Oral Interaction in Technology Education

Abstract

This chapter explores perspective of a teacher educator in technology education. It identifies technology education as being very different from educational technology. Technology education is about the informed design and development of technological outcomes to meet identified needs. On the other hand educational technologies are the tools and related pedagogies of using technology to facilitate and enhance student learning. Oral interaction plays a special role in technology education. In technology there is no one right answer, with multiple solutions possible although some solutions will be more successful than others. Technology education draws on considered strategies to assist student learning. The Technology Observation and Conversation framework assist this process and facilitates teacher professional development to enhance the quality of classroom interaction. Understanding the nature of and facilitating intercognitive conversations assists this endeavour. The Technology and Observation Framework provides teachers with a bank of rich questions and observation points across key aspects of curriculum and desirable technology behaviours. Awareness of and understanding the role and values of students’ funds of knowledge, assist teachers in making connections with students and ensures the taking of specific steps to provide an inclusive safe classroom where students are comfortable to take risks and fail. Using strategies such as talking partners and ‘no-hands-up within this safe environment enables students the freedom to explore their thinking orally and learn in a non-judgmental manner thus enabling them to articulate and shift thinking if necessary thus sparking cognitive growth.