Interpretation and enactment by teachers of the interrelatedness of Technology-Society-Environment and other themes of the Technology curriculum

Abstract

This descriptive case study focuses on how Technology teachers interpret and enact the interrelationship of the Technology-Society-Environment (TSE) theme with the Technological Process and Skills (TPS) and Technological Knowledge and Understanding (TKU) curriculum themes of the South African school subject, Technology. Science and technology have influenced society in the twentieth and twenty-first Century to a considerable extent. A critical study of this group of related influences is termed Science- Technology-Society and addresses socially relevant topics that encourage critical and high level thinking skills, problem-solving and decision making capacity. These issues are included in the Technology curriculum as the TSE theme. Using the TSE theme in teaching would have the potential to make the curriculum more relevant and learning more meaningful as it provides scope for teachers to engage learners to construct knowledge at a critical level in different real life contexts. This study investigated the relationship between teachers’ understanding of the interrelationship of TSE with Technological Process and Skills (TPS) and Technological Knowledge and Understanding (TKU) themes and the extent to which the unique features and scope for teaching Technology are met. The study was set in Bohlabela district of the province of Mpumalanga, in South Africa and implemented between August 2011 and April 2012. Four teachers of different schools and circuits were interviewed, three were observed during teaching, their lessons, work schedules and learners’ workbooks and project portfolios were analysed. A novel combination of an adaptation of the Ben-Peretz scheme of curriculum document analysis and Rogan and Grayson construct of implementation frame was used in the analysis of the information obtained through documents and observations. The study established that only in exceptional cases teachers use learner centred approaches that allow the integration of the TSE theme with the process (TPS) and knowledge (TKU) themes. Evidence was found that while teachers planned such integration, learners themselves do not show any examples of such integration in their workbooks. Teachers have difficulties with specific knowledge areas of the Technology curriculum, in spite of formal adequate basic training in the subject. Teachers ascribe these difficulties to resource limitations, the absence of specific technology training and inadequate support by teacher support personnel. It is recommended that teacher support groups be established, and that the Department of Education develop specific curriculum materials and train teachers in the interpretation and enactment of the documents.