Technology and Rights

What do we know about technology and rights? This article provides a fairly comprehensive overview of current issues regarding this topic. We explore and analyse a wide spectrum of rights that are challenged in this current era of technological convergence. We use the United States Bill of Rights as an example of the vulnerability of legal protections for rights against particular political and technological changes in this post 9-11 climate. New streams of rights acting as a safeguard against further incursions of technology into civil liberties are explored. We also address intellectual property rights and international trends in copyright, patent and trademark laws. We question whether these issues of technology and rights have a place in current technological literacy scenarios.     

Reflecting on Teacher Development in Technology Education: Implications for Future Programmes

This paper reflects on the outcomes of teacher professional development programmes in technology education. These programmes were based on a model which emphasised the importance of teachers developing an understanding of both technological practice and technology education. Two different programmes have been developed and trialed in the New Zealand context. They are the Facilitator Training programme, and the Technology Teacher Development Resource Package programme. This paper will focus on the outcomes of these programmes. The Facilitator Training programme was a year long programme, and ran in 1995 and 1996. It involved training a total of 30 educators – 15 each year, from all over New Zealand. The Resource Package was trialed in 14 schools over a 3–6 month period in 1996. The evaluations indicate the successful nature of these programmes and the usefulness of the model as a basis for the development of teacher professional development in technology education. The programmes reported on in this paper were developed and evaluated as part of two New Zealand Ministry of Education contracts held by the Centre for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Research. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Value Judgements: Evaluating Design: A Scottish Perspective on a Global Issue

This paper reviews the status of value judgements within Design and Technology education in Scotland in relation to National Guidelines. It highlights consequences for teacher education. These include developing critical awareness, acquiring and assessing information and developing the skills of decision-making and appraisal necessary for discrimination and judgement in the context of an increasingly international arena. The literature suggests that there is little support for the teaching of product appraisal and the evaluative strategies required. Initial teacher education and in-service programmes are being developed to enable teachers to respond to the challenge of this often controversial aspect of Design and Technology. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于技术形成机理的自主创新决策模型研究

技术的形成是企业在特定时期将最新的创新思想和前沿知识相结合,并实现产业化的过程,它受到企业内部和外部多种因素的影响和制约。根据技术的形成机理,技术自主创新包括知识技术化、技术产品化和产品市场化等三个决策维度,并在每个决策维度运用相应的寻优原则进行评价与选择,形成了知识技术化决策模式、技术产品化决策模式和产品市场化决策模式,从而构建基于技术形成机理的企业技术自主创新的决策模型。     

Two Cultures of Technical Courses and Discourses: The Case of Computer Aided Design

Researchers in science and technology studies (STS) are in the process of dismantling the conventional human-machine and nature-society-technology boundaries solidified by C. P. Snow and generations of designers, engineers, researchers, scientists and teachers. Using the case of computer aided design (CAD), I argue that by combining the sociopolitical knowledge of STS with technical knowledge we can finally and forcefully bring an end to technical education. To make this argument, I draw on my experiences in teaching CAD in post-secondary institutions in design, engineering, and teacher education. Theories and practices are described to assist design and technology educators with the dilemma of addressing sociopolitical knowledge.     

技术领先战略与技术创新价值

本文以企业研发投入并未形成足够的利润现象为背景,分析企业研发投入动力与技术领先战略,并用创新竞赛模型、技术的理性对抗、企业内技术外溢、技术保护和技术实力显示来解释这一现象。由此得出结论:企业追求创新的长期利益在本质上也是创新竞赛,但未必会导致过度的研发投入.企业追求创新的长期动机可以让企业更加主动地参与创新;政府推进创新的短期政策很容易造成创新竞赛。而长期政策则可以让企业有效率地参与研发.     

The Influences of Teacher Knowledge and Authentic Formative Assessment on Student Learning in Technology Education

Students involved in holistic technological practice need to develop an understanding of technological practice outside the classroom and to participate in tasks set as close as practicable to actual technological practice. This paper investigates the context of assessment and its relationship to achievement and the importance of teacher knowledge to student technological practice. I argue that ‘out of context’ assessment tasks do not give an accurate indication of achievement levels of the children assessed. Introduced is the Model of Student Technological Practice, which identifies four constraints that influence student technological practice. A significant factor is teacher knowledge, as it impacts greatly on the quality of feedback given to students by their teachers. Timely teacher intervention and formative assessment feedback will alter student technological practice and should improve the students’ likelihood of developing successful outcomes.     

Knowledge and Values in Technology Education

This paper addresses two closely interrelated issues in Technology Education: knowledge and values. The starting point for the discussion is analysis of the nature of knowledge in technology education. Approaches for theorising knowledge will be analysed in this paper as well as problems associated with them. Three major types of problems are identified: problems with finding an appropriate approach for the analysis of technological knowledge; problems with a technocratic interpretation of technological knowledge for the purpose of its classification; and problems with establishing a consistent approach to distinguish common features of technological knowledge. A model that represents knowledge in technology education and the place of values in it is presented as a way of overcoming the problems specified. The claim is made that understanding of knowledge/values relationships can improve theoretical understanding of how technology education can be constructed.     

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.     

