Education about and through technology : in search of more appropriate pedagogical approaches to technology education

This research thesis aimed to deepen understanding about the nature of technology and its possible \ncorrespondence to the constructivist notion of learning. Since technology education is a relatively new \nsubject area in general education and still in an emerging phase in various countries, it provided some \ninteresting opportunities to take into account the latest developments in educational psychology in relation \nto the development of teaching technology. Moreover, this thesis aimed at finding ways for technology \neducation to provide possibilities to learning environments where the nature of technology could be \nintegrated effectively into the current notion of children as active agents in their learning processes. \nThe thesis was based on two Case Studies. Both of the Case Studies were carried out on the primary \nschool level. The overall purpose of Case Study I was to consider automation technology and its teaching \nas a subject-matter area in developing technology education in Finland. In Case Study II the purpose was \nto explore the influences of socio-cultural interaction on children's thinking and actions in prescribed and \nopen problem-solving situations while they were technologically creating a particular product which used \nsound for a chosen purpose. Case Study II also involved English schoolchildren. \nTeaching methods throughout the thesis were based on the assumption that constructivist-driven, open, \nand creative problem solving, as well as children-centered approaches, are especially suitable for \ntechnology education. This assumption arises from the notions that innovation and problem solving are \nimportant in technological processes and that technology has usually emerged as a response to human needs \nand wants. Consequently, design briefs were developed to provide open, children-centered problem solving \nbased on the acute needs found in the children's own living environment. \nIn both of the Case Studies multiple data collection procedures were applied. In Case Study I data were \ncollected by means of group observations documented in videotaped recordings, written field notes and \nproject files saved by the students. Moreover, In Case Study II data were collected in terms of photographs \nof the pupils' final outcomes, including pupils' design folders and product evaluations, the teacher's \nteaching notes, teacher's lesson evaluation notes, the researcher's field notes based on observations and a \nquestionnaire. \nThe methodological perspective in both of the Case Studies was qualitative in nature and grounded on \ninductive and interpretative data-based analysis. The analysis employed an open search for categories, \nconcepts and patterns emerging from the data. The inductive interpretative analysis process enabled the \nresults to be framed as empirical assertions. In addition to the assertions the results of Case Study I detailed \ncontent classifications of the substance in the focus were included as well. The assertions and the \nclassifications were supported by evidentiary examples taken from the data. The supporting examples were \ninterpreted from the viewpoint of the research problems. \nThe results of the thesis suggested that in technology education it is important for children to be able to \nwork and learn in a way that fosters open problem solving with innovation and divergent thinking. In \ntechnology education the design briefs and task allocations should be open enough to allow the children to \nexplore their own living environment in order to find problems that need to be solved. Actually, in \ntechnology education, according to the nature of technology, there should not be right answers to the posed \nquestions, but rather appropriate solutions to emerging problems. Moreover, teaching methods adjusted \naccording to the nature of technology ensure naturally that the children are treated as active, intentional and \ngoal-directed humans whose activities are driven by human volition.