Best derek corcoran Podcasts (2026)

1
How A Senior Leader Put D&T At The Heart Of Three SEMH Schools 27:05

Play Pause

2M ago27:05

27:05

Send me a message. What happens when a senior leader who grew up in the workshop helps design three SEMH schools from the ground up? In this episoode, I sit down with Paul Quinn to unpack a bold, practical vision for Design and Technology that prioritises access, safety and pride in making. Instead of chasing every shiny gadget, Paul explains why r…

1
Designing For SEMH: Teaching D&T With Care 29:57

2M ago29:57

29:57

Send me a message. A noisy workshop can feel like a storm, but what if the path to learning starts with rhythm, not rush? We sit down with D&T teacher Ailis Brown from a specialist SEMH school in Leeds to unpack how safety, trust, and regulation turn short lessons into meaningful progress. From clocks and board games to careful joinery, Ailis shows…

1
"You're going to let me use THAT?" - Empowering special needs students in D&T 25:42

2M ago25:42

25:42

Send me a message. Nicola Brown shares her experience teaching design and technology at Springwell Leeds North, an SEMH school catering to students aged 7-16 with social, emotional, and mental health needs. She discusses how building relationships, establishing micro-routines, and adapting teaching approaches helps students thrive in a subject that…

1
Beyond Empathy: What the V&A's Design and Disability Exhibition Taught Me 17:20

2M ago17:20

17:20

Send me a message. A museum floor changed underfoot and so did my thinking. After a visit to the V&A’s Design and Disability exhibition, I came home energised and unsettled—in the best way—and unpack how inclusive design moves from a nice‑to‑have to the engine of real innovation and dignity. It caused me to question a stubborn myth: that able‑bodie…

1
Bridging Art & Design and D&T: Values, Overlaps, and Why Differences Matter 10:25

3M ago10:25

10:25

By Dr Alison Hardy

1
Your Voice, Your Subject: Three Ways to Shape D&T's Future 17:03

4M ago17:03

17:03

By Dr Alison Hardy

1
What Gets You Out of Bed to Teach Design & Technology? 18:12

4M ago18:12

18:12

Send me a message. Reconnecting with purpose is essential when facing professional challenges. In this reflective episode, I share my experience of an unsuccessful professorial application and how it prompted me to rediscover why I'm passionate about design and technology education in the first place. The start of a new academic term offers the per…

1
[Archive] Talking Design Studio Pedagogy with Alice Hellard and Derek Jones 55:57

5M ago55:57

55:57

Send me a message. Recommended read: Studio Properties: A field guide to design education (edited by Derek Jones , Elizabeth Boling, James Benedict Brown , James Corazzo, Colin M. Gray, Nicole Lotz) Derek Jones and Alice Hellard explore the concept of design studio as a transformative educational approach that extends beyond physical space to encom…

1
[Archive] Subject Integrity: When Art Meets Design & Technology 45:49

5M ago45:49

45:49

Send me a message. Michelle Gregson, General Secretary and Chief Executive of NSEAD, discusses the relationship between art and design and design and technology education, exploring their distinctiveness while highlighting their shared values and challenges. NSEAD operates as a learned society, subject association, and specialist trade union for ar…

1
[Archive] Shaping the Future: The Evolution and Advocacy of Design and Technology Education with Tony Ryan 44:01

5M ago44:01

44:01

Send me a message. If you are interested in helping the Association evaluate their Inspired by Industry programme, sign up here: https://bit.ly/IBIinterest What happens when we look beyond textbook projects and expose 11-14 year olds to real industry design challenges? Tony Ryan, Chief Executive of the Design and Technology Association, reveals how…

1
[Archive] Talking about design education in schools and higher ed with Max Pownall 40:10

5M ago40:10

40:10

Send me a message. Max Pownall is a product design lecturer at Nottingham Trent University. Find out more about Max and his work: Instagram (NTU Focussed) LinkedIn Uni profile Final Year Degree online degree show Mentioned in this episode Events with Alison Hardy The Design Thinking Toolbox https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/michael-lewrick/d…

1
Holistic Evaluation: The True Measure of Design & Technology Capability 14:06

7M ago14:06

14:06

Send me a message. Holistic, summative assessment is essential for properly evaluating design and technology capability, drawing on research by Richard Kimball and Kay Stables that predates the National Curriculum and has been tested across multiple countries and age groups. Effective capability assessment tasks allow pupils to demonstrate ability …

1
Beyond the Design Crit: How Students Learn Through Giving and Receiving Feedback 9:51

7M ago9:51

9:51

Send me a message. Formative assessment in Design and Technology requires structured peer feedback approaches to be effective. Research shows a significant gap in assessing technological knowledge, with most studies focusing on design knowledge instead. • Design crits from higher education can be adapted for classroom use through peer feedback • Re…

