Technology teachers’ talk about knowledge: from uncertainty to technology education competence

Figures & data

Table 1. Overview of the participants.

ID	Focus group	Years since teaching degree	Teaching students in grades	Technology was studied during teacher education	Certification to teach technology	Other technical/STEM background	Teaching subjects, apart from technology
Alexander	1	9	7–9	No	Yes	Yes	Ma
Agnes	1	33	7–9	No	Yes	Yes	Sc
Anthony	1	Teacher education, but not completed.	7–9	Yes	No	Yes	Cr
Bella	2	4	4–6	Yes	Yes	No	Sc, Ma, En
Bianca	2	8	4–6	Yes	Yes	No	Sc, Ma
Barbara	2	12	4–6	No	Yes	No	So, Sc, Sw, Ma
Celine	3	14	7–9	No	Yes	Yes	Sc, Ma
Charlie	3	5	7–9	No	Yes	Yes	Sc, Ma
Claudia	3	2	7–9	No	Yes	Yes	Ph
Charlotte	3	1	7–9	No	Yes	Yes	Ph, Ma
Daniella	4	18	1–3, 4–6	Yes	Yes	No	Sc, Ma, Sw
Doris	4	25	1–3, 4–6	Yes	Yes	No	Sc, Sw, So
Denise	4	14	1–3, 4–6	No, but was supplemented later	Yes	Yes	Cr, Art, Sc
Elizabeth	5	12	1–3	No	Yes	No	Sc, Sw
Emily	5	22	1–3, 4–6	No, but was supplemented later	Yes	No	Sc, Ma
Erin	5	11	1–3, 4–6	No	No	No	Ma, Sc, Sw, So
Frida	6	14	1–3	No	Yes	No	All subjects in grades 1–3
Felicia	6	17	1–3	Yes	Yes	No	(No answer)
Flora	6	14	1–3, 4–6	Yes	Yes	No	Sc

Note. Ma – mathematics, Sc – science subjects, Cr – craft, En – English, So – social science subjects, Sw – Swedish, Ph – physics.

Table 2. The three-part heuristic framework for technology education.

	The three legs of the epistemological tripod of technology education
	Technical skills	Technological scientific knowledge	Socio-ethical technical understanding
Brief description of technological knowledge (tradition)	The first technological knowledge mastered by humans. Skill or ability. The main focus is to make things work, not why they work. Knowledge in technology. (Craftmanship tradition)	Knowledge gained using a general scientific approach, but in a technological context. Understanding why things work is of the greatest importance. Knowledge in technology. (Engineering tradition)	Discussing and relating technology to different aspects such as the environment, society, and humans. Knowledge about technology and its relationship with the human world. (Humanities and social sciences tradition)
Main justification method	Experience	Methods from the technological and natural sciences.	Methods from the humanities and social sciences.
Example from technology education	Knowledge of how to build, cut, and glue cardboard models.	Knowledge of how materials are structured and their properties.	Knowledge of how computers have changed the way we communicate or how society’s infrastructure is designed.
Example from professional activities	Craftwork of a blacksmith.	Mechanical calculations of the strength of a bridge.	How a new railway line will affect the everyday life of the local community.

Figure 1. Technology education competence.