The 40th International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Conference Proceedings 2023

Using the Mirror as a Working Tool in Handicraft Education

Minna Arvidsson — 2023-10-31

In interaction between students and vocational teachers, technical artefacts constitute an essential part for the development of vocational students’ future professional knowledge. Although vocational learning has been an under-researched area, there has been an increased interest within the vocational education research to examine the teaching and learning processes that take place when vocational students and teachers interact in vocational school settings. The presence of physical objects such as tools, machines and material in the teaching and learning processes within vocational education, which encompass a central aspect of a vocational subjects’ specific characteristics, is a dimension which is often overlooked. In the Handicraft programme (specialization hair- and makeup stylist) at Swedish upper secondary vocational education, a large part of the practical work that students are engaged in is to view their work through the mirror. Therefore, the focus in this study is what learning content is made relevant when teacher and student(s) are interacting in front of the mirror. The data for the study consists of video recorded lessons from the Handicraft Programme, and the study is based on CAVTA (Conversation Analysis and Variation Theory). Based on CAVTA, the process of learning includes what is being learned and how learning is done in interaction between the teacher and student(s) in the authentic and enacted teaching session. At the conference, we will present results from detailed analysis of sequences when the teacher and the students interact in front of the mirror and what vocational knowledge is made possible to learn in these interactions.

A Pre-study of Two Design Methodologies in a Pre-service Teacher Education Activity

Johan Boström — 2023-10-31

Construction with different materials, tools and techniques has a long history as an activity in preschool. In Sweden, this area of activity has commonly been known as bygg och konstruktion (to build and construct). However, exactly what this term entails in relation to technology as a content matter is not entirely clear. But since the construction activities has such a rich history in preschool, official documents and guidelines could shed light on this. Consequently, the aim of this paper was to examine construction activities’ role in preschool activities and how these activities has been presented historically. This was done by examining historical documents pertaining to the Swedish preschool. The examination shows that bygg och konstruktion has been a distinct part of different content matters in official governmental reports and curricula documents since at least the early 1950s, during the same time period when the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare became responsible for the Swedish child care. In the 1970s and early 1980s, during a period when the political discourse revolved around how a perceived lack of interest in natural science from the populace could hinder economic growth, it was partly placed in the content area of natural science. During the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, during the same time as the school subject of technology emerged, it was partly placed in the new content area of technology. During all of this time, parallel to its inclusion in natural science and technology, bygg och konstruktion can also be found in the aesthetical content area. The analysis of the historical documents also shows that no clear distinction is made between bygg and konstruktion – the terms are used as synonymous to each other.

Teaching K-8 Children about the Internet Will Be Difficult

Cyril Brom — 2023-10-31

In the contemporary society, children need to become competent internet users. Previous studies suggested that in order to achieve this goal, it helps if children understand basics of how internet works. However, these studies also indicated that children’s knowledge about internet’s functioning is patchy. Furthermore, children possess many misconceptions and existing research does not examine how to boost their understanding of the internet’s functioning. Here, we present a mixed-method study, in which children (Grade 4, 6, 8; N = 50 + 50 + 38): a) were interviewed about how the internet works; b) half of them (random assignment) was explained this topic during a 50-min-long 1:1 tutoring session (with activating tasks); c) were interviewed again four months later. The interviews and the teaching session examined/promoted understanding of the following concepts: servers, wifi routers, network routers, wireless vs. wire connection, storage of data on the internet, digital traces, and cookies; among others. The interviews are now being analysed through thematic and frequency analyses. Preliminary findings corroborate previous findings about misconceptions and are consistent with ‘knowledge in pieces’ theories of knowledge representations. Typical reasoning among children about the internet structure includes satellites and central computers/towers. Only expert children know about distributed, server-like storage. Children understand the internet primarily through their personal experiences, only most knowledgeable children view it as a global network with a complex internal, but only vaguely understood, structure. The teaching session promoted understanding in short term, but much less so in a long term. Four months later, only few children retained knowledge about network routers, some about servers. Children tended to return to their prior misconceptions and their post-understanding remained patchy. Some held both prior misconceptions and contradictory new ideas. Altogether, our results suggest that teaching K-8 children about the internet functioning will be challenging and specific approaches, such as those capitalizing on activating children’s prior knowledge, will be required.

Developing a teaching chatbot for learning tools and equipment in technology classrooms

Yu-Fan Cheng — 2023-10-31

Using and applying tools and equipment for designing and building projects has always been indispensable in living technology classrooms. However, students must be aware of their proper use to avoid mistakes and safety concerns. In recent years, chatbots have been widely used in various fields, offering instant, interactive responses, and their application in educational contexts has also increased rapidly. Therefore, this study developed a chatbot for LINE, a popular messaging app in Asia, for teaching standard hand tools and equipment in living technology classrooms at secondary schools. This chatbot covered (1) measuring tools, (2) hand tools, (3) power tools and equipment, and others. A total of 49 tools and pieces of equipment were included. The instructional content for each consisted of (1) instructions, (2) operating procedures and skills, and (3) troubleshooting and maintenance. The user interface adopted point-and-click forms and graphical menus to quickly guide users searching for specific information. In addition, users can enter relevant keywords and the chatbot will answer the corresponding content. The chatbot is expected to solve student questions more efficiently and assist teachers, improving the effectiveness and convenience of these hands-on lessons.

An ‘An autoethnographic reflection on new educational technologies in the design and technology curricula from schools in Dubai and England’.

Sarah Finnigan — 2023-10-31

To what extent does design and technology (D&T) equip children and young people with the technological skills they need for the future? This reflection discusses and critiques observations on international D&T curricula in the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, exploring innovative practices such as virtual reality (VR) and other new educational technologies to support assessment and add depth to the curriculum. In this paper, I discuss educational perspectives from an autoethnographic standpoint and the extent to which contributing factors, such as culture, have impacted me as a D&T practitioner. My observations come from teaching and leading within a an oversubscribed and high-performing co-education international through-school in Dubai. From five years situated within this particular environment I participated in the teaching and learning of the subject across the primary and secondary phases, in an expatriate community of over two thousand students from over eighty different nationalities. In comparison to the second educational environment, being an oversubscribed state co-educational secondary school in the Greater Merseyside area in England. These two educational establishments have distinctly different demographics and methods of delivery in their approach to D&T. My reflections on some of the challenges and ‘quick wins’ are shared with the aim to offer insights and observations that any

Key Words: best practice, design and technology (D&T), curriculum, International, National, Virtual Reality,

Five years construction kits in primary schools

Martin Fislake — 2023-10-31

In March 2018, metal construction kits were distributed to all elementary and special schools in Rhineland-Palatinate. They were distributed to all elementary and special schools in Rhineland-Palatinate as part of the MINT project "Technikkiste" (transl.: technology box).

At the end of the year 2018, three more expansion sets with solar cells followed for each school. So far, no request has been made to the schools, even after five years of the project's start made to the schools as to how and whether they use this material.

Therefore, within the scope of this research an evaluation study for the elementary schools in the form of a questionnaire was carried out in July 2023. The study is intended to find out both the current usage behavior with the metal construction boxes as well as to get an impression of the teachers regarding the in-service training measures that took place as part of the project.

921 elementary schools in Rhineland-Palatinate were invited to participate in the online survey. 69 answered the questionnaire some more gave informal feedback. The special schools, which were also supposed to have received the metal construction kits, were left out of the survey, as they are likely to have different usage patterns and therefore a different behavior and would therefore require a different questionnaire.

It is particularly noteworthy that only about 70% of the participants who responded are even aware of the metal construction boxes. Around 30% stated that they were not familiar with the metal construction kits. In addition, only about 43% of the participants indicated that the metal building boxes have ever been used in the classroom at their school. One of the main reasons that participating teachers do not use the metal building boxes is that the school has not received boxes or has too few for classroom use.

This brief excerpt from the survey results already shows that the MINT promotion project is not showing the success that the Ministry of Education had hoped for.

Meta-analysis on Students’ Effects of Technology Education Classes under the South Korean National Curriculum

Hyuksoo Kwon — 2023-10-31

In South Korea, Technology education is one of the national curriculum compulsory subjects, and despite the importance and value, public awareness toward technology and technology education is very low. Whenever the curriculum is revised, the value and place of technology education have been challenged. The purpose of this study is to analyse effects on students of technology education classes. Meta-analysis is conducted to calculate the effect size of technology education classes in the Republic of Korea. Data are collected through an integrated searching engine of Korean academic database. From 2000 to 2022, 61 studies are analysed by Comprehensive Meta Analysis 4.0. The result shows an intermediate effect size in technology education classes. A total of 148 effect sizes are analysed by dividing the subcategories into publishing type, teaching method, school level, experimental type, and dependent variable. For the publishing type, academic journals and thesis papers show the intermediate effect size. Particularly, studies for elementary school level indicate a high effect size, followed by middle school and high school. The dependent variables show intermediate effect sizes of the order of affective variables (e.g., attitude, motivation), psychomotor variable, and cognitive variables (e.g., academic achievement). Based on the findings, this study can make the following recommendations. More studies for proving the value and importance of technology education classes should be conducted.

Key Word : Technology Classes, Effect Size, Meta-analysis, Students, South Korea

Development of System Modules for Children’s Games with Vision and Music-Based Interactive Real-Time Feedback Modules - A Design-Based Research Approach

Fang-Yu Liu — 2023-10-31

Most past research on young children’s attention focused on the design of multimedia games based on visual stimulation. In contrast, few studies have been on the development of teaching tools focusing on auditory stimulation. This study aims to develop a real-time interactive digital game with music and eye tracking for young children. The Design-Based Research (DBR) approach was adopted. Melodic tunes and lyrics composed by the researcher constitute the auditory stimulation, paired with visual images, in a game emphasizing interactivity between game content and players. Discussions were held between the various members of the developing team, during which the game developers and domain experts proposed suggestions to the researcher, who then continuously fine-tuned the game in line with the research objective. Our preliminary findings suggested that DBR, which emphasizes child-centered design, provides a novel and innovative approach to digital game design.

Effective professional development to enhance the teaching of Design and Technology: an on-going small-scale research study

Janine Laura Pavlis — 2023-10-31

High-quality Design and Technology (D&T) education is essential for pupils in primary schools. Professional development (PD) is a crucial tool that offers primary school teachers the ability to maintain high-quality teaching in order to improve pupil outcomes. The National Curriculum in England and Wales requires children in KS1 and KS2 to be hands-on and creative through the designing and making of products within their D&T learning. Currently, a local authority (LA) in an outer London borough, works with teacher facilitators to run PD virtual networks. Teachers who coordinate and lead on specific subjects within a school are invited by the LA; however, through summative feedback, conversations around designing, delivering and assessing D&T have been viewed as challenging when undertaking PD networks online. Initial research has shown that teachers within the borough lack confidence and feel their skills and knowledge required to teach D&T effectively are limited.

This paper reports on research-led guidance reports to support the designing and evaluating of effective PD. This ongoing mixed method research study will involve the participants’ initial feedback with regards to current PD practices. Subsequently, participants will give feedback on two bespoke face-to-face PD classes led by the University. The continuation of virtual PD sessions, run by the LA, will run alongside. The data collection method will be through questionnaires that are designed around current research in effective PD. From this study, the research acquired will assist the University and LA in developing/refining effective D&T PD while also helping D&T teachers to cultivate sustained lifelong learning goals.

Electronic Sentences

Torben Steeg — 2023-10-31

This poster describes Electronic Sentences (ES). This is a suite of software and hardware tools, along with supporting curriculum materials, that uses high-level electronic elements to allow young children to easily develop age-appropriate systems to solve real-world problems. As the name suggests, systems are created by assembling grammatically correct sentences that are scanned to create a corresponding electrical system. ES thus helps children develop literacy skills, logical thinking, design thinking and systems thinking. ES is designed to be used in conjunction with a wide range of modelling materials, which teachers will select with an eye to suitability for the children using the system.

ES is being developed by a US/UK team. The target age for ES is anywhere between, in England, EYFS and Key Stage 1 and, in the US from grades pre-k-5. The design has focussed on useability for the youngest children in these ranges, i.e., children from 4 years on, while retaining attractiveness for older children, with the acknowledgement that teachers will use their judgement about when best to introduce ES.

Limited trials of a prototype, fully working, system have taken place in US classrooms. This paper will, along with describing the ES system and its design aims, report on initial trials in English classrooms. It will explore the effectiveness of the system in achieving its multiple aims (the development of literacy skills, logical thinking, design thinking and systems thinking) and, in the light of these trials suggest necessary developments in the various elements of hardware, software and courseware that will be required before the product is made widely available.

Design & Technology Education: What can we do to Influence Transdisciplinary Undergraduate Learning?

Greg Strimel — 2023-10-31

Creating new ways to position Design and Technology (DT) teacher preparation programs in higher education can be considered critical today. For example, in the United States, the few remaining DT-related teacher programs can be in jeopardy of supporting the school subject as a result of teaching workforce declines. But, while some may view that DT programs are no longer relevant in parts of the world today, there can be an opportunity to leverage and make pertinent DT content/practices beyond teacher preparation. New DT approaches can be important to consider, not only to just sustain the remaining programs, but to also create new educational experiences that provide valuable skills/knowledge to a broader audience. In doing so, teacher programs can deliver DT experiences across college campuses that many students may no longer have access to in secondary schools—due to the aforementioned teacher workforce concerns. These DT learning experiences can involve the content/practices related to designing/making/innovating as well as the pedagogical approaches that support transdisciplinary learning. With a variety of educational transformation initiatives happening at universities, DT programs can help shape the way that undergraduate learning occurs. So how do DT programs leverage their value related to transdisciplinary learning through design/innovation practice to reach new audiences while also sustaining programs that develop teachers? To provide an answer, this poster will highlight a transdisciplinary program, titled Mission Meaning Making (M3), that was developed to provide a new cross-college learning experience for undergraduate students focused on design and innovation. The M3 program has been created to synergize the key strengths of three partnering units/disciplines (DT, anthropology, and business) to prepare undergraduates for addressing contemporary challenges in innovative, and transdisciplinary ways. The poster will provide details/research related to the M3 program and explore how DT can strive to make a broader impact on campuses.

