Technology-assisted critical thinking to develop technological literacy

Informacijsko-komunikacijska tehnologija je zaradi hitrega razvoja postala dostopna vsakemu posamezniku. Kljub temu pa je zmožnost rokovanja z le-to zelo okrnjena. Večina uporabnikov jo uporablja zgolj za zabavo. Zavedati se moramo, da nam tehnologija nudi nešteto možnosti uporabe na vseh področjih, zato stremimo k temu, da bi učencem že v osnovni šoli predstavili možne načine uporabe informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije. Slednja ima lahko v razredu vlogo podpore pri učenju ali pa je uporabljena kot orodje za izboljšanje učenja učencev. V delu ugotavljamo vpliv uporabe informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije na razvoj tehnološke pismenosti. Pri tem se opiramo na pedagoško kolo, ki učitelja usmerja pri izbiri aplikacij in pri načrtovanju učnih dejavnosti za dosego zadanih ciljev. Delovanje pedagoškega kolesa temelji na petih elementih, in sicer: a) lastnosti, b) motivacija, c) Bloomova taksonomija, d) izobraževalna tehnologija in e) SAMR model. Slednji je eden glavnih modelov, ki nas vodi pri uporabi informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije v izobraževanju. Tega sestavljajo štiri stopnje: zamenjava, obogatitev, sprememba in nov pristop. Tehnološka pismenost postaja glede na obseg in hiter razvoj tehnologije ena izmed ključnih pismenosti. Ta vpliva na boljše in lažje delovanje v današnjem svetu. V teoretičnem delu magistrskega dela najprej opišemo informacijsko tehnologijo v izobraževanju, pedagoško kolo in SAMR model, v nadaljevanju se posvetimo tehnološki pismenosti in njenim trem dimenzijam. Podamo tudi pregled tehnološke pismenosti v Sloveniji ter opišemo tehnične zgodbe, pripovedovane preko informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije kot enega izmed načinov razvijanja tehnološke pismenosti. Cilj našega eksperimenta je ugotoviti, kako uporaba informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije vpliva na razvoj tehnološke pismenosti s poudarkom na dimenziji kritičnega mišljenja pri učencih 6. razreda osnovne šole. V razredu smo izvedli pet srečanj (10 šolskih ur) na temo lesnih gradiv z vpeljavo informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije v pouk. V magistrskem delu smo uporabili deskriptivno in kavzalno kvazieksperimentalno metodo ter pristop kvantitativne raziskave. V raziskavo smo vključili učence treh oddelkov 6. razreda osnovne šole v šolskem letu 2018/2019. Vzorec predstavlja 50 učencev, od tega 26 učencev v eksperimentalni skupini, v kateri smo pouk izvajali z uporabo informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije, in 24 učencev v kontrolni skupini, kjer je bil pouk izveden na tradicionalni način. V obeh skupinah smo pred vpeljavo snovi o lesnih gradivih izvedli predtest tehnološke pismenosti, po petih srečanjih pa smo izvedli še posttest. Iz odgovorov na testih smo glede na prirastek tehnološke pismenosti ugotavljali vpliv uporabe informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije na razvoj tehnološke pismenosti. Na splošno je iz rezultatov razvidno, da so učenci na predtestu tehnološke pismenosti dosegali slabše rezultate (x ̅ = 35 %) kot na posttestu (x ̅ = 41,08 %). Če primerjamo skupini, ugotovimo, da je eksperimentalna skupina v tehnološki pismenosti napredovala za 27,21 %, medtem ko je kontrolna skupina nazadovala za 14,44 %. Na pred- in posttestu tehnološke pismenosti so bile, gledano na celoto, najslabše rešene testne postavke, ki so zajemale dimenzijo kritičnega razmišljanja in sposobnosti odločanja, na področju katere je eksperimentalna skupina napredovala za kar 31,45 %, medtem ko je na dimenzijah znanja napredovala za 27,37 %, na dimenziji zmožnosti pa najmanj, to je 14,30 %. Kontrolna skupina je na področju vseh dimenzij nazadovala. Iz dobljenih rezultatov lahko zaključimo, da je uporaba informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije pri pouku tehnike in tehnologije pozitivno vplivala na tehnološko pismenost učencev, torej bi jo bilo smiselno bolj pogosto vključevati v pouk. Poleg tega smo ugotovili, da je vpeljava informacijsko-komunikacijske tehnologije pri pouku najbolj pozitivno vplivala na dimenzijo kritičnega mišljenja in sposobnosti odločanja, ki pa je glede na pregled tehnološke pismenosti v Sloveniji najbolj podhranjena. Delo je uporabno za učitelje tehnike in tehnologije, ki si prizadevajo razvijati tehnološko pismenost učencev na področju vseh dimenzij, ter učitelje ostalih predmetov, ki si prizadevajo razvijati veščine kritičnega mišljenja pri učencih. V nadaljevanju bi bilo smiselno opraviti raziskavo na večjem vzorcu in v daljšem časovnem obdobju, smiselno bi bilo vključiti tudi 7. in 8. razred