Millennium Conference- A Once in a Life Time Experience

IntroductionThe Design and Technology InternationalMillennium Conference, organised by DATA,NAAIDT and TEP, took place on the12th-14th April 2000 at the Institute ofEducation in London. With over 150 time-tabled seminars packed into three days, there isnot enough room in this journal for completecoverage of the conference. However, for thoseof you who couldn't get to the conference, orif you wish to relive some of the highlights,here follows a conference report featuring themain points from the keynote speakers.

The research papers have been published in aseparate volume, available from the DATAhead office in Wellesbourne.

Opening address - Jacqui Smith MPDr Ray Peacock introduced Jacqui Smith Mp,the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State forSchools, to the delegates. She began byspeaking of the strong position DATA holds,built upon an excellent relationship with notonly their own members but with governmentagencies and industry.

Jacqui Smith went on to look at theimportance of design in industry, pointing outthat two-thirds of large finns believe thatdesign plays a significant role in theirbusiness. However, we are faced with thechallenge of responding to the advances intechnology, which not only eliminates jobs butalso creates them. Technology has createdbetter paid, higher skilled jobs whilst reducingmany of the labour-intensive, unskilled jobs. Itis crucial that young people gain/develop keyskills to enable them to respond to these ever-changing technologies. She went on tocomment that the UK was the first country tointroduce design and technology into schools,and that we are considered world leaders inthis field.

Design and technology is important for what itprovides students at school. Design andtechnology not only prepares students for life,but most importantly, students enjoy thesubject. Jacqui Smith went on to congratulatethe audience for their work. Ofsted resultsshow an improvement in secondary design andtechnology, and teachers are the key to thissuccess.

Smith went on to talk of the acute shortage ofstudents training to become design andtechnology teachers, and how new governmentplans should redress this situation. She spokeof David Blunkett's launch of a £70 millionbudget programme targeted at education,including the issue of recruitment. A £10,000package has been put together to encouragestudents to train as teachers in this shortagearea. Also a new pay system has been

introduced, with classroom teachers potentiallyearning up to £30,000. There are also plans toissue clear guidance on disapplication nextmonth (May).

James Dyson CSE, Chairman of DysonAppliancesJames Dyson began his talk by reflecting onhis own education, and the non-existence ofdesign when he was at school during the 1950sand 1960s. He went on to compare this withtoday's situation of disapplication, targeted athigh achievers and low achievers. Dyson seesdesign and technology as a subject of benefitto all students. Making design and technologynon-compulsory is taking a step backwards, ata time when many countries are emulating ourcurriculum successes. His personal aim is tohelp design and technology grow.

Dyson went on to look at the situation atDyson Appliances. Out of 300 designers, only20 are female, all of whom were influenced bytheir own fathers, who were themselvesengineers. He went on to point out that greatdesigners have to be great engineers too. Thelink between creativity and manufacturing isvital, yet 50% of graduates want to work inmedia - an industry which appears to cater forthe creative mind. As a country we preferacademia to practical skills. "We are a nationof thinkers not doers." James went on to quoteLibby Purves in the TES, who said thatmakers are at the heart of everything. Hecalled for an end to the snobbery of thinkersagainst doers.

Dyson considered his own personalexperiences, and the development of hisvacuum cleaner. He made a machine how hethought it should be, not how theresearch/trends dictated. For example, theprice of the 'Dyson' was twice as much as themarket leaders - much more than consumersusually paid for a vacuum cleaner. Researchwould suggest that this product wouldn't sell,yet it did.

Putting manufacture and design togethermakes something worthwhile. Manufacturingis the raison d'etre for the other 70% of UKindustry. It is far easier to be the 'middle man'than the creator, for example Dixons don'tmake hi-fi equipment but they do sell it.Retailers have the power in this country andthey make the money, not the manufacturingindustry. Less and less money is beinginvested in manufacturing, with the UK being47th in the research and development worldleague table, factories are closing down andfewer products are being made in the UK.Eventually we will lose the know-how tomanufacture. James Dyson explained that it iscrucial that we attract more talent into themanufacturing industry. Design and

Edited by NataliaLink

technology is the fourth most studied subjectat GCSE - these students need to beencouraged to enter industry, to see it as acreative and exciting career path.

