Thoughts on the 2020 D&T Syllabus - Coursework

I sense the ground as some expressed uncertainty on what to do for the new Design & Technology Coursework 2020. Some worried that their current proficiency in gaming the coursework might not work anymore. 

I can quite safely say that what is expected in the past and what should be done in the light of the new syllabus - remains the same - provided the motivation had not been one to game the system for maximum score - but to provide a unique practical exposure to solving real-world ill-defined problems as well as to tease out the potential of design'ability in our students.

We need to move forward with the new syllabus with a pair of new lens. The non-essential information and 'paddings' that are used to make the journal look good need to be filtered and are the first to be out in the trash. Clean that rubbish out and we are left with what is good to go. 

"What must we do so that the students can score in their coursework?" 

Answer: That's not a right question to ask. Instead it should be "How should I facilitate my students' coursework so that time spent and work done is as meaningful and authentic as it can be that aims to solve a real-world ill-defined problem."

Everything else essential and necessary for the beginning and ending is still present in the entire coursework. 

The following needs some getting used to but not entirely mind-boggling - an updated emphasis on sketching to design and the down regulation of the need for perfect technical working drawings and glossy prototypes. Some re-allocation of marks for the various coursework components (e.g. GDI, P.Boards, etc) and the relocation e.g. working drawings from PB to journal. 

So really, nothing to worry if you had been doing things right. 

Reframe and relearn if necessary about what is not required anymore, e.g. the paddings and the decor - aka the non-essentials. Hit the nail on matters that are absolutely essential and necessary for moving forward. 

Research when necessary. Sketch when necessary. Annotate when necessary. Mock-up and test and evaluate when necessary. Prototype test, evaluate and improve when necessary. That's really it - the New 2020 D&T Syllabus to Coursework.

My mind is clearer now that I put into words what I had been thinking. Hope this helps you in some way too. Let me know if this had helped you. Let me know if you have new thoughts or have alternative / opposing views.