Commissioned Research Article
Title: Primary Design & Technology and
Citizenship
Author: Cathy Growney
Produced by citizED
(a project of the Teacher Training Agency)
WINTER 2004/5
More information about the series of
Commissioned Research Articles can be
found at www.citized.info
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
Primary Design and Technology
and Citizenship
by Cathy Growney
CRIPT,
University of Central England, Attwood, Perry Bar, Birmingham, B42 2SU
Email: cathy.growney@uce.ac.uk
One of PENAC’s1 aims for primary Citizenship Education is “To explore ways of working with
student [teachers] which are cross curricular, issue based and/or subject specific”. The
UNICEF2 survey, reported by McKenzie, found that most respondents believed the natural
home for Citizenship Education’s place was in PSHE or “assemblies, History, Geography and
Religious Education” (McKenzie 2000); no other curriculum areas were mentioned. Many still
regard PSHE and the Humanities as the only position from which to deliver Citizenship
Education. Indeed it is difficult to find teaching resources, among the collections of Citizenship
Education resources, which are not linked solely to these curriculum areas. This has resulted in
a narrow and fragmented view of Citizenship Education.
This paper illustrates a personal view, of some of the strong links between Design and
Technology and Citizenship. I believe Design and Technology provides an obvious site for
Citizenship Education. I use specific examples from Initial Teacher Education, Continuing
Professional Development and from primary schools to make the case that, as many technology
educationalists have shown, aspects of Citizenship can be embedded through “values” in
Design and Technology education (Conway and Riggs 1994; Poole; Layton 1992; McGarry
1992; Siraj-Blatchford 1996; Howe, Davies et al. 2001; Martin 2002; Rogers 2002).
The Links between Citizenship and Design and Technology
Howe, Davies and Ritchie (2001) say that the aims of Citizenship Education could be viewed as
“emancipatory and empowering, i.e. helping children to take control of their lives and the things
that matter to them, rather than as part of their responsibility to society. In this respect it shares
many of the ideals of Design and Technology, which aims to help children believe they can
change things for the better.” (Howe et al, 2001: 126).
The National Curriculum aims for Design and Technology are to enable pupils to participate in
and contribute towards the rapidly changing made world. Through Design and Technology,
pupils learn to become discriminating citizens and consumers and to intervene creatively, by
having a better understanding of the made world and the associated values within it (DfEE
1999). Values have been embedded in Primary Design and Technology since it was first
introduced with the first National Curriculum in 1990. In accordance with PENAC principles,
Design and Technology fosters critical thinking through active learning.
1
PENAC is the Primary Educators’ Network for the Advancement of Citizenship.
For further details, please go into ‘Links’ on the Primary section of the Citized website:
http://www.citized.info/index.php?strand=1
2
The UK Committee for UNICEF surveyed Local Education Authority (LEA) personnel, Non-Government
Organisation (NGO) staff and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in England on “Citizenship in Schools”.
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
The National Curriculum for Design and Technology “Breadth of Study” includes three routes of
delivery: 1. Investigative and evaluative activities (IEAs); during these activities pupils gain their
knowledge of people, products and processes, and a variety of technological concepts
from electronic control to methods of joining structures. It is through IEAs that many
values related aspects are raised (social, environmental, spiritual, moral, aesthetic and
economic).
2. Focused practical tasks (FPTs) during which the pupils gain the skills to carry out their
own projects; they get the opportunity to use a wide variety of materials and components
from timber to food to plastic foam to buttons, LEDs and split pins;
3. Design and make assignments (DMAs). These assignments are more specific or
personalised activities that address a particular need or concern, in which pupils use the
knowledge, understanding and skills gained during IEAs and FPTs to carry out projects.
In each DMA the pathway, known as “The Design Process” is followed, this creative
process involves developing qualities such as imagination, communication,
experimentation, reflection and evaluation. During the DMAs the pupils reveal their
stances (individually or collectively in groups) on the issues by the decisions they make
when addressing the need.
Social justice, environmental sustainability and interdependence
Design and Technology is a shared activity between those who design and make things and
those who use them. By embedding Global Citizenship3 in Design and Technology and listening
to the stories and views of others, (from local people to people much further afield), pupils learn
about the diversity of people involved with design. They see that the world has gained
enormously through the creative and rich exchange of ideas.
When pupils learn that sometimes mutual exchanges have not occurred, learning opportunities
have been missed and the impact of ideas and developments has had detrimental effects (for
example, environmental destruction or global inequity) they start to realise what social
interdependence means. Citizenship Education helps future generations, who will become the
key decision-makers of the future, reduce the possibilities of such negative effects and build a
more sustainable future. (Reiss 1993; Steiner 1996). This is also an impact of Design and
Technology education.
In carrying out Design and Technology activities, pupils consider the needs of people involved
with the products they design and they evaluate the efficacy of their ideas and products not only
on the consumer, but also the producer and the environment. Therefore, they must have social,
cultural, moral, environmental and economic impacts in mind. Pupils learn about social justice
and environmental sustainability when they consider the different peoples and places in our
world, and how over time they have influenced and affected one another.