Julia Barfield, Designer of the LondonEyeMike Ive introduced Julia Barfield who, withher husband David Marks, designed the BritishAirways' London Eye, described in TheSunday Times as a 'ring of life'. Julia'skeynote speech looked at the development ofthe London Eye, from concept to production.

In 1993 The Sunday Times in conjunction withthe Architectural Association launched acompetition to find a landmark for London tocommemorate the millennium. TheMillennium Wheel Company was founded andplanning application sought by Barfield andMarks. An article appeared in the EveningStandard and started the 'Back the Wheel'campaign. In 1994, British Airways agreed toprovide resources for the Wheel and over thenext two years the project was presented in abid to find potential sponsors.

Lambeth Council were supportive, seeing theWheel as an inspiration which would promoteand regenerate the South Bank in addition to

boosting the economy. The South Bank is thegeographical centre of London and wastherefore the ideal location for the Wheel.Planning permission was granted. In October1998 all the legalities were completed, leavinga two-year project to be completed in just 14months.

Various countries and nine design andengineering companies were involved in thestructure and construction of the Wheel whichwas to stand 125 meters high, supported onone side only resting on a hub-cast. This basicdesign concept encountered various problemsbut building commenced in December 1998. Itwas decided to build the Wheel horizontally,constructed in four parts with the permanentcable fitted in last, the spindle was to be 23meters high with 300 spokes in the wheel. The32 capsules, with unique heating and coolingsystems installed were finished in France andattached after the Wheel had been erected.

The Wheel is already being used for a widerange of educational purposes and the LondonEye Company is developing packs for schoolsat primary and secondary level. RIBA is alsopiloting a schools pack.

This presentation was largely visual with slidesshowing the Wheel in its various stages ofconstruction.

Paul Thompson, Director of the DesignMuseumHow can the Design Museum contribute to thedesign and technology curriculum, asked PaulThompson in his keynote address?

Design and technology encourages students towork in teams in a non-competitive manner,and provides the learning skills which TonyBlair has championed. It is vital that we closethe performance gap between us and ourcompetitors. This can only be achieved bystrengthening the roles of innovators andentrepreneurs and improving skills in theworkplace and therefore we need to strengthenhow we teach. After all, employment andtraining are the primary outcomes of teaching.

Demand for creativity is based on the birth ofthe knowledge-driven economy, and some50,000 jobs are expected to be created in thenext three years in the 'creative' industries. Sowhat exactly is creativity? Creativity is theapplication of knowledge and skills in newways to achieve a goal.

Paul Thompson went on to say that our worldis a complex one, which is changing rapidly,one could almost say' out of control'. To keepup with these dramatic changes, for the UK tohave commercial success, we need to invest inresearch and development. Yet take up rates inengineering courses at university have been indecline over the last 30 years. To meetindustry's long term objectives, a greaterprovision for training must be made. Paulhoped that investment into education would beincreased in line with the rest of Europe. It isvital that design and technology teachers haveaccess to continued professional development.As technology is rapidly changing, theteachers' skills need to reflect this. Teachingdesign and technology is a very fast movingprofession, not least because of the changingtechnologies that need to be kept up with. It isno surprise then that design and technologyhas the worst retention rate for teachers -working in such an unpredictable landscape.To keep teachers, we need to invest in trainingand upgrading skills, which will keep upmorale and innovation, in turn creating agreater confidence amongst the profession.

But how can a museum help? The DesignMuseum is all about learning and inspiration.It's a living resource that can excite and inspirestudents and teachers alike. The DesignMuseum supports teachers, and like DATA, isa 'doing' not 'talking' organisation.

