Design

Design

The aims of MYP Design courses are to encourage and enable students to: 

• Enjoy the design process and develop an appreciation of its universal application
• Develop knowledge, understanding and skills to design and create solutions to problems using the design cycle
• Access, process and communicate information, model and create solutions, and solve problems 
• Develop an appreciation of the impact of design innovations for life, global society and environments 
• Appreciate design within cultural, political, social, historical and environmental contexts 
• Develop respect for others’ viewpoints and appreciate alternative solutions to problems 
• Act with integrity and honesty, and take responsibility for their own actions developing effective working practices

Skills
Students have the opportunity to study a wide range of skills, including both physical and digital making, in a program of courses developed as part of a concept driven, context based curriculum. These skills enable students to create a wide range of products over the program, such as fashion pieces, architectural models, animations, video games and toys.
 

Grade 6
Students are given agency to know each other as designers during their first collaborative design project focusing on developing social and organization skills needed to work in a team. Students inquire into the concept of branding to develop their independence as designers to investigate material properties and connect to their own lives and memories. They their problem solving skills and inquire into computational thinking using micro-bit coding kits. By the end of Grade 6, students will have explored the MYP design cycle to experience graphic design, product design and computer design.

Grade 7
In Grade 7, students develop their skills as graphic designers by working towards design specifications to communicate engaging branding and marketing information through the development of visual designs. Utilizing industry standard software and techniques, students interpret design trends in order to innovate their own trends. Students are provided agency to develop motivation and resourcefulness by researching a chosen area of design, developing both a product and associated instructional video through a means of personalised inquiry. Students also investigate real-world systems and how designers can design for the future in a virtual space, which encourages the development of critical thinking skills as well as a practical development of 3D modelling and animation skills.

Grade 8
In Grade 8, students extend their ability to empathize with the needs of a target audience. They are given design challenges such as designing and developing learning toys based on their experiences playing, observing and interviewing our ELC students. Their inquiries and efforts allow them to develop technical skills using sewing, hand tools and CAD/CAM technology to create their products. To allow students to develop an international perspective, they inquire into the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to design their own creations for products or systems which could make an impact on a chosen focus. Students present their ideas and prototypes to a panel of experts in order to evaluate the potential impact of their designs.