Primary to Secondary Engineering Learning: A Framework for International Consideration

Greg Strimel — 2023-10-31

The teaching of engineering has made its entrance into the subject of Design & Technology Education (DTE) around the world over the past few decades. This inclusion has been particularly true for the United States which refers to its DTE-related subject as Technology & Engineering Education. The inclusion of engineering has likely been due to the closely aligned epistemologies and classroom practices between engineering and DTE. But, while engineering has been emphasised in primary and secondary schooling, there has also been limited guidance for articulating how engineering could/should be taught, both authentically and equitably, across the years of school and how it is connected with other school subjects. To aid in this effort, a Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning was formed through over 3 years of iterative research and development work and published by the American Society of Engineering Education (2020). This framework was created to help provide a unifying vision and guidebook to inform decisions for improving the coherency and equity of engineering teaching and learning across the country. In addition, throughout this process, Engineering Performance Matrices (EPMs) were generated to offer sample blueprints of how the engineering concepts and sub-concepts identified within the framework could build upon each other to support teachers in creating authentic learning experiences that increase in sophistication over time—enabling students to achieve any designated engineering-related performance tasks or standards related to engineering/technology. The goal of this poster presentation is to share the framework, and the EPMs, with the international DTE community for consideration of any useful components that could be adapted for their own efforts related to engineering learning. The poster will specifically highlight engineering literacy elements of the framework, the EMPs, and examples of ways in which this information can be used to establish engineering-focused instruction in the pursuit of engineering-literacy for all.

Technology Education Is Important for Achieving Sustainable Development

Maria Sundler — 2023-10-31

In 2015 all 193 United Nations Member States agreed on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the purpose to end poverty, ensure prosperity, and protect the planet. Technology and sustainable development are intertwined. The term "double-edged sword" has often been used to describe technology, as it can be both helpful and harmful. But to what extent is technology significant for sustainable development and what content can technology education have in relation to sustainable development? This study examines what technology content can be discerned in the sustainable development goals, SDGs, in order to detect possible content for technology education.

The 17 SDGs include 169 targets since every SDG are defined with "Outcome targets" and "means of implementation targets". All 169 SDGs targets were analyzed through content analysis. A category system was developed from the definition of technology by Rossouw et.al (2010) and DiGironimos’s (2011) to discern technology content in the SDGs. The results show that the achievement of each and every 17 Sustainable Development Goals in one way or another relies on our use of technology and our development of technology. Teaching with a sustainability perspective creates meaningful content for technology education, where current news and topics can be a starting point. Such teaching can provide students with necessary knowledge towards making well-grounded decisions based on facts, as both consumers and global citizens.

Welcome and Editorial

Sarah Davies — 2023-10-31

Conference Themes

Matt McLain — 2023-10-31

Review Panel

Sarah Davies — 2023-11-19

Sponsors and Supporters

Matt McLain — 2023-10-31

Unveiling Biases: An Exploration of ChatGPT-3.5-generated ‘Technology Stories’

Cecilia Axell — 2023-10-31

A technology that is increasingly affecting our daily lives is artificial intelligence (AI). An example of such a technology is ChatGPT-3.5, which has received a lot of attention recently. ChatGPT-3.5 is a text generator that is developed on a large number of existing texts. Currently, there is a debate about negative consequences in education, for example, if students let the chatbot write texts for them. In this study, however, our point of departure is on how ChatGPT-3.5 and storytelling can be used as a tool in teacher education to develop students’ critical thinking in relation to technology.

A main objective of technology as a school subject is to prepare pupils to act in a technology-intensive world, which includes critical thinking about technology and its impact on individuals, society, and nature. However, a critical aspect of technology education is that it easily becomes an unreflective doing without a meaningful context. A way to circumventing this problem is to use storytelling in technology teaching.

This is a pre-study for a coming project aiming to let teacher students create stories using ChatGPT-3.5 and then critically analyse the technological content in the stories. In this pre-study, we gave ChatGPT-3.5 the instruction to generate ten shorter stories for children with a focus on technology. A qualitative content analysis shows that there are several dominant themes within the stories, and that the chatbot presents a view of technology that is mainly positive and without any critical reflection on its effects on individuals, nature and society. Furthermore, in the stories, high-tech male coded technology is a dominating theme. The pre-study highlights the importance of critical thinking and reflections when using AI tools in technology teacher education. It also indicates that stories generated by a chatbot can be a steppingstone to visualise technology bias and contribute to developing teacher students’ critical gaze.

Subject specific pedagogy in technical vocational education – the implementation of a new way of teaching

Jan Axelsson — 2023-10-31

Research regarding classroom pedagogy of subject specific contents in the field of technical vocational education is scarce, nationally in Sweden, but also in an international perspective. This paper presents results from a Swedish action research project and it aims at exploring the process of a learning study, which deals with the settings in MIG/MAG welding and the intervention of the new pedagogic approach CAVTA (Conversation Analysis and Variation Theory Approach). The empiric material consists of video recorded welding education in a workshop and documented meetings in a welding teacher team. The theoretical toolbox of CAVTA permeates the teaching and learning processes as the teachers in the intervention try to implement patterns of variation in the planning, enactment and evaluation of the teaching and learning processes. In combination with the variation theoretic principles embedded in the teaching, ideas inspired by conversation analysis are implemented – the main element being an enhanced interaction, thus enabling for the students to display their understanding of the subject specific contents. The results show how CAVTA can be integrated in the teaching of settings regarding MIG/MAG welding, so that certain aspects of the object of learning is visualized. Furthermore, the findings show how the integration of CAVTA support the manifestation of a student’s understanding of the object of learning. How variation and the use of several senses and simultaneous different semiotic resources are activated as essential components in the teaching and learning processes, is made explicit in the paper. Plans for a recently launched research project including several different technical vocational education programs are also presented. The lack of classroom studies regarding technical vocational education calls for exploration in research, but should not avoid the ambition of development. This study captures the design and the development of a new pedagogic approach. Our hope is that the study will contribute to a growing body of knowledge within the field of technical vocational education and spur on further studies in this field of research.

The Impact of an Integrated Literacy and Design Activity on Student Attitudes Toward Coding

Scott Bartholomew — 2023-10-31

Coding is a growing and important area within Design and Technology Education and is also one of the arenas of education where the most significant effort is being given to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. To introduce young learners to coding and engineering design, a pioneering curricular unit was designed for upper elementary schools, intertwining literacy within its framework. To reasonably fit in the already overcrowded standards for elementary schools in the United States, the integration of multiple subjects was a defining feature of this unit which we termed “Digital Storyboards.” Digital Storyboards integrate engineering design, literacy, and coding into one unit which emphasizes students’ ability to design, develop, and automate an illustration from a favorite story using a variety of electronic elements including LEDs, copper tape, and micro:bits. Students are intentionally taught core content from literacy (the elements of a story), engineering (design), and computational thinking (variables, loops, Booleans) while they create and program their own digital storyboards as part of a 10-week unit in class. While initial implementations of digital storyboards in one classroom positively impacted all students, a more significant impact was discovered with female students specifically – an important idea since females are traditionally underrepresented in coding. Following our pilot work, the digital storyboard project was expanded into 16 classrooms with more than 200 students. Our findings, as well as the practical implications for teachers engaged with elementary and secondary content related to literacy, engineering, design, and computer science, will be shared.

The Impact of Teacher Preferences in Learning by Evaluating

Scott Bartholomew — 2023-10-31

Peer review and the evaluation of samples are common tools used in education and our research has shown positive impacts on student learning through the intentional evaluation of samples as a priming exercise—an experience we have termed “Learning by Evaluating (LbE).” While previous work in design and technology (D&T) classrooms with LbE has demonstrated positive student learning gains, we have not yet investigated the impact of the classroom teacher on the effectiveness of LbE and student learning. Therefore, our research sought to analyse the impact of a classroom teacher on student learning within a LbE experience situated in a D&T classroom. To better understand the impact the teacher has during LbE, multiple D&T classrooms engaged in LbE sessions were enrolled in this study. Each D&T classroom followed a similar protocol which had students engaged in an open-ended design problem who used LbE to evaluate samples of related work as part of their designing process. Specifically, we collected data from student LbE decisions to explore if students in different D&T classes valued different elements of the samples (e.g. did students in one class focus on aesthetics while students in another emphasized brevity in explanations). An online software platform (RMCompare) was used to engage students in LbE and collect both the quantitative data associated with the ranked preferences of the students and the qualitative data from their justifications for their selections. All students were enrolled in the same course, provided the same prompt to base their selections, and presented with the same samples. Key findings—both similarities and differences—between classes will be shared in alignment with implications for design and technology classrooms.

Teaching Food Technology through the Narrative of Food

Hildaruth Beaumont — 2023-10-31

This paper takes the position that food technology may be taught in secondary schools (learners aged 11 – 16 years) by a consideration of the narrative of food in the world. This narrative starts with food production mainly through agriculture and moves on to include storage, preservation and processing, sales, and distribution at different levels of scale, complexity, and sophistication dependant on context and concludes with food preparation and consumption. The place of food in society is dependent on the way in which various technologies are deployed throughout this narrative and how these may or may not help in our responses to the two great challenges confronting humanity today: social justice for all and the stewardship of Planet Earth in the face of climate change. It is important that young people learn about this in school in the light of both sustainable food production and nutrition. This paper will discuss how knowledge and understanding of this narrative, the embedded technologies and these challenges might be taught as the basis for a secondary school food technology course.

All you wanted to know about D&T but were afraid to ask?

Hildaruth Beaumont — 2023-10-31

Torben Steeg and Hilda Beaumont have written a short book for design & technology teachers both in England and abroad; to support heads of department in particular although we expect the book to be useful to teachers in training. The publisher is Routledge, and the title is Design and Technology in your School: Principles for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment. In writing this book we have called on the expertise of those who have significantly influenced the developing nature of the subject by inviting them to be critical friends of our writing and in some cases by contributing short pieces themselves. As a result, the content was not restricted to the thoughts of Torben and Hilda but was able to include voices from across the community of practice. This paper will describe the structure of the book, the devices used to support active engagement with the text, the contribution of critical friends and Thought Pieces, and the dealing with contentious issues. In the Concluding Remarks the paper discusses the place of the book in subject’s current state of uncertainty.

Implementation and analysis of a spatial skills course for Secondary level STEM education

Ursa Benedicic — 2023-10-31

High spatial skills have been directly linked to enhanced performance in STEM disciplines, with improvements in spatial skills linked to an increase in female retention at the university level. Spatial skills development and direct training are well researched and implemented within university level engineering education but are less defined at earlier stages of education. It is hypothesised that a spatial intervention implemented at the secondary level could be beneficial in order to boost student performance in STEM, where it still influences their interest in subjects and future career paths. The purpose of this paper is to present the implementation process of a spatial intervention in Irish secondary schools and the initial analysis of combined teacher and student data. The intervention was implemented with Transition Year (aged ~15 to 16 years old) students. Fifty teachers undertook a tailored professional development training to prepare them to deliver the spatial skills intervention, some of which then took part in various qualitative data gathering activities. The intervention was delivered to approximately 1500 students. They were administered a range of psychometric tests, including multiple spatial tests and a fluid reasoning test to investigate their development in a variety of cognitive aspects. This paper will focus on investigating the possible relationships between teacher spatial ability and student gains in spatial ability. The findings of the study were positive, indicating the successful implementation of the intervention and showing promise for future iterations.

The Utensil and the Tool

Louise Björlin Svozil — 2023-10-31

In Thinking through technology, Carl Mitcham puts forward his philosophical framework on technology in four aspects; objects, activities, knowledge and volition (Mitcham, 1994). When describing technology as objects, he presents a 'slightly modified and enlarged' list by Lewis Mumford (1934) specifying 'some basic types of technology as object' (Mitcham, 1994, pg. 162). By dividing the body of technological objects into clothes, utensils, structures, apparatus, utilities, tools, machines, and automata, I argue that these divisions and descriptions of the objects will create gendered perceptions of technological objects. One example of this is the dichotomy of utensils as objects used inside the home, and tools as objects usually used outside the home. In this research paper, I intend to discuss these conceptualizations of the philosophy of technology as expressed by Carl Mitcham, with the aim of finding more gender inclusive definitions of the utensil and the tool. Technology and masculinity have been closely intertwined for a long time and can partly be traced to women's exclusion from the labour market. Despite numerous initiatives in the past of enhancing women's attitudes, interest or will to pursue technology the gender balance in the field has remained none or little affected. I argue that without an inclusive philosophy to rely on, the field of technology will continue to exclude half of the earth's population. By discussing Mitcham's philosophy of technology as object, examine contemporary definitions, and elaborate on alternative conceptualizations, I will supplement this framework that has been of great importance to educators and philosophers of technology.

How do Swedish technology teachers assess programming education in grade 4-6?

Eva-Lena Bjursten — 2023-10-31

This study examines Swedish teachers' teaching and assessment practices in programming education for students in grades 4-6, with a focus on the technology subject. It investigates whether existing governing documents provide sufficient guidance for effective teaching and assessment in programming, particularly regarding Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The study addresses challenges faced by teachers, including limited training and a lack of instructional guidelines, stressing the importance of bridging this gap to support effective programming instruction and assessment. It explores assessment practices in programming within the technology subject, referring to previous studies that identify various approaches. The discussion includes product and process criteria for assessing programming tasks and emphasizes the need for clearer links between programming assessment and core technology content. The methodology involves semi-structured interviews with experienced teachers who taught programming prior to its inclusion in the curriculum. Analyzing the interview data helps examine alignment between teachers' assessment practices and governing documents. Results and discussion focus on one teacher, Camilla, with six years of programming teaching experience. It describes how Camilla facilitates curriculum goals and aligns assessments with grading criteria. The article also summarizes specific areas assessed in programming education and compares Camilla's criteria with essential content knowledge from previous studies. Based on the findings, the study concludes that while Camilla demonstrates comprehensive understanding of assessing programming knowledge, improvements are necessary in primary school programming education in Sweden. The existing governing documents inadequately support effective programming instruction, particularly in terms of content knowledge. It suggests identifying key characteristics of quality programming education at each stage of compulsory schooling and engaging in discussions to establish a strong educational foundation.

