Towards Developing An Ontology For K 12 Engineering Technology Education

Hofstra University’s Center for Technological Literacy and the University of Technology, Delft, conducted an international research study in the summer of 2009 to identify the most important unifying concepts and disciplinary contexts in K-12 engineering and technology education (ETE). The purpose of the study, titled Concepts and Contexts in Engineering and Technology Education (CCETE), was to provide a framework for developing contemporary ETE curricula. The study drew upon the expertise of 30 individuals from nine countries with a broad range of experience in ETE-related domains. These experts included philosophers and historians of technology, journalists, technology teacher educators, and engineering educators. A set of core unifying themes, applicable to all technological fields, emerged from this study and gave insight into the nature of engineering as a holistic endeavor. The themes are design (e.g., optimization, trade-offs, specifications), modeling (e.g., representation and prediction), systems (e.g., function, structure), resources (e.g., materials, energy, information), and human values (e.g., sustainability, innovation, risk, failure, social interaction). In addition, a set of technological contexts emerged. Situated in the belief that K-12 ETE should address issues that support a sustainable world, these contexts include food (e.g., agriculture, biotechnology), shelter (e.g., construction), water (e.g., supply and quality), energy, mobility (e.g., transportation), production, health (e.g., medical technologies), security, and communication. Further refinement indicated that when developing a curriculum, the contexts should be elaborated in two directions: a “personal concern” or “daily life practice” direction and a “global concern” direction.