21st Century Desk Prototype

Our prototype and idea. In this picture we have started to ACT ON OUR BEST SOLUTION to a problem. Students were looking at desks that we use in schools. They found that there were many problems. The students and teacher found three major problems. (1) The students said that they were uncomfortable. (2) the teacher noticed that conventional desks were easy to sleep on and they were not mobile and did not engage the students. (3) the teacher said that this is the 21st century, and wondered why our desks were not a touch screen laptop.

Above, in this picture, you will see that we addressed these solutions by experimenting with a comfortable rolling chair, and a wooden lap desk that was made by the manufacturing class last week (http://www.manufacturingclass.blogspot.com/ ) and we used our current Smart board touch screen to make a prototype of the touch screen that should be on the lap board. IT WORKED.

Later we LOOKED BACK and EVALUATED what we had done and commented on the possible effectiveness of our solutions. (Do you have any comments about our work, or desks? Please feel free to leave those below ----click on the word "comments")

WHAT IS THE D.E.A.L. ??
Students are learning how to solve problems in our technology class. (They have already been doing that their whole life! Now they are learning a formal way to solve technological problems)

Students already learn to solve problems using methods and steps in math class. For instance in an Algebra class you learn specific steps to solve an algerbra problem. Then in Calculus class they show you an easier way to solve the same problem using calculus! Now we want to learn how to solve problems and then design or build things with our solutions to those problems.

In our Fundamentals of Technology class we are learning one way of solving problems. This is a formal problem solving method. This means that we use a formal, or specific type of process, or steps, to solve a problem. Our process is called the DEAL Problem Solving Method. It is what has been given as an example for us to use in our state's technology curriculum.

Define the Problem
E xplore Possible Solutions
A ct on the Best Solution
L ook Back and Evaluate