基于创新协同理论的大中型工业企业技术创新能力评价研究

在科技高速发展的今天,大中型工业企业该如何提高自身的技术创新能力,使其能够持续、快速、健康地发展,成为一个不可忽视的问题。本文从研发能力、财务能力、协同能力和产出能力四个方面,选取了15个有代表性的评价指标,构建出了基于创新协同的企业技术创新能力评价指标体系。然后搜集了2011年东部和中部十九个省市大中型工业企业的指标数据,运用因子分析法进行综合分析。研究结果表明,我国大中型工业企业技术创新能力呈现出明显的从东部沿海地区向中部地区由高到低的递减分布。     

网络信息技术下基于知识的决策分工、决策绩效和决策权力的配置

网络信息技术剥离了决策中显性知识的处理任务,显性化了部分“地域”性知识和隐性知识,降低了决策的度量成本和决策外部性的内部化成本,提高了企业的决策绩效,从而使基于知识的决策分工及在此基础上的决策权力配置成为可能。     

国家产业技术政策、技术创新体系与产业技术创新战略联盟——兼论知识产权战略的作用机制

国家产业技术政策是国家为促进产业技术发展,建构产学研一体化的技术创新体系而实施的国家层面的指导性文件和纲领。国家产业技术政策与技术创新之间具有密切联系,建构产学研技术创新体系是实现国家产业技术政策的重要保障。其中产业技术创新战略联盟的建设则是实现产学研一体化技术创新体系和落实国家产业技术政策的重要战略性举措。     

油田管线内防腐技术检测评价新技术

介绍了以腐蚀管流动态模拟试验装置和防腐技术现场中试基地为基础的油田管线内防腐技术检测、评价新技术。应用该技术对油田常用的9种管线内防腐技术进行了为期一年的中试应用,为油田筛选出了适用于不同介质及工况条件的经济合理的管线内防腐技术,对指导油田安全生产、降本增效以及提高油田防腐蚀工作管理水平有重要的意义。     

Assessing the Attitudinal Technology Profile of South African Learners: A Pilot Study

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.     

企业生命周期与技术生命周期的联动机制及其组织结构特征研究

企业成长的周期性是经济周期发生的微观基础,探索技术创新与企业规模关系的微观机理可以从企业生命周期与技术生命周期的联动机制入手。在分析了企业生命周期与技术创新关系,以及技术生命周期与技术机会关系的基础上,文章提出企业生命周期与技术生命周期并非以时间为联动依据,而是在一定时间内通过分散决策与集中决策的力量对比形成联动机制,这一机制能够大致刻画出两个生命周期之间互动的传导性,最后分析了作为这种联动机制载体的组织结构特征。     

The Nature of Technological Knowledge: Philosophical Reflections and Educational Consequences

Technological knowledge has a normative component that scientific knowledge does not have. When we have knowledge of a computer, that often comprises normative judgements: it functions well or it does not function well. In knowledge of technical norms, rules and standards as another type of technological knowledge we also find a normative component. This characteristic has consequences for our assessment of knowledge. For scientific knowledge truth is the ultimate condition. For knowledge of norms, rules and standards as a type of technological knowledge this the condition is problematic. They refer to things that do not exist yet, but are still to be designed or made. Nor truth, but effectiveness is the condition here. For technology education the normative component is important. Pupils must learn to make judgements about effectiveness, as this is a prominent characteristic of technological knowledge, that makes it distinct from scientific knowledge. Pupils must also learn to deal with ethical and other values when doing technological project work.     

江浙基于FDI提高区域技术创新能力的比较

本文利用江浙1995-2006年的数据实证分析了实际利用外商直接投资（FDI）对区域技术创新能力的影响。结果表明。FDI对区域技术创新能力提升有促进作用但存在明显的区域差异。笔者认为FDI对区域技术创新能力的影响程度至少与两个方面相关，一是区域经济发展的特点及利用外资的模式；二是技术本身的原创程度、技术含量、研制难度及其对企业的重要性等。微观经济主体的控制权状况与内部化约束形态是影响区域技术创新绩效的关键。在此基础上．本文提出了若干建议。     

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.     

Recent Research in Learning Technological Concepts and Processes

This paper examines recent research in student learning of technological concepts and processes. To explore this area three inter-related aspects are considered; existing concepts of technology, technological knowledge and processes. Different views of technology and technology education are reflected in both research outcomes and curriculum documents. Teacher and student perceptions of technology impact on the way in which technology is undertaken in the classroom. Teacher's perceptions of technology influence what they perceive as being important in learning of technology. student's perceptions of technology and technology education influence what knowledge and skills they operationalise in a technological task and hence affect student technological capability. Technological concepts and processes are often defined in different ways by particular groups. Subject subcultures are strongly held by both teachers and students. The influence of subject subcultures and communities of practice will be discussed in terms of defining and operationalising technological concepts and processes. Technological concepts are not consistently defined in the literature. For students to undertake technological activities, knowledge and processes cannot be divorced. Recent research highlights the problems when processes are emphasised over knowledge. This paper will examine different technological concepts in an attempt to create a critical balance between knowledge and process. Much of the literature in technology education has rightly emphasised definitions, curriculum issues, implementation and teacher training. This paper argues that it is now time to place a great emphasis on in-depth research on student understanding of technological concepts and processes and ways in which these can be enhanced.     

The Impact of the Implementation of Technology Education on In-Service Teacher Education in South Africa (Impact of Technology Education in the RSA)

In this article the impact of technology education, as a new learning area (subject) in the curriculum, on in-service teacher education in South Africa is described in order to ascertain the extent of the impact. The research on which this article is based draws on a variety of experiences and observations in the field at grassroots level (in particular an outreach project in rural communities). The envisaged impact of technology education on South African schools, communities, teacher educators and teachers, the range of in-service teacher education that is required, and the impacts in urban and rural areas are discussed. Finally a number of concluding remarks are made about the extent of the impact of the inclusion of technology education in the new National Curriculum Statement and whether the situation has changed since the implementation of a pilot technology education project in 1998. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.