A Level 3 Dimensional Design: Product Design

: A Level 3 Dimensional Design: Product Design

Exam Board: OCR

Further information available from: Mrs Van Daalen

Course requirements: GCSE in any D&T course grade 5 or higher is desirable but not essential.

This exciting A-level course offers students the opportunity to explore Product Design in a hands-on way, working with a wide variety of materials, manufacturing techniques and media. Students will develop their own creative ideas, responding to areas of their own personal interest. The students will develop their skills in sketching and rendering, modelling and Computer Aided Design and Manufacture (CAD/CAM). Through a series of projects, students will be researching and analysing examples of good design and other focused research activities. They will also be guided through a broad range of manufacturing techniques, which they will be experiencing for the first time in order to utilise these as part of their own new ideas for products. Students are expected to be highly motivated, creative and have the ability to work both collaboratively and independently towards unique and imaginative outcomes for their own three-dimensional products.

Their marks will come from 60% coursework and 40% externally set task and will be assessed under the following criteria:

AO1: (25%) Design INSPIRATION ideas through design research and appropriate responses

AO2: (25%) MEDIA EXPERIMENTATION with, and select, appropriate materials with a 3D focus, Including material testing and function.

AO3: (25%) Considered CREATION ideas and observations through isometric drawing, rendering, 3D outcomes and modelling.

AO4: (25%) Informed OUTCOME a final 3D functional outcome developed from work carried out for the other AO’s

AO5: Related Study (Coursework only) A supporting written study of 1000-3000 words (for coursework, marks are out of 20% for the 4 AO’s above and the written study)

Coursework – Personal investigation

Worth 120 marks and contributes 60% of the overall A-Level.Students will produce a body of work that often takes the form of design sheets, supported by rendered drawings, leading to modelling in different media and a final piece of three-dimensional practical work. Work produced will be aimed at the Assessment Objectives and demonstrate that students have researched and responded to designers/inventors relevant to their theme. Their work will be supported by a 1000- 3000 word written study of their chosen designer/inventor that reflects their personal interests or strengths.

Externally set task

Worth 80 marks and contributes 40% of the overall A-Level. A range of themes will be issued by the exam board on 1st February in Year 13. One option will be chosen on which the candidate would base their response, having the opportunity to work in an increasingly independent way, experimenting in a variety of exciting and innovative 3D media. They will have time to produce preparation work that satisfies the first 3 AO’s. Candidates will then complete their final piece over a set period of 15 hours focusing on AO4.