Re-designing Design and Technology Education: A living literature review of stakeholder perspectives

Created following the amalgamation of several individual subject disciplines, in England, design and technology is in decline. Debates about its purpose and position have taken place since its inception but arguably these have not transferred into a rigorous research base. There is a growing body of scholars exploring the field, but with the decline of the subject, so the community working and investigating it is also diminished. Without a strong foundation, the actions of the few may not carry sufficient weight to generate full and meaningful debate that would influence those with the power to change policy on curriculum and lead to innovation.

If we are to have any hope of reversing the subject’s deterioration, we must do something bold and significant. While an awareness of the subject’s history and its evolution is integral to our understanding of how and why we are where we are, merely reflecting on the past will do little to help the subject move forward. Hence, the principal aim of our research is to explore what a re-designed design and technology could look like. To achieve this, this study draws on different stakeholders’ visions of how they perceive the subject’s future.

Theoretical underpinning of this work is derived from abductive grounded theory, which aligns with the researcher’s individual ontological positions. Drawing together the findings from participants, this paper presents outcomes in the form of a ‘living document’. We see this as the first phase in an ongoing study into the future of the subject. Findings indicate a diverse range of opinion relating to the subject’s future. Following analysis, outcomes are discussed, and future steps to re-imagine the subject are then explored.