Key Words: Computer programming, PCK, assessment, teacher education, professional development

Developing technology students’ hierarchical thinking during iterative processes of designing through sketching activities

Nicolaas Blom — 2023-10-31

The development of students' hierarchical thinking during iterative processes of designing through sketching activities is a crucial part of design education as it supports the connection between students’ design intentions and its material embodiment. To this end, this paper discusses how different types of sketching activities can facilitate the development of hierarchical thinking in design activities. In this paper, we define hierarchical thinking as the ability to move between abstract and concrete representations through varying levels of specificity as well as the journey from global to specific representations. Doing this, we explore how using different sketching activities can allow students to explore a range of design intentions and physical embodiments at different levels of abstraction and detail. The paper also discusses how the idea of hierarchical thinking can support design educators to teach students to engage with their design processes more productively on a need-to-know basis. By teaching students to move between different levels of abstraction and detail effectively, teachers can support students to develop a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of their designerly processes. Overall, this article highlights the importance of modelling through sketching and hierarchical thinking in design education and practice.

Great expectations – A Finnish perspective on international students’ choice of university-level craft courses

Pia Brännkärr — 2023-10-31

University students have different motives and expectations when it comes to going on exchange and taking university courses in another country. Similarly, different motives and requirements impact course choices. Some exchange students who come to Finland choose to participate in craft courses. Craft as a school subject can be a new and foreign experience for many of them. The aim of this study is to investigate international students’ rationales for taking craft courses during their university studies in Finland. It also focuses on what kinds of expectations they have from a craft course and how they are met.

This was a qualitative study. Data was collected through questionnaires at the beginning (n=26) and end (n=15) of a craft course in which both international students and Finnish students had enrolled. Only international students’ answers were reported. Students answered open-ended questions about why they chose the course and their expectations from the course. At the end of the course, they were asked how it met their expectations. Themes for motives and expectations were identified using reflexive thematic analysis. Motives for the students’ choices related to their interests in the craft subject, their development, benefits in future work, new opportunities and practical studio work. Expectations related to, among other things, participants’ learning and development, learning from and helping each other, and learning things that would be useful in future work. The findings suggest that the content of craft courses is important and relevant to learn among students with diverse cultural backgrounds, regardless of whether they have similar subjects in their home countries.

Gifted students’ needs in technology education

Helen Brink — 2023-10-31

Students who are gifted and students with high abilities can have special educational needs. Teaching should be challenging and stimulating and teachers and educators in inclusive settings have a variety of needs to consider, included the gifted students’ needs. However, when it comes to secondary technology education, little is known about gifted students’ needs. The aim of this ongoing study is to describe and synthesize knowledge about gifted students’ needs in technology education through a systematic research literature review and a thematic analysis. The tentative results are four themes describing gifted students’ needs in technology education as Complexity, Autonomy, Support, and Authenticity. The themes can be used by teachers and guide them in their efforts to plan and implement diverse and differentiated technology teaching as a proactive response to the gifted students’ needs in inclusive settings.

Modelling approaches to combining and comparing independent adaptive comparative judgement ranks

Jeffrey Buckley — 2023-10-31

The use of Adaptive Comparative Judgement (ACJ) for educational assessment addresses one need within technology education for the reliable assessment of responses to open-ended activities which are characteristic within the field. The output of an ACJ session is a rank order of the piece of student work with relative “ability scores”. However, the use of ACJ has been limited to date in that ranks are not directly comparable. For example, a rank produced from one class group has no reference information against which to compare a rank produced of the work of another class group. In this type of case a solution has been to combine the work of both classes into one ACJ session, but this has limitation when considering scaling up.

A new goal for the use of ACJ involves solving this issue. The ability to compare or merge ranks presents a new capacity for ACJ – to use a rank as a “ruler” against which other ranks can be compared. In practice this would allow for two possibilities. The first is that a single rank could be developed which presents a national standard against which teachers could compare the work of their students to see where they are performing on a national level. The second is that communities of practice could complete ACJ sessions within their own classrooms, and when meeting as a group they could merge and compare relative performance of their own students to support professional development.

In a previous article a proof of concept of this process conducted via simulation was presented (Buckley and Canty, 2022). In this article we present the results of a project with authentic data – student work completed in response to meaningful activities with teachers acting as ACJ judges – which indicate that the use of ACJ in this way is now possible.

Considering the credibility of technology education research: A discussion on empirical insights and possible next steps

Jeffrey Buckley — 2023-10-31

Technology education is a maturing research field. If studies are conducted which lead to suggestions for practice – which many are – as such changes can impact a substantial number of learners and require significant resources, it is essential that the underpinning results are credible. Therefore, much like there are standards for educational practice, standards in research are equally as important. Such standards help ensure that findings are valid and trustworthy.

There are several dimensions to research credibility, such as replicability, reproducibility, the clear presentation of research questions and/or hypotheses, and reporting transparency, and it is important that the credibility of technology education research is considered for several reasons. In addition to ensuring sufficient empirical support for recommendations for practice, credibility is important to ensure trust in findings from both researchers and the wider community of stakeholders. It is also important for new studies which build upon prior work, that the evidential strength of the prior work is clearly understood.

Over the past two years, several studies have been conducted to examine current levels of credibility dimensions, specifically replicability and transparency, in technology education research. In this paper, the results of these will be briefly summarised with a view towards suggesting general areas for improvement and in providing practical ways in which to do so. More importantly, through this paper a broader discussion can be started around what standards should be considered for technology education research across different dimensions of credibility. Finally, other ways in which research credibility can be examined will be considered with a view towards gaining an understanding of what the technology education research community consider as more or less important within this research agenda.

Supporting Initial Teacher Education Students Assessment Literacy and Capability Development

Donal Brandon Canty — 2023-10-31

Recent curricular reform in Ireland has utilised classroom-based assessments as part of the national assessment strategy at the junior level in post-primary education. This calls for teachers to exercise their judgement in relation to their pupils' capability which is recorded for the certified national award of the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA). Ensuring effective assessment in this regard requires the development of assessment literacy and capability in the teaching cohort which starts on the continuum of teacher development at the initial teacher education (ITE) phase. Teacher judgement in assessment is reliant on multiple factors that impact on the assessment outcome. It is therefore important to design components of ITE programmes that provide opportunity to strategically develop this capability for implementation in practice. The case study presented in this paper presents an initial analysis of the practices and experiences of (n=87) Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students as they engage in a peer assessment activity that is part of an assessment literacy and capability development strategy on a technology education ITE programme. This was facilitated through the use of Adaptive Comparative Judgement sessions (ACJ). In these sessions, the participants engaged in the establishment of assessment criteria and implemented them in the holistic assessment of peers' work through the ACJ method along with providing formative feedback and making a summative judgement of the quality of the work. The findings present the usefulness of ACJ in providing pre-service teachers a space to develop assessment literacy and capability through the active and experiential learning approach taken.

Developing student teachers’ PCK for teaching technology with a sustainability edge in primary school

Anne-Marie Cederqvist — 2023-10-31

In Swedish primary schools, technology teaching may appear different depending on what educational setting the pupils meet. Many pupils experience the subject of technology as taking part in practical making-activities without recognizing the technological knowledge involved, and many teachers feel uncertain of what and how to teach technology, especially concerning sustainability. Thus, it is necessary to pinpoint these issues within teacher education. This paper presents the first iteration of a Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR) study on a teaching module that provides student teachers with theoretical and practical knowledge in technology education. The purpose of the study is to capture and understand how student teachers transform acquired knowledge and skills into Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for teaching technology in primary school. Special attention is on how student teachers evolve relations between technology education and sustainable development. The study is designed and implemented in line with DBIR based on principles of collaboration and has strong connections between practice and theory (Fishman & Penuel, 2018). The participating researchers, also the teacher educators, have together with teachers at a municipal technological resource facility jointly identified underlying premises such as policy document statements; topics and content of value for all participants; potential participating schools; and reviews of previous research. The study includes 12 student teachers enrolled in a science and technology course. Data is collected in several steps including student teachers’ written individual reflections, their project assignments, their lesson plans, and focus group interviews. Based on qualitative content analysis, components of PCK are traced to elucidate the transformation of student teachers’ PCK for teaching technology with a sustainability edge. The results contribute to knowledge of what efforts, such as teaching module design features and connections to sustainability, should be made to develop student teachers’ PCK for teaching technology in primary school.

Insights from the implementation of the course “Development of an interdisciplinary STEM project via PBL approach” in an 'Integrative STEM Education' M.Ed. program

Osnat Dagan — 2023-10-31

The paper explores the implementation of the problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogical approach in an academic course titled "Development of an Interdisciplinary STEM Project via PBL Approach." This course is one of the key courses in the master's in education (M.Ed.) degree on integrative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education running at Beit Berl College, Israel. The M.Ed. program aimed to train educators to design and implement interdisciplinary STEM curricula in schools and other educational settings. The program's main goals are to expand and enrich the teachers' understanding of the different STEM-based fields, to introduce them to new integrative fields implemented in industry and academia, and to provide them with the necessary foundations for implementing integrative STEM education using cutting-edge teaching and learning methods. The course is 6 ECTS credits and runs for two semesters. The course objective is to provide students with hands-on experience in the development of a STEM project within the incubator environment of the curriculum. In the course, the students work in a multidisciplinary team, and identify a problem relevant to society with awareness of sustainability, for which they develop a solution as a product. The students plan their path to solving the problem, investigate and find information to support the process, plan their timetable, and determine the criteria for assessing the product and their learning process. The course is co-taught by three lecturers from three different disciplines: environmental sciences, computer science, and technology. Each lecturer contributes to the learning process from her specific field of knowledge, from their different educational backgrounds, and their vast academic experience. The paper analyses the course implementation through the lens of PBL via student and faculty reflections, aiming to evaluate the learning process and address the challenges to improve the course.

Experiences in pedagogy of Design

Jeanna (Snjezana) de Haan -Topolscak — 2023-10-31

The core of the Dutch Technasium secondary school course Research and Design curriculum (R&D is in Dutch called Onderzoeken en Ontwerpen O&O) is to involve students in real-life design (or research) problems with a problem owner at a company or organisation. Students explore the nature of the design problem, establish a design brief, explore possible solutions and work out one option into a design, a prototype or a product depending on the level of complexity. Students work and learn in teams coached by Technasium teachers. Some secondary school teachers are qualified to teach at Technasium if they obtain a certificate from the Technasium foundation through a number of short training courses. They are originally teachers in various subjects like mathematics, physics, physical exercise, language and so on. The other part of the teachers have a teaching degree in R&D next to a degree in engineering. Thanks to different backgrounds the teachers offer a variety of angles and know-how in different fields of expertise needed during a R&D activities. Such a composition is enriching and STEM supporting at the level of knowledge transfer. It is clear that some R&D teachers have no design pre-knowledge. A pilot survey of R&D students and teachers on the concept of model within design activities unexpectedly showed similar doses of confusion about the concept of model among students and teachers. Therefore when asked to teach a concept of model in design related activities teachers provided a different definition of concept. Often a physically built scale model or prototype is the form of model they recognize in designing. The danger of such an approach is that the students obtain very different, incomplete or incorrect knowledge about the concept of model in relation to design. Therefore the set of values and norms within the group of Technasium STEM teachers is needed, to establish a design related frame of reference.

Keywords; STEM, Subject Research and Design (R&D), Concept, Model, Pedagogy of Design

Characterising Structure-Property Reasoning within a Chemical Design Challenge: Green Bubble Soap

Sebastiaan Vincent Petrus de Lavoir — 2023-10-31

Where design seems to merge easily with physics or technology education, it does not seem to take place much in secondary chemistry education. Design is one of the crosscutting concepts between the different STEM subjects, (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and is therefore included in curricula and standards in many countries. Structure-function reasoning is an important design skill. In a chemical context it shows similarities with structure-property reasoning (SPR). This SPR is a common practice for expert chemists but difficult to learn for secondary students. Given the similarities, chemical design activities might be a way to enhance students’ SPR. Moreover, stimulating SPR might open a way to expand the role of chemistry in integrated STEM education. We describe an explorative study in which the design of bubble soap is used as a context to promote students’ SPR. Data was collected in the form of audio recordings of student conversations within the design team, student-teacher conversations and design drawings on worksheets. Qualitative analysis, using the perspective for SPR as a framework, revealed that identified SPR was expressed in three ways: as a link between structural features and substances, as a link between the term ‘molecule’ and property and as a link between molecular structures and properties of a substance. Furthermore, analysis showed that SPR was only found during evaluation, discussion and ideation stages of the design process. The results indicate that this chemical design project can be used to stimulate students’ SPR and that SPR can be a way to integrate design practices more in chemistry classrooms.

Teaching Variables and Functions at the Secondary Level in a STEM Context

Brahim El Fadil — 2023-10-31

STEM education is becoming more popular at the primary and secondary levels in many curricula around the world. Effective instructional STEM activities and design methods are required to ensure that students’ and teachers’ needs are being met. One potential method is the Technology Design Process (TDP): a methodology that stresses the importance of creativity, collaboration and being open to adjustments and compromises.

This article reports on a case study that focused on the use of TDP to design and develop teaching-learning materials based on pendulum experiments to introduce variables and functions in mathematical context at the secondary level. The five iterative stages of TDP were integrated into the development of the course materials. Data was collected from 20 high school students who participated in a STEM activity. Both pre- and post-questionnaires were administered to the students. Additionally, a working document was used to assess the students' understanding of abstract concepts and the TDP.