It is a requirement of the National Curriculum that pupils research, discuss and debate topical
issues. Having a safe platform to discuss issues helps pupils develop their own moral and
ethical frameworks and develop their own critical thinking. Pupils become enabled to take
David Hicks’ definition of Global Citizenship is “that part of the citizenship curriculum which refers to global issues,
events and perspectives; also being or feeling a citizen of the global community (as well as cultural or national
communities)” (Hicks, 2003).
I consider it as this but more; it is the combination of ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ (refer to the 7 key
concepts of ESD in the appendix that include ‘Citizenship and stewardship’ and the ‘Global Dimension’). Hicks’
definition of Global dimension refers to the curriculum taken as a whole and the ethos of a school; those subject
elements and cross-curricular concerns that focus on global interdependence, issues and events (ibid)
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Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
advantage of the opportunities available to them, to take responsibility and participate fully in
society. Avoiding such discussions is to deprive pupils and leave a significant gap in their
educational experience, so that they are ill informed about the nature of the society in which
they live. As Cathie Holden and David Hicks discovered, children (7 – 11 year olds) wanted to
become better informed and to be able to make a difference. They were concerned about:
Their own futures, their local community, environmental issues, poverty and unemployment,
crime and violence, increased racism, homelessness and conflict abroad spreading to their
own community”
(Hicks and Holden 1995)
They wanted more knowledge on these issues and wanted the opportunity from schools to gain
the knowledge. The teacher’s responsibility is to provide opportunities for discussions and to
ensure pupils are equipped to engage with controversial issues. Too frequently these
opportunities are not provided.
Controversial and contentious issues
Another of PENAC’s aims is to “acknowledge controversial issues in citizenship education with
primary initial teacher trainees and explore supportive approaches”. Many trainees (and indeed
many teachers) are aware that controversial and contentious issues may unexpectedly arise
during any activity (Claire, 2003). Often trainees fear the unknown and are anxious about their
own ignorance or inadequacy assuming they have merely naïve knowledge. Some fear being
accused of influencing pupils politically, which could upset parents, governors and other staff.
The dangerous consequence of this is that the teachers may avoid or skirt over issues. In doing
so the teachers could be reinforcing negative stereotypes or misinforming pupils, so
undervaluing the issue itself and missing real opportunities for open discussion. By ensuring
trainees have ample opportunities to explore, engage in and test out such situations in the
safety of their peer groups (in HEIs) before venturing into the classroom they will develop
strategies for dealing with them and gain confidence in their own capabilities and expertise.
Trainees must feel sufficiently knowledgeable to facilitate discussions of the issues before they
have the confidence to take the risks in classrooms.
Citizenship and Design and Technology Education in Primary Schools and Initial Teacher
Education: Theory into Action
In the following five sections I shall describe specific examples of Design and Technology
projects carried out with trainee teachers or through CPD. I will show how trainees were
exposed to the potential for embedding elements of Global Citizenship in primary Design and
Technology. Most of the work was carried out with trainee teachers at Roehampton University
and demonstrated case studies, describing work that had taken place with children. I used
photographs, books, models and narrative. They have evolved in such a way that they can be
adapted and used with trainee teachers or in any primary school. Many examples develop QCA
units of work for Design and Technology.
1. Puppets – sustainability and interdependence
Student teachers from 1st and 3rd year BA(QTS) and PGCE courses were developing their
experience in Design and Technology through textiles. The launch-pad for this work was the
QCA unit of work for Design and Technology 2B. The use of puppetry from around the world
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
has a very rich history for storytelling especially when and where rates of illiteracy are or have
been high. The trainees were fairly secure in their knowledge of literacy and storytelling so
puppets were a sound platform from which to scaffold their experience into Design and
Technology and Citizenship. Initially students were given a collection of puppets from around
the world for investigative and evaluation purposes (IEAs). There are especially diverse
collections from Asia. The collection included traditional shadow puppets from India, Indonesia,
Malaysia and Greece, glove puppets from Britain and India, stick puppets from India and
Marionettes from Ghana, Mexico and Britain.
Handling collections of artefacts provides an excellent starting point for many Design and
Technology projects. The trainee teachers looked at the puppets and then generated questions
about them. For example, they asked, What is it for? How was it made? Who made it? Why?
What were they paid? What tools did they use? How did they know what to do? How did the
puppet get here? What by-products were made when it was created? What happened to the byproducts? This questioning provoked interesting discussions and immediately trainees started
to see the complexities of ordinary products, for example how many people have been involved
in bringing them into being. The activity was extended by using the ‘Development Compass
Rose’ designed by Birmingham Development Education Centre in 1995 (TIDE 1995).
The Development Compass Rose is an analysis tool for investigating artefacts. Each compass
point represents questions under particular headings relating to the artefact: - the North position
raises questions about the impact of the artefact on the ‘Natural’ environment; South raises
questions about the impact of the artefact on the ‘Social and cultural’ lives of those who make it
and those who use it, East represents the impact of the artefact on the ‘Economy’ of those who
make it and those who use it, and West represents ‘Who decides’ or the political processes
associated with the artefact.
