Exploring Materials as Subject Content within Technology Education

Within technology education in compulsory school in Sweden, materials are part of the core contents. What kinds of materials, and which characteristics that should be highlighted is open to interpretation. The study includes three sub-studies: 1/ An analysis of classroom activities during two lessons about materials in primary school, 2/ A Delphi study (Osborne et al. 2003) with experts on materials to gather their thoughts about materials in elementary technology education, and 3/ A review of documents (syllabus, teachers’ handbooks). The purpose of this study is to put light on the field of materials as a content area by investigating what aspects of materials are highlighted in the three contexts. Two teaching sessions were video recorded. The data analysis focused on the objects of teachers and students. Results suggest that the teachers highlight different aspects; one teacher focused on naming the materials and describing what products they are used for, while the other emphasized the materials’ properties. Ten experts participated in the first round of the Delphi study. Their responses were coded reflexively and iteratively. Results indicate the following major categories of material-related subject content: groups of materials, properties, creation and refinement, use, development over time, environmental aspects, and modern materials. The syllabus states that young pupils should study materials that they can use (wood, cardboard). Later common materials (steel, concrete) are introduced and at the end of compulsory school modern materials. Materials’ properties and use in solving technical problems is studied, and their environmental effects. Preliminary results indicate that some content emerges in all three contexts: material usage, the material’s functional properties and origin of the material, production and processing.QC 20161010