1
The Research Gap: How to Assess Knowledge Components in Design & Technology 10:38

8M ago10:38

10:38

Send me a message. How do we effectively assess knowledge in Design and Technology education? It's a question with surprisingly few research-backed answers, despite its critical importance to teaching practice. I talk about this assessment gap in the second episode of my sub-series on D&T research. I remind listeners that D&T knowledge encompasses …

1
Assessment in D&T: An Overview 7:30

8M ago7:30

7:30

Send me a message. How do we measure what truly matters in Design and Technology education? The challenge lies in distinguishing between assessing individual knowledge components and evaluating the holistic capability that emerges when students apply their learning autonomously. In this foundational episode, I introduce a new mini-series focused en…

1
Deliberate Teaching: The Art of Pedagogical Decision-Making in D&T 10:42

8M ago10:42

10:42

Send me a message. What makes for effective teaching in Design & Technology? Returning after a brief hiatus, I delve into the research-backed pedagogical approaches that can transform D&T education. This episode synthesizes my recent exploration of teaching strategies, clarifying the crucial distinction between curriculum (what we teach) and pedago…

1
Exploring Product Analysis as Signature Pedagogy in D&T 11:44

9M ago11:44

11:44

Send me a message. In this episode of the Talking D&T podcast, I explore the pedagogical approach of product analysis, often known as IDEAS (Investigation, Disassembly, Evaluation, and Analysis). I examine how this signature pedagogy helps develop learners' understanding of technology in society—a core aim of the National Curriculum in England. I d…

1
Beyond Design and Make: Exploring Pedagogical Approaches in D&T 16:10

9M ago16:10

16:10

Send me a message. In this episode, I delve into the pedagogical approaches that exist beyond the traditional 'design and make' activities in Design and Technology education. Drawing on research literature and classroom practice, I explore how 'mainly designing' and 'mainly making' activities can be powerful pedagogical tools when used deliberately…

1
Design and Make: A Critical Look 13:03

10M ago13:03

13:03

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I explore the complex nature of design and make activities in design and technology education. Drawing on research from Richard Kimball, David Perry, and Robert McCormick, I unpack the pedagogical approach of design and make that underpins our subject and challenge some common misconceptions about …

1
Pedagogy & Design: Clarifying Teaching Methods in D&T 14:15

10M ago14:15

14:15

Send me a message. Drawing a clear line between how we teach and what we teach seems straightforward—until you step into a Design & Technology classroom. In this thought-provoking exploration of pedagogy in D&T education, I unpack why teachers often blur the boundaries between teaching methods and curriculum content, sometimes without realising it.…

1
D&T knowledge That Sticks: Residual vs Fingertip Learning 15:35

10M ago15:35

15:35

Send me a message. Knowledge frameworks matter profoundly in Design and Technology education, yet teachers often struggle to distinguish between what students need to know for a specific project versus what builds lasting capability. This episode tackles that challenge head-on. In this episode, I explore the concept of knowledge frameworks in desig…

1
Values in Design and Technology: More Than Just Technical Decisions 16:29

11M ago16:29

16:29

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I explore the complex role of values in design and technology education. Drawing on research from influential scholars like David Layton, Mike Martin and Rhoda Trimingham, I unpack how values aren't merely peripheral to D&T but are, as Layton puts it, "the engine of design and technology." I examin…

1
Mapping D&T Knowledge: Beyond Conceptual and Procedural 17:01

11M ago17:01

17:01

Send me a message. In this episode, I delve deeper into the forms of knowledge that underpin design and technology education. Building on McCormick's conceptual and procedural knowledge framework, I propose a more nuanced approach that considers design knowledge and technological knowledge as existing on a spectrum. I explore how these knowledge ty…

1
Knowledge in D&T: More Than Just Skills and Facts 31:37

11M ago31:37

31:37

Send me a message. In this episode, I explore what research tells us about knowledge in Design & Technology education. Understanding the nature of knowledge in D&T is crucial for effective teaching and curriculum planning, so I examine both procedural and conceptual knowledge, exploring how they connect and what this means for our practice. Followi…

1
What is D&T Capability? Back to Basics 10:26

11M ago10:26

10:26

Send me a message. In this episode, I delve into the fundamental purpose of the design and technology curriculum, focusing on the concept of D&T capability. Drawing from seminal research by Richard Kimball and Kay Stables, I explore how this capability encompasses creative and critical thinking, problem-solving, and solution creation within authent…

