← Design and Technology syllabus

WalesDesign and Technology

Unit 1: Core technical principles

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Where does the energy in our products come from, and how is it stored?

Energy generation from fossil fuels, nuclear power and renewable sources, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and energy storage in batteries and cells for portable products.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Design and Technology core technical principle on energy, covering generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable sources, their advantages and disadvantages, and energy storage in batteries and cells used in portable products.
9 min answer →

How do mechanisms change the type, size or direction of movement?

The four types of motion, levers and linkages, rotary systems of gears, pulleys and belts, and cams and followers, with mechanical advantage and gear ratio.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Design and Technology core technical principle on mechanical devices, covering the four types of motion, levers and linkages, gears, pulleys and belts, cams and followers, and how to calculate mechanical advantage and gear ratio.
10 min answer →

How do new and emerging technologies change industry, society and the environment?

The impact of new and emerging technologies on industry, enterprise, sustainability, people, culture, society and the environment, including automation, and the choice between meeting needs and wants.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Design and Technology core technical principle on new and emerging technologies, covering automation and robotics, enterprise and crowd funding, the social, cultural and environmental impacts of design, and how designers weigh needs against wants.
9 min answer →

How do smart, modern and composite materials let designers do new things?

Smart materials that respond to a change in their environment, modern materials developed through new processes, and composite materials that combine two or more materials for improved properties.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Design and Technology core technical principle on developments in materials, covering smart materials that respond to their environment, modern materials made by new processes, and composites that combine materials to improve properties.
9 min answer →

How does a systems approach using inputs, processes and outputs control a product?

The systems approach of input, process and output, the function of sensors and output devices, and the use of programmable components such as microcontrollers in electronic products.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Design and Technology core technical principle on electronic systems, covering the input-process-output systems approach, sensors and output devices, and the use of programmable components such as microcontrollers.
9 min answer →