Introduction
Background
The subject of technology in Sweden
- Identify and analyse technological solutions based on their appropriateness and function
- Identify problems and needs that can be solved by means of technology, and work out proposals for solutions
- Use the concepts and expressions of technology
- Assess the consequences of different technological choices for the individual, society and the environment
Technology teachers in Sweden
Teaching
Aim and research question
What aspects of pedagogical content knowledge do experienced technology teachers express?
Theoretical framework
PCK in technology education
Model used in this study
Orientations towards teaching technology
Knowledge of the technology curriculum
Knowledge of pupils’ understanding of technology
Knowledge of instructional strategies for teaching technology
Knowledge of assessment in technology
Method
Respondents
Name (pseudonym) | Gender | |
---|---|---|
Adam | M | M. Sc. in Engineering, qualified to teach mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and technology. Thirteen years of teaching experience Works in a large school with pupils aged 6 to 16 (grades K to 9), situated in a middle-class suburb |
Bertil | M | Qualified to teach crafts, and technology. Twenty-seven years of teaching experience in total, 10 years as a technology teacher Works in a small school with pupils aged 12 to 16 (grades 6 to 9), situated in a middle-class suburb |
Cesar | M | Qualified to teach mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and technology. Sixteen years of teaching experience Works in a small school with pupils aged 6 to 16 (grades K to 9), situated in a lower middle-class suburb. Swedish is a second language for a most of the pupils |
Dagny | F | Qualified to teach physics, mathematics, and technology. Sixteen years of teaching experience Works in a medium-sized school with pupils aged 13 to 16 (grades 7 to 9), situated in an upper middle-class suburb |
Data collection
Analysis of data
Limitations of study
Results
Orientations towards teaching technology
Knowledge of the technology curriculum
All respondents describe how they plan a new theme either starting from the content, or from an activity. When starting from the content listed in the curriculum, they try to find relevant activities and make it clear how these elements are connected to the curriculum and modify them if necessary.Yes, the pupils are familiar with them, the five different abilities we have in the subject of technology. And they get them in all subjects, the same kind of student sheets [that describe the desired outcomes]. Though technology differs, [it is] not really like science, it differs pretty much there. […] We are going on about [the abilities] all the time, and the pupils are used to it. We are not sure if we are doing the right thing, but we have found it to be a way that is useful for us. And the pupils know that I’ve documented throughout the year. You can find out how each ability is documented, and in the spreadsheet you can go back in time when it is time for grading.
Adam explains that his pupils have widely varied levels of knowledge when he first meets them in the seventh grade and that they often lack manual skills. He finds it difficult to uphold a vertical curriculum: building on what pupils have learnt in previous grades and using themes with increased levels of difficulty and complexity. Furthermore, he finds that pupils have difficulty understanding subject content areas and that therefore the teaching tends to address only parts of the subject’s content. The other teachers also talk about how they find it difficult to cover the complete core content. Cesar says that he only teaches a third of the core content because of a lack of time, the pupils’ difficulties with the Swedish language and resulting lack of comprehension. He justifies his choice of reducing the contents by always making sure that he has provided ample opportunities for pupils to develop all five of the technology subject’s designated abilities. He also tries to connect technology with the science subjects whenever possible.Competitions, we think, are incredibly good. We think that they are good projects; there is a good setup to plan lessons from, and you do not have to plan everything from scratch.
Knowledge of pupils’ understanding of technology
The respondents stress that the learning objectives have to be clear to the pupils. For Dagny, it is important to describe the goals for every lesson. Adam and Cesar write them on hand-outs for pupils. Cesar continues:At this school, the theoretical part disappears into the practical. It will be very much a hands-on job. If you work with materials, you have to have materials there to be able to feel and squeeze. It makes no sense to lecture on various material types and plastics and stuff. They [the theoretical and the practical] are combined more here.
Adam observes that pupils find it difficult to connect the theoretical elements that have been taught with the practical exercises they do afterwards. An example is when they have read and talked about lattice structures and have seemingly understood what these structures are about but are unable to use that knowledge when constructing models. Adam says:We spend quite a lot of time constructing pupil sheets [‘lokala pedagogiska planeringar’, LPP, in Swedish; literally ‘local pedagogical plans’]. I design a knowledge development matrix, I customise it to suit my needs, copy some from the curriculum: I rewrite them to fit the purpose. And sometimes there are some objectives that may not be within the subject of technology but that I will assess, maybe they’ll have a small mini lecture on how a transistor works, and I have goals that apply to their oral presentation just because I need it so it will work in the end. One thing leads to another, if I structure my teaching well, with good presentations, structured and detailed, I know that the final result will be something that I can use … it’s a type of control.
