The Perspective of Technology Education

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The Perspective of TechnologyEducation

• The Second International Symposium on Educational
  Cooperation for Industrial Technology Education
• Kariya City, Japan

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Presenter

• William E. Dugger, Jr.
• Senior Fellow
• International Technology Education Association
  (ITEA)
• Emeritus Professor
• Virginia Tech
• USA

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The Study of Technology

• Many countries in the world have been and are now
  implementing the study of technology.

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In the United States as well as in other
countries, there is confusion about the term
technology.
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In 2001 and 2004, The International Technology
Education Association (ITEA) conducted polls
which were done by the Gallup Organization on how
Americans think about technology.
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In both polls, a majority of Americans (62 in
2004 and 59 in 2001) responded that science and
technology are basically one and the same thing.
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When asked how important it is for high school
students to understand the relationship between
science and technology, 98 of the Americans
stated that they thought that this was very or
somewhat important.
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Most Americans (68 in 2004 67 in 2001) view
technology very narrowly as being computers,
electronics, and the internet.
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There was near total consensus (98 in 2004
97 in 2001) in the public sampled that schools
should include the study of technology in the
curriculum.
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What is Science?

• What is Technology?

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Science seeks to understand the natural world.

• National Science Education Standards, National
  Research Council, 1996.

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What is Technology?

• It is the innovation, change, or modification of
  the natural environment in order to satisfy
  perceived human wants and needs. (Standards for
  Technological Literacy, ITEA, 2000)
• The goal of technology is to make modifications
  in the world to meet human needs. (National
  Science Education Standards, NRC, 1996)

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What is Technology ? (Continued)

• In the broadest sense, technology extends our
  abilities to change the world to cut, shape, or
  put together materials to move things from one
  place to another to reach farther with our
  hands, voices, and senses. (Benchmarks for
  Science Literacy, AAAS, 1993)
• Technology is the process by which humans modify
  nature to meet their needs and wants.
  (Technically Speaking Why All Americans Need to
  Know More About Technology, NAE/NRC, 2002)

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Science vs. Technology

• Deals with the natural world.
• Is very concerned with what is (exists) in the
  natural world. (i.e. Biology, Chemistry,
  Physics, Astronomy, Geology, etc.)

• Deals with how humans modify, change, alter, or
  control the natural world.
• Is very concerned with what can or should be
  designed, made, or developed from natural world
  materials and substances to satisfy human needs
  and wants

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Science vs. Technology (Continued)

• Is concerned with processes that seek out the
  meaning of the natural world by inquiry,
  discovering what is, exploring, and using
  the Scientific Method.

• Is concerned with such processes that we use to
  alter/change the natural world such as
  Invention, Innovation, Practical Problem
  Solving, and Design.

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While technology and science have a common
denominator being the natural world, they are
similar yet very different.

• Technology is not any more applied science than
  science is applied technology.

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Techno-Science
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Technology Education

• This is the school subject specifically designed
  to teach children about the broad field of
  technology.

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Technology Education (the study of technology)
should NOT be confused with Information
Technology or Educational (or instructional)
Technology!
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So what is Technological Literacy?
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Technological literacy is the ability to use,
manage, evaluate, and understand technology.
Technology Literacy for All A Rationale and
Study for the Study of Technology (2006)
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Who is a technologically literate person?

• One that understands
• What technology is
• How technology is created
• How the use of technology shapes society and in
  turn,
• How society shapes the development of technology
• A person who is comfortable with and objective
  about the use of technology neither scared of
  it nor infatuated with it.

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Technological literacy involves

• Much more than a knowledge about computers and
  digital electronics.
• Gaining a degree of knowledge about the nature,
  behavior, power, and consequences of technology
  from a real world perspective.

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There is a growing movement in the U. S. to teach
the integrative subjects of Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
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• So how do we educate our citizens to be
  technologically literate?

?
?
?
?
?
?
?
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What Content should be taught in the study of
technology that will provide technological
literacy for all students?
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Standards for Technological Literacy (STL)(ITEA,
2000,2002/2007) presents the content for what
every student should know and be able to do in
order to be technologically literate.
www.iteaconnect.org
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Standards

• STL Standards are twenty written statements about
  what is valued that can be used for making a
  judgment of quality.
• Standards represent fundamental concepts.
• The goal is to meet all of the standards in
  Grades K-12.
• STL Standards were written around five major
  organizers or categories.

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Nature of Technology

• Students will develop an understanding of the
  characteristics and scope of technology.
• Students will develop an understanding of the
  core concepts of technology.
• Students will develop an understanding of the
  relationships among technologies and the
  connection between technology and other fields of
  study.

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Technology and Society

• Students will develop an understanding of the
  cultural, social, economic, and political effects
  of technology.
• Students will develop an understanding of the
  effects of technology on the environment.
• Students will develop an understanding of the
  role of society in the development and use of
  technology.
• Students will develop an understanding of the
  influence of technology on history.

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Design

• Students will develop an understanding of the
  attributes of design.
• Students will develop an understanding of
  engineering design.
• Students will develop an understanding of the
  role of troubleshooting, research and
  development, invention and innovation, and
  experimentation in problem solving.

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Abilities for a Technological World

• Students will develop the abilities to apply the
  design process.
• Students will develop the abilities to use and
  maintain technological products and systems.
• Students will develop the abilities to assess the
  impact of products and systems.

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The Designed World

• Students will develop an understanding of and be
  able to select and use medical technologies.
• Students will develop an understanding of and be
  able to select and use agricultural and related
  biotechnologies.
• Students will develop an understanding of and be
  able to select and use energy and power
  technologies.

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The Designed World (Cont.)

• Students will develop an understanding of and be
  able to select and use information and
  communication technologies.
• Students will develop an understanding of and be
  able to select and use transportation
  technologies.

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The Designed World (Cont.)

• Students will develop an understanding of and be
  able to select and use manufacturing
  technologies.
• Students will develop an understanding of and be
  able to select and use construction technologies.

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Benchmarks

• Benchmarks in STL are specific requirements or
  enablers for each grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8,
  9-12) that identify what needs to be done in
  order to meet a given standard.

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A Sample Standard Benchmark

• Standard 11
• Students will develop abilities to apply a design
  process.
• Grades K-2 Benchmark in Standard 11 Build or
  construct an object using a design process.

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In conclusion

• The power and promise of technology can be
  further enhanced through the study of technology
  to assure that all people are technologically
  literate in the future.

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Thank You! William E. Dugger, Jr. Senior Fellow
and Former Director Technology for All Americans
Project International Technology Education
Association wdugger_at_iteaconnect.org
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A copy of this presentation can be downloaded by
going tohttp//www.iteaconnect.org/Resources/Pr
essRoom/JapanSymposium08.ppt