The user-centred development of design-it-yourself kits : improving Grade 7-9 Technology Education in government schools in Johannesburg

M.Tech. (Industrial Design)Abstract: A significant volume of research exists in the field of Technology Education, in particular, what content the subject should include and the relevance of Technology Education in developing and developed societies. However, there has been relatively little research into practical ways of meeting the classroom needs of Technology teachers and learners, particularly in the South African context. Comparatively little development in the Technology Learning Area has been undertaken since the South African Department of Basic Education’s last curriculum review which began implementation in 2012. Preliminary review on the literature, combined with observation suggests that the traditional system of practical ‘workshop’ based technology is becoming less common in schools, as workshops are converted into classrooms and that a new approach is thus needed to facilitate practical, experiential learning in the classroom. This project was broken into two stages. Firstly, the project sought to find out how technical literacy and problem solving concepts are conveyed to learners, along with other key learning areas in the curriculum in current classroom practice. The second stage of the project was the design of a range of products in response to the problems identified. The design stage was informed by the design theories of Product semantics and User-centred design to create learning aids that engage and interest learners. The purpose of the range of products is to provide the framework on which the learners are able to create their practical projects and apply their understanding of the curriculum outcomes. A series of 11 project kits were designed based on findings from the data. The outcome of the practical projects was then evaluated by teachers