Tag: students

Architecture in Year 11

Post author By Andrew
Post date December 14, 2021

Architecture in Year 11 Real-life Projects With Impact

I initiated the Year 11 Architecture unit as a way for students to build upon the technical and creative skills we have developed over the course of the previous stages of our Technology and STEM programs, but to also to give students a real-world project wherein they would be introduced to working professionals who can give them insight and perspectives we can’t.

In this project students are required to interview a full spectrum of stakeholders for the design challenge we are undertaking that year. They research existing solutions and seek out inspiration for new ones, then develop those ideas further. For skill-building, students study graphical modeling for architecture, learn to use Finite Element Analysis features within Fusion 360 to predict reactions in structures they are proposing, build scaled card architectural models, and finally present their proposed solutions back to project stakeholders. Students also present their work in two phases to guest architects, once at the graphical stage in order to gather feedback on their chosen directions for development, and once when their scaled models are approximately 70% complete, allowing them time to still make adjustments before presenting back to stakeholders.

Tags Architecture, CAD, collaboration, design, students, year 11

Projects

Cards of the World

Post author By Andrew
Post date December 17, 2019

Cards of the World Culture, Pattern & Symmetry

Cards of the World was a collaborative project between Dulwich College Beijing Art Teachers, and was conceived by Head of Department Jenn Knowles and myself. Every student in Year 8 contributed a playing card design, and the final printed sets are being sold to raise money for the “Yunnan Project” charity fund. As the card box reads: “[The Yunnan Project] is a charity where DCB students raise funds to support schools for migrant children in Yunnan province. DCB runs two trips per year where students engage with local communities and funds raised go towards building essential facilities such as bathrooms and playground resources.”

Tags art, cards, collaboration, print design, students

Projects

Student Entrepreneurship

Post author By Andrew
Post date December 17, 2019

Student Entrepreneurship Research >> Design >> Sales

Founded by former DCB Head of Design, Natalie Stevens, the DCB Enterprise Fair is an opportunity for our STEM and Business Studies to pitch their big ideas the local community. Each year, our Year 10 STEM students research, design and produce products to market and sell. Our Year 11 STEM students then take on “the other side of the coin” – they are tasked with organizing the fair, including attractions, advertising, sponsors, customer flow, and a thousand other tasks they learn “on the job”.

For the 2019 Fair, I was the lead teacher organizer, and we (all) continued our growth and learning in myriad recognizable and rewarding ways.

See more write-ups about our work with student entrepreneurship here:

Header image from DCB’s Winter Edition of their public magazine.

Tags design, entrepreneurship, marketing, students

Projects

Spray Paint

Post author By Andrew
Post date November 25, 2019

Spray Paint Graffiti in Schools

I’ve been involved in spray painting for a couple of years, since my artist and art teacher friend, Steve Northcott, got me into it. I now run an after school club for graffiti, do the occasional project for local businesses and spend my summers doing murals and painting for fun in Canada.

My school club has done about 8 murals in the first full year of being in existence and we have had very positive feedback from the school community. Our work has helped open people’s minds to the idea of spray painting, while also helping to beautify and enrich physical spaces on campus.

My mural in Woodstock, NB was featured on CBC New Brunswick News. You can see that article here.

Related: Check out some of Steve Northcott’s music and travel adventures at http://www.onthebeatandpath.com/

Tags personal, professional, students

Projects

Marvel Flair

Post author By Andrew
Post date November 1, 2019

Marvel Flair Upgrading the Learning Environment

The idea to add some superhero flair to my classroom design space came out of a combination of being a bit of a comic geek, some free time one day after school and knowing that adding some of the more recognizable superhero and super villain logos to our otherwise plain stools would be a big hit with my students and fellow design teachers alike. I started with Captain America, and as soon as I showed it to people I knew I was going to end up with a full classroom set. Pretty quickly, students joined in, and we now have 21 unique superhero chairs and a couple others just for fun.

Students use 2D digital design software to render the logos, laser cut the stencils, and then spray paint the stool tops. The stools still age over time, adding character to the logos, and opening the door for future adjustments.

Against my better judgement I caved in and allowed a DC chair to be created recently, but that will have to stay in the next door classroom to avoid the two comic universes colliding.

Tags chairs, classroom, design, marvel, students