Pro/DESKTOP in Schools: A pilot research study

Follo w ing the launch and wide s pread di ss emin a ti o n of th e CA D / C AM in Sch oo l s I n it iative a nd Pr o l D ES KTOP ( h e r e aft e r PDT ) so f tware, D A T A r e c og ni se d th a t th e ch a n ges t hat a r e b e in g b ro ught a b o ut in c hildr e n 's desi g nin g are s u ff icientl y prof o und to d ese r v e ca r ef ul res earch . Thi s pr o ject i s a s mall- s c a l e ex pl o r at i o n of t h e imp ac t of thi s CA D i n i t iative o n c hi ldren's des i g n i n g a nd o n the s t a n da r ds of work th at ca n b e ac h ieve d. It s ai m i s n ot to produ ce a n swe r s t o th ese dif f i c ult que s ti o n s . Rath e r i t s purpo s e i s t o c l arif y the qu es ti o n s tha t mi g ht n ee d to b e as k e d in a f ull sca l e eva lu a ti o n . B e c a u se of th e t imin g of thi s p r o j ect an d t h e l ooming exa min at i o n d ema nd s in Yea r s II , 1 2 a n d 1 3, we were as ked t o f oc u s o n Yea r s 9 and 1 0 . Thi s p a pe r r e pr ese nt s a brief sy nop s i s o f s om e of the m a jor i ss u es that e m e r ge d thr o u g h th e s tud y.