What is Design and Visual Communication about?
[ Video Resource ]
- Title: Design and Visual Communication
- Description: Design and Visual Communication Subject Expert Group members discuss their experiences in the Review of Achievement Standards
- Video Duration: 5 minutes
- Video URL: https://player.vimeo.com/video/571881556
- Transcript: In conversation with Motu Samaeli Megan Dunsmore Anthony Hawkins Transcript below: Making the students' perspective more prevalent than it has been in the past so that they themselves as designers can start to bring their own experiences and their own voice forward. Yeah I agree. So it's not just a student going how does a designer design
In conversation with
Motu Samaeli
Megan Dunsmore
Anthony Hawkins
Transcript below:
Making the students' perspective more prevalent than it has been in the past so that they themselves as designers can start to bring their own experiences and their own voice forward.
Yeah I agree. So it's not just a student going how does a designer design, they're starting to go how will I design. And I think it's that idea that like even though the Standards have kind of have a better focus now and it's simplified so that teachers can access it better, they still have that flexibility, there's a flexibility built into the Standards that allows them to do it through their own approach.
I think people will really notice that there's more consistency between what is being taught in schools or between schools and they might see that as shutting down flexibility, but I think it's a really good opportunity that we'll all be teaching similar knowledge and similar things, so that frees us to talk about it and be more supportive.
You can embed you know local context a lot easier. You know, if you're in Gisborne for example, you know, you can access that connection to your DVC a bit easier now. So while we're covering the same learning the way we do it can be very individual.
Overall I think in many ways I don't think teachers of DVC will notice that much difference. I think it will feel quite familiar in many ways but just offer opportunities for the next step.
I think it's actually supporting like the good practice that happens now but actually making it more accessible to more teachers and bringing people on board with their subject. Like if you're a new teacher, I think this actually allows them to get equipped to teach DVC better.
Yeah, so it's more definable, what our subject is.
I think the Mana Ōrite principles, we've done a fantastic job of. And it's very solidly embedded in our matrix and even our learning which is quite a bold statement.
I do like the fact that it's not kind of like a list of things you've got to know about them, it's actually a way of thinking, and sometimes it's just concepts and principles that we can find our own meaning in there as well. I mean there's a respect aspect to it obviously, but we're all at different levels and that's actually OK.
I actually think the big ideas that are above in the learning matrix are huge, but actually it encompasses our whole subject. Because when we look at a subject you don't just look at it in one level.
It's almost like as a teacher you want to know what the students are going to take away from your subject when they leave, whether it's at Level 1, 2 or 3.
Having those fewer Standards means that through good practice all the Standards will come through it.
It's been really exciting to sort of get new people's perspectives into forming the direction of the subject. So I think that's been a really you know positive experience.
I think from being in a decile one school, the greatest thing is just allowing that conversation instead of individual design.
I really enjoyed, being on the RAS, how we were expressing quite different opinions. I wouldn't say opposing but a lot of the time we were coming from different places and we had some really intense discussions, but by the end we were really clear and we all agreed.
So going from different perspectives we came to something that we were all solidly behind.
Ask questions too, and be involved. I mean we're interested in knowing where the needs are so, you know, ask the questions.
Hopefully people will feel quite familiar with what they're seeing.
Yes, I mean, I think they don't need to throw out stuff that they might be doing if it's been successful, because actually successful practice should still work in this new framework.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
Design and Visual Communication is about the interrelated strands of design thinking, visual communication, and design heritage.
Design encompasses the ideation, exploration, progression, and communication of design ideas into potential outcomes that serve a specific purpose, provide innovative possibilities, and can be informed by design heritage and a designer’s perspective.
Within Design and Visual Communication, design consists of product design and spatial design.
Product design focuses on the development of tangible items that have a specific function within people's everyday lives. It does not include graphic identity, therefore logo design is not part of Design and Visual Communication.
Spatial design is about the designing of three-dimensional spaces in terms of how they are experienced, occupied, or used by people. These spaces can range from those defined by walls and physical elements to those more permeable and determined by ritual, activity, or occupancy. Spatial design incorporates concepts from such fields as architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design.
Visual communication addresses how design ideas and outcomes are appropriately presented to the viewer. Design ideas and outcomes are expressed in a manner that makes visible the learner’s thoughts, allowing for engagement, feedback, and collaboration.
