Growing misconception of technology: investigation of elementary students' recognition of and reasoning about technological artifacts

Abstract

Knowledge of technology is an educational goal of science education. A primary way of increasing technology literacy in a society is to develop students' conception of technology starting from their elementary school years. However, there is a lack of research on student recognition of and reasoning about technology and technological artifacts. In this respect, the purpose of this study was to determine elementary school students' recognition of and reasoning about technological artifacts. In line with this purpose, a survey was conducted with 239 elementary school students from Turkey. For the analysis of the quantitative data collected, independent sample t test, one-way ANOVA and descriptive statistics were used. For the analysis of the qualitative data, content analysis was used. The results revealed that the students' recognition of and reasoning about technological artifacts were not wrong yet not efficient. In addition, it was also found out that the students' technology recognition differed depending on the socioeconomic levels of their schools in relation to digital divide and on their parents' educational backgrounds. When the students' views were examined, it was seen that electricity was a requirement for anything to be regarded as technology. Suggestions were put forward for researchers, teachers as well as for parents regarding students' understanding of technology.