Design and Technology Show
Projects and Resources Centre
Stand B50

11 November 2009
LJ Create will be running a series of simple, yet exciting challenges for visitors to the Design and Technology Show, focusing on bringing engineering to life in the classroom.

Using a range of resources, visitors to the show will have the opportunity to explore hydraulic, mechanical and robotic systems using both hardware and virtual simulations.

These challenges will allow delegates to explore these technologies in a relaxed atmosphere, using systems that replicate the functions of industry-standard machinery.

For example, one challenge will include using a simulation to connect up a hydraulic circuit and operate a Dump Truck, ensuring it is able to lift a load within a safe limit. LJ Create staff will be on hand to help with the activities and talk to delegates about how engineering can be made exciting and appealing in the classroom.

Design and Technology Show
Projects and Resources Centre
Stand B50

05 October 2009
Boxford will showcase physical examples of the projects and resources developed by its resident 'Educational Project and Resource Developer', Gary Smith BEd (Hons).

These projects and resources are already featured on an ever expanding website to support CAD/CAM and CNC technologies in education. With the aim of putting something back into education, the website details project ideas and schemes of work to support teaching from KS3 through to University level including vocational diplomas. The site is designed to be a useful resource for CAD/CAM and CNC users, irrespective of which vendors' equipment they are using, and is being continually developed to add new and exciting projects and resource ideas.

Gary Smith joined Boxford in 2008 after the company identified that his unique skills pack and boundless enthusiasm for the subject were just what was required to drive the resources project forward. Gary will be on hand during all three days of the show to discuss the current projects in detail and, with his industrial and teaching background, is also ideally qualified to advice on the Engineering and Manufacturing diplomas. New ideas are welcomed and if they are developed and go live on the site, the originator will be fully credited.

The talent is in our hands
Entrepreneur and engineer extraordinaire Sir James Dyson tells it how it is in the need to nurture the engineering talent of this country

28 September 2009
Children are naturally creative. They're excited about how things work. They dismantle your radio (often without your knowledge). They ask questions. And investigate what makes the world around them work.

Unfortunately, despite this passion, it seems that Design and Technology has an image problem. Perceived by parents and pupils as boring and not academic, creativity and enthusiasm is channelled elsewhere. I feel this is a waste of potential. Children's excitement in design and engineering should be nurtured, not diverted. We need to do something to ensure this happens.

Through working with my foundation, I have come into contact with many brilliant Design and Technology teachers; passionate people encouraging their pupils into design. Their enthusiasm is infectious. I can thank for them for inspiring many of the engineers I work with today.

Design and Technology allows students to think abstractly, solve problems and be creative. It lets them experience achievement and failure. This makes good engineers. Rounded individuals ready to challenge established ways of doing things. Form judgements. Take actions. Get ten things wrongs so they might get one thing right. By not capitalising on this, we prevent progression. If this creativity isn't nurtured, I feel that there's real risk young people will gravitate inwards, losing themselves in laptops and virtual worlds.

We stand on a pivot point. Too easily can our enthusiasm for design be squandered. Children have been let down by tepid reform and meek government support. We need to champion Design and Technology. Encourage designers. Show young people what engineering is really like.

The recently published Primary Review, with its lack of emphasis on Design and Technology, is disappointing. Design and Technology is overlooked: it should be on a level pegging with Maths and English. Teachers need the flexibility to teach. Students to learn.

Design has a very real role to play in modern society. Our current economic climate requires a 'do more with less' mentality that is nurtured by Design and Technology. Designers increasingly need to create solutions from limited resources. Society needs people to think differently. To solve our energy demands. To design a better, more efficient future. But they can only do this if they are confident and willing to adapt.

SSAT launches virtual reality resource

28 September 2009
The VIBE, the first virtual reality resource tailored to the 14-19 Diplomas, was launched on 7 September. The VIBE is a software package which gives learners access to 3D worlds filled with experiences and opportunities relevant to their line of learning.

Specialist Schools and Academies Trust VIBE Programme Manager Liz Forrester said the product engages the next generation of learners.

'Virtual reality gives learners the opportunity to work things out for themselves. They can make mistakes in a safe environment to prepare for a real life work placement.

