Researching Design Learning: Issues and Findings from Two Decades of Research and Development (Contemporary Trends and Issues in Science Education)

The product of ongoing research projects in design and technology teaching, this book summarizes the lessons learned. The book focuses on the design activity, on learning, teaching and assessment, and, more widely, on what can be learnt about the research process itself. The authors aim to answer questions such as how active, concrete learning enables cognitive and emotional growth? Researching such questions, the authors integrate the conceptual, the practical and the pedagogic. Dedication.- Foreword.- Preface.- Acknowledgements.- INTRODUCTION .- PART ONE: OUR PHILOSOPHICAL POSITION.- 1 Capability: A Philosophical Position.- 2 Learning and Teaching: A Philosophical Position.- 3 Assessment: A Philosophical Position.- 4 Research: A Philosophical Position.- PART TWO: THE PROJECTS.- 5 APU Design & Technology.- 6 Further Performance Assessment.- 7 Continuing Fundamental Research.- 8 Public Policy Research.- 9 Evaluating Curricular Initiatives.- PART THREE: EMERGING ISSUES AND UNDERSTANDINGS.- 10 Processes, Activities and Tasks.- 11 Learning and Teaching.- 12 Assessing Performance.- 13 Learner Differences.- 14 Research Methodology.- 15 Concluding Reflections.- References.- Index.