A research proposal to analyze how the U.S. technology education system compares to other countries around the world.

1. Final Paper 1
Running head: GLOBAL STATE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
0B
Global State of Science and Technology Education
1B
David R. Wilkowske
University of West Alabama
ED 504 - Techniques of Educational Research
Dr. Michele Chism
April 19, 2007

2. Final Paper 2
Table of Contents
2B
Chapter 1: Problem to Be Investigated………………………………………………………………… 3
Chapter 2: Background and Review of Related Literature…………………… 8
Figure 1: Totals of U.S. Technology Educators………………………………10
Chapter 3: Procedures………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15
References……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 37
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41-52
Consent Form…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41
Student Survey Questionnaire Instrument…………………………………… 42-52
Footnotes………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 54
Figure 2: National Average Scores – ACE Questions……………………………… 57
Table 1: Excerpt of Delphi Probe Rankings…………………………………………………….58
Table 2: Excerpt of Student Attitudes from ROSE Project……………… 60

3. Final Paper 3
Chapter 1: Problem to Be Investigated
A. Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to define critical
issues and problems with science and technology education (STE)
on a global basis in the present tense and in the future. Expert
opinions from STE professionals will be evaluated to help
formulate STE policies at a global and national level. On a
global basis extrapolation of Wicklein’s research identifying
critical issues and problems in technology education will help
national STE leaders “more accurately design a path to achieve
the primary mission of advancing technological literacy”
(Wicklein, 1993, p.56).
In addition to expert STE professional opinions,
international student attitudes and perceptions towards STE will
be evaluated so national technology education leaders can fully
understand how their current policies affect student interest in
STE. With this knowledge curriculum and policy changes may need
to be made to enhance the interest of students in STE.
B. Justification of the Study
Justification for this study is a matter of global economic
importance and the conclusions of this study should help all
nations maintain a competitive level of scientific and
technological achievement. If STE falters in either a developing
or highly developed nation economic stagnation and decline will

4. Final Paper 4
probably occur. The primary objective of this study is to look
for common global solutions to national critical issues and
problems with STE. Some STE issues and problems may require
customization to fit the cultural environment at the national
level.
C. Research Questions and Hypotheses
Phase 1: Science and Technology Educator Question
On a global basis what are the critical issues and problems
with STE?
Subsidiary questions to the high-level STE question will be
based on key questions from previous research of expert
technology educator panel discussions (Wicklein, 1993, p.56).
Phase 2: Student Attitude Question
On a global basis how do student attitudes towards STE
differ between developing and highly developed nations?
The same questions that Sjoberg and Schreiner (2005) used
in their research of how students of different international
cultures relate to science and technology will be utilized in
this research project. In order for STE professionals across the
globe to develop a practical STE curriculum as well as fully
engaging and inspiring STE students, science and technology
educators must be aware of “the interests, hopes and priorities
of the learners” (Sjoberg and Schreiner, 2005, p.6).

5. Final Paper 5
Hypotheses
For Phase 1 a global hypothesis could be researched to see
if lack of sufficient quantities of skilled technology educators
is due to recruitment problems and funding issues; this issues
was one of the top five critical issues and problems that
Wicklein identified in the U.S. two years ago (Wicklein, 2005).
For Phase 2 a global hypothesis would be to replicate
recent research that students from highly developed countries
(i.e. Great Britain, Japan, etc.) are less likely to appreciate
science or aspire to become involved in some scientific
endeavor; whereas students in developing countries are more
likely to look favorably on science and have scientific career
aspirations (Sjoberg and Schreiner, 2005; Figure 2, page 57;
Table 2, page 60). Since the U.S. was excluded from Sjoberg and
Schreiner’s 2005 survey this would be an important hypothesis
for global expansion.
D. Definition of Phase 1 Terms
Using Wicklein’s (1993) previous operational terms the
following will be defined:
Critical Issues: An issue of crucial importance which
U U
relates to a minimum of two points of view which “are debatable
or in dispute within technology education” (Wicklein, 1993,
p.56).

