Guide

How to succeed in your Junior Cycle Wood Technology Project

By Kieran McDonagh - 7 minute read

This guide to the Junior Cycle Wood Technology Project is written by Kieran McDonagh, a teacher and examiner with over 15 years of experience.

Introduction

When you have finished your CBAs, you will turn your attention to a coursework project which will go towards your final grade. This is done in 3rd year after you finish CBA 2. The brief is set and marked by the State Examinations Commission (SEC). The project must include:

'My design journey' folio
An artefact

Both of these must be completed by the end of April in your Junior Cycle year.

Remember

The coursework you submit for assessment must be your own individual work and must be completed in school under the supervision of your teacher. Your examination number should be written clearly on both the completed artefact and on the folio.

The ‘my design journey’ graphic below (from the SEC) is a suggested design process that you could follow in the design and realisation of your wood technology coursework. The design journey shows you the steps you can take to complete your folio and artefact and help you see what you have learned in the process.

Image from the State Examinations Commission (SEC)

Assessment breakdown

This project is worth 70% of your final grade and is awarded 280 marks in total. Here is how the marks are awarded:

My Design Journey Folio

Marking Criteria	Marks
Exploration of brief	10
Investigate	10
Generation of ideas	15
My preferred design and justification of my design	20
Working drawings and sketches	20
Evaluation and reflection	15
Total marks	90

Presentation of the Artefact

Marking Criteria	Marks
Artefact satisfies brief	30
Effective use of materials, processes and techniques	20
Creativity	30
Craft, skills and techniques	60
Assembly of artefact	10
Finishing the artefact	20
Presentation	20
Total marks	190

Selecting your design brief

You will need to select one design brief from the three you are provided. These briefs normally include but are not limited to, the following:

A form of storage unit for gaming accessories, food, bathroom items, books and magazines, first-aid, personal items, coat rack, towel rack, birdhouse, etc.
An artefact you could display on a mantlepiece/in a cabinet. This could be in the form of an award, trophy, clock, etc.
An educational toy.
A coffee table, hall table, nightstand, plant holder, footstool, etc.
Display items like a book holder, device holder, etc.

Top tip

Evaluate where your strengths lie and choose a brief that best suits your own skill set.

When making your decision on which brief to choose, you should refer back to your CBA 2: self-analysis and evaluation. In this, you should have looked at your strengths and weaknesses as a wood technology student. The different briefs will focus on different skills, e.g. handcraft skills, handcrafted joints, higher-order creativity and design skills, etc.

My design journey folio

Your design journey folio can be presented in A4, A3 or a combination of both formats but there is a limit to the number of pages you are able to submit. All of this information will be given to you once the briefs are sent to your school in September. These are some steps to follow when completing your folio:

Step 1

Explore the brief

Once you have chosen your brief, it’s time to explore it, identify the design problem and figure out what is required. In other words:

consider the design problem and its requirements;
examine and discuss the features that require further investigation.

Brief 1 below is an example design brief that students received in 2021:

"Gaming is a popular pastime enjoyed by young people. Design and make a compact unit to hold and display a gaming headset, controller and other gaming accessories. Your artefact should be designed for placement on a desk or for wall mounting and should reflect a theme of your choice. Handcrafted joints should be a distinctive feature of your artefact. The maximum dimension of your artefact must not exceed 450mm".

Top tips

The first line of the brief introduces the design problem to you.
The features and requirements are included in the paragraph under the design problem.
Highlight these on the handout you are given and use them to direct your research and investigation.

Step 2

Investigate

Approach your research by trying to find out something new about your design. Gather appropriate knowledge and information on your chosen brief.

Referring to Brief 1 above, this knowledge and information can be found in your textbook or online and could be based on the following:

Compact = small and neat
Display = visible and easily accessible
Headset, controller...accessories = keyboard, mouse, etc.
On a desk = location
Wall mounting = how? What fittings are needed?
Theme = colour, shape, favourite team/band, nature, etc.
Handcrafted joints = cross halving, tee, mortise and tenon, etc.

When researching for your brief, remember to:

be original. If you copy material directly from the internet or pretend other sources are your own work you won’t get any marks.
Keep track of your sources and make sure to include where you got information from throughout your project.
Use primary and secondary research sources.
Summarise all of the information you gathered from your research and relate it back to the design brief.

Step 3

Generate ideas

Use your research to explore possible design solutions:

generate possible design ideas;
record your thinking, progression and development using notes and sketches;
evaluate and identify how you can improve your design.

Step 4

Present your preferred design

Present your preferred design using a freehand sketch, CAD, prototype or model. Design detailing for your chosen design solution (joints, mouldings, embellishments, fixtures, fittings, finishes, etc.).

Step 5

Justify your preferred design

Consider and justify the design decisions you made throughout your journey to arrive at your preferred design.

Step 6

Show your working drawings/sketches

Bear the following in mind for your drawings/sketches:

show the working drawings/sketches used to produce your design;
show the required design detailing in the production of the design;
provide the list of materials used in your design solution.

Step 7

Evaluate and reflect

Discuss the successes, challenges and learnings from completing your coursework:

look back and do a critical review of the coursework;
discuss what you have learned;
look forward and talk about how the learnings could be applied in the future.

Creating your artefact

Your artefact should demonstrate your range of skills, processes and techniques. Make sure to discuss with your teacher the materials that are available in the wood technology room. Below are some things to consider when completing your artefact:

Make sure your artefact satisfies the brief

In order to fulfil the brief requirements in the artefact you present, it must be fit for purpose and functional. You also need to consider any constraints (whether it's durable, sustainable and how safe it is).
Effective use of materials

Make sure the use of materials, processes and techniques in your completed artefact are sustainable, appropriate and environmentally friendly. Consider the size and proportion of the materials and ensure that there is an appropriate use of fixtures and fittings.
Creativity

It’s important that your design is original and creative so use your imagination. Pay attention to function, form, aesthetics, sustainability and ergonomics as these are all looked at. Finally, make sure the way you present your artefact and the materials you use are appealing.
Craft, skills and techniques

Show off your craft in how you construct your artefact by marking out your materials, demonstrating your processing skills and techniques and showcasing the range and depth of the skills you have.
Assembling the artefact

Assembly is very important. Make sure you focus on your materials and fittings, the appropriate use of assembly processes and techniques and finally, the quality and accuracy of your assembly.
Finishing the artefact

Make sure to apply a high-quality finish to your artefact by preparing the surface of the material. Make sure to select the best finish and technique for your artefact and check the quality of your applied surface finish.
Presentation

Make sure the overall presentation of your completed artefact is to a high standard. Focus on getting the aesthetics, visual appearance and appearance right. Enhance and embellish the artefact.

By Kieran McDonagh

Kieran Mcdonagh is a Wood Technology teacher at Ballinrobe Community School, Co. Mayo. As well as teaching for over 15 years, Kieran is also an examiner in Junior Cycle Wood Technology.