VSA
Core IB
Design Technology
International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
Student Name:
Teacher Name:
ForewordCongratulations! You have decided to enrol on a course that will stimulate, motivate, challenge
and reward your interest in designing and making. This DT IB Coursebook is designed to:
 Help you understand what the course is about
 Show you how the course is organized
 Help you to understand and be involved in your own assessment
 Act as an activity and revision guide through your learning journey in the Core topics
Some common questions and answers when you start the course
“I didn’t get the grade I expected in D&T. Does this mean I will find the course too difficult?”
If you have studied a related MYP D&T course at MYP and achieved a grade 6 or higher, then
you are suited for study at Higher level. It may be that some students have been accepted on
to the course with lower grades due to individual circumstances; for example, a student may
have not been able to complete coursework due to a personal situation and achieved a
grade ‘5’. However their capability is known to be strong.
“I haven’t done D&T before. Will I be able to cope?”
Generally speaking if you achieved a grade ‘5’ or lower in a related MYP Technology course,
then study at Standard level is most appropriate. Students may be accepted onto the course
that have not studied MYP Technology but have a proven basic knowledge and/or interest in
the subject. Students who have not studied Technology recently or who
have no practical skills need to be aware that it will present significant
challenges.
“Other people on the course seem to know more about D&T than me. Am I
going to fall behind?”
Basic terminology such as ‘brief’, ‘specification’ and ‘ergonomics’ will be in
frequent use as well as a presumed knowledge of basic designing and
making principles. Students who are unfamiliar with these terms will need to
do extra independent study. The staff here are very supportive and the
materials produced can help with this, but essentially, students must
recognize the particular challenges they may face from the beginning of
the course and commit actively to overcoming them and have realistic
expectations.
“What words of advice can you give me?”
 Check your calender and make
sure you do your work on time
 If you have any kind of problem, tell your teacher in
advance so that they have time to help you before
the deadline
 Don’t try to work on your own. DT is a collaborative
course – you need to work together and support each
other
 Put your highest level of effort into all your work
because it all counts
 Don’t be put off by challenging work. Do your best. We all learn and make progress
when we face up to challenges. Why else would you be doing IB?
Basic equipment
You will be expected to provide the following things every lesson:
 Pens, pencils and colouring pencils
 Macbook
 An A4 Folder with lined and plain paper for keeping notes
 This DT IB Coursebook copies
Expectations
You can expect us to do the following:
 Provide you with the materials you need to prepare for your
examinations
 Provide you with the materials you need for the production of
project work & assignments
 Give you clear guidance about how your work is structured and
assessed
 Provide written and spoken feedback on your progress
 Plan and deliver lessons which link directly to the topics you need to cover
We will expect you to do the following:
 Arrive to your lessons on time and with the correct equipment and materials
 Participate to the best of your ability in all lessons
 Dedicate the right amount of time to homework and revision
 Hand in assignments on time
 Ask in plenty of time if you need any guidance or advice
 Look after all your work in a well-organized way. The responsibility for storing work safely
and maintaining your projects and notes lies with you alone. The department can
provide places for you to keep work but it is not our responsibility to monitor its
whereabouts.
If you understand the information so far and your expected commitment sign in the space
below:
Name:
Signature:
Date:
Course outline
The course is part of Group 4 ‘Sciences’. Here is a really simple breakdown describing how your
course is structured. Don’t worry if it doesn’t all sink in straight away, it is our job to make sure
that you meet all the course requirements. Your job is to know where you are now, where you
are going next, and how to get there.
This is your course in a nutshell:

Exams - 60% Three papers based on CORE THEORY and OPTIONS in May of Year 12.

Design Project – 40% Project of your choice started at the end of Year 11 and finished in
January of Year 12.
The course explained in detail
You will be taught the following components and the recommended teaching time for each is
also stated:
STANDARD LEVEL
Theory (core and options) 90 hours
Practical work (Design project) 60
hours
TOTAL teaching time: 150 hours.
HIGHER LEVEL
Theory (core, options and additional higher level
topics) 144 hours
Practical work (Design project) 96 hours
TOTAL teaching time: 240 hours
You will actually get far in excess of this number of teaching hours over the course. You are
expected to spend additional time on homework, assignments and private study; Standard
Level students around 2 hours additional time per week, Higher Level students around 3 hours
per week.
You will be expected to use the workshops in some of your private study time and after school
to complete practical work. Make sure you tell your teacher in advance if you need to do this.
