Abstract
M.Ed.
Technology is relatively a new learning area that has been phased into grade 7 in 2000 as
part of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). Teachers have limited background knowledge
in teaching technology, as they did not do technology in their pre-service training. In
Mpumalanga, primary school teachers have a limited insight in the understanding of the
technological process because they were only trained in the simplified version, namely
that stated in the policy document, which has only some stages of the technological
process. The purpose of this study was to find out whether the use of the thinking subprocesses
and following the ten stages of the technological process can assist a teacher
in the planning and teaching of a lesson in technology.
A three days intervention was conducted in which twenty-five teachers were trained in the
technology outcomes, teaching strategies, lesson planning format, the thinking subprocesses
and the ten stages of the technological process. This was a case study
following the qualitative research inquiry. One teacher was observed and interviewed, and
her lesson plans studied. She was chosen from the group that attended the intervention.
The research questions that formed the core of the study were, “how can the thinking subprocesses
and the ten stages of the technological process assist teachers with the
planning and teaching of the lesson?” and “What are the effects thereof in the planning of
lessons?”
Data was collected through observations, interviews and a review of documents. The
findings revealed that when a teacher was following a technological process when
planning the technology lessons, she used it as a framework for the lesson plan. She also
used the technological process as a structure for the teaching of the lesson in class. As
the teacher had a minimum knowledge of the technology content and teaching
approaches, it also became clear that when she knew what aspects should be considered
when planning and teaching, she managed to find the content information on what should
be taught in her classes. Following the technological process gave her the confidence and
guidance in the gathering of resources and the teaching of lessons.
Prof. P.J. Ankiewics