Technology practice: a structure for devoloping technological capability and knowledge in schools

Technology education in New Zealand schools has moved into a new stage with the development of assessment standards for senior students. This raised questions concerning what students should learn at school that would meet the intent of the technology curriculum and equip them to proceed to university degree courses in technology and engineering. Research was undertaken with academic technologists at Massey University to identify a simplified structure of practice and knowledge suitable for New Zealand schools. Seven elements describing technology practice were identified. The first three elements, society, work environment and purposeful action, involved context and methodology. The remaining four elements, organisation, information, resources, and techniques, involved the skills, knowledge and actions of the individual technologist or technology team. The research indicated technologists structured their knowledge into a framework that reflected the subsystems used to break down complex problems and develop solutions. This paper outlines the research and discusses these results.