For simplicity in the short time available, the focus of the IEA was narrowed down to a set of
hand-made puppets from Dehra Dun in North India, where puppetry is an ancient art. Through
questioning, the story behind the puppets was revealed. Originally the puppet heads, in this
region, were made from timber but the puppeteers’ contemporary design of puppet heads used
papier mâché as a sustainable alternative to timber; the papier mâché was made from used
newspapers, water and fenugreek. These resources were locally and cheaply available and
made good use of a waste product. Fenugreek is a freely growing organic spice used for its
adhesive qualities but also it is used to deter insect and fungal infections especially during the
rainy seasons.
Next, the trainees pondered why these puppet-makers had radically changed the traditional
puppet-making process. They read the children’s stories, ‘Aani and the Tree Huggers’ by
Jeannine Atkins and ‘The People who Hugged the Trees’ by Deborah Lee Rose. The books
have wonderful colour illustrations and are beautifully written. The tree hugging campaign of the
Bishnoi people is the inspiration behind them. The Bishnoi people have lived in NW India for
many centuries and were concerned about the environmental damage of the deforestation. To
protest against and even prevent the deforestation, the people attached themselves to the
trees. In the 1970s the Chipko Movement used the same protest method in the same locality
against commercial logging. The logging was linked to soil erosion, a drop in the water table,
loss of homes and livelihoods of people and a disappearing wildlife. The books retell the story in
appropriate child-friendly styles. In 1978 the government ordered a complete ban on the
commercial felling of trees for fifteen years. It has made a conscious effort to preserve its
ecosystem since then.
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
The trainees found out more about the Chipko Movement and the contemporary puppeteers’
commitment to environmental sustainability. In small groups they looked at the National
Curriculum orders for PSHE and Citizenship at Key Stages 1 and 2 and mind mapped the
possible issues raised through the puppets themselves and their backgrounds. The trainees
suggested that pupils
 could learn from others in the stories about social justice and human rights; reflecting on
issues of uncertainty and precaution, balancing needs of different people, weighing up
evidence and considering who are the winners and losers of decisions that are made. They
would empathise with each of the groups of people in the story; the local people who loved the
trees and relied on them to reduce soil erosion, maintain water levels for their homes and
farms and provide a haven for the wildlife; the Maharajah who wanted the timber to build a
new palace; the woodcutters who were just trying to earn a little money and do their job; and
the soldiers who were also doing their jobs following the orders of the Maharajah.
 could develop their understanding of moral conflicts and different perspectives; and how these
can be resolved through democratic actions or people taking action (citizenship and
stewardship)
 could consider moral conflicts within their own communities
 could develop awareness of environmental sustainability issues (forest life, water retention,
saving energy and reducing waste), quality of life; needs and rights of future generations and
the diversity of eco-systems;
 could come to understand interdependence by considering environmental sustainability in
India and how the issues affect people in different parts of the world for example deforestation
affecting global warming; the timber trade; or paper manufacturing.
 could use the attire of the puppets and pictures in the books to value learning about cultures
other than their own, then relate them to their own cultures and identities.
 social development could be enhanced through interaction and collaborative work when
handling artefacts and when developing their own puppet work
Following this, they looked again at the QCA unit 2B and mind-mapped ways of drawing these
Citizenship links out through the Design and Technology work. They made further suggestions:
 Pupils could play with the fenugreek puppets (IEAs). By examining them and looking at their
clothing they could think about what waste materials they could use to design and make
puppets, and how that would be so much better than filling landfills.
 The pupils could gain some skills through FPTs including making a puppet head each, using
papier mâché on a stick.
 They could carry out a DMA using predominantly found materials to produce their own
puppets. The puppets could be used in drama work to tell the story of ‘Aani and the Tree
Huggers’ or another story relating to the social, moral or environmental issues that concern
them.
The penultimate stage of this aspect of the work allowed them to look again at the whole range
of puppets. Having seen an example developing the Dehra Dun puppets they mind-mapped
further Curriculum links (including Citizenship) that could be developed through these and some
of the other puppets. They came up with a well-developed idea of developing pupils’ spiritual
awareness using the shadow puppets that traditionally depict Hindu epics. The Hindu stories
link well to RE and also raise social and moral dilemmas in themselves that link well to
Citizenship. The Design and Technology understanding could be developed using these
beautiful puppets by analysing how their movements can be controlled and how colours can be
translucent. The trainees thought that children could use pivots and hinges to develop shadow
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
puppets to tell their own moral or traditional stories; this linked well with English and drama.
There are strong links with Science (light and shadows) in their ideas.
Some of the students were Geography subject specialists and described how the Dehra Dun
puppets linked well to a year 4 teaching resource, Thengapalli, which covers a locality study.
The locality and its rivers are used to raise geographical and Citizenship issues concerning the
environment, taking action, interdependency and deforestation.
