Considerations for Instruction in Technology Education

Safety

The nature of technology education requires that correct safety practices be established as soon as students begin their studies. 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. Safety education is a continuing experience. Teachers must use good judgment when instructing students in safety practices, remembering that the main objective is education.

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 and suitably arranged?
• 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?

Students should:

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

Facilities

The technology education curriculum reflects a significant shift in focus from industrial education. The learning outcomes in the technology education IRP represent different expectations for student learning than were described in the industrial education curriculum guide.

Schools may already have the facilities and equipment needed to meet the needs of the technology education curriculum. However, for some schools, to accommodate changes in the curriculum, it may be necessary to modify their use of existing industrial education facilities.

Teachers can assist in this transition by rearranging existing instructional space to better meet the needs of students. For example, dividing existing space into separate areas for "clean" work (such as planning and design) and "dirty" work (such as material preparation) may be required. If there is no available clean (design or computer) space in the existing production area, it may be possible to share other space in the school for these purposes.

The suggested instructional and assessment strategies in this IRP provide teachers with many examples of ways to meet the intents of the technology education curriculum. The prescribed learning outcomes have been written in a way that allows teachers to use a variety of processes, in a variety of settings, to ensure their students can meet required expectations.

Gender Equity

The education system is committed to helping all students succeed. This is particularly important in this area because female participation is low in technology education courses and women tend not to choose careers that require technical skills. Teaching, assessment materials, learning activities, and classroom environments should place value on the experiences and contributions of all people from all cultures.

Teachers should consider the diversity of learning styles, gender bias in learning resources, and unintentional gender bias when teaching. The following instructional strategies are suggested to help teachers deliver a gender-sensitive technology education curriculum.

• Think about ways to feature female technologists or women who make extensive use of technology in their careers as guest speakers or subjects of study in the classroom.
• Design instruction to acknowledge differences in experiences and interests between girls and boys.
• Demonstrate the relevance of technology education to careers and to daily life in ways that may appeal to particular students in the class or school. Successful links include biology, environmental issues, architecture and design, computers, and current affairs.
• Explore not only the practical applications of technology education but also the human elements, such as the ways ideas have changed throughout history, and the social and moral implications of technology.
• Explore ways of teaching the uses of design and technology that will appeal to all students.
• Provide practical learning opportunities designed specifically to help girls 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 girls and boys.

Instruction and assessment methods should be adapted to meet the needs of all students. When students with special needs are expected to achieve or surpass the learning outcomes set out in the technology education 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).

The following strategies may help students with special needs succeed in technology education:

Adapt the environment:

• Change the student's classroom seat.
• Make use of co-operative grouping.

• Provide students with advance organizers of key technology education concepts.
• Demonstrate or model new concepts.
• Adjust the pace of activities as required.
• Use bilingual peers or volunteers to help ESL students (e.g., to clarify safety rules).

• Use techniques to make the organization of activities more explicit (e.g., colour code the steps used to solve a problem).
• Use manipulatives or large-print charts.
• Use large print on activity sheets.
• Use opaque overlays on text pages to reduce the quantity of visible print.
• Highlight key points on activity sheets.
• Use translated material for information such as safety rules.

• Have peers or volunteers help students with special needs.
• Have students with special needs help younger students.
• Have teacher assistants work with individuals and small groups of students with special needs.
• Work with consultants and support teachers to develop appropriate problem-solving activities and strategies for students with special needs.

• Allow students to demonstrate their understanding of technology education concepts in a variety of ways (e.g., murals, displays, models, puzzles, game boards).
• Modify assessment tools to match student needs. For example, oral tests, open-book tests, and tests with no time limit may allow students to better demonstrate their learning than traditional tests.
• Set achievable goals.
• Use computer programs that allow students to practise word processing and to record and track their results.

• Require the completion of only a small amount of work at any given time.
• Simplify the way questions are worded to match the students' levels of understanding.
• Provide functional, practical opportunities for students to practice skills.

Table of Contents

Province of British Columbia
Ministry of Education
MOE Curriculum Branch

© 1996 Copyright

Maintained by: Technology Education Coordinator

Revised: February 27, 1996

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