Konferensartikel

The importance of technological activity and designing and making activity; a historical perspective

Matt McLain
Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK

Ladda ner artikel

Ingår i: PATT 26 Conference; Technology Education in the 21st Century; Stockholm; Sweden; 26-30 June; 2012

Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 73:39, s. 330-340

Visa mer +

Publicerad: 2012-06-18

ISBN: 978-91-7519-849-1

ISSN: 1650-3686 (tryckt), 1650-3740 (online)

Abstract

Whilst tool use is by no means an exclusive human trait; the “ability to deliberately manipulate” is central to our development; and it is our ability to “create complex artefacts” (Wolpert; 2003) that sets us apart. Recent archaeological and neuroscience advances have suggested that the activity of designing and making of tools; such as the handaxe; played a crucial role in the development of language. This paper will argue that the technological mindset is a preeminent paradigm in human development.

The paper will work within an interpretive and constructivist paradigm. The standpoint of the author is that of a technologist and literature is used to build and argument for the historic relevance of technological achievement; the trustworthiness of the research will be addressed through critical and reflective review of literature. The conclusion ends with polemic and rhetorical questions; based on the discussion; aimed a generating further debate both within the subject and the wider educational communities.

In the context of curriculum change in the English education system; the aim of this paper is to re-examine the role of designing and making activity and technology education. The findings will be literature from contemporary neuroscience; and revisit the original nature of design and technology and current challenges (Ofsted; 2011); highlighting the historical and social importance of the designing and making activity.

A central assertion of this paper is that core subjects; such as science; in the contemporary English curriculum owe their origins to technological innovation; in terms of solving human needs through design and making. As such; they argue for the case for continued inclusion within a broad curriculum; in whatever form it may take; from a cultural rather than purely a technical or economic perspective.

Nyckelord

Technology; designing; making; design and technology; tool use; neuroscience; cultural psychology; constructivism; socio-technological

Referenser

Andersen; L.W. and Krathwohl; D.R. (eds) (2001) A Taxonomy for Learning; Teaching; and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.

Barrett; L.; Henzi; P. and Lusseau; D. (2011) Embodiment: Taking Sociality Seriously [Video online]. In: New Thinking: Advances in the Study of Human Cognitive Evolution; An interdisciplinary workshop supported by All Souls College; The British Academy; Guarantors of Brain; and Magdalen College’s Calleva Centre; 23rd and 24th June 2011.

University of Oxford. Available at: http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/people/cecilia-heyes [last accessed 12th March 2012]

Bloom; B.S. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals: Handbook 1; Cognitive Domain. New York: Longman Higher Education.

Bruner; J.S. (2009) Culture; Mind; and education. In: Illeris; K. (2009) Contemporary Theories of Learning: Learning Theorists ... In Their Own Words. Oxon; UK: Routledge.

Campbell; J. (2011) Why do language use and tool use both count as manifestations of intelligence. In: McCormack; T.; Hoerl; C.; and Butterfill; S. (eds)(2011). Tool Use and Causal Cognition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 169-182

Chomsky; N. (2003) Chomsky on Dewey. [Video online] Interview at Stony Brook University; 28th May 2003 Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZFuOZ0yTNM&feature=play er_embedded [last accessed 13th March 2012]

Cole; M. (1996) Cultural Psychology: a once and future discipline. London: Harvard University Press.

Csibra; C. and Gergely; G. (2006) Social learning and social cognition: The case for pedagogy. In: Y. Munakata & M. H. Johnson (Eds.); Processes of Change in Brain and Cognitive Development. Attention and Performance; XXI. (pp. 249-274). Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2006.

Daniels; H.; Cole; M. and Wertsch; J.V. (2007) The Cambridge companion to Vygotsky. Cambridge; UK: Cambridge University Press.

DATA (2012) 2012 – 2022: Where next for D&T? A workshop to discuss a new vision for design and technology in society [unpublished]. Birmingham City University; 1st March 2012.

Denzin; N.; K. and Lincoln; Y.; S. (2011) Introduction: the discipline and practice of qualitative research. In: Denzin; N.; K. and Lincoln; Y.; S. (eds.)(2011). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research (4th Ed.). London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

de Vries; M.; J. (2007) Philosophical reflections on the nature of design and technology. In: Barlex; D. (ed.) (2007). Design and Technology for the next generation. Shropshire; UK: Cliffe and Company (Advertising and marketing) Ltd.

Dewey; J. (1916) Democracy and Education by John Dewey: A Penn State Electronic Classics Series Publication (2001) [electronic]. Hazleton; USA: Pennsylvania State University. Available at: http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/johndewey/dem&ed.pdf [last accessed 26th February 2012]

DES and WO (1988) National Curriculum Design and Technology Working Group: Interim Report. London: Department for Education and Science/Welsh Office.

DFE (2011a) The Framework for the National Curriculum. A report by the Expert Panel for the National Curriculum review. London: Department for Education. Available at: http://www. education.gov.uk [last accessed 14th March 2012]

Engeström; Y. (2009) Expansive learning: towards an activity-theoretical reconceptualisation. In: Illeris; K. (2009). Contemporary Theories of Learning: Learning Theorists ... In Their Own Words. Oxon; UK: Routledge.

