Faraday competition - 'Schools' category
Activity
4) Faraday competition - 'Schools' category
(116 k) Updated 10 September 2008
The Faraday Competition also offers an 'Open' category.
Activity intention
This competition has been designed to provide a ‘live’ engineering opportunity for students. The company (d3o) has provided a context and structure that will allow the students to experience the process of developing a ‘new concept’.
This activity will allow the student to investigate a new material and then apply this knowledge in a focused way to a new situation and, consequently, extend the existing d3o product range. Students will develop their critical thinking skills throughout the process, providing a synopsis of their concept’s key features through the use of audio technology.
Although this is predominantly a design and technology/engineering activity, scientific understanding needs to be applied throughout the activity.
Links to the ‘new secondary curriculum’, key processes:
Design and technology
2b respond creatively to briefs, developing their own proposals and producing specifications for products
2d use their understanding of others’ designing to inform their own
2h reflect critically when evaluating and modifying their ideas and proposals to improve products throughout their development and manufacture
Science
2.2b evaluate scientific evidence and working methods
Range and content
Design and Technology
3e aesthetic, technical, constructional and relevant wider issues that may influence designing, selection of materials, making and product development
3l how to use materials, smart materials, technology and aesthetic qualities to design and make products of worth
Science
3.2a the particle model provides explanations for the different physical properties and behaviour of matter
Range and content (cont.)
Resources
- All the information needed will be provided through either the Faraday 09 website or the d3o website.
- Working on a PC, you will need some audio software, e.g. ‘real player’ or ‘audacity’.
- Working on a Mac, you will already have software called ‘GarageBand’. Both pieces of software are very user-friendly.
- In addition to the software, you will require a microphone. This need not be expensive as most computers have a built-in microphone. However, you will get a better quality sound if you buy a digital microphone with a USB connection (approx. £60)
Personal, thinking and learning skills (PLTS)
These generic skills, together with the functional skills of English, mathematics and ICT, are essential to success in life, learning and work
Creative thinkers – generate ideas and explore possibilities, connect their own and others’ ideas and experiences in inventive ways
Curriculum opportunities
Design and technology
4c engage in design and make assignments in different and more progressively more complex contexts, including for purposes and uses beyond the classroom
4f use ICT as appropriate for image capture and generation and product realisation
Science
4c use real-life examples as a basis for finding out about science
ICT opportunities
- Web-based research
- Image capture and manipulation
- CAD
- Digital audio recording and capture
Suggested learning objectives
- To understand the connection between science and design and technology through a contemporary engineering context
- To be able to apply scientific knowledge through designing and development
- To understand how to provide key information in a succinct manner in order to impart a strong message to a given audience
