A comparison of technology literacy between seventh and eighth grade students in a middle school technology education program

Abstract

Technology education has a task at hand that is crucial, to create individuals that are technologically literate for the 21st century. Students involved in technology education classes have the opportunity of very diverse experiences. They work as teams to study problem–solving activities, learn about technological systems, use math, science, language arts and many skills to resolve issues that occur in the real world. It is our charge to be certain that all students gain the understanding necessary to thrive in the human made world. As early and often as they are exposed to technological concepts the better equipped they will be to live in our ever-changing society. The purpose of this study was to determine the technological concepts of seventh and eighth grade students at River Bluff Middle School. Those concepts were then measured against the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards and analyzed by gender. The students were a cluster grouping that took the class in both grades. All students used a pretest/posttest as an evaluation tool for the technology education class. By analyzing the results of this study the researcher realized the importance of how it can be utilized in the future for further study. The findings led to conclusions and recommendations for implementing ways to assess what our students should know and be able to do to become technologically literate