The results indicate that TDP-centred activities effectively promote critical thinking, encourage questioning, and facilitate meaningful exploration of abstract concepts.

Transferring knowledge from one context to another

Nina Kristina Emami — 2023-10-31

This current case study examines the knowledge expressed by students in grade 9 (14-15 years old) when they have been taught about a specific technical system, the wastwater system, and are then asked to describe another optional technical system. They have been taught about the wastwater system through activities such as drawing their own system model and receiving specific guiding questions. In the case study, three students were interviewed after being taught about the wastwater system, and during the interview, they were asked to describe another optional technical system. They drew a system model and described the chosen system. The students' descriptions and their drawn models constitute the data in the case study. The data has been analyzed with transfer theory, and the results are discussed in relation to previous research on certain interpretations of transfer. The results show that the students describe structure and flow. A linear thinking is transferred to the students' descriptions of the new technical system, which may indicate that the relatively linear structure of the wastwater system is transferred to the new system, which, however, has a more circular structure. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of equipping students with effective learning strategies for comprehending and describing various technical systems. The findings emphasize the need for additional guidance to facilitate the generalization of system knowledge, particularly when transferring knowledge between systems with different structural characteristics.

AUTHENTIC TEACHING IN STEM EDUCATION - factors for success

Susanne Engström — 2023-10-31

Teaching for authentic learning is described in literature as motivating. Therefore, some schools in Sweden profile their education as authentic and some teachers strive for such teaching. During 2022, in a case study, we followed teachers and students in grade three with an age of 17-18 years, in a technology programme at a secondary school with aim to explore specific patterns in characteristics in teaching for authentic learning. The result shows that teaching in a technology programme in an upper secondary school can be done with characteristics related to theories. Some patterns are appearing as enabler of authentic teaching. Firstly, it seems to be important to start early with authentic activities when the students begin their first year. Secondly, the teachers must let the planning, teaching "go out of control", likewise the assessment. The teachers have the role as engaging coworkers and the authentic teaching is highly explained by the school leadership and their contacts, competence, acceptance, and safety. During 2023 we make a follow up study with a broader participation. Data is collected during interviews with six teachers in different schools, both primary and secondary schools. All teachers have participated in specific courses and are involved in projects dealing with teaching about space in STEM, with an authentic approach. The interviews will be analysed both related to a category system based on theories about authentic learning and more thematic, with aim to explore what pattern appears as enabler of authentic teaching. In this follow up study we have even more focus on what makes it possible to teach for authentic learning.

Approaches to industrial processes in technology textbooks

Susanne Engström — 2023-10-31

The aim of this study is to explore how technology textbooks can provide students with a basis for expressing knowledge about technical solutions within industrial processes. The base and the delimitation for the study is the formulation of the specific content on industrial processes that must be taught to 13 to 15-year-olds in Swedish schools pursuant to the national syllabus. Textbooks constitute an important foundation for teaching, particularly in the subject of technology, in which teachers may find the breadth of content they are expected to teach challenging. The study analyses the sections concerning industrial processes in four different technology textbooks commonly used for students in the age group 13–15. Analysis involved interpreting content in the form of text, images, assignments etc. related to aspects that are expected to characterise students’ descriptions and explanations of technical solutions: understanding of technical solutions purpose and functionality, how components interact as a whole, similarities to other technical solutions and relating them to their own experiences. The results show that these aspects emerge in different ways depending on, among other things, how the area is presented. We found three different ways in which industrial processes are presented in the textbooks: A unique industrial process is described carefully and in detail, Sub-processes and methods are presented systematically and Industrial processes are described as technological systems at a general level. One interpretation is that, as a teacher, you can teach about industrial processes in these different ways and that which one you choose affects to what extent certain aspects of technical solutions are visualised for the students.

Fostering Creativity through Design and Technology Education

Robert Farrugia — 2023-10-31

The challenges faced by contemporary societies, together with the on-going change characterizing these societies, reveal the need for citizens who are able to think differently and adapt what is already known to new, unknown situations (Cropley, A., 2011). This ensures that change is pro-actively managed. Education plays an important role in supporting active citizenship (Apple, 2013), where a methodology that promotes creativity ensures the effectiveness of pluralism in democratic societies. Teachers, however, are faced with dilemmas, having to compromise between the requirements for creativity and the demands of education systems (Atkinson, 2000; Runco, 2014a). Design and Technology Education has a potential role in addressing these dilemmas, due to the authenticity afforded and the potential of design practice to foster the metacognition required for creativity (Christiaans & Venselaar, 2005a). This paper presents the research conducted to build a toolkit for secondary school Design and Technology Educators, intended to capitalize on this potential. It was developed following an exploration process aimed at identifying a pedagogy that facilitates the fostering of creative mindsets through the subject. This process consisted of interviews with Design and Technology teachers to understand creativity in the local classroom, in addition to a literature review. The toolkit was then evaluated through interviews with other Design and Technology teachers. The underlying philosophy of the toolkit is based on the 4P framework (Rhodes, 1961) – Person, Process, Product, and Press – to address creativity holistically, with the creative Person as its long-term goal. This is embodied through the design process at the core of the toolkit, facilitated using the spiral curriculum (Bruner, 1977) and specific design tools. The evaluation of the toolkit shows that it can support high-level thinking required for creativity, confirming the role of Design and Technology Education in preparing present and future generations for the society they design and live in.

Students’ perception about mechanical stress and what is most important for learning, during a practical task, using digital interactive lab description.

Caroline Forsell — 2023-10-31

This study investigated student’s knowledge about mechanical stress using material created by the authors of this text. The material was an interactive lab description which can be used as an aid for teachers when teaching solid mechanics. During the studies in upper secondary school in Sweden, students at the technology programme take a general introductory course in mechanics. The participants consisted of four classes from one school in Sweden. They answered a questionnaire before and after the solid mechanics task, 85 out of 107 students answered both questionnaires. A thematic analysis was applied on the material, resulting in 6 groups based on the students’ previous knowledge and how much they have learned. To find correlations between the different groups a Oneway Anova analysis with multiple comparison post hoc test was performed. No significant differences were found between groups and how the students rated importance of their preparation, lab description, interactive links, formula book, course book, the teacher or execution of the lab. Significant differences between groups and class, and between the class and the importance of the teacher were found. The teachers’ role was most important of all the categories in all classes while the lowest was the course book and the digital links. This study showed that the teacher was important for the students’ perception of solid mechanics during this lab and that the interactive lab description played less roll.

Embedding Computational Thinking into Authentic Technology Practice

Wendy Helen Fox-Turnbull — 2023-10-31

This paper presents the findings from a pilot study aimed to investigate how the computational thinking aspect of digital technologies can be embedded authentically into students’ technological practice. The project explored teaching and learning computational thinking in context and particularly focus on technological needs and practice for young Māori learners.

There is recognition internationally about the need for digital technologies within the curriculum. Computational thinking is a critical component of this and is defined as an approach to problem-solving, designing computer systems, and understanding related human behaviours, while drawing on fundamental ideas of computing. Therefore, it is critical that all students acquire computational thinking skills. Technology practice is most successful when embedded within authentic contexts, thus this paper presents a study that facilitated the learning of two concepts of computational thinking: sequencing and orientation within culturally embedded technology practice. The study’s vision is to assist mainstream Māori learners from low socio-economic backgrounds to develop an understanding of related concepts of computational thinking. The research design drew on Māori values and practice that situates learning within authentic Māori contexts. Kaupapa Māori pedagogies were used in our design-based intervention programme to achieve the research goal. The focus of the project was to improve digital technologies learning outcomes to ensure Māori tamariki (children) see themselves as comfortably situated in a digital world.

Subject Knowledge in D&T Teacher Education

Karen Fuller — 2023-10-31

Determining the key subject knowledge that should underpin D&T Teacher education in England has never been easy. The fundamental range of the subject (with a scope of materials that includes food, textiles, engineered materials, computational systems… used to design and make products across a limitless extent of context), continuing developments in many of the technologies that underpin it, the breadth of experience that entrants to D&T teaching bring with them, the heterogeneity of approaches to D&T subject matter in schools (including the move in many English schools to teaching some of the above areas, especially textiles, through Art & Design) and ever changing statutory and examination requirements all have their influence. In the past the D&T Association (2003) has provided guidance, but, as noted by Martin as long ago as 2008, this guidance has lost relevance as the landscape has changed.

There are, of course, in addition to all the above, broader debates that are current about the role of subject knowledge in school education, and these have led to various explorations about how the fundamentals of subject knowledge in D&T should be constructed.

In this paper we describe the way that subject knowledge content in our PGCE D&T curriculum has been, and still is, evolving in response to these diverse and not always complementary forces. Underpinning this, using survey data from past and present ITE students and placement schools, we explore how the subject knowledge content of our PGCE course matches with the needs of our students and the curricula of their placement and first teaching schools.

We end by suggesting possible avenues of development for D&T ITE subject knowledge in the English context, and draw out some principles for building a relevant and robust subject knowledge base for teacher education in D&T.

Mentoring on Early-Career Technology and Engineering Teachers

Joseph Furse — 2023-10-31

Many researchers in the field of technology and engineering education (TEE) have identified the shortage of TEE teachers as an existential crisis within the discipline. A major component of this crisis is the retention of early-career TEE teachers. This study sought to investigate the impact of current practices and impacts of mentoring on early-career TEE teachers’ sense of belonging, job satisfaction, and expectations to remain in the teaching profession. Data were collected from early-career technology and engineering teachers via an online survey distributed across the United States of America through the Association for Career and Technical Education, the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, and state-level CTE directors. Data were analysed regarding the types of mentoring available to early-career TEE teachers, its effectiveness, and the relationship between mentoring and sense of belonging, job satisfaction, and teachers’ intentions to remain in the profession.

The Initial findings of the Healthy Lifestyles Project:

Suzanne Gomersall — 2023-10-31

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in developed countries, with those who live in lower socio-economic groups twice as likely to be obese (Davies, 2019). This paper will report the findings and analysis of the first 4 years of a six-year longitudinal study into the impact of the Healthy Lifestyles Project (HLSP), which is currently being piloted as part of the D&T curriculum in a school in an area of high deprivation. The HLSP aims to develop children's practical cooking and nutrition skills, knowledge and understanding, enabling them to choose, prepare and cook healthy ingredients to feed themselves and their families, helping to change their attitudes and perceptions towards choosing a healthier lifestyle. By drawing on the experience of head chef at the Adopt a School Trust, the HLSP has been designed to provide a programme for staff, children and parents which aims to make a positive contribution to tackling children’s health in the UK and beyond.

There are four key features of the HLSP:

regular termly cooking and nutrition lessons
termly support for parents
opportunities for children to plant, grow and eat their own fruit and vegetables in the school grounds
teaching resources for before, during and after the practical food sessions

Theory and research suggest that when looking at changing behaviour, interventions that have several aims and approaches are more successful. Therefore, when designing the HLSP, a multi-pronged approach was required to address attitudes and behaviours by tackling some of the physiological, environmental and social issues behind childhood obesity. One theoretical framework that the HLSP aligns to closely is Social-Ecological Model (SEM), based on Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model. Preliminary evaluations on the impact the project have been made across the five aspects of the SEM theoretical framework: individual, inter-personal, organisational, community and policies, laws & other cultures.

“If D&T wasn’t so easy, I wouldn’t be so good at it”: Nonverbal Ability and Confidence

Alexander Augustus Greenhalgh — 2023-10-31

At the heart of this paper is a belief that the English education system enacts systemic discrimination against nonverbally intelligent students by teaching and assessing non-academic subjects via academic means. This paper presents action research that focuses on students with a nonverbal bias, attempting to boost their self-efficacy (Bandura et al., 1999), self-concept (Bong & Clark, 1999), and discusses how these may be hurt by current D&T assessments. The study examines the comparative perception of intelligence levels needed to succeed in school subjects, alongside the types of intelligences assessed within English educational policy.

To boost intelligences specific to design, this research took a two-pronged approach; verbally promoting high-attaining students and presenting their outstanding book work in the spirit of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory (Gardner, 2006), and testing for “eductive” problem-solving intelligences (Raven et al., 1994) at the beginning of each class in a 6-week Scheme of Work with Raven’s Progressive Matrices (RPM), logged publicly on a leaderboard in the classroom. The results reveal a positive shift in whole-class perceptions of intelligence needed for D&T, and increased confidence levels among students on the leaderboards, alongside decreased confidence levels of those not on the leaderboards. The study acknowledges limitations in the methodology, particularly an overemphasis on RPM, which subjugated other aspects of intelligence in design, and my own inadvertent acculturation into the quantitative testing culture.

The conclusion acknowledges failures in the research, yet emphasises the need for a cultural shift in English state schools to recognise and respect the non-academic intelligences required to succeed in creative fields like D&T. It highlights the inadvertent discrimination against nonverbally intelligent students due to the dominance of academic culture and advocates for a more tailored approach to D&T assessment which better reflects abilities used in real-world design industries.

Developing the Professional Knowledge of Technology Student Teachers via a Parallel Approach: A Longitudinal Study

Rina Grobler — 2023-10-31

In a small scale, four-year longitudinal, quasi-experimental research project, technology student teachers could study the school subject in parallel, together with the development of discipline knowledge (or their major) within the broader development of their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). We investigated the performance of students – who had studied the school subject at school and those who studied it in a postschool-university context – in their (1) major, (2) specialised methodology/ pedagogy and (3) their experiences and competencies during their final year work-integrated learning period in schools. We interpreted the findings within the broader theoretical framework of Shulman’s PCK by relating the first aspect to content knowledge, and the second aspect to pedagogical knowledge. We found that the parallel approach to PCK development in technology teacher education seems to be viable to increase the number of prospective technology student teachers, with the requirement that it happens within a social constructivist, co-operative learning environment with ample opportunities for cognitive and practical apprenticeship in a community of practice. However, by building on Shulman’s PCK and Gardner’s cognitive theory, Banks has developed the internationally acknowledged model of teacher professional knowledge (TPK). It entails the active interaction between subject knowledge, school knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and experience which underpins the personal subject construct of the teacher. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to reinterpret the previous findings through the lens of Banks’ TPK model by following a qualitative meta-synthesis as research methodology. In conclusion, implications for curriculum design of initial professional education of technology teachers are drawn.

