The Research Gap: How to Assess Knowledge Components in Design & Technology
How do we effectively assess knowledge in Design and Technology education? It's a question with surprisingly few research-backed answers, despite its critical importance to teaching practice.
I talk about this assessment gap in the second episode of my sub-series on D&T research. I remind listeners that D&T knowledge encompasses both conceptual understanding ("knowing what") and procedural application ("knowing how"), forming the foundation upon which capability is built.
The limited existing research highlights two common assessment approaches: identifying technological objects and materials with justification, and describing product functions while understanding the relationship between form and function. I illustrate this with a propelling pencil example, demonstrating how students need vocabulary to articulate the tension between physical characteristics and functional requirements.
Teacher expertise emerges as perhaps the most crucial factor in effective knowledge assessment. Research clearly shows that teachers must possess secure subject content knowledge to design meaningful tests—a challenge in today's educational landscape with fewer specialist D&T teachers. I extend this requirement beyond content knowledge to include pedagogical understanding of assessment methodologies and curricular knowledge about D&T's structure.
For classroom application, I explain that formative assessment can be integrated within larger assessments as targeted checkpoints, allowing teachers to identify misconceptions efficiently. Interestingly, research reveals no particular assessment format (multiple-choice, essays, flowcharts) proves superior to others—what matters most is purposeful design aligned with learning goals.
Considering your own teaching practice, how might targeted knowledge assessments enhance your students' overall learning? The limited research presents an opportunity for practitioners to contribute to our collective understanding. Share your effective assessment strategies and join the conversation about balancing knowledge assessment with capability development in D&T education.
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