Alister Jones

Recent Research in Learning Technological Concepts and Processes

This paper examines recent research in student learning of technological concepts and processes. To explore this area three inter-related aspects are considered; existing concepts of technology, technological knowledge and processes. Different views of technology and technology education are reflected in both research outcomes and curriculum documents. Teacher and student perceptions of technology impact on the way in which technology is undertaken in the classroom. Teachers perceptions of technology influence what they perceive as being important in learning of technology. students perceptions of technology and technology education influence what knowledge and skills they operationalise in a technological task and hence affect student technological capability. Technological concepts and processes are often defined in different ways by particular groups. Subject subcultures are strongly held by both teachers and students. The influence of subject subcultures and communities of practice will be discussed in terms of defining and operationalising technological concepts and processes. Technological concepts are not consistently defined in the literature. For students to undertake technological activities, knowledge and processes cannot be divorced. Recent research highlights the problems when processes are emphasised over knowledge. This paper will examine different technological concepts in an attempt to create a critical balance between knowledge and process. Much of the literature in technology education has rightly emphasised definitions, curriculum issues, implementation and teacher training. This paper argues that it is now time to place a great emphasis on in-depth research on student understanding of technological concepts and processes and ways in which these can be enhanced.

Reflecting on Teacher Development in Technology Education: Implications for Future Programmes

This paper reflects on the outcomes of teacher professional development programmes in technology education. These programmes were based on a model which emphasised the importance of teachers developing an understanding of both technological practice and technology education. Two different programmes have been developed and trialed in the New Zealand context. They are the Facilitator Training programme, and the Technology Teacher Development Resource Package programme. This paper will focus on the outcomes of these programmes. The Facilitator Training programme was a year long programme, and ran in 1995 and 1996. It involved training a total of 30 educators – 15 each year, from all over New Zealand. The Resource Package was trialed in 14 schools over a 3–6 month period in 1996. The evaluations indicate the successful nature of these programmes and the usefulness of the model as a basis for the development of teacher professional development in technology education.The programmes reported on in this paper were developed and evaluated as part of two New Zealand Ministry of Education contracts held by the Centre for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Research.

The development of a national curriculum in technology for New Zealand

New Zealand under went major curriculum reforms in the early 1990s. These reforms were determined by the New Zealand Curriculum Framework which provides an overarching framework for the development of curricula in New Zealand and which defines seven broad essential learning areas rather than subject areas. Technology is important and should be part of the education of all students. Six grounds for developing technology education were given, namely: economic, pedagogic, motivational, cultural, environmental, and personal. This paper reports on the development of a technology curriculum in schools. The philosophy of the curriculum will be discussed, particularly crucial aspects such as inclusiveness. The way in which the technology curriculum has attempted to meet the needs of a New Zealand technological society will be examined. The general aims of technology education in Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum are to develop: technological knowledge and understanding; an understanding and awareness of the interrelationship between technology and society; technological capability. The development of seven technological areas for all students will be highlighted. This paper will discuss in detail the development of the national technology education policy and the way in which the curriculum was developed. The last section of the paper will consider issues related to teacher development programmes and areas of future research.

Developing classroom‐focused research in technology education

During the last 10 years, curriculum documents in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, and New Zealand have emphasized the importance of students’ developing technological literacy. In utilizing research findings to consider future curriculum needs, there is the danger that the field may come to be understood in light of the research undertaken, not in light of what needs to be done. Past research has tended to focus on curriculum issues and the defining of the subject. If technology education is to advance as a curriculum area of worth and as a focus of research, then much more of our research effort must be on student and teacher learning in technology. This paper argues that classroombased research must become the focus of research over the next 10 years. While there is published research on what students do when involved in technological activities, we still lack significant research on students’ learning in technology and on ways in which this learning can be enhanced. Teacher and student conceptualization of technology is a complex issue and requires an understanding of the many factors that influence it. Classroom culture and student expectations appear to influence strongly the way in which students carry out their technological activities. Student learning in technology can be enhanced by effective formative interactions occurring between teacher and student and between student and student. Part of technology assessment should provide evidence of progression in learning, about which we currently know very little. This paper describes some fruitful areas of classroom-based research that could inform technology curriculum development.RésuméAu cours des 10 dernières années, la documentation sur les curricula en Australie, au Royaume-Uni, aux États-Unis, au Canada, à Hong Kong et en Nouvelle-Zélande ont mis l’accent sur l’importance de l’alphabétisation technologique des étudiants. Par le passé, les recherches étaient surtout centrées sur des questions de curricula et de définition du sujet. Si nous voulons que l’enseignement des technologies devienne un domaine d’apprentissage significatif chez tous les étudiants, il sera nécessaire de concentrer ultérieurement nos efforts sur la recherche dans les salles de classe. En effet, bien que les travaux sur la définition du sujet soient encore très importants, on en est maintenant arrivé au point où l’enseignement des technologies doit surtout mettre l’accent sur un apprentissage accru dans la salle de classe. Cette insistance sur les classes de technologies met en évidence quatre aspects importants et reliés entre eux: l’apprentissage des technologies chez les étudiants, l’évaluation, les interactions particulièrement formatrices et le développement de notions de progression. Les premières recherches ont montré que, si on concentre les efforts sur ces aspects, il est possible d’améliorer l’apprentissage des étudiants et de fournir une base solide pour développer les curriculums.Notre recherche montre que, pour améliorer et soutenir l’apprentissage des technologies, il est nécessaire d’axer le savoir des enseignants sur les résultats d’apprentissages technologiques spécifiques et détaillés, conjointement à des approches pédagogiques adéquates. Il est particulièrement important d’utiliser un cadre bien défini pour centrer l’attention des enseignants sur les aspects conceptuels, procéduraux, sociétaux et techniques de l’apprentissage des technologies chez les étudiants. Nous ne concevons pas ce cadre comme absolu et défini dans ses moindres détails, mais bien comme un outil analytique général susceptible d’aider les enseignants à réfléchir sur les caractéristiques de l’apprentissage des technologies. Il s’agit en fait d’aider les enseignants à réfléchir sur ce que les étudiants peuvent contribuer à la classe et comment cette