Thompson then went on to outline some of themany ongoing schemes being run by the

Design Museum. One project is MillenniumProducts, which are case studies of goodproducts getting the recognition and statusthey deserve. Plans are being made to extendthe project with Nuffield in 2001. The DesignMuseum also produces books, which arewritten by their own education team, who havecombined experience of working at theMuseum and years of teaching experience. Forthose schools unable to get to the DesignMuseum in London, a loan box can berequested. Six versions of this 'DesignMuseum on wheels' have been produced, andthere are plans for a Millennium Products onesoon.

Paul Thompson finished his keynote speech byinviting teachers to tell the Design Museumwhat they need as resources, in order that theycould be developed.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville, ParliamentaryUnder Secretary of State for ScienceLord Sainsbury began his keynote by praisingthe work of DATA, stating that design andtechnology is an important part of thecurriculum, a subject which stimulates alllevels and abilities. He went on to say that weshould never underestimate the ability of theyoung to be creative and innovative.

"Design and technology is asubject which stimulates all

levels and abilities."So why is design so important? There will befew low skilled jobs in the future in developedcountries. People will only be able to competewith skills, knowledge and social capital. Takefor instance the creative economy in London.This sector is growing at twice the rate of anyother industry, with £12 billion per year beinggenerated.

The design process adds value by virtue of itseffect. Design triggers improvements andcapitalises on knowledge, improving thequality of our lives. And the UK is highlysuccessful at innovation. We have a wealth ofyoung talent in this country with a hugeimpact on the global market. The trends are sethere. The UK has many excellent innovatorsand design consultants - what we lack is skillin engineering.

At the opposite spectrum is Japan. Japan isincreasingly concerned with its record ofinnovation and is keen to follow the UK'sexample. The Japanese are beginning to realisethat their education system is at fault. Theirteachers tell students what they need to know -whereas in the UK students are encouraged toform their own views. This leads to thecreative power of individual thought. Risktaking is part of the knowledge market - it is

vital that we are encouraged to try again. LordSainsbury spoke of the Government's intentionto review bankruptcy laws to address thissituation. He compared the UK with the risktaking attitude common in the USA, andquoted "there are no failures, just successesand learning experiences". It is the flexible,free thinkers who will flourish in our rapidlychanging world.

Lord Sainsbury went on to discussdisapplication at Key Stage 4. He reassured theaudience that the Government was committedto design and technology in schools, that thesubject was a key part of the curriculum. Hereiterated that disapplication is the exception,not the norm.

Andrew Summers, Chief Executive,Design CouncilDavid Barlex introduced Andrew Summers,Chief Executive of the Design Council as theman with the mission to inspire government,business and education.

The presentation started with a trailer featuringa cockroach trap developed in Southampton,the design based on a plant found in America.The video is a way of illustrating how film canbe used to promote a product and engage anaudience.

Millennium Products are examples of design,creativity and innovative practise. This projectwas launched in September 1997 by TonyBlair and by December 1999, 1012 productshad been created including the following:

Anyway up cup.

Electronic violin - produces sound andpower in any temperature.

Optimusic - interactive musicenvironment, good for rehabilitationpurposes.

Skystreme - inflatable marker for outdoorpursuits, can also be used as a splint.

Accuhaler - a dry powder inhaler fortreating asthma using a new drugformulation.

Divine Chocolate -the first mainstreamhigh quality product on sale nationallywhich is fairly traded.

Lantan Link bridge - Typhoon proofbridge in Hong Kong.

Heathrow Express.

Wilkinson's protector 3D razor.

Endotherm - food refrigeration monitor.

Neotrend - monitors carbondioxide levelsin premature babies.

Plastic can.

