Technology as a Theme within Science and Other Subjects

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Technology as a Theme within Science and Other Subjects (Print This)

One of the first attempts to integrate the study of science and technology in the secondary school curriculum was Man-Made World, a series of textbooks developed at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, as part of the Engineering Concepts Curriculum Project. Although the texts were never widely adopted, they provided a model for other projects. Twenty years later, the holistic consideration of subjects that had traditionally been treated separately reflected the growing popularity of the so-called science, technology, and society (STS) paradigm in the United States.

Instructional materials, such as the Innovation series of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS), those developed by the school district of Wassau, Wisconsin, and modules created by the New York Science, Technology, and Society Education Project, were among the first to carry the STS theme into U.S. classrooms.

Technology in the Science Curriculum
Science for All Americans and Benchmarks for Science Literacy developed by AAAS Project 2061 emphasized the importance of technology to science and the interrelationship between science, technology, and society. The National Science Education Standards, another set of comprehensive science standards developed several years later by the National Research Council (NRC), reinforced the curricular connections between science and technology. These two sets of science standards were the most detailed descriptions of technological literacy for students until the recent publication of Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology by the International Technology Education Association.

Technology in Other Subjects
Some features of technological studies, especially encouraging students to identify and design solutions to problems significant in their own lives, may make other academic subjects more interesting and meaningful. For this reason, technology has been recognized as a topic worthy of study by a variety of disciplines outside of science. For instance, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has cosponsored many of the annual national technological literacy conferences organized by the National Association for Science, Technology, and Society. Papers presented at this conference have addressed varied topics, such as focusing on technology, work, and values through poetry; improving critical thinking about STS issues through creative writing; and improving student understanding of the complexities of STS issues through drama. Interesting materials combining content from social studies and technology have also been developed.

Instructional Materials
Many newer instructional materials have tried to meet AAAS or NRC science standards. These include BSCS's Science T.R.A.C.S. (Teaching Relevant Activities for Concepts and Skills), which includes a science and technology strand for K-5 students, and Middle School Science and Technology, which touches on a variety of technological concepts related to change, diversity, limits, and systems. The Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California Berkeley, under its Science Education for Public Understanding program, has produced three year-long courses and a number of shorter curriculum modules that touch on technological issues. The National Science Resources Center, jointly operated by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academies, has produced science materials for elementary students (Science and Technology for Children) and is developing materials for use in middle school (Science and Technology Concepts for Middle Schools).

A number of NSF-funded projects have developed materials that integrate technology with other subjects, especially mathematics and science (e.g., Integrated Mathematics, Science, and Technology, 2001; Integrating Mathematics, Science, and Technology in the Elementary Schools, 2001). Several of these projects have examined the effects of the technology component on student learning in math and science. In at least one case, scores on international math and science achievement tests were higher among students using the integrated curriculum than in a control group that did not use the materials, suggesting that the technology component of the curriculum boosts learning in other subject areas. Similar spin-off benefits in math, science, and reading achievement were found in elementary schools that piloted a curriculum emphasizing contextual learning and design activities.

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Amram, F. 1989. Poetry as focus for technology, work and values. Pp. 314-324 in Technology Literacy IV: Proceedings of the Fourth National Technological Literacy Conference, edited by D.W. Cheek and L.J. Waks. Bloomington, Ind.: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education (ED315326).

Hankins, J.C. 1989. Writing as a Bridge between High School Science and Society: A Theoretical Perspective. Pp. 344-350 in Technology Literacy IV: Proceedings of the Fourth National Technological Literacy Conference, edited by D.W. Cheek and L.J. Waks. Bloomington, Ind.: ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education (ED315326).

Loepp, F., S. Meier, and R. Satchwell. 2000. Integrated program increases test scores. Pp. xx-xx in Proceedings of the International Conference of Scholars on Technology Education, edited by G. Graube and W.E. Theuerkauf. Braunschweig, Germany: Technical University Braunschweig.

Todd, R., and P. Hutchinson. 2000. The Transfer of Design and Technology to the United States: A Case Study. Pp. 215-223 in Design and Technology International Millennium Conference 2000, edited by R. Kimbell. Wellesborne, England: The Design and Technology Association.