osnovne šole.Owing to its rapid development, information and communication technology has become available to all. In spite of that, people\u27s technology skills are quite limited. Most users use it only for entertainment purposes. We should be aware that technology offers countless possibilities of application in all areas, which is why we are endeavouring to familiarise primary school pupils with the possible uses of information and communication technology. In class, such technology can be used to support learning or as a tool for enhancing the pupils\u27 learning. This thesis determines the influence of the use of information and communication technology on the development of technology literacy. In doing so, it stems from the Pedagogy Wheel which guides a teacher in choosing applications and in planning learning activities for achieving the set goals. The functioning of the Pedagogy Wheel is based on five elements, namely: a) attributes, b) motivation, c) Bloom\u27s taxonomy, d) educational technology, and e) the SAMR Model. The latter is one of the main models guiding the use of information and communication technology in education. It is made up of four levels: substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition. In light of the scope and rapid development of technology, technology literacy is becoming one of the key literacies. It helps us to function better and more easily in today\u27s world. The theoretical section of the master\u27s thesis begins by describing information technology in education, the Pedagogy Wheel, and the SAMR Modelafterwards, it focuses on technology literacy and its three dimensions. It also reviews technology literacy in Slovenia and describes technical stories told using information and communication technology as a method of developing technology literacy. The aim of this experiment is to determine how the use of information and communication technology affects the development of technology literacy, focusing on the dimension of critical thinking in 6th grade pupils. Five sessions (10 periods) were carried out in class on the topic of wooden materials by introducing information and communication technology into the lessons. The master\u27s thesis employed a descriptive and causal quasi-experimental method, as well as the quantitative research approach. The survey encompassed pupils of three sections of the 6th grade of primary school in the 2018/2019 school year. The sample contained 50 pupils, 26 of whom were in the experimental group where lessons were carried out using information and communication technology, while 24 of them were in the control group where the lessons were carried out traditionally. In both groups, a technology literacy pretest was conducted before introducing the topic of wooden materialsafter five sessions, a posttest was conducted as well. The influence of the use of information and communication technology on the development of technology literacy was determined by examining the increase in technology literacy based on the answers to the tests. Overall, the results show that the pupils scored worse (x ̅ = 35%) on the technology literacy pretest than on the posttest (x ̅ = 41.08%). A comparison of the two groups reveals that the experimental group improved its technology literacy by 27.21%, while the control group regressed by 14.44%. Overall, the pupils scored the least points in the technology literacy pretests and posttests in the items relating to the dimension of critical thinking and decision-making skills, where the experimental group progressed by 31.45%, whereas it progressed in the knowledge dimension by 27.37%, and the least, i.e. 14.30%, in the capabilities dimension. The control group regressed in all dimensions. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the use of information and communication technology during Design and Technology lessons has had a positive impact on pupils\u27 technology literacy and that it would be sensible to include it in lessons more often. Moreover, it has been established that the introduction of information and communication technology into lessons has had the most positive impact on the dimension of critical thinking and decision-making skills, which the review of technology literacy in Slovenia has shown to be the weakest dimension. This thesis can be used by Design and Technology teachers who wish to develop the technology literacy of their pupils in all dimensions, and by teachers of other subjects who wish to develop critical thinking skills in their pupils. In the future, it would be sensible to conduct a survey on a larger sample and over a longer period of timeit would also be sensible to include the 7th and 8th grade of primary school