The design, development and implementation of cognitive acceleration through technology education (CATE)

This paper outlines the design and development of a cognitive intervention programme in design and technology education to Key Stage 3 students in the United Kingdom. Included is an interim evaluation of effects on students and teachers. Data has been collected and analysed after two years of the developmental programme. Use has been made of: • Piagetian Reasoning tasks as pre/post tests instruments • NFER Cognitive Ability Tests and end of Key Stage 3 assessments in order to monitor for far transfer effects • a teacher interview technique to monitor teacher attitudes towards the project. The interim evaluation described in this paper suggests that design and technology education has been enhanced at a number of levels by the intervention programme and that there is a little evidence that far transfer effects have occurred.