Assessing the Attitudinal Technology Profile of South African Learners: A Pilot Study |
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Authors: | Piet Ankiewicz Susan van Rensburg Chris Myburgh |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Curriculum Studies, Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park Johannesburg, South Africa, 2006;(2) Department of Educational Sciences, Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park Johannesburg, South Africa, 2006 |
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Abstract: | Various instruments measuring either technological literacy or pupils’ attitudes towards technology are available. Recent
research has emphasised that these instruments have not been validated for the South African context, yielded invalid and
unreliable data for this specific context, and should therefore be adapted (Ankiewicz, Myburgh & Van Rensburg, 1996; Van Rensburg,
Ankiewicz & Myburgh, 1996a, 1996b, 1999).
The concept technology profile refers to learners’ knowledge and understanding of technology, their awareness of it, their values and attitudes towards
technology, and their technological capability. It also refers to the extent to which these aspects have become part of the
learners’ personality, beliefs, perceptions and behaviour. At the PATT (South Africa) Conference, held during October 1996,
the developments regarding the design of an Attitudinal Technology Profile (ATP) questionnaire to evaluate the effects of
curricula on the technology profile of learners in South African schools, were reported. At the time of the conference, the ATP questionnaire still had to be
applied in order to establish its reliability and validity (Ankiewicz et al., 1996, p. 90). This article reports on this application
of the ATP questionnaire.
A quantitative pilot study was undertaken among 439 South African learners in Grades 9 and 10 in the Gauteng Province in the
Johannesburg/Soweto area to determine their attitudinal technology profile. Differences among the learners with regard to their exposure to Technology Education, as well as gender differences, were
also investigated. The conclusion is that the ATP questionnaire provides more reliable and valid results than its western
counterpart that have been applied in South Africa.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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Keywords: | attitudes towards technology attitudinal technology profile gender differences technological attitudes technology education |
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