Good Luck in Your Upcoming DP Design Technology Examinations – Tips and Tricks

Hi DP2 Students,

This post is to wish you good luck in your upcoming DP Design Technology examinations, but as importantly to set yourself up for success with some simple tips and tricks for revision and review. Follow these steps and success will surely follow :-

1) Past Paper Practice

• There is no substitute for past paper practice – so make sure you get as many papers as possible from your teacher even if from the old syllabus. Make sure to practice them in different ways – timed, blocks of questions, just answer with bullet points and use the markschemes to help.

2) Marginal Gains

• You do not make big jumps in achievement – it is a series of small gains that will improve your performance during the exams – so ensure you concentrate on these including specific feedback from your teachers and sleeping with the same pillow?
• A great video to watch re this strategy – from the UK and Sky cycling team.

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3) Chunking – The Pomodoro Affect

• When you revise spend only 25 minutes on one area – have a five minute break and then start another 25 minute chunk. Why we can only concentrate for 25 minutes maximum, after that our learning becomes less focused and less efficient.

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4) Active Revision

• Do not waste your time highlighting or simply reading through your notes or a textbook – your revision must be active when reviewing  notes etc from one form to another e.g. to flashcards, mindmaps etc

5) Take Care of Yourself

• During revision make sure to eat well, sleep well and exercise well – only if you are helathy will you perform to the best of your ability!

6) Maybe a Revision Course

• I know I know sitting at home is difficult and almost anything is more fun than revision and review – well then you need to ensure that your revision is social so make sure to meet up for special study groups with your DT classmates – or even better sign up and go on an OSC revision course.

So six simple steps and if you listen to this advice – not only will you achieve better in DT you will achieve better in all your exams.

GOOD LUCK!