A Critique on Five Articles Related to the Role of Technology

Martha Weese

NEIU

The survey results are straightforward, yet I don't see sound documentation of the test population selection. Why were these particular teachers were viewed as outstanding, beyond the ITEA Outstanding Technology Teacher program and nomination? And what is the ITEA? I went through the whole article and couldn't find one definition of the ITEA, though there was one reference in the bibliography to International Technology Education Association, a citation of the author himself. I went out to their website at http://www.iteawww.org/ , and there is a Teacher Excellence award, so I suppose this is what was meant.

I will simply state that the test instrument was too vague. Asking the test subject to list likes and dislikes, sorting them out, and doing a T test is not a scientific survey. The T tests performed looked to have very low cell values, which makes the test results somewhat less than convincing. These test results could be from any particular body of teachers: the satisfaction and dissatisfaction principles sound a lot like the ones I hear about, and feel myself.

Wright, Michael and Custer, R. (1998) Why They Enjoy Teaching: The Motivation of Outstanding Technology Teachers, Journal of Technology Education Volume 9, Number 2 - Spring 1998. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n2/wright.html

Article 2

Randy Chafy's Exploring the Intellectual Foundation of Technology Education: From Condorcet to Dewey ⁽²⁾ makes several points related to culture and the teaching of technology. Lots of history is followed by some commentary on the nationalistic impetus which fueled much of the early technical education. Good points were made on the overvaluation of functional education at the expense of actual learning.

Chafy makes a significant point: we want to validate the success of our educational programs by looking to technology training as some benchmark. In his words, "Put another way, I see a problematic (and limiting) conceptual linkage between technology, education, civilization-building, industrial growth, and human purpose."

Chafy points out the significance of Condorcet's integration of education, technological progress, and reason with morality and happiness. Before the Enlightenment, Renaissance science looked to the scientists of antiquity for their principles. This new view of Condorcet's, that universal education would produce an ideal society, was so revolutionary, almost all subsequent technology education would be guided by its principles.

I knew Condorcet from the history of education, but didn't realize just how significant he was in the context of France in those times. I was struck with the parallels of the Space Race and the Cold War, and how much those conflicts had contributed to the rush to technology-based education.

Chafy, Randy (1997) Exploring the Intellectual Foundation of Technology Education: From Condorcet to Dewey, Journal of Technology Education Volume 9, Number 1 - Fall 1997. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/chafy.html

Article 3

Marie C. Hoepfl's Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers ⁽³⁾ provides substantive insight into meaningful research techniques beyond the simple statistical models. This article is a no-nonsense approach to non-statistical methods of research. Researchers want their work to be taken seriously, so they tend to rely on statistics. It is much harder to make qualitative research look convincing. If the research isn't firmly tied to some underlying principles, it can become meaningless and vague. The author delineates some of these principles, and the hazards of doing research of this sort. Qualitative methods are appropriate where one needs to first identify the variables that might later be tested quantitatively. Common-sense proposals include: Determine a focus for the inquiry. Determine the fit of the research methodology to the research focus. Determine where and from whom data will be collected. Determine what the successive phases of the inquiry will be.

The most useful part of this article, for me, was her chart of comparison of criteria for judging the quality of quantitative versus qualitative research. internal validity matches with credibility, external validity matches with transferability.

This article is my personal favorite among the five, and the one from which I derived the most personal insight.

Hoepfl , Marie C. (1997) Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers Journal of Technology Education Volume 9, Number 1 - Fall 1997 Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/hoepfl.html

Article 4

W. J. Haynie, III 's Effects of Anticipation of Tests on Delayed Retention Learning ⁽⁴⁾ showed the test itself acted as a reinforcer for retention learning. I was expecting an article about "cramming" and the impact on delayed retention learning, but this article really had more to do with the actual mechanics of delayed retention learning.

Haynie defines Retention Learning as "learning which lasts beyond the initial testing and it is assessed with tests administered 2 or more weeks after the information has been taught and tested."

The test population was well-identified, and all the statistical exceptions noted. The methodology was carefully laid out and the research parameters were explained in great detail. Even the test modifications were laid out, such as the Aerospace Engineering students who had previously studied some of the material. The test design could not have been more complete, right down to the time of day when the tests were given. The test model was adapted to the data: Haynie says: "General Linear Models (GLM) procedure of SAS was chosen for omnibus testing rather than analysis of variance (ANOVA) because it is less affected by unequal group sizes." This led to convincing results and conclusions.

It seems obvious after reading the article: well of course, testing acts as a reinforcer, just common sense, but we seldom think of the test itself acting as training.

Haynie, III, W. J (1997). Effects of Anticipation of Tests on Delayed Retention Learning Journal of Technology Education Volume 9, Number 1 - Fall 1997. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/haynie.html

Article 5

Boser, Palmer and Daugherty's Students Attitudes Toward Technology in Selected Technology Education Programs ⁽⁵⁾ contains useful insights into what students understand about technology and physics. The authors outline the four different teaching strategies: self-paced modular instruction, interdisciplinary connection between math, science, technology, social studies, and English problem-centered instruction.

They go on to explain the difficulties in defining technological literacy: they point out the recursive nature of a definition such as the Technology for All Americans Project's "the ability to use, manage, and understand technology". The practical, civic and cultural approaches are outlined.

The test instrument was called PATT-USA, Pupils' Attitudes Toward Technology, which wasn't composed by the authors. The authors' test population were assembled along the four different teaching strategies, and the results were analyzed with MANOVA for gender differences, as well as Guttman analysis to determine the index of internal consistency of students' responses to the concept items. Cronbach's Alpha Test was applied to the combined attitude and concept items, with a coefficient of .79 and .72 on the pre-test and posttest.

I wanted to know how the attitudes were affected and the factors that affected them. One conclusion was interesting, when students were exposed to an integrated approach to technology, they were able to assess the positive and negative aspects of technology.

Boser, R. A. , Palmer, J. D, and Daugherty M. K (1998) Students Attitudes Toward Technology in Selected Technology Education Programs Volume 10, Number 1 - Fall 1998. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v10n1/boser.html

1. Wright, Michael and Custer, R. (1998) Why They Enjoy Teaching: The Motivation of Outstanding Technology Teachers, Journal of Technology Education Volume 9, Number 2 - Spring 1998. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n2/wright.html

2. Chafy, Randy (1997) Exploring the Intellectual Foundation of Technology Education: From Condorcet to Dewey, Journal of Technology Education Volume 9, Number 1 - Fall 1997. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/chafy.html

3. Hoepfl , Marie C. (1997) Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for Technology Education Researchers Journal of Technology Education Volume 9, Number 1 - Fall 1997. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/hoepfl.html

4. Haynie, III, W. J (1997). Effects of Anticipation of Tests on Delayed Retention Learning Journal of Technology Education Volume 9, Number 1 - Fall 1997. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v9n1/haynie.html

5. Boser, R. A. , Palmer, J. D, and Daugherty M. K (1998) Students Attitudes Toward Technology in Selected Technology Education Programs Volume 10, Number 1 - Fall 1998. Retrieved November 11, 1999 from the World Wide Web http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v10n1/boser.html