How does matter matter in technology education?

Annica Gullberg — 2023-10-31

Practical activities are at the core of learning in technology. Therefore, such activities are included as an important and established part of education and curricula. From practical work during education, students are expected to develop their understanding of technology’s material codes. Entities, from simple equipment to advanced instruments, require knowledge of when, why and for what they can and should be used. Students are required to learn the practical craft of how to handle equipment and different materials. Emotional outcomes from practical activities may be feelings of success and satisfaction, or disappointment, lingering worries and nervousness. Such feelings may be crucial for a student’s decision to start, or continue, her/his science/technology studies.

This project explores how practical activities shape learning processes in two different experimental setups within technology education. The purpose is to examine how students’ and teachers’ emotional embodiment of scientific/technology practices, through entangled intra-actions with each other and matter/material, influence both teaching and learning. We draw on Barad’s theory of agential realism (Barad 2007) and Sara Ahmed’s ‘Cultural Politics of Emotion’ (Ahmed 2012). Three methods of data collection will be employed: observations, micro interviews, and interviews.

The research questions are: how can student-teacher-material-emotions intra-actions be understood, and what context-specific views of practical skills are expressed, and how?

In the presentation we discuss the theoretical framework, methods, and early outcomes from a pilot study.

Exploring the Use of Peer and Self-Assessment as a Pedagogical Tool in UK Secondary Design Education.

Andrew Joseph Thurston Halliwell — 2023-10-31

In this case study, a collaborative and social-constructivist approach to secondary Design and Technology teaching is explored. Self and peer-assessment interventions are employed as a pedagogical tool for increasing student attainment, knowledge gain and self-efficacy. Within schools, students learn by interacting with their peers; they help each other identify their strengths, address their weaknesses, and develop metacognitive skills. As a construct for aiding knowledge sharing, peer assessment can be significantly beneficial as it allows students to evaluate the work of their peers and provide constructive feedback within a supported environment. This research presents student perceptions on strategies designed to facilitate self-assessment, and peer-assessment as a pedagogical tool and investigates the order these strategies are employed within the classroom. Eighteen, year 11 design students aged 15-16 from across two classes took part in four ‘peer-learning’ sessions containing both self and peer-assessments. These sessions were spread across different stages of the student’s design process: research, iteration, design development and testing and evaluation. The project began at the start of the 2022-23 academic year and concluded at the end of the second term. Each session approaches these assessment exercises with different methods and finishes with a questionnaire to enable comparison. The results gathered show an increase in student attainment, self-efficacy, and a greater understanding of the assessment criteria when students complete their design coursework. A sequence of activities for employing self and peer-assessment within design education is established and presented. This research aims to share evidence of self and peer-assessment as a pedagogical tool when students are completing their design coursework. In presenting the benefits and barriers of this method, teachers will be able to use and adapt it within their own classes

A DEVELOPING PROJECT: INVESTIGATING FUTURE FORMS OF DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

Andrew Halliwell — 2023-10-31

It is regularly reported at previous PATT conferences that design and technology (D&T) in England is in decline. Despite initiatives, new curricula and government lobbying, the D&T juggernaut seems to be on the brink of collapse (according to some), with lowering numbers of pupils studying D&T, fewer teachers, less resources, and low status in schools.

Pulling the D&T juggernaut back from the brink requires more than one approach and most of the recent ones have been led by national organisations. This paper reports on the first phase of a new project, led by practising teachers, that takes a new approach. In simple terms, the aim of the project is to redesign D&T, not so much the content but the curriculum delivery and framework.

We have started by identifying the unresolved issues that are causing curriculum tensions and incoherence in the D&T community.

In this paper we are reporting on the first phase of our design project, where we used a Delphi Study to identify the controversial D&T curriculum issues that need resolving before we can design a D&T curriculum. Nineteen teachers completed the first survey. Analysing of the survey data reduced the number of questions to 24. These were circulated to a self-selecting expert group (participants who completed the first survey). A second round of analysis has clarified that there are 18 unresolved questions and contentions issues that need to be debated.

The next step is to invite teachers to respond to these issues; these responses will then be shared in a publication, debated, and shaped into a curriculum design specification. Finally, teachers will be invited to share at a future workshop or conference their curriculum design ideas that meet this specification.

What is Design Volition? Implications for Technology Education

Jonas Hallström — 2023-10-31

Design is a central aspect of technology education and has a prominent position in curricula all over the world, not only in subjects named Design and Technology (and similar) but also in most other technology and engineering subjects, or disciplines. In philosophy, it has been asserted that design volition (axiology) has a strong relationship with and in many ways forms the basis of design as a methodological stance. In this paper, therefore, we investigate the affordances of volition/axiology as an integral philosophical component of technology education, specifically in relation to design methodology. The primary philosophical frameworks used as the foundation for this philosophical analysis are the ones presented by Carl Mitcham in his Thinking through Technology (1994) and Andrew Feenberg’s critical theory of technology. We perform a critical review of relevant literature, in line with a procedure suggested by Grant and Booth (2009). Based on this review, we attempt a clearer definition of the lucid concept of volition/axiology in the literature, as well as explicate relationships and influences between axiology and methodology in which we also review design as societal phenomenon, strong and weak intentionality, determinism, etc. In conclusion, implications for technology education are drawn.

Authenticity in integrated STEM education – boon or fantasy?

Jonas Hallström — 2023-10-31

Engineering design and technological modelling have been argued as valid premises from which to increase authenticity, relevance and create bridges between the STEM disciplines while maintaining subject integrity. Previous research indicates that projects which emulate how engineers work has the potential of both integrating STEM disciplines and being authentic. At the same time, earlier research also cautions that few integrated STEM projects consider students’ interests and their everyday contexts. The aim of this study is to investigate the implementation of an integrated STEM project in the Technology Programme at a Swedish upper secondary school. The studied STEM project involves students’ designs for improving their physical school environment in terms of well-being, feasibility, and sustainability. Data collection consisted of participatory observations, as well as teacher and student interviews. The results are presented in terms of three themes, namely (1) cooperation and real-life application are fundamental for authentic learning; (2) using models and modelling for communicating design ideas are central to authentic technology and engineering; and (3) integration of STEM content and methods do not draw on all four disciplines. It is concluded that there might be easily accessible pathways to promote integrated STEM and authenticity, such as utilizing the school environment as a starting point. However, formally implementing authentic practices remain a challenge even though a majority of teachers are enthusiastic about real-world relevance in design projects. Integrated STEM in the design project mostly included technology and engineering content, and aspects of science and mathematics albeit to a lower degree, which made simultaneous integration of all STEM disciplines a challenging task.

Teacher training in robotics - evaluating the implementation of robotics and teachers motivation and self-efficacy towards robotics.

Dani Hamade — 2023-10-31

The competent, critical, cooperative, and creative use of digital technologies has become a fundamental requirement for participation in society and professional life. Human-robot collaboration, which is increasingly common in industry, and networked production through the Internet of Things are prime examples of this. Teachers therefore need to be prepared for the challenges in times of digital transformation in order to prepare students for the increasingly digitalised labour market of today and tomorrow. As part of the so-called master plan for digitization, the project “Robonatives" is equipping technology labs at 65 schools. In order to ensure a structured implementation in line with the project's objectives, the University of Oldenburg, among others, is supporting these schools in the development of curriculum for long-term integration into the schools' own curriculum. Teachers are provided with advanced training courses addressing the use of robots, occupational safety, and ethical and social issues, as well as the design of learning situations. The aim is to establish the topic in schools in the long-term, beyond the project's duration (24 months). In line with this, the article presents and evaluates a study on how robotics is embedded in the lessons of the project schools. A further aim of the evaluation is to measure the teachers' motivation and self-efficacy to teach robotics, in order to evaluate the training concept and to identify further needs.

Teaching Values in Technology Education through Co-Design

Neshane Harvey — 2023-10-31

Co-design pedagogy appears to be gaining momentum in technology education to counteract the critique of design education for the lack of collaborative initiatives. Hence, co-design pedagogy aligns with technology education in socially constructed values that are inter-subjective and co-constructed. Socially co-constructed values imply that technology education should pave possibilities for students to learn about and practically apply value judgments to foster futuristic change agents.

Like co-design, the rationale to include values, especially moral values, in technology education has grown. Incorporating values in technology education would prevent the discipline from becoming mere technical education. The exploration of the context for designing and making is one stage in the technological process to support students’ exploration of value judgements. However, replacing the current orthodox pedagogy by ones in which values relating to technology and technology education are co-constructed rather than imposed requires investigation.

This conceptual paper draws on the empirical findings of three co-design principles used to guide co-design pedagogy, which are then superimposed on the theoretical framework of values in technology and technology education. Hence a two-fold: Firstly, it draws on the findings of three co-design principles emanating from co-design interventions in fashion education, namely: 1) users as core and inspirational source, 2) design with users, and 3) identify user needs for integration. Subsequently, the second purpose draws linkages to technology education and proposes strategies for the teaching of moral values. Thus, the overarching research question is: How can co-design design principles be linked to and inform strategies for teaching moral values in technology education?

The three co-design principles emanated from qualitative design-based research embedded in an interpretive paradigm via social constructivist methods. Following that, the linkages were a result of a superposition of the co-design principles on the theoretical framework of values in technology education. The said superposition could be instrumental in reviving the stagnant framework as a contribution for technology education.

Engaging object agency: new ways of design learning and being for young people in the museum

Alice Hellard — 2023-10-31

This research investigates object intra-actions with young people in the design museum. Agency in relation to learning is under-researched in museum studies, and this is especially lacking in research that focuses on learning during secondary school visits to design museums. Further exploring agency through religious-political dimensions, another under-researched area is Christian and Christian-colonial influences in museology broadly, and in museum learning in particular. These influences are pertinent to learner and object agency due to their historical proscription of certain values and structures to knowledge and experience of the design object and its representations in the museum, and as such they co-constitute the entanglement of this research. The research aims to disrupt the status quo by using a design and new materialist methodological approach to make sense of and, where possible, make visible intra-actions between objects within this entanglement.

This paper is intended as a discussion piece which examines the historically imbued nature of design learning for young people in school visits to the museum, sets out the framework-methodology and frames a number of key questions to be explored further through the conference presentation. Agential realism underpins the theoretical-methodological framework which also supports my position as learner-researcher, and this positioning is further enhanced by my professional experience in museums, schools and the university. The research identifies alternative pedagogies for both schools and museums that are co-located between learners and museums as entangled producers of knowledge. This is a radical re-imagining of design pedagogies in museums and classrooms that contributes to the multi-stakeholder dialogue on decolonising methodologies within design education.

To See Reason: Technology Teachers’ Interventions and Students’ Reasoning in the Design Process

Ellinor Hultmark — 2023-10-31

In this study, the aim has been to explore teacher interventions in relation to students' reasoning in the design process. It is important that technology education develops students’ reasoning in design so that the students can learn to draw conscious conclusions and to make the thought process behind these conclusions explicit. The teacher’s support is pivotal to this learning. However, research on teacher practice when students reason within technology education is limited. Nonetheless, gaining knowledge about this would support further insights in how to develop students’ reasoning in design. Data has been collected through two classroom observations of lessons in technology education in Swedish secondary schools. Video and audio were recorded using two cameras and teacher-mounted and student group microphones. Transcribed video and audio data were analyzed through thematic analysis. In the results, the teacher interventions have been described and presented in relation to the important reasoning types in design; means-end reasoning and cause-effect reasoning. Findings indicate that the students’ reasoning is more visible when the teacher asks counter questions or questions to check-up or to challenge the student’s actions. The results of this study will be beneficial to propel further research about teaching in relation to students’ reasoning in design.

Different textbooks in technology education – different opportunities for developing subject literacy

Charlotte Hurdelbrink — 2023-10-31

This study aims to investigate textbooks in technology education and what characterizes the content related to how instructional materials in technology for grades 7-9 (ages 13-16) provide students with opportunities to develop subject literacy in the subject of technology - how and to what extent. A delimitation is made to the specific content that covers industrial processes, which according to the curriculum should be taught to students aged 13-16 in the Swedish school. Textbooks constitute an important basis for education, and the study analyses the section that deals with industrial processes in four different technology textbooks commonly used for students aged 13-16. The content of texts, images, tasks, etc. has been interpreted in relation to (1) which language development aspects are addressed, (2) which prior knowledge students need to understand the content of the texts, (3) which concepts are discussed, and (4) which knowledge and prior knowledge students bring with them to upper secondary school through these textbooks. The study investigates how concepts are explained, as well as everyday words, words with different meanings in different subjects, and concepts alongside the subject-specific ones, as well as which other words and concepts may be unfamiliar to students and how they are explained and described. Text structures and linguistic structures are presented, as well as how headings and text transitions affect the understanding of the content. An important aim is to analyse the opportunities for developing subject literacy provided and whether the examples provided contribute to students' understanding of the subject and to their ability to communicate their understanding of the subject. The preliminary results show differences in what characterizes the content of the books. The preliminary results also show differences regarding the conditions for developing subject literacy.

Preliminary study of how 21st-Century Skills are developed during a participatory user-centred curriculum intervention at Key Stage 3 in Design and Technology

Philip Jones — 2023-10-31

Whilst designing ‘for and with’ end-users has been commonplace in the professional design space since the 1970s, there is a lack of research evidence of empathic or human-centred design in primary and secondary education. This paper presents a preliminary study of the ‘Solving Genuine Problems for Authentic Users Project’ conducted to explore the effect that involving end-users throughout the design process has on students and their outcomes as part of their Key Stage 3 D&T education. Sixteen 12-13-year-old students at a secondary school in England worked in teams of four to with a member of the school catering staff to develop a prototype, aimed towards solving a problem that they identified together. The student researchers utilised agency in the research methods they employed to gain a better understanding of the design context. Data included a pre and post questionnaire to measure students’ creative potential which helped to improve an understanding of how empathy, a recognised 21^st-Century Skill, was developed over the course of the study. Other data collected included photographs of student work and the students’ field notes. Data was thematically coded to offer a narrative of the findings. This study contributes to the growing understanding of 21^st-Century Skill development in a D&T context, as well as the facilitation of face-to-face collaboration with end-users at an early stage of secondary design and technology education.

