Technology and the Diversity of Limits

Students should work individually as they complete these questions. You should then lead a class discussion about some or all of the questions to ensure student understanding.

1. Based on the tests and the rubric, was the product a success? If so, explain why. If not, describe what you would change if you could.

   Students’ answers will depend on the product. An important part of this question is for students to explain why they thought the product was or was not successful. Encourage them to use evidence from the rubric in their answers. They should also describe any changes they would make.

2. As you worked through the process of technology design, you came up with a detailed design. You thought about many plans and details before you actually started the stage of carrying out the solution.

   1. How did having a detailed design help your work?

      Students should realize that having a detailed plan helped them understand exactly what they needed to do once they started building the product. This allowed them to work quickly, without needing many discussions about the best way to build the product.

   2. What did you find most difficult about planning the design before you started building the product?

      Many students probably had a difficult time creating the whole design before building the product. They will likely respond with “wanting to do some tests before they came to the end of the design” and “not wanting to spend so much time planning before they started building.” Remind them of their answers to Question 2a and help them realize the benefits of making a detailed design.

3. How did testing make a difference in the product?

   This question helps students reflect on the importance of testing. For some students, the design will have been successful on the first try. They should realize that testing helped them confirm that the product best fit the characteristics they decided on for a successful product. Other students may have needed to revise the product after testing. They should realize that testing helped them improve the product.

4. You used a rubric in your work.

   1. Describe your thoughts about using a rubric in your work.

      Some students will like the rubric because it helps them understand what they should be looking for specifically. Others may not have liked spending time filling out the details during the Explain activity.

   2. Do you think you would like to use a rubric again in the future? Why or why not?

      Students’ answers will vary depending on how they felt about using the rubric. Make sure students explain why they chose the answer they did. In your discussion, you might ask students who think they would use a rubric in the future how they intend to do so. This might inspire other students to realize how a rubric could help them.