Greater knowledge base for teachers in 'Design and Technology'

Summary form only given. The paper focuses on the management of 'Design and Technology', a subject area offered in junior and senior secondary schools in many countries. It addresses the issue of inadequate expertise of teachers and attributes the same to inappropriate curriculum and methodology of teacher education. Over-reliance on the project method of teaching the student teachers is identified as the major drawback. In an attempt to revise the curriculum leading to the Bachelor's Degree in Design and Technology, it identifies the desirable competencies of teachers derived from the fact that the school students are invariably taught the subject through project work. It is observed that a teacher would be able to lead, supervise and evaluate the students effectively if he/she possesses all-round knowledge in design, technology, engineering, arts and sciences acquired through courses of study rather than through the project method of learning alone. It, therefore, proposes a conceptual framework, a structure and a preferred methodology of the curriculum. The multi-layered curriculum so conceived has 'designing and making' skills at the core with input of 'Design and Technology' specific courses together with knowledge and skills from other subject areas in an overarching pedagogical environment. The suggested methodology of implementation consists of formal teaching, exploratory work and laboratory experiments. The project method of teaching may continue for the development of design and making skills.