Expertise in design and technology education shared at international UNESCO event

Dr Matt McLain from the School of Education attended an event for the UNESCO Chair on Technology and Engineering Education for Children and Youth in Shenzhen, China, earlier this month. He was invited as an international expert representing design and technology (D&T) education in the UK, joining other European and American guests who were included in the proceedings for the first time.

Matt presented on the current and historical political climate for D&T education in England, highlighting the fragility of curriculum subjects that are perceived as having a weak or underdeveloped epistemological basis, as D&T was in a report produced by the previous Conservative government when they came to power. He spoke of England as being a cautionary tale for the rest of the world, stressed the importance of keeping an eye on political proclivities and ensuring that research in the field was robust and visible to policymakers.

Matt also participated in several roundtable discussions with other international experts, discussing issues ranging from textbooks for technology and engineering education, to responding to developments in the subject in China.

At a time when a curriculum review has begun in England, it was both challenging and inspiring to see how China is embracing practical and creative learning. During the last government's tenure in England, practical and creative subjects have experienced decline and marginalisation, resulting from an ideological stance towards curriculum development at a national level. I hope that the current curriculum review in England will recognise the value that countries around the world place on design and technology learning. Many of which have been inspired and influenced by D&T in England, which was the first subject of its kind when introduced to the National Curriculum in the 1990s.

Dr Matt McLain

The opportunity arose after Matt chaired the 40th Pupils' Attitudes Towards Technology (PATT40) international technology education research conference in 2023 in Liverpool and was asked to support the conference committee as a member of the Editorial Board for PATT41 which was hosted in Nanjing, China, earlier this year. He attended as a guest speaker, roundtable contributor and presented two research papers. He will also support PATT42, due to take place in Monreal in 2026.