Looking at the ‘theory’ more closely
You all learn the following 7 topics. They are called CORE TOPICS. The number of hours spent on
teaching and learning for each one is shown:
Core
1. Human factors and ergonomics
2. Resource management and sustainable production
3. Modelling
4. Raw material to final product
5. Innovation and design
6. Classic design
All Compulsory for both SL and HL
If you are a Higher Level student, you will study another five topics called ADDITIONAL HIGHER
LEVEL TOPICS (‘AHL’). They are;
Additional higher level (AHL)
7. User-centred design (UCD)
8. Sustainability
9. Innovation and markets
10. Commercial production
Total for ADDITIONAL HIGHER LEVEL TOPICS (‘AHL’): 54 hours
Coursework
You probably chose to do D&T because you like designing and making things. This is the part of
the course where you can do just that. It all counts for 40% of you final assessment so it’s worth a
lot.
There are three types of ‘coursework’:
Design project
Group 4 project
Teacher-directed activities
A word about coursework!
Remember, you don’t just need your coursework at the end of the course – your coursework is
your portfolio and you will need to finish it on time, look after it in your portfolio and have it
ready to show people at any time. For example, when you are being interviewed for a place at
University of you are applying for a job. Keep on top of your coursework.
Assessment criteria
There are 6 ‘internal assessment criteria’, which are used to assess HL, 4 ‘internal assessment
criteria’ for SL:
SL IA component
Duration: 40 hours
Weighting: 40%
• Individual design project
• This design project covers assessment objectives 1, 2, 3 and 4.
• At SL, the design project is assessed against the 4 common criteria:
–– Criterion A: Analysis of a design opportunity
–– Criterion B: Conceptual design
–– Criterion C: Development of a detailed design
–– Criterion D: Testing and evaluation
HL IA component
Duration: 60 hours
Weighting: 40%
• Individual design project
• This design project covers assessment objectives 1, 2, 3 and 4.
• At HL, the design project is assessed against the 4 common criteria and 2 HL only criteria:
–– Criterion A: Analysis of a design opportunity
–– Criterion B: Conceptual design
–– Criterion C: Development of a detailed design
–– Criterion D: Testing and evaluation
–– Criterion E: Commercial production
–– Criterion F: Marketing strategies
Because there are 6 criteria for HL, 9 marks maximum for each criteria, you can get a maximum
mark of 54 marks for your project, for SL maximum of 36.
The exam board changes this to a percentage and adds it to your exam results.
How do teachers judge my work?
It’s important to remember that your work is being judged all the time; teachers will be
recording all of your assessments and also noting your organization, attitude and effort. So
assessment doesn’t just happen when work is marked.
Remember also that your teacher will contribute to your subject reference, so it is important that
they you give them every opportunity to praise you. However, you need to understand how
teachers make a judgement about your work and your potential. This is how it is done:
You will be awarded a level at the end of your course. The levels range from 1-7.
Level 4 is a pass Level 5 is a good performance
Level 6 is very good
outstanding
Level 7 is
It would be very rare indeed for a student to be awarded a level 7 in Year 11 as they would not
yet have completed enough work to make a fair judgment, but in some exceptional cases,
students do achieve level 7 in Year 11*. We have to decide what ‘level’ you are working at for
each piece of work you do. This might be difficult if the work is a test for example and you get a
percentage or mark. To help, we have produced the following guide:
%
75+
63-74
50-62
39-49
27-38
15-26
0 -14
IB Level
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Descriptor
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
Poor (Border fail)
Fail
Fail
Please remember that teachers can only make judgments about your capabilities based on
evidence. You need to do display the right attitude to your studies from the outset and
remember that all of your actions contribute to our ability to assess your work and help you to
do your best.
Your exams and assessment
HL
Component
Overall weighting
(%)
Paper 1
Paper 2
Paper 3
Internal
assessment
Design project
20
20
20
40
Approximate weighting of objectives
(%)
1+2
3
20
8
12
10
10
All assessment objectives are tested
equally
Duration (hours)
Approximate weighting of objectives
(%)
1+2
3
30
12
18
All assessment objectives are tested
equally
Duration (hours)
1
1 1/2
1 1/2
40
SL
Component
Overall weighting
(%)
Paper 1
Paper 2
Internal
assessment
Design project
30
30
40
3/4
1 1/2
40
The assessment objectives for design technology reflect those parts of the aims that will be
formally assessed either internally or externally. Wherever appropriate, the assessment will draw
upon environmental and technological contexts and identify the social, moral and economic
effects of technology.
It is the intention of the design technology course that students are able to fulfill the following
assessment objectives.
1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
a. facts, concepts, principles and terminology
b. design methodology and technology
c. methods of communicating and presenting technological information.
