When my alarm goes off, I check my phone and BBC news lets me know that today, like every day, there has been a new development or creative idea in the world of design and technology. Just this week the Government has opened up the consultation for the new design and technology GCSE! I arrive at work and because you’re a design and technology teacher I’m automatically expected to know it, understand it, explain it and critique it. We’re lucky our subject is constantly changing and developing, but this pace of change leaves us little room to take the time needed to truly develop our understanding of our subject and the exciting developments that hit our inboxes daily.
Changes in staffing, curriculum and budgets mean that there is a growing need for teachers to have a detailed knowledge across a range of specialisms. The days of mastering your one specialism are well and truly over. So, how can I become the ‘Swiss army knife’ teacher, that can cook using Heston Blumenthal’s style of molecular gastronomy, explain how a bionic hand can be made using a 3D printer and describe how the UK’s entry into Eurovision had a light-up Union Jack on the singer's dress?
Here at the National STEM Centre and National Science Learning Centre, we have been busy developing new teacher and technician training courses, supporting food science, engineering, textiles and product design, or resistant materials. Every course is supported by the ENTHUSE charitable trust, providing bursary funding to state funded schools, academies and colleges.
Our CPD activities are residential, making effective use of your valuable time away from school, and providing more opportunity to network with colleagues. Learning is hands-on, interactive and takes place in our newly renovated design and technology classroom. We work with universities, employers and talented design and technology specialists to ensure that the content is current, relevant and will help you navigate the ever-changing world of design and technology. We even run an engineering trip to CERN – design and technology innovation doesn’t get much more cutting edge than this!