Design heritage is the history, culture, and awareness of design. It is the approaches to, and perspectives of, design tikanga, design fields (such as architecture, interior, product, landscape, fashion, and media design), design eras, influences and movements, designers, design artefacts, and the elements of design.
Designers acknowledge how their design ideas can meet the needs of people within various situations, and are responsive to the ethical, environmental, and cultural impacts they may have.
By developing the skills and techniques of Design and Visual Communication, learners will discover how to give form and expression to their ideas. In order to create purposeful and future-focused design ideas, learners must be willing to experiment, develop, respond to feedback, and reflect on their design thinking to improve and refine the product and spatial design ideas they propose. This helps to build confidence in their strengths, talents, and abilities, as well as resilience, resourcefulness, and a sense of ethical responsibility to the peoples and places they are designing for.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
Design and Visual Communication is about the interrelated strands of design thinking, visual communication, and design heritage.
Design encompasses the ideation, exploration, progression, and communication of design ideas into potential outcomes that serve a specific purpose, provide innovative possibilities, and can be informed by design heritage and a designer’s perspective.
Within Design and Visual Communication, design consists of product design and spatial design.
Product design focuses on the development of tangible items that have a specific function within people's everyday lives. It does not include graphic identity, therefore logo design is not part of Design and Visual Communication.
Spatial design is about the designing of three-dimensional spaces in terms of how they are experienced, occupied, or used by people. These spaces can range from those defined by walls and physical elements to those more permeable and determined by ritual, activity, or occupancy. Spatial design incorporates concepts from such fields as architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design.
Visual communication addresses how design ideas and outcomes are appropriately presented to the viewer. Design ideas and outcomes are expressed in a manner that makes visible the learner’s thoughts, allowing for engagement, feedback, and collaboration.
Design heritage is the history, culture, and awareness of design. It is the approaches to, and perspectives of, design tikanga, design fields (such as architecture, interior, product, landscape, fashion, and media design), design eras, influences and movements, designers, design artefacts, and the elements of design.
Designers acknowledge how their design ideas can meet the needs of people within various situations, and are responsive to the ethical, environmental, and cultural impacts they may have.
By developing the skills and techniques of Design and Visual Communication, learners will discover how to give form and expression to their ideas. In order to create purposeful and future-focused design ideas, learners must be willing to experiment, develop, respond to feedback, and reflect on their design thinking to improve and refine the product and spatial design ideas they propose. This helps to build confidence in their strengths, talents, and abilities, as well as resilience, resourcefulness, and a sense of ethical responsibility to the peoples and places they are designing for.
Big Ideas and Significant Learning
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Design and Visual Communication Big Idea.
The Technology Learning Area curriculum, including its whakataukī, inform this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their Level 6 education.
The Learning Area's whakataukī is:
Kaua e rangiruatia te hāpai o te hoe; E kore tō tātou waka e ū ki uta.Don't paddle out of unison; our canoe will never reach the shore.
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the not-to-be-missed learning in a subject. There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context or topic must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
There are five Big Ideas in Design and Visual Communication. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Design and Visual Communication Big Idea.
The Technology Learning Area curriculum, including its whakataukī, inform this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their Level 6 education.
The Learning Area's whakataukī is:
Kaua e rangiruatia te hāpai o te hoe; E kore tō tātou waka e ū ki uta.Don't paddle out of unison; our canoe will never reach the shore.
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the not-to-be-missed learning in a subject. There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix within each level. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context or topic must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
There are five Big Ideas in Design and Visual Communication. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
Big Idea Body:
Designers are responsive to social, cultural, and environmental contexts, producing outcomes that improve people's lives. They consider forms of knowledge from multiple perspectives that speak to the peoples and places of the design ideas and outcomes they develop. This includes ethics, sustainability, and inclusion. By engaging with their community and acknowledging the whakapapa and tikanga of the people for whom they are designing, they develop the ability to meet the needs of design briefs and understand the importance of user engagement and user experience.
It is important that learners understand the purpose of their work as designers, and the value that their ideas have within local and global contexts. In this sense, manaakitanga is the designer's drive to develop design ideas that enable individuals and their communities. Designers see the potential lying in everyday situations and environments and can anticipate the advantages offered by their design ideas.
