Comparing High School Students\u27 and Adults\u27 Perceptions of Technology

This study compared high school student’s perceptions of technology and technological literacy to those perceptions of the general public. Additionally, individual student groups were compared statistically to determine significant differences between the groups. The ITEA/Gallup Poll instrument was used to survey high school student’s perceptions of technology in the study. The student population in question consisted of three subgroups: students enrolled in a standards-based technology education courses, students enrolled in a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Principles of Engineering pre-engineering course, and students enrolled in a general education course (language arts, mathematics, or science). In addition, each student group’s perceptions of technology were compared to one another to determine differences within each group. Responses from 4 items in the ITEA/Gallup Poll showed descriptive differences between students and adults, and responses from 13 items showed a significant difference between the three student groups. Of those 13 items showing a significant difference between all three groups, 7 of the 13 items showed a significant difference between technology education and PLTW respondents, 6 of the 13 items showed a significant difference between PLTW and general education respondents, and 8 of the 13 items showed a significant difference between technology education and general education group respondents