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. 29