Developing online subject knowledge enhancement for prospective teachers of design and technology

Kate Finlay, Head of Design and Technology, Hethersett Academy. katefinlay@inspirationtrust.org

It is quite a thing to build an online teaching course, it is another challenge entirely doing this during an unprecedented global pandemic.

I was very young when I started teaching, but was fortunate to be doing a 4-year D&T BEd degree.  I have always remained thankful for the time and space I was afforded, for all the feedback and support that I was given in the many different schools we trained in.  That unwavering professional support has instilled in me the importance of supporting others and sharing great practice.  It makes me sad to think that since 1996 we have not filled all the D&T teacher training places and that many schools are struggling to find wonderful teachers for their amazing students. This is when I realised I had to do something, I could not solve the national shortage of D&T teachers, but I ran a great department and together we could do something. 

A few years ago our department was in the situation to offer support to a local SCITT for some subject specific knowledge days for ITT students.  I really enjoyed these and it reignited my desire to help other D&T teachers, just as I had been helped many years ago.  It seemed to me that these trainees really needed this subject knowledge prior to starting their course rather than during it, they did not have the BEd experience that I was lucky to have. A BEd route allowed trainee teachers to study for a degree and train to teach, over the four years you would increase placement time in schools.  It allowed you time to reflect on changes in education, allowed you to gain a broad range of knowledge and see a wealth of different schools and departments. This is where Matt McLain suggested we run a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course at Hethersett Academy. To start with the plan was to run this SKE course face-to-face for local trainees “then COVID happened”!  The course that was planned had to then go online.  Sometime after we were approached by a few other students who had heard about the course and wanted to get involved, between May and the end of June numbers had grown to over 40 - no pressure!  

Luckily, I work in a department with truly amazing people, who all bring something different. I knew that I wanted to create a course that would allow trainees to have a leg up, so they were not starting from zero all the time. I wanted them to see examples but not just copy what we are doing. I wanted the trainees to have the appropriate Health & Safety certification for new teachers of D&T, and I wanted them to be confident and know what to look for when starting at a school. Essentially we were going to support these trainees so that from day one they could add value to the departments they were working in. 

Our SKE students come from all over the country, from Cornwall to Dover and up to Manchester. We met online for 8 weeks, each week focuses on a different area.  Week 1 & 2 start with a rapid history of D&T and current design thinking plus students complete online and face to face health & safety courses. Mark, our health & safety trainer in week 2,  takes the students through their online Core H&S course, they complete Health & Hygiene level 2 and get a really great introduction into best working practices in D&T.  Later in the course, Mark will visit a school near them and give students a day in the workshop covering the core workshop certification. Week 3-6 the students spend each week learning about how specific subjects are taught. We divide these into Food & Nutrition, Product Design, Graphics & Architecture and Textiles & Fashion.  Each week a different member of the team at Hethersett Academy takes responsibility for the learning.  We send out a large box full of materials and equipment for each student.  This has been designed to help them beyond the SKE course.  In each of the subject specific weeks students are supported live online but also through prepared videos which talk through the stages in practical work such as soldering, rendering, using thick and thin lines, injection moulding and embroidery for example.  Whilst this could be a limitation of online learning, I think we have balanced it well so that candidates get time to practise online and in their own time.  They also have the videos as QR codes for quick support if they need it.  Being given a lot of materials and equipment also encourages them to learn at home.

For us at Hethersett, the SKE course is a way that we can support new teachers. I have found that trainees who are going to train to teach with smaller ITT providers, might be the only D&T trainee on their course.  These trainees benefit the most from the opportunity to work with D&T peers prior to starting their training in September.

As qualified teachers of design and technology it is our responsibility to be involved in the D&T community in whatever way we can. It might not be possible to have a trainee in your department, but you can definitely find a way to have an impact and support others.  At the start of this blog I spoke about unwavering professional support, it is an attribute that I hold dear, and for as long as I teach this wonderful subject, something that I am determined to stick to. 

Below are some of the top tips we have learnt when shifting our D&T SKE course online, lessons we have learnt

• Meet your students prior to them starting the course.  Even if this is a phone call, having someone they know will enable them to have more confidence to engage with the course.  It also gives you the opportunity to find out areas of their strengths and weaknesses.

• Give students copies of everything you will go through, photocopied and sent before and also an online copy. This is about engagement but also not everyone has access to printers etc.

• Keep information as centralised as possible and stick to one contact email.  We use our own website where students are given their own log ons. They have access to this for the course and through their first year of training.

• Encourage questions - lots of people like to email queries and questions, I always try to answer these at the start of each session and through emails too. Some of the best discussions we have had have been through moments like this.

• With an online course, make sure you have rest breaks, breaks where students can look and have a go at an activity and proper time for discussion. Using the whole screen gallery is great.

• Use a variety of speakers, we are very lucky to have a big department so we are all use to working together, it gives variety for the students and adds strength and depth. 

• Future support - one of the things that has been really successful is suggesting blogs, books, podcasts, magazines, websites etc where students can gain support.  We even include people to follow on social media.  This might be to do with where to get materials, ideas about current teaching D&T, grants or future CPD.