Professional Development for a New Curriculum for a Developing Country: The Example of Technology Education in the Solomon Islands

This thesis explores the impact of a specially designed technology education professional development programme for traditional technical education secondary teachers to assist with the implementation of technology education in the Solomon Islands. Technology education is a new development for the teachers in Solomon Islands who are used to a more prescribed technical education. The technology education in the Solomon Islands is in the process of change with the curriculum being developed into a broader technological literacy approach comprising of technological knowledge, technological process, and technological and societal values. Thus, the development of teacher knowledge of technology and technology education and their technology education practices are crucial for the successful implementation of the new technology curriculum proposal. The theoretical framework of this thesis is based on the interpretivist paradigm with a qualitative case study approach. A two-year study with eight secondary technology education teachers in the Solomon Islands was undertaken in 2005 and 2006. The teachers existing perceptions of technology and technology education, classroom practices and student learning in 2005 are described. The professional development programme undertaken in 2006 and its impact on the secondary school teachers' perceptions of technology and technology education, classroom practices, and student learning in technology education are also examined. The preliminary inquiry in 2005 showed that the technology teachers in the Solomon Islands held narrow perspectives of technology and technology education, with views centring on narrow technical aspects. The teachers' 2005 classroom practices were very conservative with technical skills focussed teaching approaches fostered mainly rote learning, and their assessment was dominated by summative assessment foci. The 2005 findings were used as a basis for a professional development to prepare teachers to become more effective when teaching the proposed technology curriculum. A professional development intervention programme was undertaken in 2006. It was based on key professional development principles of teacher support and teacher reflection and sharing. It was on-going and was undertaken over time. A social constructivist learning model was used by the professiosnal development provider to iii help bring about teacher change. This programme built on the localised context and was crafted around best practices from other professional developemnt models. The study provides empirical evidence that the professional development intervention programme had a positive impact on the teachers' perceptions of technology and technology education, and teachers' teaching practices which changed from having a technical education focus to a technology education focus. There were strong links between teachers' perceptions and their classroom practices. When teachers developed robust knowledge about technology and technology education, and used appropriate technology education specific pedagogies they were able to successfully implement the new Solomon Island technology education curriculum. The positive impact of the professional development programme on teachers' understandings of the nature of technology and technology education, their classroom practices, and student learning demonstrate its effectiveness. The success of the professional development model justifies the recommendation for its wider use in other developing countries with similar contexts and situations to the Solomon Islands.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

The University of Waikato

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Sade, David

• teacher professional development
• technology education
• Solomon Islands
• developing countries

Statement dc:rights

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