Design, as an act of manaakitanga, seeks new ways to improve the lives of people and their places
Designers are responsive to social, cultural, and environmental contexts, producing outcomes that improve people's lives. They consider forms of knowledge from multiple perspectives that speak to the peoples and places of the design ideas and outcomes they develop. This includes ethics, sustainability, and inclusion. By engaging with their community and acknowledging the whakapapa and tikanga of the people for whom they are designing, they develop the ability to meet the needs of design briefs and understand the importance of user engagement and user experience.
It is important that learners understand the purpose of their work as designers, and the value that their ideas have within local and global contexts. In this sense, manaakitanga is the designer's drive to develop design ideas that enable individuals and their communities. Designers see the potential lying in everyday situations and environments and can anticipate the advantages offered by their design ideas.
Big Idea Body:
The practice of design is where ideas begin to take shape into potential products and spatial design ideas. It combines the skills and knowledge that learners attain into action-oriented development. Learners will ask questions, propose scenarios, and reframe perceptions to generate ideas through visual communication techniques, as well as design tools and technologies.
Translating their ideas from thought and giving them life in a visual form gives learners a sense of how their own unique way of seeing the world is important to their design thinking in order to develop design outcomes. They will also begin to see how their design awareness can be applied to create innovative solutions. Engaging with hands-on, practical exercises will also allow them to think about the function and purpose of design outcomes, learning 'how stuff works' and how old design ideas can be built upon to inspire new ones.
Design tikanga weaves together both divergent and convergent thinking in the generation, exploration, refinement, and resolving of design ideas and outcomes
The practice of design is where ideas begin to take shape into potential products and spatial design ideas. It combines the skills and knowledge that learners attain into action-oriented development. Learners will ask questions, propose scenarios, and reframe perceptions to generate ideas through visual communication techniques, as well as design tools and technologies.
Translating their ideas from thought and giving them life in a visual form gives learners a sense of how their own unique way of seeing the world is important to their design thinking in order to develop design outcomes. They will also begin to see how their design awareness can be applied to create innovative solutions. Engaging with hands-on, practical exercises will also allow them to think about the function and purpose of design outcomes, learning 'how stuff works' and how old design ideas can be built upon to inspire new ones.
Big Idea Body:
In Design and Visual Communication, learners are enabled to bring their own experiences, values, and cultures to the subject and as they learn about the perspectives of others, they discover and develop their own voice. This allows them to innovate and create design opportunities, with authenticity at the forefront of their design thinking, to ensure their own unique voice is honoured throughout the development of all design outcomes. These unique voices include those of Māori and Pacific communities, as well as the global design perspectives of indigenous cultures and other designers.
Learners can also examine, critique, and be influenced by the perspectives and inputs of others in a fluid, supportive, and collaborative learning environment. They will develop resilience and confidence through feedback and critique of their perspectives and design decisions, reframing 'mistakes' as valuable learning opportunities. Over time, they will be able to convey their personal aspirations, with a clearer vision of the pathways available to them as designers.
Designers bring their own unique voice that draws from their personal experiences, cultures, values, and perspectives as well as those of other people
In Design and Visual Communication, learners are enabled to bring their own experiences, values, and cultures to the subject and as they learn about the perspectives of others, they discover and develop their own voice. This allows them to innovate and create design opportunities, with authenticity at the forefront of their design thinking, to ensure their own unique voice is honoured throughout the development of all design outcomes. These unique voices include those of Māori and Pacific communities, as well as the global design perspectives of indigenous cultures and other designers.
Learners can also examine, critique, and be influenced by the perspectives and inputs of others in a fluid, supportive, and collaborative learning environment. They will develop resilience and confidence through feedback and critique of their perspectives and design decisions, reframing 'mistakes' as valuable learning opportunities. Over time, they will be able to convey their personal aspirations, with a clearer vision of the pathways available to them as designers.
Big Idea Body:
By drawing from the rich history of design and the specialist technical knowledge of their kaiako and other subject experts, learners will gain the understanding required to apply their talents and skills in a way that gives life to their ideas.
It also allows them to recognise concepts of product and spatial design within different cultures and communities (for example, how design icons are recognised through socially constructed value judgements), which further builds upon their personal design influences and design awareness. This creates a richer, more dynamic learning environment that leads to adaptation and engagement with the histories and precedents that the subject is built upon.
