Question#1: Technological Literacy
Running head: TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY
DL5: Comprehensive Examination Questions
Question#1: Technological Literacy
William Bennett
CSUSB
EVOC 638: Critical Issues in Career & Technical Education
February 8, 2009
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Question#1: Technological Literacy
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Question 1
What is technological literacy and what are the three interdependent dimensions it
encompasses?
Technological Literacy
According to Wright, Yates, and Scarcella in the article titled Technology Education—
Much More Than Computers, technological literacy is “the ability to use, manage, assess, and
understand technology” (2003). Technological literacy encompasses three interdependent
dimensions, 1) “knowledge, ranging from limited to extensive,” 2) “ways of thinking and acting,
from poorly developed to highly developed,” and 3) “capabilities, ranging from low to high”
(National Academy of Engineering; National Research Council, 2002). These divisions are
considered to be arbitrary since it would be virtually impossible to separate one dimension from
another. If one possesses a technological capability, most likely they will also have technological
knowledge giving them the ability to be technologically capable, and will also posses ways of
thinking and acting in a technologically capable manner. Every technologically literate
individual possesses some degree of knowledge, capability, and ways of acting and thinking in at
least one of the three areas of technology, 1) information/communication technologies, which are
technologies dealing with sending, receiving, and understanding messages, 2) physical
technologies, which are technologies dealing with making, moving, or building things, or 3)
biological technologies, which are technologies dealing with living things (Scarcella, 2009).
Question#1: Technological Literacy
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Technological literacy encompasses three interdependent dimensions; in the book
Technically Speaking the authors itemize the following dimensional characteristics of a
technologically literate citizen:
1. Knowledge
a. Recognize the pervasiveness of technology in everyday life
b. Understands basic engineering concepts and terms, such as systems,
constraints, and trade-offs.
c. Is familiar with the nature and limitations of the engineering design
process.
d. Knows some of the ways technology shapes human history and people
shape technology.
e. Knows that all technologies entail risk, some that can be anticipated and
some that cannot.
f. Appreciates that the development and use of technology involve trade-offs
and a balance of costs and benefits.
g. Understands that technology reflects the values and culture of society.
2. Ways of thinking and acting
a. Asks pertinent questions, of self and others, regarding the benefits and
risks of technologies.
b. Seeks information about new technologies.
c. Participates, when appropriate, in decisions about the development and
use of technology.
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3. Capabilities
a. Has a range of hands-on skills, such as using a computer for word
processing and surfing the Internet and operating a variety of home and
office appliances.
b. Can identify and fix simple mechanical or technological problems at home
or work.
c. Can apply basic mathematical concepts related to probability, scale, and
estimation to make informed judgments about technological risks and
benefits.
(National Academy of Engineering; National Research Council, 2002).
Technological literacy is also a goal the United States government is trying to encourage
schools across the nation to implement into their curriculum (Commitee on Technological
Literacy, 2010). In order for schools to be successful in implementing technological literacy
components into their curricula, it is important that their teachers also become technologically
literate. This means that teachers need to be educated in areas of technology like aerodynamics,
aerospace, laser and fiber optics, engineering structures, power, energy, and alternate energy
sources, robotics, graphic design, pneumatics, and mechanisms just to name a few. Teachers also
need to become more proficient at using educational technologies both in the classroom and out.
In order to increase the flexibility and reach of their curricula teachers need to be educated in the
ways of distance education as well. All of these items represent important components of
technology that teachers need to be literate in if they are to meet the goals set forth for increasing
the population’s technological literacy. With that said, one important thing to remember is that
the mere existence of technology will not guarantee better learning in schools. Increased learning
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and literacy will only come when technology is properly incorporated into a school’s curriculum
based on sound pedagogical principals (National Research Council, 2000).
Question#1: Technological Literacy
Works Cited
Commitee on Technological Literacy. (2010). Retrieved Ferbruary 2, 2010, from Technically
Speaking: http://www.nae.edu/nae/techlithome.nsf
National Academy of Engineering; National Research Council. (2002). Technically Speaking.
Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
National Research Council. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school.
Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Scarcella, J. (2009). 3 Areas of Technology. Retrieved February 8, 2010, from EVOC 637:
http://coe.csusb.edu/scarcella/e-text/Sca637/3areasoftechnology.doc
Wright, M., Yates, B., & Scarcella, J. (2003, May). Technology Education--More Than Just
Computers! Inside ACTE , pp. 44-45.
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