1 CORE CONTENT - SPECIFICATION

To apply a breadth of technical knowledge and understanding of the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the following in relation to new and emerging technologies. 

1.1 The impact of new and emerging technologies 

1.1.1 Industry:

a unemployment

b workforce skill set

c demographic movement

d science and technology parks

1.1.2 Enterprise:

a privately-owned business

b cloud funding

c government funding for new business start-ups

d not-for-profit organisations.

1.1.3 Sustainability:

a transportation costs

b pollution

c demand on natural resources

d waste generated.

1.1.4 People:

a workforce

b consumers

c children

d people with disabilities

e wage levels

f highly-skilled workforce

g apprenticeships. 

1.1.5 Culture:

a population movement within the EU

b social segregation/clustering within ethnic minorities.

1.1.6 Society:

a changes in working hours and shift patterns

b Internet of Things (IoT)

c remote working 

d use of video conference meetings.

1.1.7 Environment:

a pollution

b waste disposal

c materials separation

d transportation of goods around the world

e packaging of goods.

1.1.8 Production techniques and systems:

a standardised design and components

b just-in-time (JIT) 

c lean manufacturing

d batch

e continuous

f one off

g mass. 

1.2  How the critical evaluation of new and emerging technologies informs design decisions; considering contemporary and potential future scenarios from different perspectives, such as ethics and the environment 

To recognise the importance of the evaluative process and respective criteria when considering the impact of new and emerging technologies to a range of scenarios

1.2.1 How to critically evaluate new and emerging technologies that inform design decisions:

a budget constraints

b timescale

c who the product is for

d the materials used

e manufacturing capabilities

1.2.2 How critical evaluations can be used to inform design decisions, including the consideration of contemporary and potential future scenarios:

a natural disasters

b medical advances

c travel

d global warming

e communication. 

1.2.3 Ethical perspectives when evaluating new and emerging technologies:

a where it was made 

b who was it made by

c who will it benefit

d fair trade products

1.2.4 Environmental perspectives when evaluating new and emerging technologies:

a use of materials

b carbon footprint

c energy usage and consumption during manufacture and transportation

d life cycle analysis (LCA). 

1.3 How energy is generated and stored in order to choose and use appropriate sources to make products and power systems 

The processes, applications, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the following, in order to be able to discriminate between them and to select appropriately

1.3.1 Sources, generation and storage of energy:

a fossil fuels – oil, gas, coal

b biofuels – biodiesel and biomass

c tidal

d wind

e solar

f hydroelectric

1.3.2 Powering systems:

a batteries and cells

b solar cells

c mains electricity

d wind power. 

1.3.3 Factors to consider when choosing appropriate energy sources to make products and power systems:

a portability of the power source

b environmental impact

c power output

d circuit/system connections

e cost

1.4 Developments in modern and smart materials, composite materials and technical textiles 

To apply technical knowledge and understanding…