Design is an iterative and cumulative activity that is constantly building on the past in ways that refine and improve current thinking and practice. This includes practising conscientiousness around copyright and third-party content considerations, giving fair acknowledgement to the designers whose work they draw from, reimagine, and are inspired by.
Through the exploration and examination of the whakapapa of design, the movements and theories that have gone before, learners will develop their own design awareness and create design ideas that will further expand the body of knowledge that inspired them.
Design has a whakapapa – heritage, philosophies, and knowledges, both functional and aesthetic, in relation to product and spatial design
By drawing from the rich history of design and the specialist technical knowledge of their kaiako and other subject experts, learners will gain the understanding required to apply their talents and skills in a way that gives life to their ideas.
It also allows them to recognise concepts of product and spatial design within different cultures and communities (for example, how design icons are recognised through socially constructed value judgements), which further builds upon their personal design influences and design awareness. This creates a richer, more dynamic learning environment that leads to adaptation and engagement with the histories and precedents that the subject is built upon.
Design is an iterative and cumulative activity that is constantly building on the past in ways that refine and improve current thinking and practice. This includes practising conscientiousness around copyright and third-party content considerations, giving fair acknowledgement to the designers whose work they draw from, reimagine, and are inspired by.
Through the exploration and examination of the whakapapa of design, the movements and theories that have gone before, learners will develop their own design awareness and create design ideas that will further expand the body of knowledge that inspired them.
Big Idea Body:
The ability for learners to communicate their ideas in a visual format is vital to design thinking. It makes manifest their design ideas through conventions and techniques that build narratives, transcending the boundaries of language and culture. By developing skills such as sketching, modelling, and presentation, design ideas can be effectively expressed to a range of different audiences, whether it be the learner's peers, whānau, community, or the wider public.
The representation of ideas also allows for their critique, further developing learner resilience and strategies for risk-taking, and allows the learner to reflect, refine, and improve on their initial design thinking. This also opens up opportunities for surprising discoveries and alternative viewpoints that the learner may not have previously considered. Generating design ideas through these communication techniques can provide further insight into the purpose of design ideas and how they align with the ethics, values, and tikanga of both the designer and the user.
Visual communication is a set of visual literacy skills that allow designers to think about, evaluate, and appropriately present design ideas and outcomes
The ability for learners to communicate their ideas in a visual format is vital to design thinking. It makes manifest their design ideas through conventions and techniques that build narratives, transcending the boundaries of language and culture. By developing skills such as sketching, modelling, and presentation, design ideas can be effectively expressed to a range of different audiences, whether it be the learner's peers, whānau, community, or the wider public.
The representation of ideas also allows for their critique, further developing learner resilience and strategies for risk-taking, and allows the learner to reflect, refine, and improve on their initial design thinking. This also opens up opportunities for surprising discoveries and alternative viewpoints that the learner may not have previously considered. Generating design ideas through these communication techniques can provide further insight into the purpose of design ideas and how they align with the ethics, values, and tikanga of both the designer and the user.
Key Competencies in Design and Visual Communication
Learning in Design and Visual Communication provides meaningful contexts for developing Key Competencies from The New Zealand Curriculum. These Key Competencies are woven through, and embedded in, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning. Whether they are forming connections and relationships with clients and collaborators, practising ideation and design thinking, managing their time and wellbeing, or applying the visual communication techniques necessary to promote their design ideas and outcomes, learners will gain skills and knowledge that will be carried with them throughout their design practice and beyond the learning environment.
Thinking
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- use design thinking to foster exploration, experimentation, and problem solving
- be encouraged to look at things from different perspectives that they may not have previously considered
- draw from a range of influences to develop an awareness of design, adopting different ideas from the voices of different cultures and the rich heritage of design
- be required to think for themselves and develop a confidence in their abilities to generate ideas
- be strongly encouraged to use both divergent and convergent thinking:
- Divergent thinking allows the learner to experiment and take risks in order to innovate and find new ways of achieving results.
- Convergent thinking allows them to draw from the knowledge and heritage of design to progress and resolve their design ideas.
- value their own unique voice and background in their design thinking
- use design thinking to foster self-reflection.