There were three aims in creating MillenniumProducts:

1. To inspire innovation among companies.

2. To promote Great Britain - the productsare exhibited world-wide and are allfeatured in the Greenwich Dome.

3. To use for learning purposes - the website,www.sharinginnovation.org.uk, is part of anational programme to stimulate and bringbusiness and education together by way oftools, teaching materials, events andnetworks. Some progress has been madealready: The Design Museum Handlingcollection is a box containing half a dozenMillennium Products to be used as a 3Dinput into learning. The NuffieldMillennium cards explain the technologybehind the products. A new web sitewww.think.comis an on-line source forpupils and teachers which is currentlybeing trailed in Essex and should beavailable in the summer.

The Design Council is setting up a Projectfund to help organisations produce innovativematerials. Following the success of Channel4's 'Design on your. .. ' series, a new set ofprogrammes entitled 'Back to the DrawingBoard' is to be shown in the summer. Inparallel with this, the Design Council areproducing teaching and learning materialsavailable on the website to accompany theseries.

Key trends of the future have been identifiedas follows:

Living longer - by 2020 half the adults inthe UK will be over 50.

Flexible working - 2 million people workwholly or partly from home - by 2006 it isestimated that this will apply to 30% of theworkforce.

E-futures - the digital revolution willcontinue to have an impact on trade,commerce and business.

Smart products - products that adapt toour personal requirements by the use ofembedded micro-chips.

Services - the provision of better, moreeffectively designed services.

Innovation culture.

Sustainable futures.

These trends emphasise the importance ofdesign on the future and are looked at in detailon the web site www.designhorizons.org.uk.The progress of design and technology inschools is of paramount importance inbuilding future skills of both designers and theworkforce - teachers should ask themselves 'isthere an innovative culture in my classroom?'The Design Council aims to work closely with.teachers to inspire this.

Jack Hynds, Chief Electrical Engineer,JaguarJack Hynds began his keynote address byproviding a background to Jaguar cars. Hehighlighted that Jaguar is a world-wide andeasily identifiable brand sold in 62 markets. Ineach case the basic product is the same butthere are small differences to reflect the needsof that particular market. For instance of theJaguar cars sold in the USA, 40% are ownedby women who want the car to be safe andsecure, in Germany the majority are sold tomen, who perceive owning a Jaguar asreflecting their 'desire to be different'.

The production of Jaguar cars will havequadrupled by 200 I and 80% of thisproduction will be for export. There has been achange over time in the motive for buying aJaguar, not only are there strong rationalreasons for the pur~hase, the emotional pullhas grown stronger over time, as customersperceive the car to be a special, unique andpersonal product.

Jack Hynds looked at the adaptive technologyapplied to the product, such as enginemanagement systems (EMS), which make thecar efficient in terms of fuel consumption andemissions, voice recognition systems for theair conditioning, car phone and radio, andnavigation systems. Hynds then went on toexamine the design process technology thatmakes such innovation possible. CAD/CAMand rapid prototyping have transformed thedesign process from a linear to simultaneousevolution.

Today's designers and engineers must copewith this abstract environment and the keycharacteristics that Jaguar looks for in itsemployees were outlined. Engineers needed tobe inquisitive (they are often the students whotake things apart), challenge the norm, abstractthinkers (who are usually labelled as'dreamers ') and have a sense of adventure.What makes engineers great is their tenacity,the ability to overcome obstacles,communication skills are vital if they are toget their ideas across to others and adapt, theyneed to be team players and life long learnersas technology is forever changing.

What's missing however is that there are notenough students going on to becomeengineers. Those that do are often short ofessential skills and know-how. They do notfully understand the process of design, theylack problem solving techniques and qualityand robustness techniques. They also lackpresentation skills and they are not alwayscomfortable with the team approach.

Hynds finally outlined Jaguar's contribution toencourage more students into engineering.

Jaguar are involved in educational engineeringschemes, they have Education BusinessPartnership Centres, each with a specialistslant on the design and manufacturing process.They support professional bodies and holdopen days. They offer work experienceopportunities and support students in theirindustrial year whilst at university. For currentemployees they provide internal training inessential skills, training plans are organised,competence audits are carried out and theyhave a strong commitment to internaleducation.

