DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY.
Subject Knowledge Development Journal.
Sandra Vallens September 2011
An introduction to me!
Although you could say my 2 year BA Hons degree starts here, my journey into the world of design and technology started a long time ago.
My earliest memories of designing and making were these furry friends fashioned from scraps of my mother's fabrics.
I have always loved getting my hands on new materials, learning new techniques. Then designing new applications and investigating what limits I can take them to.
On leaving school I did a four year mechanical engineering apprenticeship at APV international in Crawley.The first nine months were spent learning to use metal working machines, followed by six months of sheet metal work and welding techniques as well as analysing the properties of metal before and after welding. The final nine months were spent working in every department of the factory. This led to a greater understanding of the production process. It was still a time of labour intensive production as very few CNC machines were employed. In fact the only CNC machines were a few lathes used specifically for the mass production of identical items.For the final two years of my apprenticeship I received an equally vigorous training. I toured every department of the offices involved in the design process before receiving training in every different section of the eighty strong drawing office. Throughout this time I also attended college on day release where I studied the theretical side of mechanical and electrical engineering.
I feel both privileged and proud to have been part of such a thorough training scheme as it gave me such a wonderful knowledge of industry. I spent the next seven years working for different companies and consultancies, learning new fields of engineering.
A family was to take me into a next phase of my life. Here I watched my daughters develop a whole gamut of skills. As they will say, 'We did everything!' Nothing was impossible and as they grew they were encouraged to choose and investigate their own interests. As a parent looking after my own children and others I developed many skills myself, always searching for new ways to improve what I was doing. I was also able to take time to develop my own interest and persuits of an artistic nature and eventually developed a small business designing and making bespoke stained glass pieces before a rather large house building project took over.
My last step before starting this degree was to spend four and a half years working as the Design and Technology technician in a local secondary school. Here I gained experience not only preparing resources and maintaining machines but in supporting teachers and students as well as teaching itself. I enjoyed working in this environment so much; engaging with the students and supporting their learning that I took the next step...to train to be a teacher myself.
So now the next chapter begins and I have to create a blog to document my progress in developing my subject knowledge. I know a blog is like an online diary but the only one I have read was after it was published in book form and I do not have a clue how to set one up. Who better to quiz then a young person, luckily I have one I made earlier, my daughter. So what exactly is a 'widget'.....and where can I find one?
My earliest memories of designing and making were these furry friends fashioned from scraps of my mother's fabrics.
I have always loved getting my hands on new materials, learning new techniques. Then designing new applications and investigating what limits I can take them to.
On leaving school I did a four year mechanical engineering apprenticeship at APV international in Crawley.The first nine months were spent learning to use metal working machines, followed by six months of sheet metal work and welding techniques as well as analysing the properties of metal before and after welding. The final nine months were spent working in every department of the factory. This led to a greater understanding of the production process. It was still a time of labour intensive production as very few CNC machines were employed. In fact the only CNC machines were a few lathes used specifically for the mass production of identical items.For the final two years of my apprenticeship I received an equally vigorous training. I toured every department of the offices involved in the design process before receiving training in every different section of the eighty strong drawing office. Throughout this time I also attended college on day release where I studied the theretical side of mechanical and electrical engineering.
I feel both privileged and proud to have been part of such a thorough training scheme as it gave me such a wonderful knowledge of industry. I spent the next seven years working for different companies and consultancies, learning new fields of engineering.
A family was to take me into a next phase of my life. Here I watched my daughters develop a whole gamut of skills. As they will say, 'We did everything!' Nothing was impossible and as they grew they were encouraged to choose and investigate their own interests. As a parent looking after my own children and others I developed many skills myself, always searching for new ways to improve what I was doing. I was also able to take time to develop my own interest and persuits of an artistic nature and eventually developed a small business designing and making bespoke stained glass pieces before a rather large house building project took over.
My last step before starting this degree was to spend four and a half years working as the Design and Technology technician in a local secondary school. Here I gained experience not only preparing resources and maintaining machines but in supporting teachers and students as well as teaching itself. I enjoyed working in this environment so much; engaging with the students and supporting their learning that I took the next step...to train to be a teacher myself.
So now the next chapter begins and I have to create a blog to document my progress in developing my subject knowledge. I know a blog is like an online diary but the only one I have read was after it was published in book form and I do not have a clue how to set one up. Who better to quiz then a young person, luckily I have one I made earlier, my daughter. So what exactly is a 'widget'.....and where can I find one?