Technology learning 1: Towards a curriculum for children who are technologists

Technology education holds the promise of curriculum recognition, at last, of an authentic view of a long-neglected aspect of humans' intellectual heritage. Unfortunately, this vision is in danger of being lost because of unclear and simplistic views of the nature of technology. In this paper, we set out our contention that curriculum debate has been reduced to a struggle between academic-rationalist and technical-utilitarian positions. We present samples from our research which recognises young children's technological prowess and which, by implication, supports our case for including at least two other significant curriculum perspectives — an intellectual processes perspective and a social expression perspective. Reflecting the spirit of technological endeavour, we conclude by stressing the importance of continuing the dialogue presented here, between curriculum perspectives on the one hand and the work of children as technologists on the other.