Opportunities for learning design and technology skills and values in the Maltese curriculum

Abstract

This research was motivated by the changing nature of the world around us, specifically, changes in technology, and the idea that despite this constant change, there are some underpinning commonalities such as the skills and values required to harness new technologies. The context of the Maltese education system was chosen to identify whether opportunities are present for learning these skills and values. A literature review was carried out to identify the common features of new technologies as well as the skills and values required to harness them. This was then followed by semi-structured interviews with six key experts. A thematic analysis was carried out to identify themes from the interview transcripts. Eight themes were identified: access and cost of technology, knowing your basics, technology and communities, cross-curricular learning, constructivism, mindsets (ways of thinking), types of knowledge and the digital nature of new technologies. With regards to new technologies, it was established that they are digital or supporting automation of processes, and to a lesser extent, related to or supporting a view to sustainability. A list of skills and values required to harness new technologies was compiled by using both literature and the thematic analysis. While the NCF presents many of the ingredients that are required for a sound conceptualization of technology, the links to technology education are not made due to the narrow view of technology that the NCF holds. This view sees technology as the application of science and as being composed principally of design and make activities. Thus, while the NCF presents opportunities for the conceptualization of technology as artifacts, it lacks, to differing degrees, in presenting opportunities for the conceptualization of technology as knowledge, processes and volition.