Questioning the design and technology paradigm

In this paper I present a brief background to the questioning of the design and technology paradigm made by Andy Breckon before using the work of seven acknowledged experts in the field of design and technology education to scrutinise the validity and practicality of this questioning. The experts are David Layton, Richard Kimbell, Robert McCormick, Patricia Murphy, Mike Ive HMI, Malcolm Welch and Stephen Petrina. Next I consider the nature of design and technology within the school curriculum as if it were a brand competing for attention with other brands in the curriculum. I then use the experience of the Young Foresight Initiative to consider specifically Andy’s position on design and technology innovation. Finally, I sum up by identifying future directions for the subject that have emerged from considering Andy’s paper.