An Educational Model for Teaching About Technological Systems

Understanding and using models of systems are a part of systems thinking but there is a lack of functional educational models to use for this purpose. The aim of this chapter is to give an example of an educational model for teaching about technological systems to develop relevant and area specific systems knowledge and competences but also develop systems thinking as a key competence of technological literacy. Therefore, we want to take a theoretical model, the Freiburg model that describes system characteristics with the aim to develop systems thinking, and modify it to an educational model for teaching and learning about technological systems. Relevant knowledge and capabilities related to the common curriculum content in technology education in Sweden, the wastewater system, are implemented within the structure of the model with the intention to investigate if the theoretical Freiburg model is useful and understandable as an educational model. The answer is that teachers find the educational model helpful when modifying technological systems into activities for students in technology education. To become a useful educational model that provides all three aspects within technological systems teaching, the structural, the functional and the contextual, further development of the model is needed. However, we believe that this model is an important contribution to future studies of how an educational model could be a resource in technology education for developing students’ systems thinking and systems knowledge.Part of book: ISBN 978-981-16-7721-2QC 20220208