Considerations for Instruction in Technology Education

When selecting and developing learning activities, consideration must be given to safety, gender equity, and diverse student needs.

Safety

Correct safety practices must be established as soon as students begin their studies in technology education and must be maintained throughout the curriculum. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that students are aware of the hazards in facilities and that established safety procedures are followed. Teachers must use good judgment when instructing students in safety practices, remembering that the main objective is student learning.

It is essential that teachers address the following questions before, during, and after an activity:

Has the instruction been sequenced progressively to ensure safety?
Have students been given specific instruction about how to use and handle equipment and tools correctly?
Are the tools and equipment in good repair, suitably arranged, and appropriately sized for students?
Are students being properly supervised?
Do the facilities provide adequate lighting and ventilation for the activity?
Have students been made aware of hazards in the facility area?
Have students been made aware of appropriate school-based and industrial safety standards?

Teachers should select safe activities, techniques, and projects and ensure that the safety practices are implemented. The following is not an all-inclusive list, but a guide to help teachers establish a safe learning environment. Students should:

wear appropriate attire
follow established rules and routines
select tasks that are within their abilities
demonstrate self-control and show respect for the safety of others
recognize hazards in work areas

Gender Equity

The education system is committed to helping all students succeed. This is particularly important in the area of technology education, where female participation is low. Teaching, assessment materials, learning activities, and classroom environments should place value on the experiences and contributions of all people and cultivate interest and access for female students.

Teachers should consider the diversity of learning styles and watch for gender bias in learning resources, and bias in interaction with students. The following instructional strategies for technology education are provided to help teachers deliver gender-sensitive programs.

Think of ways to feature women who make extensive use of technology in their careersperhaps as guest speakers or subjects of study in the classroom.
Develop instruction to acknowledge differences in experiences and interests between young women and young men.
Demonstrate the relevance of technology education to careers and to daily life in ways that appeal to a variety of students in the class or school. Successful links include biology, environmental issues, architecture and design, computers, and current affairs.
Explore ways of teaching the uses of design and technology that will appeal to a broader range of students.
Provide practical learning opportunities designed specifically to help young women develop confidence and interest in technology education and non-traditional roles.
Emphasize that technology is used by people with various interests and responsibilities.
Provide opportunities for visual and hands-on activities. Experiments, demonstrations, field trips, and exercises that provide opportunities to explore the relevance of technology education are important for both young women and young men.

Diverse Student Needs

Students with special needs are those with intellectual, physical, sensory, learning, behavioural, and other emotional disabilities, or students who are gifted or talented. Opportunities for success are enhanced for all students when instruction and assessment methods are adapted to meet a wide range of students´ educational needs, learning styles, and modes of expression.

Technology education, particularly activity-based technology education, has traditionally been a significant area for pre-employment skill-development opportunities and an ideal area for students with special needs. Technology education, with its focus on the benefits of concrete, real-world experiences, provides students with opportunities to work effectively in group situations, focussing on observation and experimentation, and alternative methods of evaluation. For students with exceptional gifts or talents, this curriculum area is also ideal for creative learning experiences and critical-thinking activities. Opportunities for extension and acceleration are rich in technology education, and, for some students with special needs, this curriculum can provide opportunities to apply personal experiences to enrich their learning.

When students with special needs are expected to achieve or surpass the learning outcomes set out in the Technology Education 11 and 12 curriculum, regular grading practices and reporting procedures are followed. However, when students are not expected to achieve the learning outcomes, modifications must be noted in their Individual Education Plans (IEPs). When students require adaptations in order to meet the regular learning outcomes, these too should be noted in an IEP. The following strategies may help students with special needs succeed in technology education.

Adapt the Environment
- cluster-group students with particular gifts or needs
- make use of preferential seating to enhance learning
- create a space with minimum distractions
- change the location of the learning activity to optimize concentration
- make use of co-operative grouping or pairing of learners
Adapt Presentation or Instruction
- make extensions of activities for students with special gifts and talents
- offer choices for self-directed learning
- provide advance organizers of key technology education concepts
- demonstrate or model new concepts
- adjust the pace of activities as required
- change the wording of questions or instruction to match the student´s level of understanding
- provide functional, practical opportunities for students to practise skills
- use bilingual peers or volunteers to help ESL students (e.g., clarify safety rules)
Adapt Materials and Equipment
- use techniques to make the organization of activities more explicit (e.g., colour-code the steps used to solve a problem)
- use manipulatives
- provide large-print charts or activity sheets
- use opaque overlays to reduce the quantity of visible print
- highlight key points in written material
- provide software that defaults to a larger font size
- use adapted computer technology hardware and appropriate software
- provide alternative resources on the same concepts at an easier comprehension level
- use translated material for information (e.g., safety rules)
- provide or arrange opportunities for independent research (e.g., CD-ROM)
Adapt Methods of Assistance
- train and use peer tutors to assist students with special needs
- arrange for teacher assistants to work with individuals or small groups
- collaborate with support teachers to develop appropriate strategies for individual students with special needs
Adapt Methods of Assessment
- allow students to demonstrate their understanding of technology education concepts in a variety of ways (e.g., through murals, displays, models, oral presentations)
- match assessment tools to students´ needs (e.g., oral or open-book tests, tasks performed without time limits, teacher and student conferencing)
- set short-term achievable goals with frequent feedback
- provide opportunities for students to do self-assessment and individualized goal setting

Terms used in Technology Education

CAM Computer-aided manufacturing; the operation of a machine controlled by a host computer.
CAD or CADD Computer-aided design (and drafting): a precision-drawing software program that speeds up the design process by making it easier to create and modify draft designs.
design brief A concise problem statement devalued by a student or teacher that identifies what the student will do and what the successful solution will achieve.
design portfolio A record of the development of a project from inception to completion.
design principles Qualities of balance, layout, measurement, colour, scale, and projection.
design process A planning and decision-making process that produces a solution.
input Data, materials, resources, or instructions entered into (most often) a computer system.
kinetic energy The energy of a mass in motion (e.g., pendulum swinging, spring unwinding).
kinematics The study of motion, without regard to the force of mass of things moving.
output The actual results of a system, desired or undesired, expected or unexpected.
pneumatics Using air or gas pressure to operate mechanical devices.
potential energy The ability to do work using stored energy (e.g., compressed spring, charged capacitor, gasoline).
production The process of converting and combining resources to construct, manufacture, or grow something.
robots Programmable, multifunctional devices that perform physical tasks.
WHMIS Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems; product safety information issued by the BC Workers´ Compensation Board.

Revised: January 28, 1999

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