Grade 10

Topic: Designing and Building a Box to Collect Money for a Food Bank

Self and Society

It is expected that students will:

• demonstrate a willingness to find unique solutions to problems that arise during the design process
• demonstrate the ability to use community resources to help solve problems that come up during the design process
• demonstrate confidence and positive attitudes when solving problems that occur during the design process

It is expected that students will:

• use information gathering and com- munication methods to solve problems involving technology and to create effective presentations

It is expected that students will:

• devise a production process
• use hand and power tool techniques to process materials in order to improve the appearance, usefulness, and function of products
• demonstrate safe work habits when using tools, equipment, and technical processes, and encourage the same in others
• use a design process in production activities
• match material to specific product requirements

Planning for Assessment

• Students were asked to work individually to design and construct donation boxes for contributions to the local food bank. The completed boxes were put in local banks. Students were expected to follow a design process such as the one outlined in the diagram below, with particular emphasis on applying the process to respond to client and user needs. Students recorded their design processes in a design portfolio.

• Students developed interview questions and interviewed clients (volunteer workers at the food bank) and users (tellers at the banks) in order to develop criteria and design parameters.
• Students found that the typical client (food bank worker) listed the following design criteria:
  -attractive
  • colourful
  • eye-catching
  • name and logo of food bank accurately displayed on two sides
• They found that the typical user (bank teller) listed the following design criteria:
  • slot large enough for a loonie
  • clear window
  • can be opened and closed again easily
  • reasonably secure
  • durable
  • stable
  • well labelled
  • original in design
  • within specified maximum dimensions
• From these criteria students developed design parameters and initial concept sketches that they took back to their clients and users for feedback before completing their designs and building the boxes.
• Food bank workers and bank tellers were asked to evaluate the students' design consultations and the finished donation boxes.

Defining the Criteria

To what extent was the student able to:

• develop interview questions that elicit client and user criteria
• conduct effective interviews with clients and users to determine their needs
• base design parameters on client and user needs and wishes
• use feedback from clients and users to improve designs
• produce a product that meets or exceeds client and user expectations

To what extent does the student demonstrate:

• the ability to select appropriate materials and tools
• the ability to establish a production sequence
• the use of equipment and tools in a safe and effective manner
• satisfaction in producing a well-finished product

To what extent does the student demonstrate:

• engagement in the problem
• appropriate use of background knowledge
• effective problem-solving processes
• the ability to represent solutions to the problem

Design portfolios, client and user evaluations, and finished products were collected and evaluated using the following holistic scale, which emphasized the importance of consultations with clients and users in the design process.

Outstanding
Interview questions and interviews relating to the design problem are exceptionally thoughtful and thorough, resulting in a superior set of design parameters. Feedback from clients and users is especially well used to improve the design, even when the design issues raised are complex. The finished product meets all the design criteria supplied by the clients and usersÑoften in highly innovative ways. Clients and users remark that the product exceeds their expectations, or that bank customers single it out for praise.

Good
The list of criteria developed from the interviews is complete. Feedback from clients and users has been incorporated, although some design issues may have been dealt with in more depth than others. All criteria are met in the finished product, and clients and users express satisfaction or pleasure with it.

Satisfactory
An adequate list of criteria has been developed from interviews and incorporated into the design, although some design solutions may be simplistic or superficial. Clients and users are satisfied with the finished product and use it, although they may not be very enthusiastic about it.

Unacceptable
Interview questions and interviews are brief or unfocussed and may not provide necessary information. Several problems involving design remain unsolved. The finished product did not meet client and user identified criteria to the extent that the box was not usable or its use had to be discontinued.

Problem Solving

As students worked on this problem involving design, the teacher observed and recorded their performances as problem solvers using the "Individual Observation Checklist" from the reference set Evaluating Problem Solving Across Curriculum . (See Grade: 8 Introduction to design, Tools, and Materials.)

Student's final products were assessed using the Design Project Assessment Checklist.

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Province of British Columbia
Ministry of Education
MOE Curriculum Branch

© 1996 Copyright

Maintained by: Technology Education Coordinator

Revised: February 27, 1996

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