As generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) makes coding and digital asset creation increasingly instantaneous, Design and Technology (D&T) faces a critical question: Where does the human value lie? This session explores a cross-campus (Prep to Year 10) project as a case study that actively defines the human role in an AI-driven workflow.
Rather than focusing on AI as the subject, this unit uses it as an engine to enhance the learning experiences. The session will showcase the transformation of a standard D&T classroom into a collaborative development studio, allowing attendees to see the entire design process from identifying an opportunity to delivering a tangible product.
Primary classes operate within a play-based learning environment to provide the uniquely human "vision." Through guided, explicit instruction, younger students design the organic art, lore, and game assets that inform the project brief. Meanwhile, Year 9 and 10 students engage in project-based and inquiry based learning to act as "curators and builders," tasked with designing a custom arcade-style game.
The final game runs on a Raspberry Pi 5 integrated with custom arcade hardware. Secondary students leverage AI prompt engineering to generate the underlying code, freeing them to focus entirely on game mechanics and physical fabrication. The final product is engineered strictly for collaborative play: a custom arcade cabinet where six students each control a single button. This mechanic requires chaotic, face-to-face communication, serving as a powerful, tactile countermeasure to screen isolation.
Attendees will leave with a real-world framework for shifting students from passive consumers of technology to active makers and creators. By sharing honest insights, successes, and roadblocks encountered during the project, this session highlights how genuine human connection remains the irreplaceable core of the modern D&T curriculum.