ABSTRACT

Handicraft was proving expensive in human and material resources, traditionally only affected males, and often failed to reach the more able in the historically academic approach of British education. Handicraft appealed to the innate desire of 'man the maker', but unfortunately in the school situation seldom involved 'man the thinker'. The rapidly changing technologies of the last 25 years have also helped to remodel the image of craft, design and technology (CDT). The need for a population with technological awareness, and for helping those with ability and talent to develop a technological capability is crucial for economic survival. The range of CDT-related examinations available in 1982 was considerable, with over 200 mode 1 examinations, and 1500 in all three modes. They were as diverse as furniture-making, geometrical-drawing, electronics, control-technology and design, stage craft, jewellery, motor engineering and rural crafts. The CDT criteria were eventually published in 1985. A further working party was formed in 1984, to identify subject-specific domains.