Teknik, systemgräns och människa: Tekniklärares uppfattningar om vad tekniska system är<br/>Technology, system boundary, and human: Technology teachers' conceptions of what technological systems are

Abstract

The subject matter of technological systems is central in compulsory school technology education in Sweden. However, technology teachers would need more support in their endeavors to interpret the curriculum as both educational and philosophical research lack a clear answer to the question of what technological systems are. A better conceptualization of technological systems could also facilitate communication between teachers and students, and even improve learning about systems. The aim of this study is thus to investigate Swedish technology teachers’ conceptions about technological systems. We interviewed 11 technology teachers in compulsory education from various parts of Sweden. The transcripts from the interviews were analyzed with thematic content analysis and resulted in four characteristic system properties. In the teachers’ collective depictions of technological systems, the first two system properties focused on the technological core of the system, closely related to a philosophical conception of technology as objects. In contrast, the last two system properties illustrated the teachers’ descriptions of technological systems as something that is closely connected to a socio-technical understanding of systems where humans play a significant role for their evolution. There was one exception to this, namely how the systems are controlled, and here the teachers were ambivalent as to how much humans can intervene. The conception of technological systems as objects and the uncertainty about human control over these systems, are two obstacles to well-designed systems teaching that will lead to technological literacy for students.

Keywords

• technology education
• technological system
• conception
• teacher