Download Product Design A-Level Course and more Lecture notes Design in PDF only on Docsity! PRODUCT DESIGN A-LEVEL For more information please see Mr Cope For whom is this course suitable? Students who enjoy practical and/or creative work and have followed a design-based course at GCSE Level, achieving at least a grade 5 in Product Design, Food or Textiles, or have BTEC Engineering at either a Merit or Distinction grade. Design Technology is often taken in combination with Art, Maths and Physics. What will I learn on this course? During the two-year course, you will study a range of materials, you will develop a technical understanding of how products function and how they are made to appropriately support the design and manufacture of your own design solutions. You will learn about wider design principles and the effect of design on users and the world we live in. You will identify market needs and opportunities for new products, initiate and develop design solutions, and make and test prototypes/products. You will develop your subject knowledge, including how a product can be developed through the stages of prototyping, realisation and commercial manufacture. You will develop a critical mind through enquiry and problem solving, exploration, creation and evaluation of iterative designs. The course encourages freedom in approaches towards designing and making so as not to limit the possibilities of project work or the materials and processes being used. The examination content requires you to apply mathematical and scientific knowledge, understanding and skills. This content reflects the importance of Design and Technology as a pivotal STEM subject. The A level consists of two units of work: A non-examined āIterative Design Projectā is a substantial design, make and evaluate project centred on the iterative processes of explore, create and evaluate. It is worth 50% of the A Level qualification. You will be required to identify a design opportunity or problem from a context of your own choice, and create a chronological portfolio supported by realā time evidence of your project development. Innovative approaches will be required resulting in a final prototype that can be tested against the user and the market. The Principles examination paper is worth 25% of the A Level qualification and assesses analysis of existing products, technical knowledge and understanding of materials, product functionality, manufacturing processes and techniques and allows you to demonstrate your understanding of design thinking and wider social, moral and environmental issues that impact on the design and manufacturing industries. The paper is 1 hour 30 minutes long. The āUnseen Challengeā is worth 25% of the A Level qualification and focuses on the application of your knowledge, understanding and skills of designing and manufacturing prototypes and products through a set design task, then reflecting on your design solution in relation to wider factors and other theoretical knowledge. The paper is 2 hour 30 minutes long.