Finally the trainees read a paper I published in 2003 raising the concern of an Orthodox Muslim
student about the use of puppetry as depictions of human forms being interpreted as mimicking
or replicating God’s work and the creating of puppet characters being interpreted as
worshipping false idols (Growney 2003). The trainees debated respect; tolerance; the qualities
gained through using puppets in schools; insensitivities towards minorities and whether or not
“minority positions determine what the majority should do” (Hilary Claire personal
correspondence 2004). This healthy debate was useful for the trainees in learning how to
manage discussion of a controversial issue. The circular arrangement of seats and groupdefined ground rules allowed a safe, comfortable and healthy environment for a potentially
difficult discussion. The trainees developed their own positions; these were valued and
respected among the group. By the end of the session, they felt they were more able to make
their own decisions about how they might develop Citizenship through Design and Technology
work using puppets.
The case study of pupils’ work using the adapted QCA unit will soon be published on the QCA 4
web pages of adapted units.
2. Mechanical Toys – children’s rights, capabilities and responsibilities
More QCA units5 were used with trainees in developing their understanding of mechanical and
electronic systems and control. This also started with IEAs, using a range of simple and
complex toys. Some had been mass-produced and bought from shops in Britain; some had
been hand-made by adults in India, Britain and a number of Southern African countries and
others had been made by children in Ghana (Growney, 2001a&b; 2002a&b) using found
materials.
Initially, the trainees investigated the structural and mechanical details themselves. They picked
out statements from the National Curriculum to see how these toys could be used and with
which age group of children. Next they questioned the origin of the toys and immediately saw
links to Citizenship.
The trainees were impressed by the imagination and skills demonstrated in the children’s toys;
they observed how superior the skills of the children in Ghana were in relation to their own
skills, let alone the skills of pupils they would be teaching. They discussed why this might be,
concluding that they were probably wealthier than the Ghanaian children, they could spend lots
of money on toys throughout the year, but they were not necessarily richer, because they
missed out on the opportunity to learn making skills from older siblings and parents. They
4
www.qca.org.uk
1A Moving pictures, 2A Vehicles, 2C Winding up, 3C Moving monsters, 4B Storybooks, 5C Moving toys, 6C
Fairgrounds and 6D Controllable vehicles
5
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
discovered that some of the children made toys to sell to tourists and that this vital income
enabled them to go to school.
The trainees decided that they could carry out Design and Technology work with children on
mechanisms using toys but also use the toys to raise all the following ‘values’ issues related to
children’s rights and responsibilities:
safety
consumerism and wealth
environmental sustainability
improving local environments
the benefits of using reclaimed materials
maintaining the valuable cultural traditions of families
passing skills on to children.
They designed “mechanisms” schemes of work that they could take into schools. These
schemes included IEAs, FPTs and DMAs in which pupils could see what reclaimed materials
would easily be available to them, raise questions about values and their sense of self in the
context of other children around the world, and enjoy designing and making for a specific
purpose.
Many trainees focussed on using ‘found and reclaimed materials’ for Design and Technology
and linked this directly with a project on litter and landfill. Thus, pupils would start taking on
board issues of sustainability: for example the ‘seven Rs’ - reduce, recycle, repair, refill, refuse,
reuse and remember. Trainees planned the investigation of typical litter in the dustbins from
Britain and comparisons with equivalent investigations in Ghana, using teaching resources from
MKDEC and ADEC. The intention was to see how different the two countries’ rubbish were not
only in volume but also in the content (unlike Britain, typically most waste in Ghana was
biodegradable). Through this the trainees planned for pupils to gain understanding of the
implications of waste on the environment, needs and rights of future generations;
interdependence; quality of life and citizenship.
In another project, trainee teachers, working in an oral history project within the local Indian
community used Indian folk toys as a prompt for reminiscence work. The trainees concluded
how helpful it could be to invite older members of children’s families to school to talk about their
own childhoods and toys. They believed this would develop Citizenship by bridging gaps
between children’s understandings of other places and other times. They also thought that the
older family members might have skills to help children learn toy-making skills in Design and
Technology.
3. Weaving, Printing and Symbols – developing values and identity
Textiles have provided an opportunity for pupils’ to develop identity awareness and learn about
cultural values. As part of a research trip to Ghana in 20016, I learned about Adinkra and Kente
cloths. Following this work I developed schools based workshops and I used case studies of
these workshops in ITE at Roehampton University and CPD at RISC.
In the spring of 2000 I received an award in from “On The Line” to research and produce primary design and
technology teaching resources that covered aspects of global citizenship. “On The Line” was an initiative, funded
by Channel 4, The Millennium Commission, OXFAM and WWF that linked all the countries on the Greenwich
Meridian to promote global citizenship.
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Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
3a.Values
Adinkra is a traditional hand-printed cloth made by the Ashanti people from the Akan societies in
the Ivory Coast and Ashanti, Ghana, since the 17th century. The patterned cotton cloth is
covered in squares of repeating symbols separated by combed lines. Each symbol has a
special meaning representing values in Ghanaian society. Originally, Adinkra (meaning
“farewell”) was only worn for funerals and sombre occasions; then the symbols were printed on
red, brown and black funeral sheets. These days, Adinkra cloth is used for other celebrations,
for example white Adinkra (representing ‘joy’) is worn for weddings. Other colours have different
values associated with them for different occasions. The fabric is uniquely designed specifically
with each chosen symbol used on the cloth having meaning appropriate to the occasion. The
symbols have been passed down through the generations, some changing, and some staying
the same.
