DYN905 Digital Design and Technology

This unit provides a comprehensive exploration of digital design tools, generative AI platforms, big data and digital twins. These themes are critical to understand in our increasingly digital world, where technology is at the heart of strategic design and innovation. Students will gain insights into how to understand and leverage digital tools and platforms for strategic design, assess their capabilities and limitations, navigate ethical and legal considerations of their use. Authentic examples will be drawn from a range of practical cases including design robotics, advanced manufacturing, future mobility and transport, design and health, and the circular economy. This practical knowledge is pivotal in preparing students for future roles in design, technology, and innovation.

In this unit, you will learn by engaging in immersive sessions, designed to cultivate your skills and understanding in the realm of digital design and technology.

The core learning approach of this unit centres around engaged studio learning. These will provide you with the opportunity to actively engage with digital design tools, generative AI platforms, big data, design robotics, and digital twins. You will collaborate with peers and teaching staff to explore real-world case studies and tackle practical design challenges. Through interactive discussions and engagement, you will discover the practical, functional, and ethical considerations of deploying emerging digital technologies in various industries for strategic advantage.

Key Expectations:
To derive the maximum value from these immersive sessions, active participation is crucial. This includes thorough preparation before each studio, engagement in discussions, immersive activities, and collaborative problem-solving. You are expected to examine the digital tools introduced in the unit and analyse their utility, limitations and implications in different design scenarios.

These workshops are carefully scaffolded to align with the assessment tasks, ensuring you are well-prepared to demonstrate your learning effectively. The skills and insights gained in these sessions will directly contribute to your success in the assessment components.

Some of the material you will need and details about the tasks that you will undertake will be found on the DYN905 Canvas site. You will need to regularly connect with this site to be kept informed of latest news and of weekly requirements of the unit.

In this unit, we employ diverse strategies to provide you with constructive feedback that supports your learning and performance on assessments. These strategies are designed to help you understand the quality of your work and equip you for success, not just in this unit but also in your broader academic journey.

1. Studio Feedback: Throughout the studio sessions, you will receive timely feedback from your teaching staff and peers. This feedback is designed to inform and enhance your learning during the unit. It will guide you in recognising areas of improvement and identifying strengths in your approach to digital design and technology.

2. Self-Reflection and Peer Feedback: We encourage you to engage in self-reflection and provide feedback to your peers. By critically assessing your own work and the work of your peers, you will gain a deeper understanding of the assessment standards and improve your own performance iteratively.

3. Assessment Feedback: Detailed feedback will be provided on your assessment submissions. This feedback will be specific to your work, offering insights into the assessment criteria, what you did well, and where improvements are needed. It is important to use this feedback as a guide for your future work in this unit and to apply 'feed forward' techniques for continuous improvement.

4. Alignment with Learning Outcomes: The feedback you receive will always be closely aligned with the learning outcomes of this unit. This alignment ensures that the feedback is not just about pointing out mistakes but is a constructive tool for helping you achieve the unit's objectives.

5. Connectivity with Future Units: Your feedback is not confined to this unit alone; it is a bridge to your learning journey. It is structured to connect with future units, enabling you to take actions and improve your performance not just within this unit but across the course. The skills you develop here will be essential in your future career in design, technology, and innovation, where digital competence is paramount.

Throughout the unit, a variety of learning activities and formative assessments are strategically integrated to prepare you for success in these summative assessments:

• Studio: The interactive studio sessions are your opportunity to explore digital design and technology tools. These sessions are designed to provide experience, foster creativity, and build your confidence in understanding these tools and when to employ them to develop a strategic mindset. Participation in these studios will equip you with essential practical skills for all assessments.

• Worksite Visit: The site experience report is an essential part of your learning journey. The critical reflections and observations recorded during the worksite visit, guided by feedback from teaching staff and peers, will be instrumental in the workbook assessment. This is particularly valuable in preparing for the site experience report assessment.

• Self-Reflection and Peer Feedback: Engaging in self-reflection and providing feedback to peers enables you to iteratively improve your work. By assessing your own work and that of your peers, you gain a deeper understanding of the assessment standards and learn to apply constructive feedback effectively. The feedback received will allow you to refine your report for the final submission.

These formative activities are designed to help you develop the knowledge and skills required for successful completion of the summative assessments. They provide you with opportunities to learn, grow, and apply feedback constructively, ensuring that you are well-prepared for the final assessments.