Grade 12 - Design and Communication(Problem Solving)

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will:

assess and modify designs using specific criteria, including:
- aesthetic factors
- ergonomic factors
- cost-effectiveness
- available resources
- environmental impact
apply project-management processes while working on design teams

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Design and Communication (Problem Solving) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Students learn the importance of project management as they work with others to solve design problems and develop ways to communicate their ideas.

Have students form teams to assess and predict the effect of a hypothetical design on society, culture, and the environment (e.g., self-contained habitat for areas with harsh climates). Ask students to draw plans based on related knowledge and experiences from previous design situations. The teams then develop reports using data from a variety of sources to support their predictions.
Ask students to work in small groups to design products or systems (e.g., sunglasses, clothes hanger, remote-control holder). Have them develop outlines or flow charts to assist in managing their projects, including task analyses and management matrices. Then ask each group to assign each member a specific role and responsibility. Have students assess their designs using predetermined criteria, then discuss their roles and how they worked together to complete the designs.
Work with students to assess several project-management software packages to evaluate the effectiveness of each in managing time, money, and people. Have students produce charts to compare each package in terms of:
- effectiveness and efficiency in dealing with various project-management tasks
- cost
- ease of use
- usefulness of reports

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

As students develop design solutions, they can demonstrate their abilities to apply prior knowledge and experience, problem-solving strategies, and project-management skills.

Ask students to work in small groups to modify a design (e.g., converting a lawn mower to a snow blower). Assess their problem-solving skills by noting the extent to which they are able to:
- persevere with the design problem
- identify gaps in their background knowledge
- use a variety of resources to find appropriate background information
- effectively apply the information to solve the design problem
- apply previously learned problem-solving strategies
- communicate their solutions effectively
After teams of students have completed a design project, have them self-assess their application of project-management skills by completing sentence stems such as:
- I contributed ideas when ____________.
- Our group worked well when ____________.
- Tasks that needed to be completed were identified and described by ____________.
- The job responsibilities were delegated based on ____________.
- Based on suggestions from other groups, we altered our design by ____________.
- When we had problems, we dealt with them by ____________.
Ask students to develop a set of criteria to evaluate project-management software. Assess the criteria for evidence that students are able to:
- identify aspects of the software that should be evaluated
- identify relevant criteria
- consider the needs of a variety of possible users