Keynote #1

“Primary D&T – Voices from the Classroom”

 

Speaker: Janine Pavlis, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education and Deputy Chair of DTTEG

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Janine Pavlis (St Mary's University) focused on the lived experiences of primary teachers grappling with the challenges of teaching Design & Technology. Drawing on direct quotes from educators, she highlighted widespread issues such as:

• Lack of confidence in teaching D&T effectively.

• Insufficient training and support, with many teachers feeling unprepared.

• Limited resources and budget constraints, making practical delivery difficult.

• Curriculum vagueness, which leaves teachers unsure of expectations.

• The reality of teaching multiple subjects, which dilutes focus and expertise in D&T.

 

Janine's keynote emphasised the need for greater clarity, support, and professional development in primary D&T education. She also introduced creative research methods—such as narrative collage and photo elicitation, to capture authentic teacher voices and experiences.

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The session concluded with a call to better understand and support primary educators, recognising their pivotal role in shaping early D&T learning.

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Keynote #2

“Beyond ‘Ours is Not to Reason Why’”

 

Speaker: Dr Alison Hardy, Associate Professor, Writer, Podcaster, and Co-founder of DTTEG

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Dr Alison Hardy (Nottingham Trent University) explored the role of Design & Technology (D&T) teacher educators as stakeholders in educational change, using Stakeholder Salience Theory to frame the discussion. She argued that D&T educators are often “latent stakeholders” (acknowledged but not prioritised) due to limited power, perceived lack of legitimacy, and low urgency in policy circles.

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Key themes included:

• Systemic challenges rooted in the legacy of technical delivery models and performance metrics.

• The “do or die” culture in education, which marginalises teacher agency and criticality.

• The need for congruent teaching—aligning pedagogical practice with what is advocated in theory.

• The andragogy challenge: modelling child-focused pedagogy for adult learners (student teachers).

• Building stakeholder salience through collective action, congruent practice, and making the future of D&T education visible and urgent.

 

Alison called for D&T teacher educators to move from being passive participants to definitive stakeholders by leveraging their expertise, uniting as a professional community, and actively shaping the narrative around D&T education.