Using Language, Symbols, and Text
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- develop visual communication skills in order to relate narratives through their design thinking and practice
- learn visual communication techniques and strengthen their visual literacy, letting them explore, generate, critique, and resolve design ideas
- become aware of how design uses universal symbols and other forms of universal visual language that are internationally recognised in industry
- use visual communication systems, such as drawing conventions
- acquire a fluency in design language, including the principles of aesthetics and function, which inform their design thinking
- decide on which techniques best suit how they will approach making improvements and progressing their design ideas further.
Relating to Others
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- learn visual communication techniques to develop skills and confidence in presenting ideas and opinions to their peers, community, whānau, and the potential users of their design outcomes
- develop connections with their audiences and users to resolve issues in ways that translate into valuable industry skills
- engage in critical inquiry in order to understand and empathise with the user to better meet their needs and honour their values
- connect with place and the whakapapa of the people they are designing for
- practise collaboration and critique with each other within the learning environment
- consider the ideas of other students
- build from each other's strengths and talents with respect and empathy
- learn about the tikanga aronga of their community to help them understand local protocols and engage with people by building bridges, developing partnerships, and building on the narratives of the people and places they design for.
Managing Self
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- develop skills in time management, use of resources, and adaptability when undertaking projects
- develop the confidence to reflect on and commit to their ideas
- know when to take risks and when to follow procedure to achieve the best results
- take ownership of their own processes and ways of working, including the curation of their design portfolios
- engage with design contexts and other perspectives to refine their own design awareness and to recognise personal bias
- have to think on their feet to make decisions, sometimes under tight deadlines that require them to make do with what they have and work to their personal strengths
- include wellbeing and stress management practices as part of their design processes
- recognise that resilience and focus support the generation of design ideas and communicate high-quality outcomes.
Participating and Contributing
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- use their emerging visual communication skills to connect their ideas with people and place
- take an active role in developing solutions to meet the needs of others while remaining aware of the potential impacts their design decisions could make within social, cultural, and environmental contexts
- see design as a cumulative activity that builds upon previous work and requires constant engagement and active participation to bring ideas to fruition
- understand that collaboration and teamwork can inspire new ideas to be generated
- recognise that feedback and critique helps their peers strengthen their own knowledge and skill sets, creating a rich, supportive, and innovative learning environment
- recognise that the resilience and confidence built through developing, testing, and presenting design ideas allows them to reframe 'mistakes' as valuable learning opportunities in which they can reflect on and improve their ideas.
Key Competencies
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Learning in Design and Visual Communication provides meaningful contexts for developing Key Competencies from The New Zealand Curriculum. These Key Competencies are woven through, and embedded in, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning. Whether they are forming connections and relationships with clients and collaborators, practising ideation and design thinking, managing their time and wellbeing, or applying the visual communication techniques necessary to promote their design ideas and outcomes, learners will gain skills and knowledge that will be carried with them throughout their design practice and beyond the learning environment.
Thinking
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- use design thinking to foster exploration, experimentation, and problem solving
- be encouraged to look at things from different perspectives that they may not have previously considered
- draw from a range of influences to develop an awareness of design, adopting different ideas from the voices of different cultures and the rich heritage of design
- be required to think for themselves and develop a confidence in their abilities to generate ideas
- be strongly encouraged to use both divergent and convergent thinking:
- Divergent thinking allows the learner to experiment and take risks in order to innovate and find new ways of achieving results.
- Convergent thinking allows them to draw from the knowledge and heritage of design to progress and resolve their design ideas.
- value their own unique voice and background in their design thinking
- use design thinking to foster self-reflection.
Using Language, Symbols, and Text
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- develop visual communication skills in order to relate narratives through their design thinking and practice
- learn visual communication techniques and strengthen their visual literacy, letting them explore, generate, critique, and resolve design ideas
- become aware of how design uses universal symbols and other forms of universal visual language that are internationally recognised in industry
- use visual communication systems, such as drawing conventions
- acquire a fluency in design language, including the principles of aesthetics and function, which inform their design thinking
- decide on which techniques best suit how they will approach making improvements and progressing their design ideas further.