The joint work of Harris (1991and 1997) and Quarcoo (1972) in the 1980s using Adinkra in
maths education motivated me to use it as a context for Design and Technology teaching.
Teachers and trainees on the ITE and CPD courses handled Adinkra cloths, the printing blocks,
written supporting material (Wilson, 2001; Amoako-Attah-Fosu, 2001; Buckman, 2000; TASTE,
2000) and looked at the examples of the school case studies. The examples of pupils’ work,
made up of Adinkra-style poetry printed onto personalised bookmarks, demonstrated their
understanding of Adinkra symbolising the values of Ghanaian society. Pupils had designed their
own geometric symbols to communicate their own values and had made printing blocks of these
symbols using rubberised foam. They then used the foam blocks to apply specific colours of
their designed symbols to bookmarks that reflected values important to them. The teachers and
trainees observed the rich history of Adinkra as well as the contemporary interpretations and
saw how the pupils had used the inspiration of Adinkra and applied it to the contexts of their
own lives.
The work gave children an opportunity to work with others, and through a high level of class
interaction enabled discussions about such Citizenship issues as ‘family and community’, ‘the
environment’, ‘spiritual beliefs’, ‘understanding of the different perspectives’ and ‘respecting the
cultures of others’. The teachers and trainees used the Adinkra case studies to develop more
ideas for the classroom through Design and Technology (as well as other curriculum areas).
In Design and Technology, they thought of developing printing methods and graphical
communication. One groups of trainees linked their concerns of ‘special needs’ pupils with poor
hand-eye co-ordination with the difficulties in producing printing blocks of quality. They thought
designing symbols using ICT graphics programmes could increase the pupils’ successes. This
idea could be developed further to actually manufacturing the printing blocks using CNC. Some
trainees thought of the potential of developing projects promoting identity using printing
traditions from other Commonwealth countries, for example Indian Sanganari (Henderson and
Lowe, pending publication 2005; Growney, pending publication 2005).
3b. Identity
Focusing on artefacts from Commonwealth countries offers opportunities to understand more
about Britain and its relationship with the Commonwealth. In Design and Technology, weaving
traditions from two Commonwealth countries, Ghana and South Africa, have been used in
similar ways to develop the Citizenship aspect of ‘identity’.
Worldwide, Kente is recognised as the national dress of Ghana. These vibrant robes have been
made in Ghana for hundreds of years. Some believe that the craft started after two Ashanti
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
hunters were inspired by a spider’s web they had seen in the forest. Many children’s stories
have been written inspired by the stories of the spider for example Anansi books by McDermott
(1986); Sherlock (1995); Musgrove and Cairns (2001) and Brailsford (2004). Trainee teachers
at Roehampton University read these books along with other children’s books depicting
Ghanaian stories and Ashanti traditions (Souhami, 1995; Shelf-Medearis, 1995 and Angelou,
2003). They also browsed websites on Kente cloth to research ‘identity’ in relation to Kente and
they handled many fine examples of Kente cloth itself.
The trainees used their research to consider ways of developing pupils’ identity and values
through Design and Technology textiles activities. Kente cloths are made up of a series of
separately woven strips. As with Adinkra, the vibrant colours and geometric symbols in the
weavings convey specific meanings. For example the ‘Golden Stool’ is a symbol of Ashanti
unity; pink is the colour representing femininity and calm; and black signifies ageing and
maturity.
Trainees discussed
What it means to have a national dress. They questioned what their own national dress was
and realised that among them was a diverse range of multiple identities. The trainees believed
in their classrooms they would find a similar range and that they could use this to help pupils
consider their own identities and that Britain has a richly diverse population.
 The benefits of traditions being passed from one generation to the next for sustaining identity
and the difficulties of preserving intellectual property rights of such an old tradition, in the days
of mass-consumerism. They thought traditional clothing could be used to help pupils with selfidentity and valuing what they can learn from others about traditions.
 The gender stereotypes associated with the textiles industry and the fact that historically, the
Kente designers and weavers were exclusively men. Trainees thought they could raise fruitful
discussion with pupils in relation to gender roles and textiles. The trainees, (all of whom were
women) enjoyed discovering that now female weavers are producing some of the most striking
new designs.
 The issues of identity and meaning in the cloth itself. They believed that children would easily
be able to understand the significance of colour and relate it to their own experience; and that
they would enjoy developing their own designs of significant patterns to show meaning.
 The Kente cloth hanging in the United Nations building carrying the message that ‘two heads
are better than one’. They believed that they would be able to use this example of Kente cloth
with older children as an opportunity to discuss the work of the United Nations and in particular
the meaning of the cloth.

The same starting points were used with teachers on a Design and Technology/Global
Citizenship CPD course at RISC in 2004. The theme of this event was ‘Ten years of democratic
freedom in South Africa’ as it coincided with the celebrations. Having inspiration from the case
studies on Kente and identity, the teachers researched what citizenship, democracy and identity
meant to South Africans.
