First Year students' views of Technology Education

Abstract

New Zealand (Place) SummaryThe New Zealand technology curriculum has been in schools since 1995 and been compulsory since 1999. This paper outlines a small research project which investigated the basic understanding of technology education that people entering teacher education already have. The project aimed to discover if first year tertiary students straight from school have a sound understanding of technology education, and if it is safe to presume they have a better idea than any other group entering teacher education. 42 primary student teachers on the first day of their technology education class were asked to state their understanding of technology education. This data was then compared with their age, gender and prior experience to technology education to see if there is a correlation. The results show that those who have previously experienced technology education have a better understanding of the subject than those who have no experience. However, as only half of the under 20 year old group appeared to have adequate knowledge of what technology education entailed it is not safe to assume or rely on this within this age group as having a sound base. Schools need to devote more time to explaining how activities completed in the class relate to the overarching subject technology education.