'It puts the power of learning back into the hands of the learner. They can decide the pace at which they learn and what they want to explore. '

Liz said the VIBE was likely to be particularly popular with practitioners new to teaching the Diploma.

'The Diploma encourages learning in a real life context, however this can be really difficult and expensive to achieve on a daily basis. The VIBE allows practitioners to do this by providing virtual environments which simulate reality.

'For example, the VIBE Construction and the Built Environment has learners perform tasks and gather information on a virtual building site, while the VIBE Society, Health and Development is set in a virtual town complete with police station, shops, leisure centre, town hall and courts.'

The VIBE was developed through a partnership between the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and the centre for virtual environments at the University of Salford. Working in collaboration, the SSAT and university consulted Diploma lead practitioners to create four worlds tailored to the Diplomas in Construction and the Built Environment, Creative and Media, Engineering and Society, Health and Development.

Schools which were involved in the VIBE pilot programme have provided unanimously positive feedback about the product.

Deputy Headteacher of Wellacre College, Chris Hatherall who was involved in the pilot explained the benefits of the VIBE Construction and the Built Environment as follows:

'The VIBE stimulated whole class discussions, with all our learners engaged and eager to have their opinions heard.

'Learners were more confident when they visited building sites in reality and when going on placements.

'I believe it also helped them produce better coursework and more detailed portfolios. They were able to use screenshots of the VIBE to illustrate their points and supplement these with digital photographs stored in their electronic portfolio.'

The VIBE resource allows students to develop an electronic portfolio to support their Diploma studies by saving completed activity sheets and capturing screenshots to create a record of their learning journey.

The resource can also be tailored to the individual needs of each classroom.

'The VIBE comes with an easy-to-use inbuilt editor allowing practitioners to upload their own resources and activity sheets in order to create

The VIBE is currently being developed for other Diploma lines of learning.

The Hegner Dovetail Challenge

22 September 2009

• Looking for a classroom exercise that involves both computer based design and practical work?
• Want to demonstrate your practical prowess to your colleagues?
• Or do you just want to win a Hegner scrollsaw?
  Then you need to try your hand at the Hegner Dovetail Challenge!

Sponsored by:

"Our scrollsaws are extremely popular in schools and colleges since they are so versatile and a relatively safe machine. With the combination of the scrollsaw and these dovetail templates, a compelling classroom design and make exercise presents itself" said Roger Buse, Managing Director of Hegner UK. "And the beauty of the exercise is that it makes the dovetail - a traditional furniture making element - extremely accessible. That’s what we want DT Show visitors to experience for themselves and we’re excited to see what they will produce".

No previous experience of making dovetails is required. Also if any show visitors have bad memories from previous dovetail making attempts then they should undertake the Challenge to banish them!

Challengers will be given two pieces of Birch ply fitted with paper dovetail templates. Using the templates they will guide the scrollsaw cuts. The exercise can be completed in around five minutes. Time to complete will be a factor in deciding the winner but ultimately quality - how well the joint fits - is the number one judging criteria. On completing the challenge, a photograph of the dovetail will be taken for judging consideration and challengers can take their dovetail joint back to their school.

Teachers wanting to see how it’s done, or indeed wanting to get some practice in ahead of the show, can examine the photos below of cutting dovetails on the scrollsaw. A WB9 blade works well.

Any tips for challengers? "Practice sawing in a straight line first. Every blade tends to have a right hand bias, so anticipate that and keep to the line" says Roger.

F1 IN SCHOOLS GIVES WINNING PLYMOUTH STUDENT A HEAD START

24 August 2009
The educational and vocational benefits of competing in the Formula One in Schools Technology Challenge have always been one of the key attractions to schools and student teams. Plymouth student Andrew Lees, one of the current World Champion team members, has exemplified this with his work experience and university plans. His involvement in the Challenge opened the door to a work placement at the ING Renault F1 team for three months this summer. With a place at Cambridge University requiring industry experience as part of the entry condition, Lees has been able to use his F1 in Schools success to his advantage.

