost of materials, volume (of containers), calculating soil needed, estimating how many herbs will be needed to provide the tuck shop with herbs (supply and demand).
• Geography - sustainability! This is a big one here as it is a major component of the design specifications. Students can explore what sustainability is, consider what recycled materials would be most suitable and also how to minimise water waste.

I'm sure there would be many more, however, these are just the few that spring to mind now. :)

Engaging with the design and technologies curriculum has so far been an enjoyable experience in which I can already see many enriching and engaging lessons, activities and units for students to explore.

As far as how to teach using the design and technologies curriculum goes, I have found using the design cycle (Cobus Botes) to be incredibly helpful. By using a design cycle graphic (like the restructured one I created below), students can work through the phases, moving back and forth between them, constantly improving their designs and adjusting their prototypes, until they have created a design which meets the needs it was designed for. It is a very reflective process that engages students in higher-order thinking, and in order for students to engage in this higher-order thinking effectively (to the best of their ability) teachers also need to explicitly teach the use of these skills.