Big Ideas
Big Ideas
Design for the life cycle
taking into account economic costs, and social and environmental impacts of the product, from the extraction of raw materials to eventual reuse or recycling of component materials
includes consideration of social and environmental impacts including manufacturing, packaging, disposal, and recycling considerations
.
Personal design interests require the evaluation and refinement of skills.
Tools and technologies
tools that extend human capabilities
can be adapted for specific purposes.
Content
Learning Standards
Content
mechatronics design projects
mechanical systems
for example, structures, mechanical motion devices, gears, pulleys, levers
alternating and direct current
electronic systems
including sensors, limit switches, gyroscopes, accelerometers, potentiometers, range finders
electromechanics
electrical devices that perform mechanical functions; for example, linear actuators and motors
computer control systems
manage commands and regulate other devices or systems
mechanical drafting and design
for example, manual drafting, drawing, computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer numerical control (CNC)
programmable logic controllers, processors, and microcontrollers
displays, interfaces, and instrumentation
hydraulic and pneumatic systems
for example, pumps and valves, accumulators, pressure regulators
repeatability and load capacity
industrial applications
for example, medical, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, technologies to assist people with diverse physical abilities and challenges
of mechatronics
impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and singularity
the hypothesis that artificial intelligence will create extensive technological and societal change
in society
design for the life cycle
future career options and opportunities in mechatronics
interpersonal skills
for example, professional communications, collaboration, ways of explaining visuals
for interacting with colleagues and clients
Curricular Competency
Learning Standards
Curricular Competency
Applied Design
Understanding context
- Engage in a period of user-centred researchresearch done directly with potential users to understand how they do things and why, their physical and emotional needs, how they think about the world, and what is meaningful to themand empathetic observationaimed at understanding the values and beliefs of other cultures and the diverse motivations and needs of different people; may be informed by experiences of people involved; traditional cultural knowledge and approaches; First Peoples worldviews, perspectives, knowledge, and practices; places, including the land and its natural resources and analogous settings; experts and thought leadersto understand design opportunities
Defining
- Establish a point of view for a chosen design opportunity
- Identify potential users, intended impacts, and possible unintended negative consequences
- Make inferences about premises and constraintslimiting factors, such as task or user requirements, materials, expense, environmental impactthat define the design space, and develop criteria for success
- Determine whether activity is collaborative or self-directed
Ideating
- Identify and examine gaps for potential design improvements and innovations
- Critically analyze how competing social, ethical, and sustainability considerations impact creation and development of solutions
- Generate ideas to create a range of possibilities and add to others’ ideas in ways that create additional possibilities
- Evaluate suitability of possibilities according to success criteria, constraints, and potential gaps
- Work with users throughout the design process
Prototyping
- Choose an appropriate form, scale, and level of detail for prototyping, and plan procedures
- Analyze the design for the life cycle and evaluate its impactsincluding social and environmental impacts of extraction and transportation of raw materials; manufacturing, packaging, and transportation to markets; servicing or providing replacement parts; expected usable lifetime; and reuse or recycling of component materials
- Visualize and construct prototypes, making changes to tools, materials, and procedures as needed
- Record iterationsrepetitions of a process with the aim of approaching a desired resultof prototyping
Testing
- Identify and communicate with sources of feedbackmay include peers; users; First Nations, Métis, or Inuit community experts; other experts and professionals both online and offline
- Develop an appropriate testincludes evaluating the degree of authenticity required for the setting of the test, deciding on an appropriate type and number of trials, and collecting and compiling dataof the prototype, conduct the test, and collect and compile data
- Evaluate design according to critiques, testing results, and success criteria to make changes
Making
- Identify appropriate tools, technologies, materials, processes, cost implications, and time needed
- Create design, incorporating feedback from self, others, and results from testing of the prototype
- Use materials in ways that minimize waste
Sharing
- Decide how and with whom to sharemay include showing to others or use by others, giving away, or marketing and sellingcreativity, or share and promote design and processes
- Share the product with users and critically evaluate its success
- Critically reflect on plans, products and processes, and identify new design goals
- Evaluate new possibilities for plans, products and processes, including how they or others might build on them
Applied Skills
Apply safety procedures for themselves, co-workers, and users in both physical and digital environments
Individually or collaboratively identify and assess skills needed for design interests
Demonstrate competency and proficiency in skills at various levels involving manual dexterity and mechatronics
Develop specific plans to learn or refine identified skills over time
Applied Technologies
Explore existing, new, and emerging tools, technologies, and systems to evaluate suitability for design interests
Evaluate impacts, including unintended negative consequences, of choices made about technology use
Analyze the role that changing technologies play in mechatronics-related contexts