A didactic study to identify criteria for project selection in technology
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Date
1997
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Abstract
Due to a rather weak performance of the economy and rising unemployment in South Africa a serious need of upgrading the South African education system was deemed necessary. The introduction of technology education into the genera! school curriculum was considered to be a possible means of improving the content and developing skills required by industry. As technology education is project driven, this study set about the investigation of identifiable criteria which may be applied by teachers to the selection of suitable projects in technology education courses. These criteria were considered to be essential to ensure equality between urban, rural and culturally diversified learners with special emphasis on previously disadvantaged pupils in a post-apartheid educational system.
This study is concluded with a check-list (table 34) consisting of five main criteria and twenty sub-criteria for teachers to apply when making choices of technology projects based upon sound didactic principles.
Chapter one orientates the reader into the background of the study, the problems and hypotheses.
Chapter two provides a detailed empirical overview of five main criteria: SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL, PROBLEM SOLVING, MOTIVATION and MEANINGFUL TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE These criteria were derived from a literary study of didactic sources which provided a sound basis for their foundation.
Chapter 3 investigates the possibility of using the principles of general and strategic management planning to facilitate a technology education programme and project theme. There is also an overview of the methodology required for the lorry project tested in this study and the conditions at the pilot schools.
Chapter 4 provides the quantrtative results gathered via a questionnaire to 380 pupils (205 pupils from "disadvantaged" urban schools and 175 pupils from "disadvantaged" rural schools) at the eight pilot schools described by this study. There is also an overview of the findings related to these results presented in tabular form.
Chapter 5 analyses the findings presented in chapter 4 and forms the qualitative results of the study. The reader is directed specifically to the detailed criteria (classified as sub-criteria which support the five main criteria) required by technology education teachers when projects are to be selected.
Chapter 6 concludes the study with logical conclusions, guidelines and recommendations to teachers, education planners, curriculum developers and administrators who are the agents to promote educational change in Kwazulu Natal. A check-list with a simple yes/no response (table 34) is presented for the convenience and application by teachers when selecting technology education projects.
Description
Submitted in fulfillment for the requirements of the Degree of Master of Education in the Department of Didactics in the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 1997.
Keywords
Technology--Study and teaching., Technology education