An Analysis of Student Existing Technological Capability: Developing an Initial Framework

This paper reports on the analysis of student (ages 6–15 years) technological capability as they undertake technological tasks. The activities covered a number of different contexts (including different subject areas), and had differing degrees of openness and methods of presentation. Data was obtained from 261 of the 400 students that took part in the classroom activities. A holistic approach to analysing student performance was developed and this provided insights into the strategies adopted by the students. Some preliminary conclusions are: the focus of students on an end-product meant that they did not fully consider the processes that might be required to solve the problem; student technological approaches were influenced by the culture of the classroom; and existing concepts of technological processes influenced the approaches undertaken.

How can international studies such as the international mathematics and science study and the programme for international student assessment be used to inform practice, policy and future research in science education in New Zealand?

New Zealand is investing in two international studies that assess the achievement of students in science—the International Mathematics and Science Study and the Programme for International Student Assessment. While the studies have very different purposes, they both provide extensive data on student achievement in science and about factors that impact on this achievement. Currently the international and national study reports describe general findings but there has been no systematic secondary analysis or commentary by the New Zealand science education community. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of these international studies including some of the major findings so as to highlight their potential for further interrogation by science educators both nationally and internationally to inform policy, practice and further research.

Curriculum, learning and effective pedagogy in science education for New Zealand: introduction to special issue

This paper describes the way in which a major literature review on curriculum, learning and effective pedagogy in science education was undertaken in New Zealand, and introduces the other papers in this issue. The review was funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Education to investigate how the literature in science education informs our understanding about effective pedagogy on student achievement in science education for a diversity of students in New Zealand. A large team undertook the literature review, and the literature from 1991 to 2002 was investigated. The process is discussed as well as ways in which the international literature and more localized/contextual studies can be synthesized to provide key strategies for national policy and practice.

Introducing technological applications into the physics classroom: help or hindrance for learning?

In the past school physics has tended to emphasize the philosophical, experimental and mathematical aspects of the subject. This paper explores a teaching sequence, based on some of the ideas of the generative learning model, to introduce technological applications into the physics classroom (17‐18‐year‐old students). The development and evaluation of the teaching sequence, about electrical capacitance, is reported. The evaluation consisted of three interlinked strategies: classroom observation and student interviews, teacher interviews, and an attitudinal scale used in conjunction with student interviews. Although this was a relatively small scale experiment, the students generally responded positively both to the introduction of technological applications and to the learning environment.

Technology in Science Education: Context, Contestation, and Connection

The inclusion of technology within science education has been a site of debate, classroom research, and curriculum innovation. This chapter explores the STS movement, perceptions of technology by science teachers, the introduction of technological applications in science, technological problem solving in science classrooms, technology in science curricula, defining the relationship between science and technology, and the integration of science and technology in the curriculum and classroom. Technology in science education can enhance student engagement and make a contribution to scientific literacy in its broadest sense. However, its place is still contested.

Laptops for Teachers: Practices and Possibilities

The Laptops for Teachers scheme in New Zealand provides teachers whose schools opt into the scheme access to a laptop for their exclusive use. This paper reports on the findings of the three‐year evaluation of the impact of the laptops on secondary teachers’ work. The findings indicate that school leadership has been pivotal to the provision of the technological infrastructure and organisational support needed for teacher use of the laptops. Departmental leadership has been crucial in supporting teacher use of laptops for teaching and learning. Teachers described gains in expertise, indicating that they used the laptop for a range of purposes to support their teaching. These included lesson planning and preparation, and reporting. Where teachers had easy access to a laptop‐plus‐data projector they found that students responded to material that included images and up‐to‐date real‐world examples. Colleagues were identified as the main source of professional development for the use of the laptop for teaching purposes. The findings of the study suggest schools are advised to consider how to support teachers to work collaboratively to share expertise as a way of supporting and extending teacher use of laptops.