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EnglandDesign and Technology

Topic 1.1 The impact of new and emerging technologies

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How does the critical evaluation of new and emerging technologies inform design decisions?

How the critical evaluation of new and emerging technologies informs design decisions, considering contemporary and future scenarios from ethical and environmental perspectives, including budget, timescale, fair trade, carbon footprint and life cycle analysis.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology 1.2 on how critically evaluating new and emerging technologies informs design decisions, from ethical and environmental perspectives, including fair trade, carbon footprint and life cycle analysis.
10 min answer →

How do new and emerging technologies change industry, enterprise and the way products are produced?

The impact of new and emerging technologies on industry, enterprise and production techniques and systems, including unemployment, workforce skill set, funding routes and the scales of production.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology 1.1 on how new and emerging technologies affect industry, enterprise and production, covering unemployment, workforce skills, funding routes and the scales of production.
10 min answer →

How do new and emerging technologies affect people, culture, society, sustainability and the environment?

The impact of new and emerging technologies on people, culture, society, sustainability and the environment, including the workforce and consumers, working patterns, the Internet of Things, pollution and the demand on natural resources.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology 1.1 on how new and emerging technologies affect people, culture, society, sustainability and the environment, including working patterns, the Internet of Things, pollution and natural resources.
10 min answer →

How can the 6 Rs and sustainable thinking reduce the environmental impact of a product?

Sustainable design thinking and the 6 Rs (Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle) used to lower the environmental impact of new technologies and products, linked to natural resources, pollution and waste.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology on sustainability and the 6 Rs (Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle), showing how sustainable design thinking lowers the environmental impact of products and new technologies.
9 min answer →