Keystone Magazine Learning the Keystone Way 2015-2016 EN | Page 31
proach,” said an excited Henry Fu
from grade 7, adding “And the
best part is that we get to learn
and practice our skills with the
latest technology, which, to me,
feels like looking into the future!”
However, it is not just the devel-
opment of ideas that Mr. Watts
looks for in a student’s work, but
he also assesses for inquiry and
analysis, creating solutions to
the problem at hand, and their
own reflections of the process
the student underwent. All of
these criteria are fundamental to
a design cycle. “I know that my
ideas have to be creative and
beautiful, but more importantly
they also have to be functional.
Let’s take this unit on designing
wooden bookends for instance,
we were asked to make more
than one design. This involved a
lot of detailed consideration of
not just ideas, but also feasibil-
ity,” notes David Chen of grade 7.
Another grade 7 student, Makar
Cherepanov feels that the pro-
cess and planning involved in
Design are also useful in subjects
like Science.
Design is a precise art with
plenty of room for creativity, in-
novation, thinking and action.
Students are able to experience
learning that draws both the
characteristic qualities of an art
and a science, and how they can
mold them together with the
planning and process.
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