MYP Design aims to provide the means and the context to help students become skillful problem solvers, who can appreciate the role of technology in everyday life and society and who can respond critically and resourcefully to real-life challenges.
Inquiry and problem solving are at the heart of MYP Design. During the MYP years, students are expected to solve problems using technology. MYP Design uses the design cycle as the model of thinking and the strategy to help students investigate problems and design, plan, create and evaluate the products/solutions that they generate. A product/solution can be defined as a model, prototype, product or system that students have generated independently. This means that MYP Design expects students to become actively involved in and focus on the whole design process rather than on the final products/ solutions.
MYP Design requires the use of the design cycle for solving problems with technology and promotes a practical and inquiry-based approach. This helps students to develop not only practical skills, but also creative- and critical-thinking strategies.
The MYP Design course intends to: • Challenge all students to apply practical and creative-thinking skills to solve problems with technology • Encourage students to explore the role of technology in both historical and contemporary contexts • Raise students’ awareness of their responsibilities as world citizens when making decisions and taking action on technology issues.
Inquiring & Analyzing Students identify the problem to be solved: develop the design brief, and formulate a design specification.
Developing Ideas Students design the product/solution: evaluation the designs, and select one.
Students plan the product/solution: construct and evaluate a plan.
Creating Students use appropriate techniques and equipment to create the product/solution.
Evaluating Students evaluate success and impact of the product/solution and suggest ways the performance could be improved.