Technology education in South Africa: an evaluation of the impact of an experimental high school curriculum with particular reference to teacher pedagogy and student group work

This paper focuses on the impact of the Technology Education Project in the North West Province of South Africa (NWPTEP) which has aimed to introduce technology education into a group of the Province's high schools, in grades 10 - 12. It reports on an evaluation study carried out in the final stages of the project, looking particularly at the impact of introducing an active, learner centred, problem solving pedagogy into the schools and within this at the effect of using group work in the teaching and learning situation. The paper presents findings derived from the assessment of a pupil technological activity, an evaluation questionnaire and a set of structured interviews with those involved in the project.