Fenwick; T.; Edwards; R.; and Sawchuk; P. (2011) Emerging approaches to Educational Research: tracing the sociomaterial. Abingdon; UK: Routledge.

Geertz; C. (1973) Interpretation of Culture. New York: Basic Books

Greenfield; P.M. (1991) Language; tools and brain: The ontogeny and phylogeny of hierarchically organized sequential behavior. Behavioral and Brain Sciences (1991) 14: 531-595

Greif ; M.L. (2011) Book Review: A Fresh Look at the Cognitive Origins of Man the Tool- Maker. Evolutionary Psychology; 9(1): 38-44. Available at: www.epjournal.net [last accessed 12th March 2012]

Guba; E.G. (1981) Criteria for Assessing the Trustworthiness of Naturalistic Inquiries. Educational Communication and Technology; 29(2); pp. 75-91. Available at: http://www.jstor. org/stable/30219811 [last accessed 13th February 2012]

Habermas; J. (1981). Modernity versus Postmodernity. New German Critique; No. 22; Special Issue on Modernism. (Winter; 1981); pp. 3-14.

Harman; G. (2002) Tool-being: Heidegger and the Metaphysics of Objects. Illinois; USA: Open Court Publishing Co.

Johnson-Frey; S.; H. (2004) The neural bases of complex tool use in humans. TRENDS in Cognitive Sciences Vol.8 No.2 February 2004. Available at: www.sciencedirect.com [last accessed 4th December 2011]

Kimbell; R. Stables; K. and Green; R. (1996) Understanding practice in design and technology. Buckingham; UK: Open University Press.

Kimbell; R.; Stables; K.; Wheeler; T.; Wosniak; A. and Kelly; V (1991). The Assessment of Performance and Design and Technology. London: Schools Examination and Assessment Council.

Krathwohl; D.R.; Bloom; B.S. and Masia; B.B. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals: Handbook 2; Affective Domain. New York: David McKay Company.

Latour; B. (2008) A Cautious Prometheus? A Few Steps Toward a Philosophy of Design (with Special Attention to Peter Sloterdijk). [Keynote lecture] Networks of Design meeting of the Design History Society Falmouth; Cornwall; 3rd September 2008. Available at: http://www. Bruno-latour.fr/sites/default/files/112-DESIGN-CORNWALL-GB.pdf [Last accessed 14th March 2012]

Lave; J. (2009) The Practice of Learning. In: Illieris; K. (2009) Contemporary Theories of Learning: Learning Theorists … In Their Own Words. Abingdon; UK: Routledge. Ch.14

Lincoln; Y. S. and Guba; E. G. (1986) But is it rigorous? Trustworthiness and authenticity in naturalistic evaluation. New Directions for Program Evaluation; 1986: 73–84. doi: 10.1002/ ev.1427

Lincoln; Y.; S.; Lynham; S.; A. and Guba; E.; G. (2011) Paradigmatic controversies; contradictions and emerging confluences; revisited. In: Denzin; N.; K. and Lincoln; Y.; S. (eds.)(2011). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research (4th Ed.). London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Marranzo; R.J. and Kendell; J.S. (2007) The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives 2nd Edition. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

McCormack; T.; Hoerl; C.; and Butterfill; S. (eds)(2011) Tool Use and Causal Cognition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Miller; J. (2011) What’s Wrong With DT? [Online]. London: RSA Design and Society. Available online at: http://www.thersa.org [last accessed 14th November 2011]

Ofsted (2011) Meeting technological challenges? Design and technology in schools 2007–10 [online] March 2011. Manchester: Ofsted

Ofsted (2009). Drawing together: art; craft and design in schools 2005/2008. London: Office for Standards in Education. Available at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk [last accessed 30th January 2012].

Olesen; V. (2011) Feminist Qualitative Research in the millennium‘s first decade. In: Denzin; N.; K. and Lincoln; Y.; S. (eds.)(2011). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research (4th Ed.). London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Robinson; K. (2006) TED Talks: Do schools kill creativity? [video online] February 2006. http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html [last accessed 12th March 2012]

Russell; D. R. (1993) Vygotsky; Dewey; and Externalism: Beyond the Student/Discipline Dichotomy. Journal of Advanced Composition; 13(1) p173-197 [online]. Available at: http://www. Jaconlinejournal.com/ [last accessed 1st February 2012]

Sennett; R. (2011). Out of touch. [Podcast] Premsela Lecture; 26th June 2011. Available at: www.premsela.org [last accessed 20th January 2012]

Sennett; R. (2008) The Craftsman. London: Penguin.

Simpson E. J. (1972) The Classification of Educational Objectives in the Psychomotor Domain. Washington; DC: Gryphon House.

Vygotsky; L.S. (1978) Mind in society. London: Harvard University Press.

Wolpert; L. (2003) Causal belief and the origins of technology. Philosophical Transfers of the Royal Society London A 2003 361; 1709-1719. Available at: rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org [last accessed 4th December 2011]

Wolpert; L. (2002) Is Science Dangerous? Nobel Symposium (NS 120): Virtual Museums and Public Understanding of Science and Culture; May 26-29; 2002; Stockholm; Sweden.

Citeringar i Crossref