1
Bridging Schools and Universities: Reshaping D&T's Future 9:07

12M ago9:07

9:07

Send me a message. In this episode, I'm sharing some exciting developments in design and technology education, starting with insights from a recent policy event I led at Nottingham Trent University. The day brought together D&T teachers and university lecturers in design education to envision the future of our subject, using an innovative co-naviga…

1
Behind the Mic: The Story of Talking D&T 2024 16:16

1y ago16:16

16:16

Send me a message. In this reflective end-of-year episode, I take stock of Talking D&T's journey through 2024 and share plans for the future. With 52 episodes published this year - including 27 interviews spanning two major series, PATT40 and Shaping D&T - it's been my most prolific year yet, reaching listeners through nearly 8,000 downloads. I ref…

1
Beyond Words: Teaching Technical Skills Through Conversation 34:26

1y ago34:26

34:26

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I chat with Simone Norman, a D&T teacher at Sutton High School in South London who also leads on equality, diversity and inclusion. Our conversation examines a fascinating paper from the PAT40 conference about conversation analysis and variation theory in technical education, which particularly res…

1
Shaping D&T: Reflections on Evolution vs Revolution 18:50

1y ago18:50

18:50

Send me a message. In this reflective episode of Talking D&T, I explore the key themes and insights that emerged from my 26-part series on shaping design and technology education. Drawing from my conversations with educators, researchers, and industry experts throughout 2024, I examine the ongoing debate between evolution versus revolution in D&T e…

1
Subject Integrity: When Art & Design Meets Design & Technology 45:14

1y ago45:14

45:14

Send me a message. In this episode, I'm joined by Michele Gregson, General Secretary and Chief Executive of the National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD). With over 30 years of experience across education, Michele brings valuable insights into the relationship between art & design and design & technology education. We explore the com…

1
Shaping D&T: Evolution, Not Revolution 17:26

1y ago17:26

17:26

Send me a message. In this episode of the Talking D&T podcast, I describe the recent curriculum and assessment review panel meeting I attended in Cambridgeshire. I explore the ongoing call for evidence and its implications for design and technology education. One key insight from the meeting was the emphasis on evolution, not revolution, in curricu…

1
From Circuits to Creativity: Reimagining D&T Resources 38:47

1y ago38:47

38:47

Send me a message. In this episode, I chat with Kevin Spurr and Becky Forshaw from Kitronik, a company supplying D&T resources to schools. Kevin, a co-founder with 20 years of experience, and Becky, a former primary teacher, offer unique perspectives on the evolving landscape of D&T education. We explore how Kitronik develops products and resources…

1
Curriculum Review Call to Action: Your Voice in Shaping D&T's Future 29:28

1+ y ago29:28

29:28

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I break down the curriculum and assessment review for England. As a researcher in design and technology education, I highlight key sections relevant to D&T teachers and stakeholders. I walk you through the review's nine sections, focusing on areas like social justice, curriculum content, and assess…

1
Cultivating Creativity: Biomimicry in the D&T Classroom 38:38

1+ y ago38:38

38:38

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I'm delighted to chat with Venessa Lourdes Silveira, a PhD student in Educational Theory and Practice with a fascinating background in design and technology education. We dive into Venessa's action research project on promoting creativity in secondary D&T classrooms through biomimicry. Our conversa…

1
Talking Design Studio Pedagogy with Alice Hellard and Derek Jones 55:26

1+ y ago55:26

55:26

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I chat with Alice Hellard, Programme Lead for Design and Technology PGCE at Goldsmiths University, and Derek Jones, senior lecturer in sustainable design at the Open University. We talk about design studios and their potential impact on D&T education. Our conversation explores how studio practices …

1
Shaping the Future of Design and Technology Education: An In-depth Conversation with Louise Attwood from AQA 34:49

1+ y ago34:49

34:49

Send me a message. Curious about how exam boards shape design and technology education? In this episode of Talking D&T, I sit down with Louise Attwood, Subject Support Lead for D&T at AQA. With eight years at the exam board and a background in teaching, Louise offers unique insights into the world of D&T qualifications. We explore the intricate pro…

1
Threading the Future: Dawn Foxall on Textiles Education in D&T 35:25

1+ y ago35:25

35:25

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I chat with Dawn Foxall, founder of the Textile Skills Centre. Dawn's fascinating journey from knitwear designer to opera singer, and finally to textiles education advocate, sets the stage for our wide-ranging conversation. We delve into the current state of textiles education within D&T, exploring…

1
Empowering D&T Teachers: Inside Wales' Curriculum Reform 25:31

1+ y ago25:31

25:31

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I chat with Dr Bethan Gordon, Dean of Cardiff School of Art and Design at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Bethan, a human-centred designer by training, has been deeply involved in developing the new curriculum for Wales. We dive into the fascinating world of curriculum reform, exploring how Wales …

