Enhancing Practicing Primary School Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Technology

This paper describes the frameworks and cognitive tools that have been developed to enhance practising teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in primary school technology education. The frameworks evolved from our research that firstly examined existing teaching practices, secondly enhanced formative interactions and thirdly enhanced summative assessment strategies. The evidence gained over the three years demonstrated how the effective use of frameworks could be utilised to enhance teacher pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). How we see learning is of prime importance in examining the development of teacher pedagogical content knowledge. A sociocultural view of learning is taken where human mental processes are situated within their historical, cultural and institutional setting. In the research project we strongly emphasised the need for teachers to build a knowledge base for teaching technology. Critical aspects identified as enhancing PCK included: negotiated intervention, planning frameworks, reflection on case studies, workshops and support in classrooms, appropriate resources, teacher agreement meetings, portfolios of student work and summative profiles. The increased PCK resulted in: enhanced teacher knowledge about technology including the nature of technology, areas of technology and specific technological knowledge, changed pedagogical approaches, enhanced teacher student interaction, refinement of appropriate learning outcomes, critical decision making, improved teacher confidence, and enhanced student learning. Seven characteristics or features of pedagogical content knowledge that we believe are important for effective teaching and learning in technology are presented. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Concept Mapping as a Means of Evaluating Primary School Technology Programmes

Concept mapping provides a means for teachers and pupils to represent their understanding of an area of knowledge. It has been used as a planning tool by teachers to identify a framework of specific concepts and their propositions within a topic, as an assessment tool and as a means of collaborative sharing of knowledge. Information from two primary schools would also suggest that it can be used as a means of evaluating a school programme of primary technology. Research into people's perceptions and attitudes to technology indicated that there were a number of concepts and propositions associated with this field of study. A variety of groups of people including primary children were asked to describe what they understood to be technology and this information was constructed into a concept map format. The two schools described in the study had different programmes to deliver technology within the curriculum area of environmental studies. The first school had a planned programme of technology which was taught by the head teacher of the school. The second school had technology taught by class teachers, running as a thread throughout the environmental studies programme. In the first case the children knew when they were engaged in a technological task whereas in the second case the technology was implicit and the children were not necessarily aware of any specific subject area. The children's perceptions of technology and their attitudes towards it were analysed with reference to the constructed concept map. In the school where there were specifically programmed technological tasks, the children indicated that their understandings of technology were focused towards the design process; they identified technology as designing, making, problem solving and generating ideas. In relation to the Scottish curriculum their knowledge was concentrated in the area of the outcome entitled 'Understanding and Using the Design Process'. Children in the second school indicated that their understanding of technology was related to objects including computers and new inventions. This demonstrated that their ideas were mostly linked to the outcome entitled 'Understanding and Using Technology in Society'. It can be argued that in order to have a comprehensive understanding of technology the children should have knowledge and understanding of both outcomes. In the light of the results the head teachers of the respective schools decided to look more closely at their programmes in order to find out what modifications might be made. The head teacher of the first school decided to question the children more closely because he was aware of some attitudinal difference between the boys and the girls. He has now decided to do some further research in his school to see what changes need to be made. The head teacher of the second school is about to embark on a complete review of her school technology programme. The results of the research would suggest that concept mapping in the suggested form is a possible tool for evaluation of primary school technology prorammes. However this was only a small case study and further research would have to be done to provide more substantial evidence.     

Comparisons and Contrasts Between Elementary/Primary ’School Situated Design’ and ’Workplace Design’ in Canada and England

There is a lack of evidence that examines, together, the triad of how teachers in elementary/primary schools are translating curriculum requirements for teaching design, within technology frameworks, in their classrooms, how their students then proceed with design, and how ’school situated design’ relates to ’workplace design’. This paper explores the relationships between designerly thinking and behaviours situated in classrooms and in the workplace, beliefs about how designing is learned in schools and in the ’real world’, and children’s, teachers’ and designers’ understanding of design. These are be illustrated by extracts from interviews with teachers, children and designers and evidence of designing in classrooms and in the workplace. Similarities and differences between evidence from ’school situated design’ and ’workplace design’ and from Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

高职院校服装结构与工艺课程教学改革初探

本文通过探索服装结构与工艺课程中存在的几个主要问题,提出改革的具体措施,即转换思维,合理设置课程,更新教学方法,完善师资建设,以达到教育与市场的融合。     

Preservice Primary Teachers' Thinking About Technology and Technology Education

It is apparent from previous research that primary school teachers have very limited or narrow perceptions of design and technology and such views may affect adversely their ability and confidence to teach the key learning area of design and technology in the classroom. Therefore, it is the task of technology teacher educators to provide experiences that will broaden preservice teachers' perceptions of technology and technology education. This paper reports an investigation, using an interpretive research methodology, of preservice primary teachers' prior perceptions of design and technology and changes in their perceptions of design and technology as a result of their engagement in independent technology projects. Students enrolled in a one-year postgraduate teacher education program were the participants in the study and the methods of data collection included the use of survey instruments, interviews, field notes and students' reflective journals. The results indicate that the independent projects broadened and deepened the students' understandings of technology as a process. The implications of the approach for the design of technology education courses for preservice and inservice teachers are discussed.     