The teachers found out about the
 Ndbele traditions of house painting using geometric patterns and colours as expressions of
their identity
 traditions of weaving among many South African peoples
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
efforts of South Africans to address environmental issues of pollution, waste and sustainability,
for example to reduce volume of waste going into landfill7
 the importance of encouraging entrepreneurship using indigenous technological knowledge in
creating new products from found and reclaimed materials
 South African Freedom Flag, first raised in 1994, representing unity among all the people of
South Africa. The six colours were derived from South Africa’s history as well as the present
and future hopes; each colour has a particular meaning and collectively they represent the
context of national pride.

The teachers decided to combine all of these discoveries and produce a single collaborative
Freedom Flag using reclaimed plastic carrier bags. This work was also inspired by the weaving
techniques of artist and educator, Mary Young. The collaborative activity was emancipatory in
itself. The teachers talked at length as they worked, about how they could use weaving
techniques from many different contexts to develop Global Citizenship issues in their schools.
They believed that through an exercise such as the one they were working on, pupils would
gain an understanding of
 the implications of waste on the environment,
 needs and rights of future generations,
 quality of life,
 interdependence,
 valuing traditions and what can be learnt from elsewhere,
 identity and valuing multiculturalism and,
 democracy.
The discussions pupils would have during the activity would enhance this learning further still
and they would experience feelings of self-worth and achievement as the finished pieces were
displayed around the school.
4. Kites – a project linking D and T and Citizenship – celebrating and valuing cultural
diversity
I led a session with a group of Design and Technology curriculum leaders enrolled onto a CPD
course at Roehampton University. The Design and Technology objectives were to gain an
understanding of the ‘shell’ structures involved in kites and linking this to Citizenship values
(Growney, 2000). There is a long global history of kite development and there were lots of
opportunities to link the project to kite traditions in Asia, especially China, East and South-East
Asia.
We started by looking at a range of kites, firstly paying attention to the requirements of the
primary Design and Technology curriculum; regarding the range of components, materials, how
the kites were constructed and what makes them fly. The curriculum leaders thought about the
functions of the different kites and noticed there were strong links with mathematics (symmetry)
and science (learning from nature, forces and aerodynamics) and how structures are designed
to withstand forces.
Next I added to the collection a vast quantity of quality children’s literature on kites and the
National Curriculum orders for primary PSHE and Citizenship. The trainees looked through the
resources for direct possible links between a kite project in Design and Technology and
Citizenship.
7
Since July 2003, businesses are no longer allowed to hand out free plastic shopping bags in an effort to reduce
litter and address sustainability. (Ireland and some other EU countries have also adopted this law).
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
The Curriculum Leaders came up with projects linking the celebrations of Chinese New Year
and the Japanese celebrations of the tradition of presenting carp kites to children (previously
boys only) on ‘Children’s Day’ (Kroll 1993), thus raising pupils’ cultural awareness.
Finally, I added more books and case studies showing successful Design and
Technology/Global Citizenship kite projects with year 4, 5 and 6 pupils in the Slough area. In the
case studies were photographs of the kites in flight that children had designed and made;
examples of their written and design work on paper and a collection of materials the pupils
themselves had looked at of the Basant kite flying festival in Pakistan.
The secular festival of Basant Panchami celebrates the arrival of spring both in Pakistan, and in
India. Basant coincides with the worship of a Hindu Goddess, Saraswathi. During Basant, local
people dress in orange or yellow symbolising the arrival of spring. Special food is prepared
using the same colours. Local people celebrate by singing, dancing and feasting.
The special part and main feature of Basant is the traditional making and flying of kites. Adults
and children alike, make colourful kites and fly them all day so that the sky is full of kites. Kite
battles are popular in Lahore. The string of the kites is coated in glass so it can cut the string of
an opponent's kite when the flying lines are crossed, leaving the victor’s kite flying proudly in the
sky. Recently, nighttime kite flying on Basant eve has become popular. Powerful searchlights
illuminate the sky as enthusiasts climb onto the rooftops for nightlong contests. White kites are
reserved for the night flying, while colourful kites dot the skyline during the day.
Saraswathi Puja is a festival at the same time as Basant, dedicated to the Hindu Goddess of
learning, knowledge and fine arts, Saraswathi. On the day of Saraswathi Puja, books, musical
instruments and brushes are placed at the feet of a clay idol of Saraswathi. Hindus worship the
idol for her creativity and accomplishment. The next day the idol is immersed in water
(historically the River Ganges).
The curriculum leaders saw how pupils had enjoyed investigating the kites made in India and
Pakistan and how excited they had become by finding out about the festival. They had used
their inspiration to link to their own experience of the Spring Festivals in Britain, specifically ‘May
Day’. The pupils did further work about the coming of Spring and what it meant to them; they
drew pictures of daffodils, other plants and crops coming to life as well as the births of baby
lambs. This work connected the urban children with the notion of reliance on farmers in the rural
areas who provide our food. They realised the importance of this celebration and learned that
throughout the world, spring is welcomed as the season of hope and rebirth and is widely
celebrated.