Relating to Others
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- learn visual communication techniques to develop skills and confidence in presenting ideas and opinions to their peers, community, whānau, and the potential users of their design outcomes
- develop connections with their audiences and users to resolve issues in ways that translate into valuable industry skills
- engage in critical inquiry in order to understand and empathise with the user to better meet their needs and honour their values
- connect with place and the whakapapa of the people they are designing for
- practise collaboration and critique with each other within the learning environment
- consider the ideas of other students
- build from each other's strengths and talents with respect and empathy
- learn about the tikanga aronga of their community to help them understand local protocols and engage with people by building bridges, developing partnerships, and building on the narratives of the people and places they design for.
Managing Self
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- develop skills in time management, use of resources, and adaptability when undertaking projects
- develop the confidence to reflect on and commit to their ideas
- know when to take risks and when to follow procedure to achieve the best results
- take ownership of their own processes and ways of working, including the curation of their design portfolios
- engage with design contexts and other perspectives to refine their own design awareness and to recognise personal bias
- have to think on their feet to make decisions, sometimes under tight deadlines that require them to make do with what they have and work to their personal strengths
- include wellbeing and stress management practices as part of their design processes
- recognise that resilience and focus support the generation of design ideas and communicate high-quality outcomes.
Participating and Contributing
Students of Design and Visual Communication will:
- use their emerging visual communication skills to connect their ideas with people and place
- take an active role in developing solutions to meet the needs of others while remaining aware of the potential impacts their design decisions could make within social, cultural, and environmental contexts
- see design as a cumulative activity that builds upon previous work and requires constant engagement and active participation to bring ideas to fruition
- understand that collaboration and teamwork can inspire new ideas to be generated
- recognise that feedback and critique helps their peers strengthen their own knowledge and skill sets, creating a rich, supportive, and innovative learning environment
- recognise that the resilience and confidence built through developing, testing, and presenting design ideas allows them to reframe 'mistakes' as valuable learning opportunities in which they can reflect on and improve their ideas.
Key Competencies
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Connections
Design and Visual Communications integrates with the other Technology subjects of Digital Technologies, Computer Science, and Materials and Processing Technologies. Students who take more than one Technology subject will have the opportunity to further refine their design thinking and to apply it in diverse contexts.
Knowledge from Science and Mathematics will support students in their development of not only ideas but also provide a good understanding of materials and physical principals when designing for fit for purpose outcomes.
Students of History, Pacific Studies, Geography, and Social Studies will be supported to meaningfully incorporate their learning of place into their design ideas.
Design and Visual Communications connects with well with Social Sciences Learning Area, with a focus on finding solutions that work for people and the environment, while at the same time, incorporating historical or culturally-based knowledges.
Students of Health Studies will be supported to develop design ideas that seek to improve others' wellbeing and that keep considerations of people at the centre of design thinking.
The creative skills developed in Visual Arts will complement those learnt in Design and Visual Communications and will support students to develop their ability to communicate ideas visually in different contexts.
Design and Visual Communications integrates with the other Technology subjects of Digital Technologies, Computer Science, and Materials and Processing Technologies. Students who take more than one Technology subject will have the opportunity to further refine their design thinking and to apply it in diverse contexts.
Knowledge from Science and Mathematics will support students in their development of not only ideas but also provide a good understanding of materials and physical principals when designing for fit for purpose outcomes.
Students of History, Pacific Studies, Geography, and Social Studies will be supported to meaningfully incorporate their learning of place into their design ideas.
Design and Visual Communications connects with well with Social Sciences Learning Area, with a focus on finding solutions that work for people and the environment, while at the same time, incorporating historical or culturally-based knowledges.
Students of Health Studies will be supported to develop design ideas that seek to improve others' wellbeing and that keep considerations of people at the centre of design thinking.
The creative skills developed in Visual Arts will complement those learnt in Design and Visual Communications and will support students to develop their ability to communicate ideas visually in different contexts.
Learning Pathway
Design and Visual Communications can provide students with a strong foundation for a variety of career paths and learning opportunities. Students will have already engaged in spatial or product design in some way or form in everyday-life. By taking Design and Visual Communication they will develop the necessary skills to bring their own ideas about spatial and product design forward through visual communication.
These skills, such as drawing, drafting, and design thinking, can be applied in fields such as construction, engineering, interior design, landscape design, architecture, and urban planning.
Additionally, students may use these skills to pursue careers in marketing, surveying, product design, web design, the fashion industry, fine arts, or visual media.
