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Design and technology (D&T) is a complex and diverse subject. In part, originating in the material centric craft disciplines, it could be argued that as a school subject it is still evolving; not only in relation to the frequent curriculum content changes, but also in its identity as a curricular entity. Arguably, there many purposes that apply to D&T and we argue that education (and educators) should value this plurality of views. In this essay, we present a discursive framework, reflecting on two key tensions within the subject: (a) the focus on established verses emerging technologies (the technological tension) and (b) the availability technology to some verses availability to all (the democratic tension). These tensions provide an opportunity to explore four scenarios, which resonate with global, grassroots movements outside of the classroom. We caricaturise these as: Fixers & Developers, Crafters & Hackers, Fab-Labers, and Menders. This essay outlines the scenarios, encouraging teachers and curriculum developers to use them to explore, name and critique their own constructs of the subject, whilst recognising the benefits and limitations that each scenario present and valuing the plurality of purposes in D&T.

democracy; curriculum; design and technology; discursive framework; scenarios; technological; tensions