'n Prinsipiele verantwoording van tegnologie-onderwys in die skoolkurrikulum

Date
1997
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to provide a principled rationale for the inclusion of technology in the school curriculum. Because technology is present in every aspect of life it is the cornerstone of productivity and international competitiveness. No individual, group or community can afford to be technologically illiterate. The South African education system has always had a strong academic orientation. At present the Republic of South Africa has a high unemployment rate and in order to obtain economic success, the educational system must take this into account. Because technology plays a role in nearly all professions, education must be relevant to the learners present as well as their future world. There is general consensus that technological education can meet some of the needs of the learners future world. A comparative study of the topic was undertaken and an attempt was made in Chapter 2 to provide insights into the content of the technology curriculum in Nigeria, an under developed country, and the Netherlands which is a developed country. There are many instances where under developed countries have used programmes which were intended for developed countries with little or no success. This international perspective strongly suggests that the Republic of South Africa should develop a programme for South African circumstances. There has been widespread debate as to whether technology should be a separate subject or whether it should be taught as part of science and also whether it should be taught across-the-curriculum. Technology education nevertheless remains an important part of the general formative education of young people. The conclusion is drawn in Chapter 3 that technology has its own subject content and that it should be taught in conjunction with other subjects such as science and mathematics. Chapter 4 emphasises the legitimacy of technology as a school subject. Since we live in a technological era, we have the capacity to influence the environment. When technology is instituted as a school subject, the legitimacy which the subject will ultimately enjoy will depend on the degree to which the expectations of the various role players such as parents, the state, the learners and the private sector are met. It is obvious that education and economic growth are strongly linked Education and economic growth can have a significant effect on productivity. In Chapter 5 the conclusion is drawn that in the light of the rapidly changing economic trends and rapid economic development, technology will have to feature strongly in the curriculum. The final chapter of the study comprises the summary and conclusions. Specific recommendations are made with regard to subject of technology.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n prinsipiële verantwoording te doen oor tegnologie-onderwys in die skoolkurrikulum. Omdat tegnologie in elke aspek van die lewe teenwoordig is, is dit die hoeksteen van produktiwiteit en internasionale kompeteerbaarheid. Geen individu groep of gemeenskap kan bekostig om tegnologies ongeletterd te wees nie. Suid-Afrike se onderwysstelsel was nog altyd akademies-georiënteerd van aard. Tans het Suid-Afrika 'n hoë werkloosheidsyfer en om ekonomiese sukses te behaal is dit die onderwysstelsel wat hierdie mannekrag moet voorsien. Omdat tegnologie 'n rol in byna alle beroepe speel, moet die onderwys relevant gemaak word vir die kind se huidige en toekomstige leefwêreld. Daar is wye konsensus dat tegnologie-onderwys die leerder kan voorberei vir sy toekomstige leefwêreld. 'n Vergelykende studie van die tema is onderneem en daar word in hoofstuk 2 'n poging aangewend om insae in die tegnologie kurrikuluminhoude van Nigerië, wat 'n ontwikkelende land is, en Nederland wat 'n ontwikkelde land is, te kry. Daar is baie voorbeelde van ontwikkelende lande wat tegnologie-programme gebruik het, wat bedoel was vir ontwikkelende lande en het min of geen sukses behaal. Uit hierdie internasionale perspektief is dit duidelik dat die Republiek van Suid-Afrika 'n tegnologie-kurrikulum ontwerp moet word vir Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede. Daar is aansienlike debat oor die vraag of tegnologie as aparte vak, of as deel van wetenskap onderrig moet word en of dit oor die kurrikulum heen versprei moet word. Tegnologie-opvoeding bly egter 'n belangrike deel van die algemeen-vormende opvoeding van die jeug. Daar word in hoofstuk 3 tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat tegnologie sy eie kennisinhoud het en dit in samehang met ender vakke, onder andere wetenskap en wiskunde, aangebied moet word. Daar is in hoofstuk 4 klem gelê op die legitimiteit van tegnologie as skoolvak. As gevolg van die tegnologiese era waann die mens leef, het hy die vermoë om sy omgewing te beïnvloed. Wanneer tegnologie as skoolvak ingevoer word, sal die legitieme status wat uiteindelik aan die vak toegeken word, bepaal word deur die mate waarin dit aan die verwagting van die verskillende rolspelers, soos onder andere die ouers, die staat, die leerders en die privaatsektor, sal voldoen. Dit is duidelik dat onderwys en ekonomiese groei mekaar beïnvloed. Deur onderwys en ekonomiese groei kan produktiwiteit verhoog word. In hoofstuk 5 word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat as gevolg van die snelle veranderde ekonomiese tendense en snelle ekonomiese ontwikkeling moet tegnologie-onderwys voorkeur geniet in die kurrikulum. Die slothoofstuk van hierdie studie bevat die samevatting en gevolgtrekkings. Aanbevelings ten opsigte van die vak tegnologie word aan die hand gedoen.
Description
Tesis (M. Ed.) -- Universiteit van Stellenbosch, 1997.
Keywords
Technical education -- South Africa, Technical education -- South Africa -- Curricula, Dissertations -- Education, UCTD
Citation