In these experiments students make and test circuits to investigate a range of effects:

Section A: Transforming a d.c. power supply
*Experiment A(i): Step-up voltage regulator
*Experiment A(ii): Step-down voltage regulator
*Experiment A(iii): High current step-down regulator
*...

This guide to disruptive technologies provides ideas and rationale for why disruptive technologies should be taught as part of the Design and Technology secondary and post-16 curriculum. It provides examples of disruptive technologies, discusses how they might be introduced in a classroom setting and supports in...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), explores how the antenna part of body centric antennas (BCAs) work and encourages students to consider ethical issues surrounding the use of advanced technology to control prosthetics.

This longer-duration activity involves prototyping a low-power lighting system. It could be used in an off-timetable workshop or across a series of lessons.

Students are challenged to work through the whole design process, and to place a micro-controller (in this case a BBC micro:bit) at the centre of the...

This activity, suitable for a multi-lesson sequence or a single extended session, challenges students to design and prototype a simple motion-sensing alarm. The device is intended to prevent theft or the accidental picking-up of a bag.

Motion is sensed using the accelerometer built-in to the BBC micro:bit,...

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This sample of a teacher guide introduces basic robotics using Lego NXT hardware and software The general nature as well as the origins of robotics are covered. NXT robots are then introduced, as well as some basic mathematical and other considerations for using robots in the classroom. The importance and impact of...

Work done in this Nuffield 13 - 16 module followed from the B units called ‘Breathing and circulation’ and ‘Food and digestion’, also from the S unit ‘Circuits’. This D unit provided enough material for eight double periods during a Further Science course and built on...

This is one of a series of focused units, from the Association for Science Education and the Design and Technology Association, to introduce students to important technologies and their applications. This unit features control systems and their applications to...

This sample of a teacher guide introduces basic robotics using Lego EV3 hardware and software – the activities are based upon a single robot model which can be constructed from the education core set.

Students learn about basic movement of the robot rover in the context of space exploration.This context...

A Nuffield Design Hexagon task focusing on a range of electronic products. The resource aims to extend understanding of how to evaluate a design by thinking how it affects people and whether it performs as expected.

This resource contains a number of activities for each side of the design hexagon (student...

These activities, from the Institute of Physics, look at electrical circuits. They provide a review of previous knowledge and introduce the language needed to cope with the greater depth of learning at post-16 level. Activities include: • a discussion about electrical circuits to reinforce knowledge and highlight...

After learning about flooding, students consider the design problems caused by its early detection. Students are introduced to moisture sensors, and can build their own using the instructions provided or use a ready-made version. This is connected to the BBC micro:bit and used as an input device. After processing...

This topic, from the Association for Science Education, allows classes in schools across the world to explore and exchange information about the applications of photovoltaic devices. The version of the topic that can be downloaded here is a trial version and is provided only in English. This resource was edited by...

In this full scheme of work, designed for a series of two-hour double-lessons, students develop a Mars Rover for NASA based on a standard VEX design. They learn about the components of a robotics system including control units and data communications, and work through a design process towards a prototype. The VEX...