First theories, then we turn to the practice of it. We have talked about triangular shapes, we’ve talked about corrugation, yet they seem to forget it all while doing the practical exercises.
Knowledge of instructional strategies for teaching technology
Activities
Adam says that the practical exercises allow him to connect the goals of the curriculum; working with practical exercises helps his pupils understand the underlying theories. In his opinion, practical exercises are to a great extent about testing, building and constructing, with different materials, to visualise and present the various projects. He also claims that project work makes pupils more autonomous and encourages them to take initiative:Practical work in technology, it is mainly about solving problems. In other subjects, it may be more about making, but in technology, it is more solution-oriented.
The teachers believe that practical activities always engage pupils, and even the pupils who are not too interested in the subject like to be active. Cesar says that his teaching is mainly practical. Pupils need to design and make and test their constructions. During the process, Cesar must take an active part, to help, support and guide pupils towards a better understanding of the contents of the subject.Yes, it is the pupil engagement, almost all pupils find it very enjoyable, they become very involved, and especially when they have been doing their own stuff and they get that ‘flow’ where the teacher is almost not required; one can observe the pupils, to help them in another way. When one comes across that border, it’s very fulfilling and rewarding to teach technology.
All teachers also mention the technical development process, or design process, as an important part of the subject of technology subject. Adam stresses that structured design work, which he calls ‘an industrial way of thinking’ or an ‘industrial mind-set’, is not just part of the subject’s contents. He claims that it is also a way of teaching the contents; the design process is a goal in and of itself but also an aid in gaining a general understanding of technology. Adam says:I use structured tasks with structured information and not too much. I do not let them loose but keep the group together so that we all do the same thing. Those who finish early help those who are not yet finished.
It is not the actual making, but you want to … it is about … according to my interpretation, it is about introducing some of the industrial mind-set – how you work, that you invent and develop, that you try to find the errors as early as possible. Then, it will be much easier to make these electronic Christmas lights work as intended.
Representations
Cesar divides the different subject content areas into smaller sub-tasks. For each of these sub-tasks, the information needs to be clear, structured and well planned. He spends a lot of time developing clarified documents for the pupils, describing what the intended learning outcomes are and clarifying the subject matter that is addressed and assessment criteria for the specific topic. He believes that well-structured teaching, a type that keeps the group together and takes one small step at a time, provides a solid basis for assessment and improved pupil understanding. Cesar states:We have a blog in which we post, where I post 5 or 6 words and say, ‘you will need to know these by Friday’. It can be anything that appears during the conversation, during the lesson, or written on the board during the lesson, and is very easy to post and check.
Dagny describes how her pupils need to show that they can use words and concepts in connection to the topic. During the work process, the pupils have to be able to describe their suggested design solution before moving on with their work. Dagny says:I require them to have a thought first before they start building; otherwise, it commonly turns into unstructured trial and error. To put words on the parts they are dealing with, whether it’s a lever or it’s about engines. It’s a language that is quite advanced, I think. So we train in the meantime, both before each lesson, looking back at the lessons before and what we learned then, and after each lesson we summarise it.
By the teachers being active in the classroom they can scaffold and aid pupils’ learning and the further development of their understanding. They use written and oral instructions and other documents that structure lessons and link activities to subject content and abilities.If we take a certain theme, like building a future city, then the first goal is for the pupils to get insight into the technology that exists today with regard to sustainability and technology. Then, they come up with ideas on how to develop this technology and how they would like it to be in the future. They discuss among the group members. I want them to work solution-oriented, and innovatively.
Knowledge of assessment of technology learning
Summative assessment, in the form of written tests, assignments and reports, is used. The purpose is often to strengthen the subject’s status. The teachers express difficulties concerning how to assess group work and practical activities in a fair and reliable way. They rely heavily on experience in the grading and assessment processes. By being active and involved during the entire project and discussing assessments with colleagues, the teachers increase the validity and reliability of the process.It’s about ticking every goal in the list [the core contents in the curriculum]. It’s not the actual constructing but the idea behind it [that is important]; that they know how to test, modify and test again … Realising that they should have done it differently. Their reasoning and philosophising about the design process, that’s what we’re after.