1
Engineering a Curriculum: Exploring Technology Education in the USA 34:34

1+ y ago34:34

34:34

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I had the pleasure of interviewing Scott Bartholemew, a professor of technology and engineering studies at Brigham Young University in Utah, USA. We explored the landscape of design and technology education in America, which is known there as technology and engineering education. Scott provided fas…

1
Shaping D&T: Your Voice in the Curriculum Review 19:15

1+ y ago19:15

19:15

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I dive into the recently announced curriculum review for England and what it means for design and technology education. As someone who's been part of discussions shaping D&T's future, I share my thoughts on how teachers can get involved and influence government policy. I explore the review's terms …

1
Design Education Reimagined: A Conversation with David Houston from the V&A 1:04:16

1+ y ago1:04:16

1:04:16

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I chat with David Houston, team leader for schools and colleges at the V&A South Kensington. David shares his passion for design education and the pivotal role museums play in inspiring young minds. We delve into the V&A's innovative programmes, including DesignLab Nation and V&A Innovate, which br…

1
Why Teachers Should Shape the D&T Curriculum: A Conversation with Amanda Mason and Ciaran Ellis 33:28

1+ y ago33:28

33:28

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I sit down with Amanda Mason and Ciaran Ellis to discuss their involvement in the Redesigning D&T project. We explore their motivations for joining the initiative and the valuable insights they've gained along the way. Amanda, a secondary school teacher in the Northeast of England, shares how the p…

1
From School to Studio: Exploring Product Design Education with Jim Dale 31:13

1+ y ago31:13

31:13

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I sat down with Jim Dale, Head of Product Design at Nottingham Trent University, to explore the evolving landscape of design education. Jim shared fascinating insights into how university courses are adapting to prepare students for the diverse world of modern product design. We delved into the tra…

1
Empowering D&T Teachers: Challenges, Solutions, and Opportunities with Ryan Ball 40:35

1+ y ago40:35

40:35

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ryan Ball from the D&T Association. Our conversation centred around the current state of the design and technology teaching workforce in England. Ryan shared his insights from visiting numerous schools across the country, highlighting the enthusiasm of primary sch…

1
Balancing Theory and Practice: Exploring the Differences Between D&T and 3D Design at GCSE Level with Holly and Harkit 50:32

1+ y ago50:32

50:32

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I spoke with Holly Maxwell, a curriculum advisor for the Leigh Academy Trust, and Harkit Janagel, head of design and food at Strood Academy, about the differences between GCSE Design & Technology and GCSE 3D Design. We delved into the challenges teachers face when choosing between these qualificati…

1
Bridging the Gap: Insights on D&T Education from School to University 35:33

1+ y ago35:33

35:33

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I interview Milly Kearns, a final year Product Design student at Nottingham Trent University. Milly shares her experiences studying Design and Technology (D&T) in school and how that led her to pursue product design at university. We discuss the differences and similarities between D&T at school ve…

1
Primary Perspectives: Shaping the Future of D&T Education 42:33

1+ y ago42:33

42:33

Send me a message. In this episode of the Talking D&T podcast, I interviewed Janine Pavlis, a lecturer at St Mary's University in Twickenham, London, who specialises in primary design and technology education. We discussed the current state of D&T in primary schools, including the statutory requirements, the typical structure of lessons, and the im…

1
Bridging the Gap: Connecting Craft, Design, and Technology in Schools with Nicky Dewar 27:16

1+ y ago27:16

27:16

Send me a message. In this episode of the Talking D&T podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nicky Dewar, the Director of Learning and Skills at the Crafts Council. We discussed the importance of craft in design and technology education and the challenges faced by schools in incorporating hands-on making experiences for students. Nicky shared …

1
Reimagining Design and Technology Education: The D&T Association's Innovative Approach 43:25

1+ y ago43:25

43:25

Send me a message. Early this year I had the pleasure of interviewing Tony Ryan, the Chief Executive of the Design and Technology Association. In this episode, Tony shared exciting updates about the association's initiatives to support and advance design and technology education in the UK. We discussed the "Reimagined" program, which focuses on dev…

1
Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities in D&T Education: Insights from Dave Parry 37:57

1+ y ago37:57

37:57

Send me a message. In this episode of Talking D&T, I sit down with Dave Parry, Design and Technology Advisor at CLEAPSS, to discuss the current state of D&T education in England and explore potential ways to shape its future. Dave shares his insights from visiting numerous schools and highlights some of the main challenges the subject faces, includ…

Derek Corcoran Podcasts