Abstract
M.Ed.
With the implementation of outcomes based education in 1998, Technology-education
as a learning area became a reality in South African schools. Technology-education's
purpose is to help learners use knowledge, skills and resources to satisfy human needs
and to help solve problems, through the technological process. Technology-education
improves higher order manipulation and thinking skills enabling a person to persevere
in a technological environment and to improve his/her own life through technological
knowledge. Such a complex learning area will need a special kind of classroom in which the technological processes and skills can be practised. The classroom must be able to
accommodate pupils as they exercise skills such as thinking, planning, designing,
conversing, building, drawing, experimenting, evaluating and report writing. The process to transform existing classrooms to accommodate Technology-education has not yet been researched in South Africa. The aim is to research the possible transformation of existing classrooms into technology classrooms and to find guidelines for a technology classroom to conform to. A case study in the form of qualitative research was undertaken to find a workable solution to the problem. Current and applicable literature were studied and document analyses, a semi-structured interview and observations were used as data collection methods. This research focussed only on one case, namely RAUTEC. The reliability and validity of the study are ensured by triangulation. Results from the document-analyses, interview and observations were analysed, explained and discussed. The results can be divided into five guidelines with a mutual relationship between them. These guidelines influence the functionality of: Guideline 1 — Furniture and equipment in the technology classroom must accommodate the various phases of the technological process. Guideline 2 — Suitability of work areas and surfaces for the activities in a technological classroom. Guideline 3 — Storing facilities for the variety of supplies and tools and products must be provided. Guideline 4 — Teaching aids for the variety of learning processes to assist critical and creative thinking should be present. Guideline 5 — Safety in the technology classroom when equipment is used is imperative. After mentioning the possible limitations of the research, the final results of the study are set out as guidelines.