GCSE Design Tech NEA Discussion - Megathread for 2020 -2021 cohort

Hey guys welcome to the 2020-2021 GCSE Design and Technology NEA Megathread :smile:

This is a place for all year 11 students from all exam boards, to discuss their DT NEA coursework and ask others for help and advice

Useful Links:
Last year's thread

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 1

username5303988

13

Hi, Has anyone found out what the contextual challenges are for this year? Regards.

Reply 2

Cosmictealkitten

7

Original post by TheSecretSayer

Hi, Has anyone found out what the contextual challenges are for this year? Regards.

I've not got them either :frown:

Let me know if you do get them.because I'm clueless 😂

Reply 3

kianptl

3

for AQA they are Nature and the environment, Multifunctional Living and Teenage Living

Reply 4

because...

11

Original post by TheSecretSayer

Hi, Has anyone found out what the contextual challenges are for this year? Regards.

I can't seem to find the actual link for them but apparently they were released on the 1st

Reply 5

Blueseal49

3

Teenage living, nature and the environment, multifunctional living. I have absolutely no idea what to do or where to even start?!

Reply 6

cewcumber

3

Original post by Blueseal49

Teenage living, nature and the environment, multifunctional living. I have absolutely no idea what to do or where to even start?!

Me neither, I have been told to start with choosing 2 of those topics and then creating a mindmap with what each topic is about and who it concerns etc. I would recommend looking up 'biomimicry' to help with the nature and environment design challenge, its all about incorporating nature to improve the qualities of the product, for example a woodpeckers beak and a nail or fairly similar (both are point) Hope this helps lol. Please could you get back with what you've done as I am super stuck and have literally gotten no where, I have wrote 4 words on a page as the start of my mindmap lmao.

Reply 7

henryw54

3

For OCR the contextual challenges are:
1. Multi-purpose spaces - Working from home is becoming more common in modern society.Explore the role design can play in creating products that makemulti-purpose spaces as efficient as possible for both living andworking.
2. Everyday activities - Access to everyday activities can be an issue for people with limitedmovement, including older people.Explore the role design can play in extending opportunities for peoplewho struggle with everyday activities.
3. Music - Music can be an enjoyable social and cultural experience that doesnot only focus on the playing of an instrument.Explore the role design can play in enhancing the experiences forany of the stakeholders involved.No idea what I could actually prototype for any of them any ideas?

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 8

whitebearr

9

Original post by henryw54

For OCR the contextual challenges are:
1. Multi-purpose spaces - Working from home is becoming more common in modern society.Explore the role design can play in creating products that makemulti-purpose spaces as efficient as possible for both living andworking.
2. Everyday activities - Access to everyday activities can be an issue for people with limitedmovement, including older people.Explore the role design can play in extending opportunities for peoplewho struggle with everyday activities.
3. Music - Music can be an enjoyable social and cultural experience that doesnot only focus on the playing of an instrument.Explore the role design can play in enhancing the experiences forany of the stakeholders involved.No idea what I could actually prototype for any of them any ideas?

I’m doing the same exam board! Really don’t know what to do though I’m finding it hard

Reply 9

RoseRip

7

Is this alevel or gcse?
Thanks !

Reply 10

whitebearr

9

Original post by RoseRip

Is this alevel or gcse?
Thanks !

I’m not sure about the AQA contexts, but the ocr one is gcse

Reply 11

br1ka_m

7

Hey so the contextual challenges for AQA are:

•

Teenage lifestyle

•

Multifunctional living

•

Nature and the environment

The last one is very vague especially and they had a similar one to it last year but I'm stuck on the first two! Anyone got any ideas?

Reply 12

henryw54

3

So for the OCR NEA my teacher has asked us to research problems for each of the challenges. I have absolutely no idea what to do for the music or even how to word the title. Here's the challenge I have to find problems for:

Music can be an enjoyable social and cultural experience that does not only focus on the playing of an instrument.
Explore the role design can play in enhancing the experiences for any of the stakeholders involved.