Social Emotional Learning and its framework for Technology Education

Virginia Jones — 2023-10-31

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a key construct for engagement in technology education learning at the undergraduate level. The sample population for this applied research study is two higher education institutions, one located in the Mississippi Delta with a predominately homogenous population of rural, African American students and the other in West Virginia, with a predominant population of rural Caucasian students. The students were enrolled in technology education-based courses and participated in the research study survey to assess their social emotional learning and their overall college success and engagement. The findings of this very limited sample size showed that undergraduate students failed to connect the importance of social emotional skills especially empathy and social awareness, with academic success. Students tended to rank themselves highly in academic based categories even when their academic GPA did not reflect that rigor. All students ranked themselves low in awareness of others’ emotions and especially awareness of their faculty’s perspectives.

Artificers, satisficers and optimisers: Echoes of Simon and ‘ways of being’ in Design and Technology Education

Steve Keirl — 2023-10-31

Herbert Simon created the neologism ‘satisficing’ in order to address a particular issue he found regarding problem solving in organisations. His work also included such concepts as ‘bounded rationality’ and has influenced many areas of human endeavour including, at times, the theorising of problem-solving in Design and Technology (D&T) education.

The paper gives an overview of Herbert Simon’s work and neologism, drawing on his landmark text The Sciences of the Artificial (Simon, 1969/1996). Context is offered with comparisons between the (positivistic) problem-solving of the technical-rational 1960s zeitgeist and subsequent human-centred design practices and genres.

Imagining three ‘ways of being’ in the field of D&T, the paper explores how the roles of artificer, satisficer and optimiser can play out for pupils, teachers and D&T’s problematic (sic) curriculum. Whilst echoes of Simon’s work can still be found in D&T education, and the three roles can contribute to the design repertoire of pupils and teachers alike, it is argued that any application of them should be understood for their limitations as ‘problem-solving’ cannot equate designing – in theory or in practice.

Secondary Students Intrinsic Motivation during Multidisciplinary STEAM projects

Remke Klapwijk — 2023-10-31

Education is usually organized along the line of mono-disciplines. It is however argued that a focus on solving problems, designing and advising for clients will be more meaningful for students and will enhance their motivation for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects and careers. Therefore, the Dutch network of Technasia schools have positioned Integrative STEAM projects for clients central in their curriculum.

Usually these projects are related to one discipline and conducted by students with a science-oriented profile. In a pilot, 8 schools developed and conducted Multidisciplinary STEAM Projects for pupils in grade 9 to 11 using social cooperative approaches such Jigsaw and perspective-based question prompts that scaffold multi-disciplinary ways of thinking.

The self-determination theory links intrinsic motivation with the presence of autonomy, relatedness, perceived competences. The theory also links the way students perceive the relevance of their learning activities to motivation. Therefore the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) questionnaire was used to determine half-way and after the project of 182 students their interest and enjoyment as well perceived competence, effort, pressure, perceived choice, value/usefulness and relatedness. For relatedness to peers and to the client the original statements from IMI were adapted. The results show that intrinsic motivation was slightly positive on average, while relatedness between teammates was positive and pressure low. Students experienced working from different disciplines as valuable. It is suggested to develop new items to measure relatedness to the client as those based on the original IMI where not able to measure this construct well.

Implementing Engineering Based STEM Programs in High School Classrooms in the Republic of Korea

Hyuksoo Kwon — 2023-10-31

In 2022, South Korea announced new national curriculum that implement it from 2023. High school curriculum is about to fully implement the high school credit system, which allows students to choose subjects that suit their needs and career paths. In South Korea, technology education in middle school is a common compulsory subject, but high school technology education is a selective subject and has the name of technology and home-economics. High school technology education experiences difficulties that are not selected in many schools due to the confusion of identity of subject names and social negative perception of technology. The purpose of this is to develop an engineering education program that can be used in high school technology education and to verify its effect on students. To achieve the purpose of this study, an engineering education program was developed and students’ changes through the program were measured. This study was based on a single-group pre-post test design and was conducted with 96 10^th grade students. As a result of this study, students’ engineering interest, engineering self-efficacy, and engineering career awareness were statistically significantly improved through the developed engineering education program. This study provides great implications for actively including and utilizing engineering in technology education. In addition, it will give great implication for the direction and program development of high school technology education.

Professional Learning Opportunities for the Hangarau Māori-medium Technology Curriculum

Ruth Lemon — 2023-10-31

This paper is the third in a series of papers exploring the development of the Māori-medium Technology curriculum, specifically focusing on professional learning development. It utilises document analysis and interviews with curriculum experts, drawing on curriculum alignment and coherence theories. Curriculum coherence affects student learning across various levels: national, subject, school/classroom, and systems. Data comes from Ministry of Education records and interviews with teacher professional development facilitators. The study reviews professional learning literature, particularly meta-analyses and reviews, in the context of curriculum coherence. It examines how curriculum coherence relates to the professional development needs of teachers implementing the Hangarau curriculum, highlighting the challenge of interpreting broad learning outcomes. The paper suggests principles for aligning national curriculum content and professional learning, aiding facilitators and teachers in designing effective professional development for improved student learning.

Rupe Rere Nui

Ruth Lemon — 2023-10-31

This paper is part of a larger study involving the design and implementation of a prototype of a low-cost programming environment or tangible user interface where students use robots to navigate a geographical map in telling and re-telling stories associated with that place. The geographical map that was initially developed depicted the Wellington region (the lower North Island of New Zealand), as the lead researcher for this project had connections to Wellington. The story-telling focused on the narratives of Kupe, a Māori explorer and one of the first to discover New Zealand. However, in response to an inner-city Auckland school, we designed a map that would support the children’s engagement with local landmarks, as expressed in a waiata (song) called Rupe Rere Nui. Māori kaumatua (elder), Wally Penetito, exhorts teachers to ‘start where your feet are’, emphasising the importance of place-based learning or localised curriculum.

The focus of this paper lies in pedagogical possibilities and the importance of responsive curriculum design when you are working in classroom contexts. The study contributes to the field of localised curriculum with a focus on the place of storytelling and the incorporation of non-technical subjects, such as place-based narratives, into a robotics system. The use of paper-based commands with young children aged between 5-9 years of age has been evaluated over a range of settings and the working prototype has been refined as a result of trials with teachers and children in classrooms.

Situating spatial ability development in the Craft and Technology curricula of Swedish compulsory education

Ting-Jun LIN — 2023-10-31

Spatial ability has been shown to have a causal relationship with students’ success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. While an abundance of research has investigated how spatial ability development is and could be integrated to science, engineering, and mathematics curricula, little attempt has been made to date to situate where spatial ability manifests in technology curricula. This paper uses document analysis strategy to examine the locations of spatial ability related learning outcomes within the craft and technology curricula in Swedish compulsory education.

This paper employs a qualitative inductive approach to analyse the policy document from the Swedish National Agency for Education. We argue that spatial ability development manifests in the Swedish craft and technology subject curricula along two dimensions. First, the curricula are underpinned by visual components, which are graphical, pictorial, and manufactured components. Second, along with the visual components, the curricula are delivered with the aim of constructing students’ conceptual and procedural knowledge. While technology curriculum dominantly cultivates students’ conceptual and procedural knowledge by interacting with the graphical and manufactured components such as sketches and objects, the craft curriculum is taught in a more diverse way where students are not only required to deal with graphical and manufactured components but also to involve in various pictorial components that convey cultural and historical meanings by craft products.

Primary school students’ perception of technology

Johan Lind — 2023-10-31

Research on students’ perceptions and understanding of technology has shown that students have a narrow view of technology: for example, technology is often manifested in students’ descriptions as artefacts or objects. This paper aims at investigating how students develop understanding of how technology is manifested during classroom activities in technology. The study was conducted at a compulsory primary school with eight-year-old students.

The data (video and audio recordings) were collected in small-group interactions and whole-class discussions. In the interactions, the students utilised self-taken photographs to visualise their understanding and perception of technology. The analysing process is grounded in Mitcham’s (1994) manifestations of technology: object, activity, volition, and knowledge.

Based on the students’ prior knowledge, they perceived technology as contemporary electrical artefacts. The findings indicate that students achieve a more nuanced perception and understanding of technology as objects during classroom activities in technology.

Reinventing Secondary School:

Deana Lucas — 2023-10-31

Higher education and industry leaders seem to continuously call for transforming the way learning occurs within schools to better meet the needs of students, society, and the workforce. Many attempts have been made to address these calls such as increasing integrated STEM programming in schools, providing after-school robotics activities, as well as developing novel school models. One such innovative model, the focus of this study, is a polytechnic high school model developed in collaboration between a public research-intensive university and several industry/community partners. This model was developed to be implemented in urban settings with an emphasis on serving minoritized youth through design project cycles created with local industry/community partners rather than through subject-specific classes. It can be valuable to investigate a school model that has been created to have this design-based learning approach as its central focus. The purpose of this exploratory study was to understand 1) how teachers perceive the influence of the school model on the learning of students from diverse backgrounds and 2) how teachers view their own experiences working within the school model. This study examined pre/post teacher surveys to provide insights into how the teachers believe the school model is working with respect to students' ability to perform within this style of design-based instruction and any challenges faced by the teachers to implement the school model. This information can help to inform those who seek to provide different learning environments for students through restructuring schools around industry/community-focused design projects. This paper will introduce the components of the polytechnic school model, detail the emphasis of the industry/community-driven design cycles, highlight the methodology used, present some preliminary findings, and discuss insights and recommendations for secondary schooling.

The challenges of implementing a spatial ability intervention at secondary level

Liam Maquet — 2023-10-31

Spatial skills development has been widely examined throughout the literature, with evidence suggesting many cognitive abilities are malleable and can be improved through targeted solutions. Some previous examples of intervention studies have been shown to reduce the gap between genders, and those of a lower socio-economic status where the training increased spatial ability, as well as in discipline-specific educational performance. These findings align with many national agendas for STEM diversity, which strive to increase participation and performance of such under-represented groups in STEM.

With a lot of research being conducted around spatial skill development within a university level setting, or outside of a formal educational context completely, the applicability of such training interventions in a secondary level school context is unclear. With secondary level education aiming to develop many cognitive abilities, including spatial ability as outlined in curriculum documents, the implementation of such an intervention could improve student outcomes and add value to the educational experience of the students. With the time-sensitive nature of secondary level schooling, there are many concerns around the amount of time and effort that needs to be invested to successfully implement such an intervention. Through the piloting of a spatial training intervention, this paper focusses on the development of spatial skills within an upper secondary level setting in Ireland with 358 students aged 14-16 enrolled in the Transition Year programme and their 10 teachers.

This paper examines the challenges of implementation of a specific spatial skills intervention, through a variety of lenses, including pedagogy based and performance based, and offers considerations for future research in the area. By looking from both teacher and student perspectives, we explore the issues encountered and offer suggestions to researchers conducting similar studies at secondary level.

Understanding the head of department role: leading Design and Technology

Paul Kinyanjui Mburu — 2023-10-31

In the secondary school curriculum, in England, Design and Technology is to some extent regarded as less beneficial and it is becoming more unpopular with pupils. Therefore, Design and Technology heads of departments find themselves leading a curriculum subject that is in an uncertain situation. The purpose of this study is to consider the perceptions of Design and Technology heads of departments about their practice in monitoring teaching and learning in their departments. This study uses cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) (Engeström, 2001) as a lens to view interview data from six case studies. CHAT is often employed in analyses of activities in workplaces, for example, to uncover how people use both material and conceptual tools and what aspects of tasks they prioritise (Edwards, 2011). Data were collected through field visits that included observations and interviews. The analysis of data reveals how tools were appropriated differently or similarly in Design and Technology department leadership activity systems. The findings identify tools which mediate the work of Design and Technology heads of departments in secondary school. How the heads of departments perceive these tools is analysed to suggest the object of the Design and Technology department leadership activity system. This paper proposes that the contextual settings of subject departments influence department head leadership in forming their own conceptions about their practice.

Promoting Creativity in the Secondary Design and Technology Classroom in England

Venessa Silveira — 2023-10-31

This study explores the use and implications of biomimicry as a design method in a secondary school Design and Technology classroom in England. The study’s aim was to explore biomimicry as one of the design approaches in a Design and Technology classroom. The goal of this research was to develop an appropriate teaching strategy for including biomimicry in the design process as a means for encouraging students to “use a variety of approaches to generate creative ideas and avoid stereotypical responses when responding to design briefs” (DfE, 2013, p. 2). The Biomimicry approach takes inspiration from natural solutions adopted by nature and imitates the concepts when designing products. Working with a class of year 9 pupils (aged 13 - 14) the research team introduced the principles of biomimicry, which was chosen as an innovative approach for promoting creativity. This action research took a qualitative approach to gain insights into pupils' thought process as they applied biomimicry in the given design brief. Action Research was used to understand if the introduction of biomimicry as an intervention would develop pupils’ creativity. The data that was used for analysis includes responses to open-ended questions, drawings, and artefacts. The findings of the study show that with the support of teachers, pupils used inspirations from nature in their design and make tasks to creatively think through and create original artefacts that meet an identified design need. The biomimicry approach was embraced by pupils who developed a range of nature inspired designs. The paper also presents interesting findings on pupils’ knowledge and learning process through demonstration of acquired skills of originality and creativity represented through interventions in nature

Problematising and unpacking the uncertainty of design within technology education

Manus McDyer — 2023-10-31

Technology education is a growing field internationally where developments are being made to conform to new agendas and goals of today’s society. The role of technology education is to improve the quality of human life through making meaningful advancements to our lives and the world we live in, which is underpinned by an innate ability that all humans possess, the ability to design. Developing designerly members of society that have strong design capability is identified as being of upmost importance, particularly within education. Fostering designerly students effectively and successfully is a complex domain and is evident within a large literature base, where researchers are trying to understand design, what it should look like in practice, and how it can be successfully developed and fostered within education. Design is a key component within technology education curricula, where teachers and students are required to engage in design tasks and activities in an attempt to foster an ability to design. Design is highly complex in nature and with ambiguity within the literature surrounding the construct of design ability, what defines the design process and what cognitive processes are necessary to design, leaves educators and students in an area of unknown.

