This is a study of England’s national curriculum course of Design and Technology. This course replaces traditional arts and crafts classes, pushing students to design, make and evaluate products themselves. The focus is placed on getting students involved in not-sequential processes by allowing them to navigate through different phases. In lower grades some of the projects relate to the world of fantasy because that world is real for young children. The ultimate purpose of the design and technology assignments is for students to produce something that can add meaning to one’s life. This paper focuses on the little c or the creativity that can be found in every child. Four elements of creativity were researched in this paper: ownership and control, relevance and motivation, space and time, and interaction with others. The data collected indicated that most students in grades 5 and 6, enjoyed being in control of their projects and are satisfied to know that they will have a product designed and built by them. It was also noted that students enjoyed being able to move around the room versus sitting and writing. This type of work is desired by students per the regret of feeling rushed during the design and technology projects. The study gives the perspective of students and how they view the work completed in class.
Benson, C., & Lunt, J. (2011). We're creative on a Friday afternoon: Investigating children'sperceptions of their experience of design & technology in relation to creativity. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(5), 679-687. Retrieved from http:// ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/964172514? accountid=12598