Hynds concluded his keynote by highlightingthe importance of engineers and designers.Modern society is one which is ever changingand increasingly challenging, in which newtechnologies are needed to survive. It is theengineers and designers who drive these newtechnologies.

Professor Richard Kimbell, GoldsmithsCollege, University of LondonProfessor Kimbell's keynote presentationhighlighted the dichotomy between therhetoric and the reality of creativity in thecurriculum, and how this discrepancy placesdesign and technology in a position of constantstruggle to preserve this vital element of thecurriculum.

Adaptive CruiseControl.

Kimbell began by highlighting the strength ofthe rhetoric supporting creativity in the newNational Curriculum and the political sphere.Of the' distinction contribution' statements ofthe new National Curriculum, more than halfclaim that creativity is part of their coreconcern. Tony Blair shows his support for thecreatives in society by holding parties (notablythese are often drawn from the musicindustry).

However, there is cause for concern that thereality does not follow the rhetoric. TheRobinson Report 1999, from the NationalAdvisory Committee on Creative and CulturalEducation recommended that 59 actions needto be taken to revive the creative heart ofeducation.

Richard Kimbell then went on to discuss thepotential and the necessary conditions forcreativity in education. Design and technologyhas as its cornerstones the motivation toimprove and the capability to create. Kimbellused a description of such qualities from theAscent of Man to illustrate the potential ofdesign and technology to provide a vehiclewhich enables students to cultivate these twouniquely human qualities. However, whilst thepotential for such growth exists with designand technology, do the necessary conditionswhich encourage creative acts and thinkingexist within the classroom?

Professor Kimbell used the research ofGardner, which points to the need for twodistinct dimensions of support which form thenecessary conditions for creativity. Theaffective dimension takes the form ofemotional support, whilst the cognitivedimension involves the intellectual support ofthe 'critical' friend. Teachers must play boththese roles for their students, and it is thecontrary nature of the two roles which makesteaching difficult. This dual role also howeverprovides the basis for a relationship of trustbetween students and teaching, trust being thenumber one quality required for creativitythinking to occur. Creative thinking is by itsvery nature risky, students who believe thatthey will incur penalties if they take risks willnot be creative. It is vital that they trust theircreativity will be rewarded if their design andtechnology activities are to be innovative andvisionary.

At this point however, Kimbell notes that thisissue now becomes more than the creativity ofchildren, but also the need for teachers to becreative. They need to offer students bothemotional and intellectual support, whilsthaving the confidence to allow students to takeownership of their work and develop it inunexpected ways.

For teachers to fill this role their owncreativity needs to be rewarded. It is a basiclaw of psychology that behaviour which isrewarded will be repeated. So what behaviourin teachers is being valued and rewarded byOfsted? Kimbell provided a humorousinterpretation of the value placed on'management' and 'creativity' by Ofstedthrough their reports. Of the Ofsted reportexamined by Kimbell the word 'creative'appeared only once. The word 'manage' wasmentioned a total of 87 times. One canconclude that Ofsted rewards creativebehaviour by completely ignoring it.

Despite the words of the Secretary of State"Creativity is a vital art of our children'seducation ... " (Blunkett, 2000) the creativeculture is not apparent in the very organisationwhich rewards teachers' behaviour and theethos it promotes to schools. In the Ofstedcorporate plan (approximately 14,000 words)the words 'creative' or 'creativity' are nevermentioned. Ofsted is not the only villain of thepeace. The TTA make no mention of creativityin the standards that define the acceptablelevels of professional performance forteachers.

The consequence of the emphasis onmanagement over creativity has had a knock-on effect of the perceptions of teaching inthose graduates whom we would hope toencourage into the profession. ProfessorKimbell highlighted the attitudes of'engineering' and 'design' graduates whoperceived teaching to be low on creativity andvariety, two of the qualities that were high onthe list of their' ideal' job.