In this paper, a theoretical model is presented and utilised to problematise and unpack the uncertainty of design within technology education. The unknown of designing is worse than the problems themselves, which is why this paper offers an initial attempt at identifying these problems through the lens of understanding, teaching and learning designing. Results offer insight into the problems and challenges associated with designing in technology education with the aim and objective to identify future research areas.

Key words: Design, Designing, Technology Education, Problematising

A New Framework of Technology and Engineering Education Proposed by the Japan Society of Technology Education

Jun Moriyama — 2023-10-31

The Japan Society of Technology Education (JSTE), an academic society for leading technology education research in Japan, has proposed a new framework of technology and engineering education in 2021 to impact the next revision of the Japan's national curriculum. The proposal includes a triple-loop model of the engineering design process and a model of the problem-solving process in line with learners' developmental stages. It also proposes to incorporate the connections between physical and cyber technologies, and between technology and other disciplines in the scope of technology education. However, this proposal was written in Japanese only, is not translated in other language. In this report, we will report of the result of survey conducted in this project, and introduce the contents of the proposal with some practical examples.

The Adaptive Subject Pedagogy Model

David Morrison-Love — 2023-10-31

Our presentation discusses the current phase of a practitioner enquiry project to explore ways of supporting undergraduate technology education ITE students to inform their classroom practice with theory, research, and academic knowledge. The practitioner enquiry centres on our work in teacher education with students using a model created by Morrison-Love to scaffold the development of pedagogic reasoning: the Adaptive Subject Pedagogy Model (ASPM). In the first phases of our project, we explored students’ challenges in relating theory to practice and developing pedagogic reasoning using focus groups with students and analysis of course assignments. Continued use of the model showed students improving in their connections across knowledges, but many still struggle with the development of coherent evidence-led pedagogic reasoning. Here, we will present findings from our analysis of a series of mediated interviews we undertook with students to understand more about how they were reasoning through engagement with the ASPM. During the interviews, student submissions were used as a mediating artefact to scaffold questioning and discussion. The submissions each capture one full cycle of the ASPM for a topic chosen by that student and an associated lesson plan in a form of their choosing. Use of student submissions in this way provided a tangible focus to help reveal more of the students underlying thinking. Here, we will discuss insights about the knowledges drawn upon, considerations and decisions made by students in the process of creating their own subject pedagogy and what this means for our own practice as teacher educators. We will conclude by reflecting more broadly about what our evidence to date about the ASPM suggests given that, despite our best efforts, some students still struggle to create pedagogically reasoned lesson plans. We discuss implications for future work with ASPM and for our own practice as teacher educators.

Grasping the Actual Situation of Student's Perspectives on the Improvement of Manufactured Products and User Recognition in Material Processing Learning

Hisashi NAKAHARA — 2023-10-31

The purpose of this study is to understand the actual situation of students' perspectives on the improvement of fabricated products and user recognition in material processing learning for technology education in junior high school. A survey was conducted with 833 junior high school students who had studied materials processing. The students had three types of learning: those who designed and made their own (Group A, 366 students), those who selected from several designs to make a kit (Group B, 253 students), and those who used kit subjects to make the same thing (Group C, 102 students). The obtained free-response statements regarding user perceptions and free-response statements regarding improvements in manufactured products were categorized. There were 364 descriptions of user recognition, which were classified into three categories: descriptions assuming oneself/family members, descriptions assuming specific users, and descriptions assuming all users. Group A had more descriptions of fabrication improvements than Groups B and C. There were 956 descriptions of product improvements, which were classified into a total of eight categories, such as safety, durability, and functionality. The results of the tabulation and analysis revealed that about half of the students were not able to have a user-oriented viewpoint of improvement, but many of those who had a user viewpoint focused on "specific users," or in other words, on usability. Regarding the improvement of manufactured products, perspectives to improve them in the categories of "safety," "functionality," and "durability" were confirmed. Furthermore, Group A had a high rate of descriptions of product improvement, indicating that the perspective of improvement and refinement is easily fostered in the production and use of products conceived and designed by the students themselves.

Timeless, socially relevant engineering knowledge and skills for future technology education

Per Norström — 2023-10-31

The aim of technology education in primary and secondary school is that students should acquire skills and knowledge that are useful not only today, but also when they are adults. Students’ knowledge and skills need to include aspects of engineering and crafts as well as social implications of technology, which together develops creativity, useful everyday skills, critical thinking, and more. This leads to special challenges for technology teacher education, which has to look forward and focus on future challenges. The training needs to focus on timeless skills and be both about and for the technological future. Exactly which knowledge and skills that are best suited for this endeavour is not in any way clear. The purpose of this paper is to find the timeless and socially relevant engineering methods and skills that could and should be taught in primary and secondary school to increase the likelihood that students are properly prepared for the future. The project has an exploratory approach. Data was collected through focus group interviews with different participant groups: technology teachers in lower and upper secondary school, teacher students aiming to become technology teachers, and teachers working in academic teacher training programmes. The results show that the question about timeless knowledge has rarely been discussed in these groups. They had no clear answers, but ended up mainly in traditional technology education content: writing technical reports, learning strategies for design and product development work, and fundamentals of computer programming. The results suggest that the respondents believed strongly in pupils’ ability to transfer skills and knowledge between domains.

“The main thing is practical work” – Teachers’ beliefs supporting the intellectual development of technology education

Isabelle Penning — 2023-10-31

Although technology shapes our world comprehensively, technical education has hardly been discussed in Germany in the special context on mental development. Even though technical education is anchored in the curriculum, it is not yet known which beliefs teachers at special schools have about technical education. Teachers' beliefs play an important role in teachers' attitudes towards student thinking and how lesson content should be selected and taught. These beliefs were assessed in the present study via a qualitative research design involving teachers from special schools in Germany (N:9).

The results indicate that technical education is strongly practice-oriented and is mainly used to teach manual skills and work-related soft skills. The production task plays a special role here, as it proves to be a consistently important method in teachers' estimation. In the production process, teachers provide various forms of material and personal support. The aim is for pupils to achieve a successful and finished product and in the process experience themselves as successful. This production process requires a high degree of flexibility on the part of teachers regarding both the competence levels of the pupils and the technical requirements.

Important suggestions can be derived for the conceptual design of inclusive technical education, paying greater attention to pupils’ individual needs. At the same time, however, the results point to a need for qualification, since teachers predominantly focus on only one specific area of technical competence. The goal of technical literacy intended for technical education programmes does not yet seem to be sufficiently achieved in the context on mental development.

Student teachers’ preconceptions of programming as a content in the subject technology

Anna Perez — 2023-10-31

In many countries, student teachers are not adequately prepared to teach programming in technology education once they have completed their training. There is a corresponding inadequacy of research regarding pre-service programming education in technology, although in recent years research in this area has increased. There is a lack of research specifically regarding student teachers’ experiences and development of knowledge during programming sessions in their teacher education. A knowledge important for developing competences needed for teaching in technology.

This article presents a study with the aim of describing student teachers’ preconceptions about teaching programming in technology.The study uses a phenomenographic approach investigating eight student teachers’ experiences after a five-week technology course preparing for primary education, grades 4-6 (teaching pupils aged 10-12). Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with student teachers from two different higher education institutions in Sweden. From the first step of the analysis, three tentative categories have been obtained, describing student teachers’ experiences as: 1) an understanding of a language and/or a tool, 2) an understanding and use of language or tool to solve technological problems, and as 3) a way of understanding and describing a technological environment.

The results of the study will contribute to new approaches on how to vary and design the teaching of programming in technology for student teachers to develop skills that are important for their future profession.

AI Text-to-Image Generation in Art and Design Teacher Education

Tore Andre Ringvold — 2023-10-31

In today's constantly changing world technological developments in artificial intelligence can induce educational visions of both utopia and dystopia. New technologies and platforms of communication can provide new forms and possibilities of learning. Creating an image has historically mostly been a human process of using knowledge and application of technique that demanded training. This image making process changed with the invention, development and spread of the photographic camera, when creating a detailed visual representation of reality became a possibility without a complex process of craftsmanship and artistry. The nature of visual art changed but the visualization of ideas and prefigurative thoughts could not necessarily be captured by a camera. With the development and spread of AI text-to-image generation, can this change the need for a competency to visualize ideas in the way the camera changed the need for drawings and paintings as visual representations? This study explores how AI text-to-image generators can contribute to and change art and design teacher education.

We conducted exploratory experiments where we tested a variety of AI text-to-image generators and explored the outcome of using different generators, prompts, and settings. Reflections were written down throughout the process. This was combined with an online ethnography on text-to-image communities.

Different potentials of learning were identified, as well as issues of interaction and possible contexts of use. The results are discussed in a future learning context.

Tackling food poverty: The role and importance of food education in United Kingdom schools

Marion Rutland — 2023-10-31

Technology Education considering children’s needs

Franz Schröer — 2023-10-31

The developmental task inclusion effects the design of teaching and learning regarding technology education at primary level. National studies have addressed the issue and have devoted efforts to theory-based development of conditions for inclusive education and their empirical substantiation (Schröer & Tenberge 2022).

In German primary schools the subject ‘Sachunterricht’ includes among other domains technology education. An essential field of research is shaping the developmental task inclusion in the context of technology education. However, narrowing down the concept of inclusive education for the multiperspective school subject ‘Sachunterricht’ is complex (Seitz 2018). The use of potentials and consideration of individual needs is one distinguishable context when conceptualizing inclusive education in ‘Sachunterricht’.

The consideration of needs in classrooms can be substantiated based on the theory of basic needs (Krapp 2005). Research demonstrates that problemsolving activities with varying degrees of self-direction take different needs into account (Tenberge 2002; Beinbrech 2003). However, the design and substantiation of learning settings, that regard to pupils needs, have so far been largely omitted by research.

This justifies the idea of the presented research project. Based on the theory of basic needs, rooted in developmental psychology (Ryan & Deci 2018), a set of problems and tasks for problemsolving with the learning robot Bluebot™ was developed. Learning settings were tested in classrooms and evaluated in a first cycle to adapt them based on evidence. Preliminary findings of pre-post comparisons show effects on problemsolving skills and self-efficacy.

The present article falls into four sections of which the first one will define the fundamental concepts addressed. After substantiating the requirements of inclusive technology education, section two will introduce the adaptive set of tasks for technological problemsolving at primary level. Based on the methodical framework in section three, preliminary findings from the first cycle of a design-based-research project are presented and discussed.

Masculinities and Femininities in the Design and Technology Classroom

Olexandra Solomka — 2023-10-31

Design and Technology is a secondary school subject that is perceived by students to be masculine and has been documented by the literature as an environment that can be considered off-putting to non-laddish masculinities and femininities. This paper posits that dominant forms of masculinity and femininity, and the characteristics that make up these forms, are highly dependent on the context in which they are being observed. Furthermore, the paper presents the findings of a small, qualitative group interview with four girls at a private secondary school in a deprived area of East Anglia. The participants were asked about their perceptions of whether specific tasks, artefacts (e.g., clock), and projects were masculine, feminine, or neutral to document which parts of the subject are most associated with masculinity. The study found that the participants' perceived confidence in the workshop to be a masculine trait, as well as any tasks or projects related to electronics or robotics. Conversely, working with textiles and creating similar projects were considered feminine. Tasks and projects that focused on problem solving, and using materials other than electronics, robotics and textiles were neutral. The paper also found that general practical tasks and building projects were considered neutral, though the participants perceived that their (masculine) teachers did not believe they were competent.

Do No Harm 2.0

David Spendlove — 2023-10-31

Previously, I have proposed that the current incarnation of Design and Technology, version 1.0 is outdated and requires a new manifestation in the form of Design and / or Technology 2.0. Within this context a starting position for 2.0 subsequently acknowledges that on any given day students across the globe studying a form of version 1.0 are potentially doing more harm than good. Students are being ‘processed’ into a capitalistic consumption and production mode of thinking through contrived processes of generating ‘products’ under the pretence of solving problems. In this paper, a challenge to the community, I draw on the medical Hippocratic oath of "Primum non nocere", known as "Do no harm" and consider the pragmatic, ethical and philosophical implications of adopting this principle as a central feature of 2.0.

In this paper I will also consider an alternative discourse for the current pervasive materialistic ‘outcomes’ in the context of ‘do no harm’ through challenging the anti-democratic, exploitative, perpetual rapid growth-oriented capitalist ideologies that manifest within 1.0 as ‘artefacts’, driven by self-fulfilling ‘needs and wants’. Consequently, learner accountability, liability and culpability are located as central features of a 2.0 ‘activist’ strategy that is earth and sustainability centred. A 2.0 mantra of ‘do no harm’ consequently aligns with UNESCO’s commitment to equity and transformational Education Sustainable Development through empowering lifelong learners to take informed decisions and responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society, for present and future generations, while respecting cultural diversity.

