Biotechnology teaching models: what is their role in technology education?

Abstract

The introduction of technology education in New Zealand provided an opportunity to teach biotechnology from a technological perspective. Biotechnology teaching models were developed during a professional development programme. The role of these teaching models has been described and analysed according to the definitions identified by the 'Models in Science and Technology: Research in Education' (MISTRE) group and classified according to Grosslight et al.'s analysis of models in order to identify and analyse the role of biotechnology teaching models in technology education. These teaching models fulfilled a variety of roles that included providing a focus to understanding the factors influencing a biotechnological outcome to providing a technique for collaborative evaluation of manipulative skills in microbial plating exercises.