Lees, Technical Engineer in the Pulse team from Devonport High School, Plymouth, Devon, won the 2008 F1 in Schools World Championship title with his fellow student team members last year in Malaysia. Following this success, Lees approached F1 in Schools patron and Renault F1 Executive Director of Engineering, Pat Symonds, for a work experience placement. Symonds, impressed with the accomplishments of the budding engineer, was granted a coveted three month placement at the leading F1 team.

Lees said of winning his work experience with the Renault Formula One team, "During the prize giving in Malaysia, Renault F1 Executive Director of Engineering Pat Symonds was at the event and we had a good chat with him after the prize giving. Then about six months ago I was searching for a placement and I wrote to Pat (Symonds) to ask if there was anything available within the Renault F1 team. He remembered me from the event and offered me three months at the team's headquarters in Enstone, Oxfordshire.

"I started five weeks ago at the factory, where I've been working in the Vehicle Performance Group department. My main project has been working with the engineers on a graphical user interface; it will simulate the ride on the car once it is finished. Working in such a professional and dedicated environment is a great learning experience for me. It's brilliant and really enjoyable. It is a very engaging job which constantly challenges you and presents you with new problems and the need to solve them.

"I will move onto the Research and Development department to broaden my experience which will be another excellent opportunity for me to learn another area of engineering. I will be working on fatigue testing and analysing how long parts will last on the car. That will be totally different for me to do for the next six weeks and I'm really looking forward to it.

"Part of my offer for my university place is dependent on me having time in industry and to have it at Renault F1 makes it even more prestigious. I have really enjoyed it so far, I would definitely consider this something I would like to do in the future.

"I would definitely recommend the F1 in Schools Challenge to anyone interested in engineering or the many other skill sets which this initiative uses. It has opened so many doors for us as a team. It has improved my maths, engineering and presentation skills, as well as giving me confidence to talk in front of people. I've learnt that the saying 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again' is absolutely true. It took us nearly four years in the competition to win the World Championship title and we succeeded in the end."

Executive Director of Engineering of the Renault F1 team, Pat Symonds, commented, "I first met Andrew and the Pulse team at the world finals in Kuala Lumpur. They stood out even among the incredibly high standards at the finals as four very talented young men who will be assets to industry and I'm sure they have very successful careers ahead of them. Andrew's grasp of the mathematics and physics that are the basis of engineering was outstanding and I was pleased to offer him work experience to enable him to see first hand the expertise, motivation and excellence you need to operate at this level. He is very enthusiastic and willing to learn, and our engineers have been very impressed with the foundation skills he has and the interest he shows in the work. The F1 in Schools programme has certainly given him a head start in his career and it shows the value of students participating in this very worthwhile initiative."

F1 IN SCHOOLS RECEIVES GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

17 August 2009

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DSCF) is supporting the 2009 Formula One in Schools World Championships which will be held from 15-17 September in London.

F1 in Schools is a multi-disciplinary challenge which has developed from an inter-school national competition into a global challenge which embraces many of the core subjects within education, using the popularity of the high profile sport of Formula One to enrich their learning experience and skills. Over 30 countries across the world now operate this innovative programme, many of which have included it within the national curriculum.

In the UK F1 in Schools is open to all students from 9 -19 years old and it attracts entries from over 200 schools, with over 1000 students competing for a coveted place in the World Championships. At a global level F1 in Schools reaches over 12 million students in 31 countries.

Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, believes that government support of the programme is very important and says, "Having the support of the UK government for F1 in Schools is fundamental to our programme. As an international challenge we are involved with governments and education departments from many countries, so we are proud to have recognition for our work within the UK at this level. We will be hosting many high level officials from around the world at our World Championships, so the support of the DCSF is very appropriate to the event.

"In F1 in Schools we have captured the imagination of students by linking with the high profile sport of Formula 1 and with the support of the industry we have been able to use it to stimulate students and encourage them to develop their learning skills, expand their interpersonal communication and enjoy the challenge of education."

The 2009 F1 in Schools World Championships begins with a cultural exchange event with the students gathering to meet each other and exchange small cultural gifts at the IET headquarters in London. Three days of exciting competition precede a glittering awards ceremony and the crowning of the new World Champions.