Girls' technological knowledge

Ulrika Sultan — 2023-10-31

This study investigates technological knowledge among 13-14-year-old girls at a technology-focused summer camp using a Science and Technology Studies (STS) lens. As they are already interested in technology, they attend the camp out of genuine interest instead of ones to become interested. The girls' expressions of technological knowledge are aligned with societal norms associating technology with hands-on engagement and activities, solidifying their self as belonging in technology. While the camp introduced certain gendered assumptions through "girlified" tasks, the girls wished to transcend these stereotypical activities. They wanted to broaden their technological interests beyond the confines of gendered expectations. Actor networks and external recognition influence their technological knowledge, often motivating their engagement in technology. During an interview, the girls voiced dissatisfaction with existing technology education, mentioning uninspiring teaching methods, outdated materials, and a focus on theory. The girls were critical of the technology education they encountered and emphasised the value of practical learning and a longing for real-life applicable skills. Despite some finding technology classes engaging, low self-confidence in comparison to boys emerged, possibly due to teacher expectations. Their inclination towards practical experiences highlights the importance of a well-rounded learning approach. Implications for school technology education curricula underscore the significance of blending theory with practical application to keep technical girls engaged. By embracing girls' perspectives, educators can craft initiatives that resonate with their interests, rejecting the need for gender-specific content. These insights challenge the stereotype that technical knowledge is gender-bound, recognising that girls' genuine interest is an asset.

Using movie-making to visualise pre-service teachers' perceptions of technology

Ulrika Sultan — 2023-10-31

This study uses a Bourdieusian framework to determine pre-service teachers' perceptions of technology before their engagement in any formal coursework of a technology education teachers preparation program. The analysis focuses on movies depicting three states of technological capital, revealing a duality between movie narratives and written reflections. These movies underscore a Western-centric perspective on technology, ethics, and social understanding. One film triggered self-awareness among students regarding smartphone use, demonstrating the potential of movie-making for prompting personal reflection. The study emphasises experiential learning through stop-motion movie creation. Moreover, aesthetics emerges as an avenue for students to articulate technological viewpoints, transcending conventional instructional methods. Aesthetic processes unveiled students' technological capital, although effective transformation centres on pedagogical adaptation. The study's methodological integration of storyboards and reflective components gives insights into students' evolving knowledge. The discussion shed light on technology education within the STEAM classroom. Findings show that by embracing students' perceptions and facilitating knowledge expression, educators can contribute to exploring technology's multifaceted role in the educational landscape.

Students’ Reasoning About Sustainable Development in Relation to Products’ Life Cycles

Maria Sundler — 2023-10-31

In this study, we investigate Secondary School students’ reasoning about a product’s life cycle in relation to three dimensions of sustainable development: economic-, social- and ecological sustainable development. Production and consumption are part of a complex socio-technological system that affects nature and life on earth and knowledge about this complex system are required to achieve sustainable development. In technology education, students can get the opportunity to reason about products and their life cycles. Hence, this study aims to explore what emerges in students’ reasoning about products’ life cycles in relation to sustainable development. Data collection was made through two semi-structured interviews where the students participated in focus groups containing 3 and 4 participants in each group. All student responses have been analysed through thematic analysis to explore dimensions of sustainability. Results show that the students reason with regard to all three dimensions of sustainable development. However, the three dimensions occur to a varying extent within the different phases of a product’s life cycle. Additionally, the students also connect dimensions in their reasoning, with both harmonies and contrasted perspective. Participating students’ reasoning indicated traces of an anthropocentric approach. These results have implications for technology education both associated to content and practice, which is an important step towards education for conscious consumers.

Teachers' perceptions and impressions of the forest and the city as a starting point for teaching biomimicry

Alexina Thorén Williams — 2023-10-31

The study aims at professional development directed towards finding new pathways in education for and in sustainable development. In this study, we consider the ways in which primary teachers from two schools in Gothenburg, Sweden, work with the forest and the urban environment as a learning environment. The teachers' descriptions are the basis for introducing biomimicry as a way to strengthen teaching in, and about, sustainable development. Biomimicry has the potential to bridge knowledge of forest ecological systems and how these can be imitated in human-made technological systems in the urban environment. The research questions that this study focuses on are what experiences and understanding of the two places, the urban area, and the forest, are in the foreground of teachers' reflections? In what ways does the collage method make visible teachers' relationships with the urban environment and the forest? The collage method was used to stimulate teachers’ reflection, conversation and writing about forests and urban areas learning environments, and about the forest and technical systems in the urban environment as teaching content. Data were collected when groups of 3-4 teachers in each group, first illustrated their experiences and understandings of the environments individually and secondly described their collage as a written text and in conversation with the group. The research project's potential to strengthen cooperation is based on the teachers' motivation for knowledge to develop their teaching in, and about, sustainable development and to use nearby forests and urban areas in a more in-depth way.

Rethinking Measures of Attitude Toward Technology in Technology Education

Sy-Yi Tzeng — 2023-10-31

Technology curriculums encompass an interdisciplinary approach that integrates science, engineering, the arts, and mathematics, along with a design-oriented learning process. Given the rapid advancement of technology and the challenging environment, technology education has the potential to enhance students' positive outlook on technology. The objectives of this study are to gather existing student attitude scales for technology education, analyse the cognitive, affective, behavioural, and environmental components of these scales, and describe the assessment format and its application. This study referenced established research procedures and instructions, used keywords to research and examine the literature, and collected literature on relevant scales. Afterwards, a coding framework was developed based on the theoretical structure of this study for the research content analysis. Last, descriptive data and critical analysis information were reported. The results of this study can offer a comprehensive component structure for the development of attitude scales in technology education. Furthermore, they will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how research in technology education investigates students' attitudes.

Pupils’ reflections on the use of a digital self-assessment tool to identify and measure development of 21st century skills during maker activities in schools

Susanne Walan — 2023-10-31

The number of makerspaces is increasing in the world, and the maker movement has started to become integrated into formal education. Maker environments and maker activities are argued as promoting Key Components for Lifelong Learning, e.g. collaboration, problem solving, creativity, life/social skills and communication. These competences are also referred to as 21^st century skills. In this paper, we discuss the use of a digital self-assessment tool (DSAT) for pupils’ identification of, and reflections on, their development of these skills. The DSAT was created with gamification as the model where the pupils could reach different levels, receive badges and upload photographs. There were 114 pupils, aged 13–15 years, from six classes who worked with different maker activities in technology subject classes during the autumn of 2021, while using the DSAT. Examples of maker activities used in this study included designing a liquid-bottle, programming with Micro:bit and programming with Roblox. Data were collected through group interviews after the activities with all participating pupils and thereafter analysed thematically. The pupils found the language in the DSAT difficult considering their age and thought that the tool was time consuming and troublesome to use. However, the pupils argued that it is possible to develop 21^st century skills during maker activities in school contexts and that the skills are of importance for the future. This study contributes with important knowledge about the design of digital self-assessment tools and about design of technology education, to support pupils to identify and develop 21^st century skills in makerspace activities in compulsory technology education.

Technological and Engineering Design Based Learning: Promoting Upper Elementary Graphical Device Comprehension

John Wells — 2023-10-31

The research presented is an investigation into the use of technological and engineering design based learning (T/E DBL) as an instructional strategy to facilitate student comprehension of nonfiction/informational text inclusive of graphical devices. The research design followed a mixed method exploratory embedded case study. Six 5th grade participants were examined as both a whole group and as reading level dyads (below, on, and above grade level) as they progressed through three T/E DBL challenges designed to intentionally support graphical device comprehension (GDC) instruction. Data were collected from a variety of instruments used to assess participant prior knowledge, comprehension of graphical devices, and resultant reading comprehension of both familiar and unfamiliar texts. Analysis of data generated detailed descriptions of the reading comprehension levels for each participant throughout the study. Findings indicate that T/E DBL increased text interactions and graphical device usage across all participants, promoted their development of general GDC for diagrams and tables, improved their comprehension of unfamiliar science texts, and proved to be of particular benefit to below grade level readers. These results demonstrate the viability of T/E DBL as a valuable component of elementary level reading instruction for improving student use and comprehension of graphical devices, and for improving their overall comprehension of unfamiliar science and engineering texts where embedded graphical devices present new content in a visual information genre.

Developing spatial literacy through designing origami: advancing maker education pedagogy with maker études

Marten Berend Westerhof — 2023-10-31

Spatial literacy is crucial to success in STEAM-disciplines. Within these disciplines, spatial thinking manifests in a variety of ways, ranging from visualising how pieces of a solution might fit together to effectively communicating solutions to others through language, gestures, and graphic representations. Pedagogy for developing spatial literacy for children is still in its infancy, as training studies tend to focus on paper-and-pencil-based activities that resemble psychometric tests without explicit consideration for didactic approaches. Maker education offers children a design-based way of learning through a process of tinkering, designing, and building, with potential for creative output. In practice, educational maker activities generally tend to overemphasise prototyping tools and the development of the procedural knowledge required to use those tools. However, these hands-on learning activities could aid children to not only develop making skills, but also to attain spatial literacy. Although studies exist that identify spatial thinking during educational maker activities, no efforts have yet been made to design a maker activity that specifically aims to develop participants’ spatial thinking holistically. This paper details a case study of the design and implementation of an origami workshop that aims to develop participants’ spatial literacy. Origami, the art of folding sheets of paper into figures, is a process that requires frequent and varied use of spatial thinking. The workshop adopts the form of a ‘maker étude’, analogous to a musical étude, a satisfying exercise to practice and improve a particular technique so it can be applied creatively. The implementation of the origami maker étude in a public library makerspace in Amsterdam and its potential to support the development of spatial literacy are discussed. Finally, several suggestions are made for future research into the development of primary-school age children’s spatial literacy in makerspaces

Augmented reality to support self-directed learning in practical technology teacher training

Tobias Wiemer — 2023-10-31

Augmenting reality through augmented reality (AR) can be a useful tool to support self-directed learning processes. This possibility is being used in the SelTecAR project (Self-directed Learning in Technical Studies through Augumented Reality) of the Technical Education working group at the University of Oldenburg to improve the manual-practical training of technical education students and to consider more strongly that some students with previous experience can link to previously acquired skills, the other students cannot. Therefor a new learning concept is being developed for the technology teacher training for the workshop module, which enables AR-supported self-directed learning with flexible learning times and assistance. Within the project, an augmented reality environment is created in the workshops where teaching takes place, in which students can use their own smartphones to view instructions as overlays or video tutorials and call up important information on tools or machines. For the purpose of scientific monitoring, support needs are determined in order to be able to set up the AR environment in a targeted manner; in addition, conditions for success for the use of the AR environment are investigated. The results of the determination of the support needs for self-directed learning show that especially the work with machine tools and the circuit design are learning contents for which help for self-directed learning is needed. The investigation of the conditions for success in implementing such an environment happens within the development. Several points become apparent. Among other things, the selection of the right software plays a major role depending on the support needs. In addition, access must be low-threshold (use of the private smartphone, without login, etc.) and the use must be integrated into the instruction phases preceding the self-learning phases.

What Attracts Children to Computer Science?

Jessica Marie Yauney — 2023-10-31

Significant effort is being committed internationally to promote computer science (CS) learning in K12 classrooms. Career & Technical Education and Design & Technology courses are two of the most common targets for increased CS instruction. “Hour of Code” (HoC) is one example of the tasks technology teachers are asked to implement, devoting one hour annually to complete pre-developed CS activities with their students. Researchers collected data from students before and after engaging with an HoC activity and investigated students’ motivation, or lack thereof, around coding. Specifically, all students were asked why they would or would not like to learn more about coding following their participation in the HoC activity. Several key findings emerged from the analysis of the student comments. These findings, as well as practical classroom implications, will be shared with an emphasis on trends in student’s preconceptions and future interest in CS. Additionally, our examination of students’ interest in coding as it relates “to “fun” and “job prospects” will be explored, as well as students' associated concerns. The role of K12 education as it relates to career preparation is one that can provide greater insight for all technology teachers as they approach CS but also subjects like engineering and design. These trends are aligned with the integration and implementation of the HoC activities in classrooms. Thus, this research has practical significance and can inform future efforts aimed at increasing student interest.

Influence of Pre-professional Organizations on TEE Students

Emily Yoshikawa Ruesch — 2023-10-31

Since the 1970’s, there has been a notable decrease in the number of Technology and Engineering Education (TEE) teacher preparation programs, as well as TEE teacher preparation program graduates within the United States. Previous studies have investigated reasons that post-secondary students pursue a TEE degree. However, no research is currently available regarding factors influencing student retention in TEE teacher education programs as well as factors that influence whether TEE preservice teachers enter the education field. Using the expectancy-value theory, this study investigates the relationship of participation of communities of practice in a student’s intention to graduate from the program and enter the teaching field following graduation. This is the first step to a cross-sectional study looking at the influence of exposure to and participation in the Technology and Engineering Educators Collegiate Association on TEE teacher preparation program students. Participation in TEECA was measured ordinally with varying levels of participation depending on a student’s activity level in student chapter meetings, conference attendance, and event participation.

Impact of a Creative Design Course on Undergraduate Learners’ Creative Confidence

Melissa Zrada — 2023-10-31

This study was conducted as part of an effort to critically analyze and assess student outcomes in Creative Design, an undergraduate course at [Institution]. Topics covered in the course include, but are not limited to: the design process, technical drawing, working with tools and materials, modeling a product or design, and design elements and principles. While some students (e.g. Technology and Engineering Education majors) are required to take this course, it is also open to students across campus, and is a Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts liberal learning course option. There are typically several sections of the course offered each semester, and it is taught by a variety of instructors. The research aimed to investigate how Creative Design impacted undergraduate students’ creative thinking, creative self-efficacy, and spatial thinking skills. Students were asked to complete instruments to assess each of these areas, both at the beginning and end of a semester in which they were enrolled in the course. Students also completed a demographics survey, which allowed outcomes to be explored further, for example, by major (STEM/non-STEM). The focus of this manuscript is creative self-efficacy, measured by the Short Scale of Creative Self (Karwowski, 2011). Results indicate that Creative Design may raise female students’ creative confidence, resulting in female students feeling nearly as creatively confident as male students by the culmination of the course. While the results of this study are specific to Creative Design, further research could explore the effects of other design, creativity, and technology courses on undergraduate student outcomes.