Designs on excellence (From Penarth Times)

Designs on excellence

A PENARTH teacher has been getting to grips with design and technology to help inspire the great inventors of tomorrow.

Lisa Lawrence, of Ysgol Erw'r Delyn, has been involved in sessions to help teachers overcome anxiety in tackling the subject, as workshops fall in line with the Wales Regional Technology Plan (RTP).

One of the aims of the plan is to increase the innovative capacity of the Welsh economy, by helping companies compete on a global basis through the development of new ideas.

The training sessions are being held alongside this year's 3M Primary Innovation Awards, which aim to get young children to learn more about design, technology and engineering.

The workshops are sponsored by 3M, the WDA and Education and Learning Wales (ELWa).

Lisa has been getting to grips with design and technology. She is holding an electric buggy which incorporates a simple worm drive, the subject of one of the sessions at the 3M teachers' workshops.

She said: "The workshops provide a great opportunity for swapping ideas and sharing good practice, as well as picking up new skills.

"The hands-on workshops have increased my confidence in areas like electronics and I can take that know-how back to the classroom."

Last year's 3M Primary Innovation Awards brought in entries from more than 100 schools, with ingenious designs to serve a myriad of uses.

The winner was Llangewydd Junior School in Bridgend with road safety flags to make pupils visible on their way to school.

The 2002 awards are organised by William Battle Associates and the closing date for entries is June 1. The winners will be announced at the grand final in Cardiff on July 15.