经济环境与企业社会责任的协同演进研究

回顾了在中国经济改革的不同阶段企业社会责任的发展。1949年～1978年,由于实行高度集中的计划经济以及国有企业一只独秀,而国有企业作为政府的附属机构承担着各级政府指派的各种社会责任,因此在这个时期谈社会责任完全没有必要。即使在1978年～1992年间乡镇企业和私营企业迅速出现,国有企业的情形依然没有改变,而乡镇和私营企业在极端恶劣的社会环境中不得不“头戴红帽”,生存的艰辛远远超过了对社会责任的关注。1993年～2002年,市场经济导向正式确立,但中央“以经济建设为中心”的大政方针和政府系统内部“以经济增长”为核心的考评体系,导致企业社会责任在中国被忽视了。从2002年开始,企业社会责任开始受到了重视,但在现阶段显示三个特点：第一,企业社会责任仍处于起步阶段;第二,经济责任仍然是第一位的;第三,企业承担社会责任是政府导向的。     

Creative Thinking, Values and Design and Technology Education

The development of Design and Technology curricula has always been premised on the importance of the act of designing and of the value of the contingent activity of creative thinking. Despite this, there has been a great deal of uncertainty about methods for developing creative thinking abilities in design and technology students. However, the results of research from cognitive psychology, engineering and invention suggest some promising strategies for application in design and technology classes. Moreover, these strategies are emerging during a time when issues concerning ethics and values are also being raised. This paper presents a brief summary of the research into problem-solving and design. It then explores a range of creative thinking strategies, and of their possible applications in design, and goes on to argue that the strategies and settings that promote creative thinking in design and technology make the area not only one that is suitable for addressing ethics and values, but that it may be one of the major reasons for including design and technology programs in school curricula.     

Differential Effects of the Primary Forms of Cross Functional Integration on Product Development Cycle Time

In markets characterized by high rates of technological and market change product life cycles tend to be shorter, resulting in the increased importance of competing on the basis of product development cycle time. For firms operating in these dynamic market environments, competing on the basis of cycle time may not only be a source of competitive advantage, but in some industries may actually be essential for survival.
In this investigation the relative importance of five forms of cross functional integration and R&D integration of information or knowledge from past projects were explored in terms of their effects on product development cycle time. The five forms of cross functional integration included R&D/marketing integration, R&D/customer integration, R&D/manufacturing integration, R&D/supplier integration, and strategic partnerships. A sample of 65 U.S. and Scandinavian high technology firms (or strategic business units) were studied. The sample included firms from the computer, telecommunications, instruments, specialty chemicals, biotechnology, and software industries.
The results demonstrated that R&D integration of knowledge from past projects explained the largest degree of variation in product development cycle time. R&D/marketing integration and R&D/customer integration explained the next largest degree of variation in cycle time reduction. Cross cultural generalizability tests demonstrated that the results were generalizable across the U.S. and Scandinavian samples of firms. In addition, the results were found to be generalizable across industry or product category for five of the six forms of integration.     

Pragmatism, Pedagogy and Philosophy A Model of Thought and Action in Action in Primary Technology and Science Teacher Education

This article reports on one outcome from a three-year study with pre-service primary teachers at Goldsmiths' College, University of London. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of participants' prior educational experience and beliefs about the relationship between design & technology (D&T) and science on their lesson planning for these subjects during school placements. Data from the study support a three-domain model of pre-service teachers' thinking and action. When operating within the pragmatic domain, participants are primarily concerned with survival in the classroom, resulting in short-term planning which may contradict their epistemological and curricular beliefs. In the pedagogical domain, the focus shifts from the pre-service teacher themselves and their immediate survival to the learning potential of the activities they plan. There is evidence that some participants have progressed to operating within a philosophical domain, leading to clasroom practice which reflects and re-conceptualises pre-service teachers' core beliefs about the nature of, and relationship between, D&T and science. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

浅谈小学语文教学中创新能力的培养

21世纪是知识经济时代,创新是知识经济的灵魂。小学语文教学作为一门重要的基础学科,则必须在发展学生语文能力的过程中,重视对学生进行创新教育。通过创新教育,开启学生创新的心扉,唤起学生的创新意识,培养学生的创新精神,提高学生的创新能力,为学生成为21世纪的创新型人才全面地打好基础。     

关于军民品协调发展的再思考

关于军民品协调发展问题，笔者曾以《关于军民品协调发展的经济学分析》（刊发于《航天工业管理》2002年第10期）为题做过初步探讨。该文发表后，不期竞引起了一定的反响，更让笔者高兴的是，中国社会科学院文献中心主持编写的《新世纪党政干部理论学习文献》已决定将其全文收录。这一方面说明，军民品协调发展并不是一个似是而非的“伪命题”，而确有进一步探讨的必要；另一方面，当然也激励笔者不揣粗陋在前文的基础上略作引申，以求教于方家。     

