Educational visits for technology education students

Abstract

Through design and make assignments, pupils will need to research solutions taking into account constraints such as time, cost, performance, etc. The Technology Education Curriculum also demands that pupils will gain a personal perspective on the range of technological activities and their application to the personal, commercial/ industrial world. Even though "design and make" is the prime teaching and learning approach, this does not exclude educational visits as another teaching and learning approach that may be applicable to get exposure over the industrial context. The first part of the dissertation researches the views and practices of teachers teaching Technology Education in Malta, about the issue of organizing educational visits. Secondly, an integrated learning package is produced. The package consists of a scheme of work for a Design and Make Assignment in which two educational visits are integrated as teaching and learning activities. The first visit caters for the domain of production and the site chosen is Playmobil from the Brandstaetter group of companies. The second caters for the domain of control and the site chosen is ST Microelectronics, Kirkop. The constant aspect of this learning pack is to reflect the demands of the curriculum and takes into account outcomes from the first part of the dissertation. Also it provides knowledge for students to apply in their Design and Make Assignments.