2134/2879
Susan V. McLaren
Susan V.
McLaren
Neal P. Juster
Neal P.
Juster
Forensics and autopsies: exploiting popular culture to teach design for commercial manufacture?
Loughborough University
2007
Forensic science
Autopsies
Commercial manufacture
Motivation
Popular culture
Curriculum development
Design Practice and Management not elsewhere classified
2007-06-12 08:19:03
Online resource
https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/online_resource/Forensics_and_autopsies_exploiting_popular_culture_to_teach_design_for_commercial_manufacture_/9345194
Forensic science is the discipline that students and
parents consider as most interesting, providing a
well paid and satisfying career (Manufacturing
Foundation 2003). The influence of popular culture
and the high level of media exposure may be a
reason for this positive perception. Contrary to this,
there seems to be a negative image of
manufacturing, often perpetuated by the media. This
anti-manufacturing attitude has prevailed for some
time and is acknowledged by many (e.g. Scottish
Executive, Make It Scotland, RSA, Foresight,
MORI/EMTA, Unipart, The Manufacturing Institute).
Industry and universities alike are finding it
increasingly difficult to find enthusiastic recruits.
This paper reviews current approaches to teaching the
relatively new curriculum content (SQA, 1999) of
commercial manufacture in the Scottish secondary
school system and describes development work with
in-service teachers and school students. The
development work described aims to challenge the
anti-manufacturing stereotype through a pedagogy
designed on motivational principles and explicit use of
the language and tools of popular media culture. The
approach taken exploits the interest in all things
‘forensic’ and uses ‘product autopsy’. It aims to link the
author’s previous work in exploring values and
expressing opinions in Technology Education
(McLaren, 1997) with recent curriculum developments
and related teaching strategies. The integrated
approach attempts to encourage greater engagement
in aspects of technological sensitivity and
technological perspective (SCCC, 1996) when
learning about designing for commercial manufacture.