Designing kites celebrating the coming of Spring, pupils had experimented with construction as
well as aesthetic designs and evaluating them under different criteria. They carried out excellent
design and make assignments (DMAs), collaborating with peers on many occasions and
producing stunningly rewarding aerodynamic kites.
Comments in the children’s evaluations revealed how much they enjoyed the kite work and
what they learnt from it. An unexpected outcome was that clearly some children found it
rewarding sharing what they had learnt with their families, this reinforced the importance of
passing on traditional crafts through families: Preeti (year5) - The funniest part was when me and Pojja had to show where Pakistan
and UK was when I came home I told my family what I made and my Sister Amita went
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
outside to see if the kite was working. And the kite was working then I thought that I could
make another kite…
Hamza (year5) – … me Usama, Yassar and Hardeep got really excited …my dad and
mum were shocked. My sister loves making new things. When my sister comes home I
am going to show her how to make kites… I know why we made kites and flew them
because there’s a celebration in Pakistan everybody takes a day off and fly kites all day.
Its so much fun. Ahh I wish I can make kites all day and all night…
Yasser (year5) – I always wanted to make a kite… now that you teached (sic) me how to
make it I will always make it home and I will teach my brothers and sisters how to make it
All of the curriculum leaders said that spring was celebrated in their own schools but they had
never linked the celebrations to Design and Technology or thought about its strong curriculum
links to Citizenship. The curriculum leaders thought about how they could develop this work
further in the contexts of their own schools. Realising the dangers of kite flying in Lahore, the
curriculum leaders thought that they could do more work linking to PSHE on health and safety
awareness focussing on solutions to increase flying safety for Lahore as well as for themselves
in their local parks.
Many thought that they could link kite projects more specifically to RE and the Hindu festival,
thus enhancing pupils’ spiritual awareness and exposure to respecting the differences in
people. After discovering that Basant has become so popular among non-Hindus, and is
regarded as a secular celebration, the curriculum leaders thought that they could use the
example of Basant to show how people from different religious backgrounds can integrate and
celebrate the same event as many non-Christians in Britain celebrate the Christmas or Diwali.
5. Storytent and Citizenship connections
In 2004, a collaborative storytent-making project took place with Reading International Solidarity
Centre (RISC), children from Reading Refugee Group and Reading University second year
student teachers, in which students were involved in both planning and execution. Tents have
the potential to be a highly effective medium for cross-curricular work with children at KS1&2,
providing opportunities for creativity through Design and Technology structures and textiles
materials, including techniques like printing, appliqué and weaving. The project was a
development of work from the Sahrawi people of the Western Sahara, via the Humanities
Education Centre in Tower Hamlets.
The project had a strong cultural diversity element. One of the aims for the trainees was to
develop their abilities to critically challenge the well intentioned, but inadvertently tokenistic and
stereotypical images often portrayed in schools, when they attempt to deliver Global
Citizenship, through events such Africa Week. The project aimed to inform and empower the
trainees so that they could offer positive, creative alternatives with genuine opportunities to
explore values and attitudes and deliver Global Citizenship effectively across the curriculum.
The student teachers facilitated children in designing and making a tent using structures and
materials. This tent was to be an intimate space that the children had ownership over. Within it,
they would be able to speak, listen and share stories, including their own. Initially the trainees
discussed the homes in which they all lived, the similarities and differences between them and
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
the reasons for such trends. Next they talked about the homes8 they had lived in before and
discovered the wide range of homes they all had.
The children realised the value of different types of homes and how they should be appropriate
to those that live in them and the environments in which are constructed. Creating and using the
tents offered opportunities to discuss a wide range of Citizenship issues - refugees, disasters,
travellers and nomads, journeys, homes, identity, security and ownership, belonging,
inclusion/exclusion, bullying, racism, conflict and co-operation. These issues were borne in mind
when deciding the design of the tent, specifically how it should be decorated. The selection of
materials, bought, found and reclaimed, encouraged discussion of Citizenship issues such as,
sustainability and futures; waste; environmental and social impacts of natural dyes and
pigments.
The final design decisions made were as a direct consequence of the discussions on identity.
Each child designed sections of the tent representing their own background, journey and
interests. The children and trainees learned so much about the social, spiritual and cultural
diversity around them and with this came mutual respect and understanding. The trainees
learned the importance of ownership in collaborative work and how to facilitate this whilst
drawing out the individual stories of the children they were working with. They believed that this
technique was transferable into an ordinary classroom.
Conclusions
I have illustrated a selection of examples of how trainee teachers have been able to make links
between Global Citizenship and Design and Technology. Howe, Davies and Ritchie have
written up many more examples linking Design and Technology more broadly with Citizenship. I
endorse the PENAC view that, when citizenship is interpreted broadly, it must include the global
perspective (see footnote 1). Linking Design and Technology with Global Citizenship enhances
both the global dimension and values aspects of Design and Technology.
Through Design and Technology activities, children gain qualities including reflection,
collaboration, negotiation and sensitivity. They consider the implications technological
developments have on our environments and society (and those of other societies) including,
for example, the multitude of processes used in materials manufacturing, (extraction and
transport); or the impact of the designed product once it has exceeded its purposeful life.
