Technology and Technology Education

Abstract

Every author who has contributed to this book believes that education in general, and technology education in particular, should not in any way be about training young people. Rather, the authors believe that education should be about the development of critical faculties—critical faculties that enable young people, and people in general, to challenge the received wisdom of the day. However, with very few exceptions, technology education around the world is perceived to be an area where young people are trained to understand an already-established technological world where all knowledge is stable and fixed. This type of training tends to manifest itself in a curriculum that favors the development of preestablished skills. These particular skills bear very little resemblance to the technologically mediated world that we all occupy today and have little to do with technological literacy. Several chapters in this book, in their own way, challenge the extant curriculum as being outdated, outmoded, and having nothing to do with the technological world we inhabit. Molly Watson is a 15-year- old school student. Her chapter, I would argue, resonates with many of the perspectives offered in the other chapters. Molly’s chapter details her perception of technology and what she perceives school-based technology education offers her as a student. There appears to be no match whatsoever.