2. Apply and use:
a. facts, concepts, principles and terminology
b. design methodology and technology
c. methods of communicating and presenting technological information.
3. Construct, analyse and evaluate:
a. design briefs, problems, specifications and plans
b. methods, techniques and products
c. data, information and technological explanations.
4. Demonstrate the appropriate research, experimentation, modelling and
personal skills necessary to carry out innovative, insightful, ethical and
effective designing.
Your portfolio
You are expected to keep a well-organised portfolio of your work. This should be continuously
added to as you go through the course. It should contain a wide variety of work that shows
your best designing and making skills in a range of areas such as research, designing, CAD,
CAM and evaluating.
It should also contain your MYP work if you have it and any other work that relates to D&T such
as competitions that you have entered or work that you have done as part of the CAS
programme. This is incredibly important.
If you apply for a design-based University course or if you apply for a job, you will be expected
to provide a portfolio that shows your talents in their best possible light. This is not something you
should throw together just before an interview but is something that should be built up from the
moment you start the course. Staff in the department can advise you on putting it together and
keeping it updated. Remember that the portfolio is your responsibility.
Command terms with definitions
Students should be familiar with the following key terms and phrases used in examination
questions, which are to be understood as described below. Although these terms will be used
frequently in examination questions, other terms may be used to direct students to present an
argument in a specific way.
These command terms indicate the depth of treatment required.
Assessment objective 1
Command term and Definition
Define: Give the precise meaning of a word, phrase, concept or physical quantity.
Draw: Represent by means of a labelled, accurate diagram or graph, using a pencil. A ruler
(straight edge) should be used for straight lines. Diagrams should be drawn to scale. Graphs
should have points correctly plotted (if appropriate) and joined in a straight line or smooth
curve.
Find: Obtain an answer showing relevant stages in the working.
Label: Add labels to a diagram.
List: Give a sequence of brief answers with no explanation.
Measure: Obtain a value for a quantity.
Present: Offer for display, observation, examination or consideration.
State: Give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or calculation.
Assessment objective 2
Command term and Definition
Annotate: Add brief notes to a diagram or graph.
Apply: Use an idea, equation, principle, theory or law in relation to a given problem or issue.
Calculate: Obtain a numerical answer showing the relevant stages in the working.
Describe: Give a detailed account.
Distinguish: Make clear the differences between two or more concepts or items.
Estimate: Obtain an approximate value.
Identify: Provide an answer from a number of possibilities.
Outline: Give a brief account or summary.
Assessment objective 3
Command term and Definition
Analyse: Break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure.
Comment: Give a judgment based on a given statement or result of a calculation.
Compare: Give an account of the similarities between two (or more) items or situations,
referring to both (all) of them throughout.
Compare and contrast Give an account of similarities and differences between two (or more)
items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.
Construct: Display information in a diagrammatic or logical form.
Deduce: Reach a conclusion from the information given.
Demonstrate: Make clear by reasoning or evidence, illustrating with examples or practical
application.
Derive: Manipulate a mathematical relationship to give a new equation or relationship.
Design: Produce a plan, simulation or model.
Determine: Obtain the only possible answer.
Discuss: Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or
hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate
evidence.
Distinguish: Make clear the differences between two (or more) concepts or objects
Evaluate: Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations.
Explain: Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.
Justify: Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion.
Predict: Give an expected result.
Show: Give the steps in a calculation or derivation.
The IB learner profile
The design technology course is closely linked to the IB learner profile. By following the
course, students will have engaged with the attributes of the IB learner profile. For
example, the requirements of the internal assessment provide opportunities for
students to develop every aspect of the profile. For each attribute of the learner
profile, a number of references are given below.
Learner profile attribute
Inquirers
Knowledgeable
Thinkers
Communicators
Principled
Open-minded
Caring
Risk-takers
Balanced
Reflective
Aims 1, 2 and 8
Practical work and internal assessment
Aims 1, 2, 4 and 10
Practical work and internal assessment
Aims 2, 3, 4, 7 and 10
Practical work and internal assessment
Aims 2, 4 and 7
external assessment; Practical work and internal
assessment; group 4 project
Aims 5, 6 and 9
Practical work and internal assessment: ethical
behaviour/practice (Ethical practice poster,
Animal experimentation policy); academic
honesty
Aims 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9
Practical work and internal assessment; group 4
project
Aims 6, 8 and 9
Practical work and internal assessment; group 4
project; ethical behaviour/practice(Ethical
practice poster, Animal experimentation policy)
Aims 1, 3 and 7
Practical work and internal assessment; group 4
project
Aims 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10
Practical work and internal assessment
Aims 1, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10
Practical work and internal assessment; group 4
project