Anyone have any ideas or where to start/look?

Reply 13

lazyloafer

3

I’m working on my client/customer profile. I’m struggling with things to include. Can anybody help? My client (friend) hasn’t been very helpful. I shouldn’t be focusing on a particular design yet - just discussing wants and needs.

Original post by lazyloafer

I’m working on my client/customer profile. I’m struggling with things to include. Can anybody help? My client (friend) hasn’t been very helpful. I shouldn’t be focusing on a particular design yet - just discussing wants and needs.

Why did you choose your friend as your client?

Reply 15

lazyloafer

3

Original post by PetitePanda

Why did you choose your friend as your client?

Because she's a teenager and my contextual challenge is teenage lifestyle. What have you chosen?

OP

Original post by RoseRip

Is this alevel or gcse?
Thanks !

This thread is for GCSE :smile:

Original post by lazyloafer

I’m working on my client/customer profile. I’m struggling with things to include. Can anybody help? My client (friend) hasn’t been very helpful. I shouldn’t be focusing on a particular design yet - just discussing wants and needs.

Your project is going to rely heavily on your client throughout the upcoming year (for example getting feedback from them on your design ideas etc). If they are being unhelpful at this early stage then you need to find another one, a good client should give you problems that they experience to do with their lifestyle that you can begin to tackle in your design ideas. I can't imagine it would be very difficult to find another client as your entire class will be made up of teenagers.

Reply 17

lazyloafer

3

Original post by CoolCavy

This thread is for GCSE :smile:

Your project is going to rely heavily on your client throughout the upcoming year (for example getting feedback from them on your design ideas etc). If they are being unhelpful at this early stage then you need to find another one, a good client should give you problems that they experience to do with their lifestyle that you can begin to tackle in your design ideas. I can't imagine it would be very difficult to find another client as your entire class will be made up of teenagers.

True, thanks. I'm sure someone else will offer to be my client. I've already identified problems and opportunities from analysing the contextual challenge. Do you know if I need to find out her needs and wants generally or can I focus on the problems and opportunities I've already identified and get her thoughts on them? The wording of it is confusing.

Original post by lazyloafer

Because she's a teenager and my contextual challenge is teenage lifestyle. What have you chosen?

Ohhh I see. When I introduced my client, I talked about how they were relevant to the theme, their problems and what you might do. For my NEA last year, this what I did:

My Client:
Lucy is a student at ******** **** ********
school, who is currently studying in year 9.
She has cerebral palsy, a lifelong condition
that affects mainly movement and
co-ordination. However, it can also affect
muscle control, reflexes, posture and
balance. Due to it, it can cause her arms and
legs to be weak and stiff; it makes it difficult
to control her limbs. In order for her to her
life normally and independently as possible,
she needs to do physiotherapy, occupational
therapy and medication for her muscle
stiffness.

Client analysis:
As Lucy is a student, she will have problems moving around the
school and she will definitely have P.E lessons so she needs to be
able to take part in those – we need to consider a product that she
can use comfortably so maybe something which can be used in P.E
lessons, which will be discreet and a suitable size for her to bring in
to school, or in the comfort of her home so there’s less barriers; if
she’s at home, she can use the product to help her later on during
school. If it affects her movement and co-ordination, a product
which helps her become active will more likely improve on it.
Considering that her arms and legs are weak and stiff, I could create
a product which focuses on these body parts so its function would
be to improve these features, which also could possibly make it
easier to control her limbs. If we can incorporate these
physiotherapy techniques or base my product on it, we can
maintain her physical strength better and could help improve her
movement. The fact she does occupational therapy tells me she
always have problems in every day tasks so we can use the concept
of this to make a product that could help her with these every day
tasks directly or indirectly – it would probably be indirectly through
the use of constant physical activity.

Reply 19

lazyloafer

3

That's very helpful, PetitePanda - thanks.

GCSE Design Tech NEA Discussion - Megathread for 2020 -2021 cohort

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