NOVEMBER 2002 VOL. 62 NO. 3 - International Technology and ...

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A New Model of TechnologyEducation for Science CentersThe new definitions of technologicalliteracy call for educational vehiclesthat integrate “what,” “how,” and“why” kinds of thinking.The Museum of Science, Boston, hasrecently expanded its focus to encompassa new model of “informal” technologylearning, mirroring theprocesses taking place in the “formal”education world. In a sense, technologyhas always been part of ourmission; understanding science alsoLarry BellDavid Rabkininvolves consideration of its application.But, like the formal educationcommunity, we at the Museum havereconsidered our goals and methods,developing new “standards”—reflectiveof ITEA’s Standards for TechnologicalLiteracy: Content for the Study ofTechnology but reinterpreted for themuseum environment. The result is anew “curriculum” that encompassesexhibits and programs at the Museum,programs and activities we conduct inschools and other locations, andInternet-based activities.While the most extensive technologyeducation in the past hasoccurred in secondary schools and collegelevel engineering programs, thenew vision for schools includes technologyeducation at all grade levels. InMay of 2001, the Commonwealth ofMassachusetts Department ofEducation added a Technology/Engineering strand to its 1995 ScienceCurriculum Framework, recognizingthe need and the capacity for technologyeducation to begin even in prekindergarteneducation.Even with technology educationspanning grades K-12, the new effortsin formal education are not enough toaddress fully the nation’s need for technologicalliteracy. Dr. A. ThomasYoung, Chairman of the Committeeon Technological Literacy of theNational Academy of Engineering(NAE), stated in his keynote addressto ITEA in March 2002, that 150 millionAmericans who need to knowmore about technology are not likelyto be reached through formal educationalactivities. Indeed, TechnicallySpeaking, the NAE report issued earlierthis year, calls specifically on museumsand science centers to contribute tothis newly defined educational need.Science Centers and Schoolsare DifferentAs science centers develop ways tocomplement and support reformefforts in formal education, it isimportant to recognize that simplyapplying the detailed learning objectivesdeveloped for schools will notcreate successful informal learningexperiences. About 250,000 of theMuseum of Science’s approximately1.7 million visitors per year are studentsin organized school groups.The largest part of our audience iscomprised of children and adultsvisiting together in family groups andadults visiting without children. TheMuseum’s audience is heterogeneous ina variety of ways. Visitors are alldifferent ages, from toddlers togreat-grandparents. They comewith a wide range of past experience,knowledge, and ability.The learning environment is differentin other ways. Participantscome during recreational time andexpect fun learning experiences. Theenvironment is chaotic, and thelearning process is non-linear, as visitorschart their own course through awide variety of experiences in no predictableorder. The primary focus is onexperiences that may lead to insightrather than on learning concepts.The challenge for science centersthen, is to provide experiences that26THE TECHNOLOGY TEACHER • November 2002
A NEW MODEL OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOR SCIENCE CENTERSsupport the core ideas of the standards,enhancing formal educational effortswith experiences that are adapted forthe special needs of our audience andthe nature of the informal learningenvironment.Reinterpreting the Standardsfor the Museum SettingIn the domain of science, our institutionhas adopted an educationalstrategy that gives visitors the opportunityto become interested in and learnabout science by exercising thethinking skills used by scientists—observation, classification, modelingand theory-building, testing, andanalysis. What are the analogs in thedomain of technology—the corethinking skills, kinds of knowledge,and capabilities that will interestpeople in and help them cope withwhatever new technologies comealong? Standards for TechnologicalLiteracy provides us with a core uponwhich to base our efforts:A technologically literate personunderstands, in increasinglysophisticated ways that evolve overtime, what technology is, how it iscreated, and how it shapes society,and in turn is shaped by society.To do a good job at technologyeducation, a science center must showwhat technology is and what is goingon in technology today. It must providehands-on experience in designand engineering processes. It mustcreate a forum for discussion of thesocietal issues raised by technology.These three goals are mirrored in theNAE report, which argues that technologicalliteracy is comprised of...an understanding of the natureand history of technology, a basichands-on capability related totechnology, and an ability to thinkcritically about technologicaldevelopment.This three-part definition of technologicalliteracy is the fundamentalconcept behind our plans to implementa new technology curriculum atthe Museum of Science.A New Model of TechnologyEducation for Science CentersA 1986 Museum News article asking ifa science center should serve as a showplace,a playground, or a forum, gave uswords to use for our three-partconcept.In the broadest sense, Showcasethemes deal with “what” questions,Playground themes deal with “how”questions, and Forum themes dealwith ways to answer “why” or “whynot.” The new definitions of technologicalliteracy call for educationalvehicles that integrate “what,” “how,”and “why” kinds of thinking.The three parts of this new definitionof technological literacy have beenimplemented individually in variousscience centers throughout their history.However, they have been seen asalternative approaches rather thancomponents that are integrated into anoverall experience. Individually, thesealternative approaches have beenfound lacking in one way or another.While exhibitions that principallyWhat’s going on intechnology today?Whattechnology is.The effects of technologies onsociety, people, and the Earth.showcase technology may have educationalaspects to them, they often havebeen viewed as corporate promotions.While science center exhibits thatcreate a playground of learning experiencescan address important thinkingskills connected with engineeringdesign or the use of technology, theseexhibits often remove the real-worldcontext and consequences from theexperience. Finally, science centers creatingforums for discussion of societalissues raised by new technologies havefaced difficulties with an educationstaff used to the processes of sciencebut not the realms of values, ethics,and politics. These efforts have allfocused on one or another aspect ofthe three aspects of technological literacy.The new definitions of technologicalliteracy suggest the importanceof using a model that combines allthree, an approach that we haveadopted at the Museum of Science.Each aspect calls for differentapproaches in science centers. At theMuseum of Science, the Showcase willinclude exhibits that help visitors recognizethat technology is about creatinga product or process to meet aneed or solve a problem, and that it isall around us: many things are technology,not just computers. To addressHow technologies arecreated.How I can usetechnologies?Learning to make better decisions.November 2002 • THE TECHNOLOGY TEACHER27
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NOVEMBER 2002 VOL. 62 NO. 3 - International Technology and ...

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