Exam Board: AQA
Course Entry Requirements:
A GCSE grade B or above in Product Design or double ‘CC’ or above in Engineering with a grade B in English and Mathematics
WHY Design and Technology: Product Design?
The specification has been designed to encourage candidates to take a broad view of design and technology, to develop their capacity to design and make products and to appreciate the complex relations between design, materials, manufacture and marketing.
It’s a 3D world
Think about the objects that you love. Your mobile phone with its delicious curves was designed on a computer screen. The car you yearn for started life as a reduced size clay model. A building that you admire sprang from the drawing board of an architect, and it’s not a new phenomenon. Our fascination with 3D design goes back to flint arrow heads and earthenware pots. As a 3D designer you are at the crossroads of a number of skills. Of course you need creativity, in order to imagine the shape and function of the object. But you’ll also need to know about manufacturing processes, materials and marketing.
Bringing ideas to life
3D Design is an enormously satisfying career. You have an idea and - with the use of tools like clay or computers - it comes to life. Imagine how satisfying it must be for the person who designed the iPhone or Razor to hold the finished product in their hand.
COURSE CONTENT:
AS Examination - Unit 1 PROD1 Materials, Components and Application
This unit provides details of the subject content to be covered by candidates at AS level.
The content has been divided into three sections:
• Section A: Materials and Components
• Section B: Design and Market Influences
• Section C: Processes and Manufacture
50% of AS, 25% of A Level
2 hour written paper - 80 marks
Unit 2 PROD2 Learning Through Designing and Making
This is a design-and-make unit where knowledge of the AS subject content is applied to the design and making of the candidates’ own projects. AS candidates’ work will be marked out of a total of 80 marks.
Summary of Assessment Criteria:
Assessment Criteria
| |
|
AOI Designing
|
A02 Making
|
Max Mark
|
| 1. |
Investigation and Clarification of Problems |
8
|
|
8
|
|
2.
|
Development of Design Proposal
|
24
|
|
24
|
|
3.
|
Making / Modelling
|
24
|
|
24
|
|
4.
|
Evaluation and Testing
|
8
|
4
|
12
|
|
5.
|
Communication and Presentation
|
8
|
4
|
12
|
|
|
Total
|
48
|
32
|
80
|
850% of AS, 25% of A Level
• Coursework – approx 50 hours -80 marks
• Written (or electronic) design portfolio
• Coursework may take a number of forms: a simple design-and-make project, two smaller projects or a portfolio of work
A2 Examination - Unit 3: PROD 3 Design and Manufacture
The content has been divided into three sections:
• Section A: Materials and Components
• Section B: Design and Market Influences
• Section C: Processes and Manufacture
25% of A Level
2 hour written paper - 84 marks
Based primarily on Design and Manufacture and consisting of two sections
Includes synoptic assessment
Unit 4: PROD 4 Design and Making Practice
This is a design-and-make unit where knowledge of the AS and A2 subject content is applied to the design and manufacture of candidates’ own projects.
The Assessment Criteria for A2 coursework are given below.
A2 candidates’ work will be marked out of a total of 85 marks.
| |
|
AO1 Design
|
AO2 Making
|
Maximum Mark
|
| 1. |
Context and Objectives
|
5
|
5
|
|
|
2.
|
Plan of Action and Clarification of Problem
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
|
3.
|
Development of Design Proposal
|
26
|
|
26
|
|
4.
|
Manufacture / Modelling
|
26
|
|
26
|
|
5.
|
Conclusions, Evaluations and Recommendations
|
8
|
4
|
12
|
|
6.
|
Communication and Presentation
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
|
|
Total
|
51
|
34
|
85
|
Assessment:
| Unit 1 |
2 hours |
| Unit 2 |
50 hours |
| Unit 3 |
2 hours |
| Unit 4 |
60 hours |
LEARNING STRATEGIES:
• How things are Made
• Discovery Channel
• How things work
• The Design Centre
• Visit the Science Museum
• Disassembling items to find out how they function.
• Develop drawing skills to present their ideas.
• To look closely at your surroundings and objects you use on a daily basis and make informed opinions on function and aesthetics.