A review of current A/AS syllabuses in Design and Technology

Concluding remarks It can be seen that the common core has brought a great deal of consistency between the syllabuses. There was a belief that A-levels would be restructured as a result of the National debate about core skills for A-levels, but this now seems to have been shelved. The pressure now is from the evolving form of National Curriculum Technology and the search for continuity and progression and from the developing relationship with other 16–19 courses, e.g. BTEC (Business and Technician education Council). The recent paper by Smithers and Robinson (1992) failed to add very much to the debate as a result of the rather simplistic and divisive view it presented.The review of A and AS-levels in Design and Technology is due to begin in the near future. It is essential that a full representation of the issues and complexities of this field is made so that developments can be soundly based. Design and Technology has made great strides at A and AS-level and it is vital to ensure that this progress is both recognised and sustained through the review process.     

The Role of Published Materials in Curriculum Development and Implementation for Secondary School Design and Technology in England and Wales

This paper discusses the ways in which teachers exploited a set of curriculum materials published as a vehicle for curriculum innovation, and the relationship between chosen modes of exploitation and teachers’ own perceptions of how the materials had ’added value’ to their teaching. The materials in question were developed by the Nuffield Design and Technology Project (’the Project’) to offer a pedagogy appropriate to the statutory curriculum for secondary school design and technology education in England and Wales (DFE/WO 1995). The Project had sought both to inform the statutory curriculum, and respond to its requirements. An earlier case study (Givens 1997) laid the foundations for the survey that is reported here. This paper focuses on the teaching of pupils aged 11–14. It finds that while most teachers made at least some use of all the various components of the publications, they were selective. While the Study Guide, which carries out a meta-cognitive dialogue with pupils, was generally underused, those teachers who did use it perceived greater value added by the materials as a whole to the quality of pupils’ work, their effectiveness in design and technology and their autonomy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Managing the Unexpected Across Space: Improvisation,Dispersion, and Performance in NPD Teams

Organizations are increasingly moving toward a team‐based structure for managing complex knowledge in new product development (NPD) projects. Such teams operate in an environment characterized by dynamic project requirements and emergent nonroutine issues, which can undermine their ability to achieve project objectives. Team improvisation—a collective, spontaneous, and creative action for identifying novel solutions to emergent problems—has been identified as a key team‐situated response to unexpected challenges to NPD team effectiveness. Geographic dispersion is increasingly becoming a reality for NPD teams that find themselves needing to improvise solutions to emergent challenges while attempting to leverage the knowledge of team members who are physically distributed across various locations. However, very little is known about how teams' improvisational actions affect performance when such actions are executed in increasingly dispersed teams. To address this gap in the literature, this paper draws on the emerging literature on different forms and degrees of team dispersion to understand how team improvisation affects team performance in such teams. In particular this paper takes into account both the structural and psychological facets of dispersion by considering the physical distance between team members, the configuration of the team across different sites, as well as the team members' perception of being distant from their teammates. Responses from 299 team leaders and team members of 71 NPD projects in the software industry were used to analyze the relationship between team improvisation and team performance, as well as the moderating effect of the three different conceptualizations of team dispersion. Results of the study indicate that team improvisation has a positive influence on project team performance by allowing team members to respond to unexpected challenges through creative and timely action. However, increasing degrees of team member dispersion (both structural and psychological) attenuate this relationship by making it difficult to have timely access to other team members' knowledge and by limiting real‐time interactions that may lead to the development of creative solutions. The results of this research offer guidance to managers about when to balance the desire to leverage expertise to cope with unexpected events. Moreover, the present paper provides directions for future research on improvisation and team dispersion. Future research is encouraged to investigate factors that may help highly dispersed teams to overcome the shortcomings of team dispersion in dealing with emergent events.     

Radical Design and Technology Epiphanies: A New Focus for Research on Design Management

The past decade has ushered in a growth of interest on design, both among scholars and practitioners. The consequence has been the development of a wealth of new theories on design, innovation, and design management. After a decade of studies, we have developed significant understanding about how firms may better analyze customer needs through user‐centered design, how they can generate better ideas through brainstorming methods and multidisciplinary teams, how consumers value the form of products. Yet, as often happens in research, many studies have focused on the most visible and measurable forms of design (those connected to the clear processes and methods of user‐centered design). The consequence is that, apart from a few exceptions, the focus of theory development has been on incremental innovation enabled by design: better user interface, improvements, differentiation, nice ideas and features that get rapidly imitated and obsolete. Scholars have often neglected some of the most intriguing forms of design, i.e., when design brings a radical perspective, when it contributes to the redefinition of an industry, and the creation of a new paradigm. In this short note I hope to set the stage for this new frontier of research in design management. In particular I propose two fields of investigation: the role of design to radically innovate the meaning of products and services, and the interaction of radical design with radical technologies, which I call technology epiphanies, i.e., the identification of the most powerful meaning enabled by a breakthrough technology.