Students of Design and Visual Communications who study only at Level 1, will benefit from learning skills that will support them in later life by enabling them to communicate their ideas through visual representations.
By completing Level 1 Design and Visual Communication, students will have the skills needed to continue to Level 2 or pursue a cadetship or apprenticeship. This subject can also serve as a stepping-stone for further study in a related field.
Design and Visual Communications can provide students with a strong foundation for a variety of career paths and learning opportunities. Students will have already engaged in spatial or product design in some way or form in everyday-life. By taking Design and Visual Communication they will develop the necessary skills to bring their own ideas about spatial and product design forward through visual communication.
These skills, such as drawing, drafting, and design thinking, can be applied in fields such as construction, engineering, interior design, landscape design, architecture, and urban planning.
Additionally, students may use these skills to pursue careers in marketing, surveying, product design, web design, the fashion industry, fine arts, or visual media.
Students of Design and Visual Communications who study only at Level 1, will benefit from learning skills that will support them in later life by enabling them to communicate their ideas through visual representations.
By completing Level 1 Design and Visual Communication, students will have the skills needed to continue to Level 2 or pursue a cadetship or apprenticeship. This subject can also serve as a stepping-stone for further study in a related field.
Introduction to Sample Course Outlines
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards. Examples of how a year-long Design and Visual Communication course could be constructed using the new Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards. Examples of how a year-long Design and Visual Communication course could be constructed using the new Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
Assessment Matrix
Conditions of Assessment for internally assessed standards
These Conditions provide guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Achievement Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- specific requirements for all assessments against this Standard
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic.
Assessors must be familiar with guidance on assessment practice in learning centres, including enforcing timeframes and deadlines. The NZQA website offers resources that would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The learning centre’s Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts of teaching and learning. Care needs to be taken to allow students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Standard(s) that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning. Collection of evidence for the internally assessed Standards could include, but is not restricted to, an extended task, an investigation, digital evidence (such as recorded interviews, blogs, photographs, or film), or a portfolio of evidence.
A separate assessment event is not needed for each Standard. Often assessment can be integrated into one activity that collects evidence towards two or three different Standards from a programme of learning. Evidence can also be collected over time from a range of linked activities (for example, in a portfolio).
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Ensuring Authenticity of Evidence
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This must be in line with the learning centre’s policy and NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess.
Ensure that the student’s evidence is individually identifiable and represents the student’s own work. This includes evidence submitted as part of a group assessment and evidence produced outside of class time or assessor supervision. For example, an investigation carried out over several sessions could include assessor observations, meeting with the student at a set milestone, or student’s use of a journal or photographic entries to record progress.
All sources must be acknowledged, and all third-party content must be attributed.
These Conditions provide guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Achievement Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- specific requirements for all assessments against this Standard
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic.
Assessors must be familiar with guidance on assessment practice in learning centres, including enforcing timeframes and deadlines. The NZQA website offers resources that would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The learning centre’s Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts of teaching and learning. Care needs to be taken to allow students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Standard(s) that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning. Collection of evidence for the internally assessed Standards could include, but is not restricted to, an extended task, an investigation, digital evidence (such as recorded interviews, blogs, photographs, or film), or a portfolio of evidence.
A separate assessment event is not needed for each Standard. Often assessment can be integrated into one activity that collects evidence towards two or three different Standards from a programme of learning. Evidence can also be collected over time from a range of linked activities (for example, in a portfolio).
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Ensuring Authenticity of Evidence
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This must be in line with the learning centre’s policy and NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess.
Ensure that the student’s evidence is individually identifiable and represents the student’s own work. This includes evidence submitted as part of a group assessment and evidence produced outside of class time or assessor supervision. For example, an investigation carried out over several sessions could include assessor observations, meeting with the student at a set milestone, or student’s use of a journal or photographic entries to record progress.
All sources must be acknowledged, and all third-party content must be attributed.
Students may work in groups to plan and give feedback, but all design work must be generated individually.
Students may have access to a full range of Design and Visual Communication tools.
Evidence for parts of this assessment can be in te reo Māori, English, or New Zealand Sign Language.
Students may work in groups to plan and give feedback, but all design work must be generated individually.
Students may have access to a full range of Design and Visual Communication tools.
Evidence for parts of this assessment can be in te reo Māori, English, or New Zealand Sign Language.