Pupils are taught to understand the sometimes-conflicting issues in developing products and
they learn to compromise and find balance. Through Design and Technology children learn
about sustainability, the quality of life and that the population of the planet and the planet’s
environment are interdependent. Pupils have a curiosity to find out more and they wish to be
better informed even of contentious issues so that they can become discerning designers,
citizens and consumers.
HEIs must take the initiative in helping trainee teachers see the Citizenship links so they
develop confidence in their knowledge and understanding. A confident teacher can facilitate
safe and total participation of his or her pupils without excessive research but merely
considering and encouraging the pupils to empathise with the genuine issues from a variety of
Refer to QCA unit1D Homes; In conjunction with this also use Save the Children resources “Homes” +
“Doorways”; and the Oxfam book “Come Live With Me”. Recommended additional case study (Howe, Davies et al.
2001 P175)
8
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
perspectives. The confident teacher will be prepared to react to controversial issues as they
arise from the pupils’ encounters. She will also raise issues in circle time and as opportunities
arise throughout the curriculum.
I recommend that educators of trainee teachers allow time for raising controversial issues and
discussing trainees’ fears. Educators can encourage trainees to make their own collections of
artefacts and to effectively learn from them using the Development Compass Rose. This
exceptionally useful tool has been shown to overturn preconceptions of the cultural superiority
in the Majority World9 and quash the Eurocentric stereotypical ideas that all new technologies
originate in the ‘Minority World’. At the same time it develops a broader understanding of the
consequences of such technological developments, thus delivering key elements of both
Citizenship and Design and Technology.
The examples in this paper have therefore shown that, far from being incompatible, Citizenship
and Design and Technology can be combined to the benefit of both curriculum areas, and the
pupils experiencing them.
Personal note: I would like to acknowledge the contribution made to this work by those
artisans, adults and children from the Majority World, who made the artefacts on which much of
this work is based. Without their ingenuity, creativity and generosity this work would not take
place. Many resist pressures to assert their intellectual property rights over craft traditions in the
belief that they are a gift passed through generations. Many individuals and organisations are
part of the partnership, which sees these works and stories presented here, while I am not able
to name them all, I would like to thank them.
Majority World a term with fewer cultural overtones than “Third World” (also known as The South or the
Developing World) as defined by Intermediate Technology. The Majority World includes most of Central and South
America, Africa and Asia. The ‘Minority World’ (also known as The ‘Developed World’) includes North America,
Europe, the former Soviet Union, Japan and Australasia and only contains 30% of the world’s population.
IntermediateTechnology (1996). Guideline for Global Issues in Technology: a handbook for teachers and advisors.
Rugby, Intermediate Technology.
9
Research Article – Primary Design & Technology and Citizenship
Glossary
ADEC – Aylesbury Development Education Centre
BA (QTS) – Batchelor of Arts degree (with Qualified Teacher Status)
CE - Citizenship Education
CPD – Continuing Professional Development
CNC – Computer Numerical Control
CRIPT – Centre for Research in Primary Technology Education
DATA – Design and Technology Association
ESD – Education for Sustainable Development
EU – European Union
FPT – Focused Practical Task
DEA - Development Education Association
D and T (also D&T) – Design and Technology
DEC - Development Education Centre
DfEE – Department for Education and Environment
DfES – Department for Education and Skills
DFID – Department for International Development
DMA – Design and Make Assignment
GC – Global Citizenship
HEC - Humanities Education Centre in Tower Hamlets
HEI - Higher Education Institution
IEA – Investigative and Evaluative Activity
ITDG - Intermediate Technology Development Group
IT - Intermediate Technology
ITE – Initial Teacher education
LEA - Local Education Authority
LED – Light Emitting Diode
MKADEC - Milton Keynes World Development Education Centre
NGO – Non-Government Organisation
PENAC – Primary Educators’ Network for the Advancement of Citizenship
PGCE – Post Graduate Certificate of Education
PSHE – Personal, Social and Health Education
QCA – Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
Rs - reduce, recycle, repair, refill, refuse, reuse and remember
RE - Religious Education
RISC – Reading International Solidarity Centre
TASSOC – Technology and Science Association, South Africa
TIDE – Teachers in Development Education
TV - Television
UNICEF- United Nations Children’s Fund
WWF - World-Wide Fund for Nature
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Appendix
Seven key concepts of sustainable development
Panel for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD 1998)
 Citizenship and stewardship
o Active involvement e.g. recycling, fair trade consumers
 Sustainable change
o (Environment, alternative energy, rights and responsibilities)
 Needs and rights of future generations
o Global footprints, e.g. measuring impact of a package including energy resources
to make it transport it and decompose it.
 Interdependence
o Trade e.g. cocoa
o Relationships with Ghana, what can we learn from Ghana in terms of waste
management?
o Materials – extraction, transportation, pollution
 Diversity
o Including humans, plants and animals
o Culture, social, economic
o Religions
 Uncertainty and precaution
o Weighing up evidence, winners and losers
 Quality of life, equity and justice
o Values, rights