The remedy for this perception would be tobring back the naming and shaming culture.Teachers must be given emotional andintellectual support and space to foster theircreativity, allow them to trust and take risksand learn from their mistakes.

Professor Kimbell's analysis not only provideda critique of the conditions that have served todamp down creativity in design andtechnology, but also provided an insight intothe actions that must be taken in order torevive and refresh the curriculum. Creativity inthe curriculum is in deep crisis, and Kimbellcalled upon Mr Blunkett to match the rhetoricof the creative culture to the reality ofteaching.

Mike Ive CSE, HMIMike Ive opened by encouraging everyoneinvolved with design and technology to have a'Strategy of Risk'. The recent amalgamationof NATHE and DATA, the Design andTechnology Millennium Conference and thework of the late Mike Steels HMI were

highlighted as good examples of risk taking.Risks could also be taken in the classroom, forexample submitting group projects forexamination and teaching creativity. It wasstressed that in the UK designing/creativity is"lousy".

Ofsted's main findings (1998 - 1999) foundthat in the primary sector making is better thandesigning and the knowledge andunderstanding is often weak. Overall in theprimary sector Ofsted found that INSET iseffective, teaching is improving, assessment isstill weak but improving and curriculumplanning is weak in a third of schools.

The main findings (1998 - 1999) in thesecondary sector found that teaching is goodin nearly two thirds of schools and thatteaching is effective when there are clearshared objectives, real relevant tasks,enthusiasm, knowledge applied, a prompt startand a brisk pace. The assessment of portfoliosand products is improving but often fails toacknowledge the skills displayed in theirproduction. The formative value of assessmentand the need for moderation are oftenundervalued. INSET was found to be effectivebut there are many needs in ICT, S&C,industry, progression and assessment. Genuineaccess to Continual Professional Developmentis called for at both primary and secondarylevel.

"See the big picture, design and technology isnot just a collection of design and make tasks"says Mike. He stresses the importance of theRationale Statement set out in the revisedNational Curriculum and that teachers mustuse it:

preparation for participating intechnological society

learn to think, intervene creatively toimprove quality of life

autonomous and creative problem solvers- own and team

seek needs/wants/opportunities ideasproducts, systems

combine practical skills withunderstanding of aesthetics, social,environment, industry

evaluate present and past design andtechnology

become discriminating and informed usersof products

become innovators.

Staffing recruitment is "dire", with only 2.5%of the target met for September 2000. But withthe introduction of £ 10,000 whilst taking aPGCE things could improve. We need topublicise the value of design and technology.

Mike Ive encourages us to "think nationally,act locally" - who do you know that you mightinfluence?

Trevor Baylis OBE, InventorThe struggle of the lone inventorTrevor gave a highly entertaining lecture onthe struggles of the lone inventor. Hispresentation was very visual and largelyanecdotal, so here follow the key points heraised:

Why are inventors perceived to be 'mad'?It is because they cannot disclose theirideas in case someone copies them, thusthey have to talk to themselves - the firstsign of madness!

The importance of teaching pupils aboutthe Patent Office. If they are to besuccessful inventors they need to be ableto protect their 'intellectual property' bysecuring a patent. Dyson secured over 160patents at the cost of £ Imillion.

Inventors in the past have often ended upliving in poverty and without therecognition and honour they deservedbecause they did not secure a patent.

The British Academy of Invention. TrevorBaylis had to work for years to get hiswind-up radio launched. He had no helpwith patenting, preparing a business planor the astronomical cost of translation ofpatents. Yet it is estimated that Britain haslost a total of £165 billion throughinventions made here but exploited abroad.He believes that an academy for inventorsgiving impartial advice is the way forward.In return for help, the academy will sharein the rewards when an invention is sold orlicensed.

John Kay 1704-1781,inventor of the FlyingShuttle. Trouble: Ideapirated, houseattacked, dieddisillusioned and poorin France.