Tech Tally Approaches to Assessing Technological Literacy (2006) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 19-28
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From page 19... ...
But, as this report shows, technological literacy is much more than simply being able and willing to use a technology. Because technology is pervasive in our world, it is vitally important that people understand what technology is, how it works, how it is created, how it shapes society, and what factors influence technological development.
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From page 20... ...
Against this background, the question naturally arises about the level of technological literacy in the American public. Most experts who have thought about the issue in depth agree that people in this country are not as technologically literate as they should be; but this is a general impression with little hard data to back it up.
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From page 21... ...
This second dimension is particularly difficult to assess because it cannot be easily measured in a typical paper-andpencil test, especially if the test is in a multiple-choice format. And third, a technologically literate person should be able to think critically about technological issues and act accordingly (e.g., should construction of a new coal-fired power plant be supported or opposed)
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From page 22... ...
There are a number, and according to Technically Speaking some of the most impor tant relate to improving how people -- from consumers to policy makers- think and make decisions about technology; increasing citizen participa tion in discussion of technological developments; supporting a modern workforce, which requires workers with significant technological savvy; and ensuring equal opportunity in such areas as education and employ ment for people with differing social, cultural, educational, and work backgrounds. The benefits of technological literacy also address growing concerns about the state of the nation's science and engineering enterprise in the context of the global economy (NAE, 2002; NRC, 2005)
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From page 23... ...
For schools of education to provide future teachers with the knowledge and skills to speak knowledgeably about technology, they must be able to measure the technological literacy of their graduates. Adults who have completed their formal educations continue to learn about technology in many ways (e.g., museums and science centers; radio, television, and print media; community and social organizations)
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From page 24... ...
Obstacles to Assessing Technological Literacy The developers The developers of tools for assessing technological literacy face of tools for significant design challenges, an issue much of the rest of this report assessing considers. With enough time and financial support, most of these difficul technological ties can be overcome.
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From page 25... ...
In response to this need, the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies, with funding from NSF, established the Committee on Assessing Technological Literacy.
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From page 26... ...
The appendixes include copies of K12 learning goals related to the study of technology from three different sets of content standards, summaries of the 28 instruments discussed in Chapter 5, and bibliographies of some of the research on how people learn technology- and engineering-related concepts. This report builds on and refers extensively to two earlier docu ments, Technically Speaking (NAE and NRC, 2002)
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From page 27... ...
Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. NAE and NRC (National Research Council)
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