6. Final Paper 6
Critical Problem: A crucial impediment that affects
U U
progress or survivability of the STE profession.
Present: This is the current operational conditions of the
U U
technology education profession.
Future: A projected time span of 3-5 years or more into the
U U
future. For example the International Technology Education
Association (ITEA) uses 5 year increments for their strategic
planning procedures (Wicklein, 1993, p.56).
E. Brief Overview of Study
International researchers (i.e. Kelegai and Middleton,
2002; Sjoberg and Schreiner, 2005) who have been cited in the
literature review and main body of this research proposal will
be contacted and asked to participate as research partners
(Sjoberg and Schreiner, 2005, p.3) in the global research study.
International working groups of research partners will need to
be formed to begin the process of preparing Phase 1 and 2 survey
instruments in the same manner as the Relevance of Science
Education (ROSE) project (Sjoberg and Schreiner, 2004, 2005).
The scope of the study will be to evaluate STE critical
problems and issues in developing and highly developed countries
on a global scale covering the major continents of North
America, South America, Europe, Greenland and Iceland, Asia and
the Pacific Rim countries including Australia. Sjoberg and
Scheiner (2005, pp. 10-14) in their study covered a smaller

7. Final Paper 7
international segment than what is currently suggested in this
research proposal; namely the continent of Africa, the
subcontinent of India, Malaysia, Philippines, Trinidad and
Tobago, most of Eastern Europe including Russia, as well as
England, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland.

8. Final Paper 8
Chapter 2 – Background and Review of Related Literature
This literature review will focus primarily on critical
issues facing technology education, cultural and gender issues
affecting technology in education, and human and computer
interaction issues affecting technology in education. During the
course of this literature review an attempt will be made to
create a common thread between the relevant literature cited.
Critical Issues Facing Technology Education
Wicklein (1993, 2004) reported the critical problems of
inadequacies in funding, administrative and community support,
marketing and public relations, technology education training,
and resistance to change in technology education in the United
States (U.S.).
Another disturbing statistic on an international level is
the falling enrollment and recruitment in science and technology
courses by undergraduates seeking future employment as
technology educators, lack of qualified new teachers, as well as
an increasing gender gap (Ndahi and Ritz, 2003; Sanders, 2001;
Wicklein, 2004, p.8)
In the U.S. not only is there a critical need for qualified
teachers, there is also a need for science educators to
understand how technology is used in science since very few
science teachers actually understand this concept (Flick and
Bell, 2000, p. 46 - #5).

9. Final Paper 9
A recent U.S. demographic profile in two separate studies
shows multiple disparities which affect the technology education
field. Although two different sample types were used by Sanders
and later Wicklein they both found that most technology
educators are 90% male (Sanders, 2001, Figure 2 and Wicklein,
2004, Table 1). Wicklein (1993, 2004) did not show a racial
disparity in his survey since it was not a part of his
questionnaire but Sanders did and found that 94% of technology
educators were white (Sanders, 2001, Figure 2).
In addition, according to Sanders the average age of
technology educators in the U.S. was 48 at the time he conducted
his study (Sanders, 2001, Figure 4). Wicklein used a different
statistical method of evaluating the age of U.S. technology
educators and found that individuals who were in the age range
of 46-65 comprised 59% of all technology educators since there
was no age to gender statistics displayed (Wicklein, 2004, Table
1). This means that in another 18 years or less the U.S. will
face an even greater deficit in numbers of technology educators
when these middle-aged educators retire.
Definitive numbers of technology educators in the U.S. are
difficult to determine because in some cases states have
reported estimates rather than actual numbers and “in the case
of an embedded curricular framework, should the science or
social studies teacher be counted as a technology education

10. Final Paper 10
teacher?” (Meade and Dugger, 2004, p.31).
Despite Meade and Dugger’s (2004) reservations about the
validity of the U.S. total of technology educators, their
conclusions (See Figure 1 below) are based on previous survey
comparisons with approximations from their own 2004 ITEA-TfAAP
study which “indicates an overall decrease in the number of
technology education teachers across the [U.S.] nation” (Meade
and Dugger, 2004).
Figure 1: “Summary of 1997 Weston study, 2001 Newberry
U U
study, 2001 Ndahi & Ritz Study, and 2004 ITEA-TfAAP Study on the
number of technology education teachers in the United States”
(Meade and Dugger, 2004, p. 31).
To indicate some statistical consistencies over a three
year period, Meade and Dugger (2004) and Ndahi and Ritz (2003)
used the same U.S. survey participants as Weston (1997) who
“used state supervisors and state boards of education for their
[2001 Ndahi and Ritz Study, Ndahi and Ritz, 2003] figures, while
the Newberry study reportedly made use of alternative sources”

11. Final Paper 11
(Meade and Dugger, 2004).
Cultural Factors Affecting Technology Education
In Least Developed Countries (LDC) such as Papua New Guinea
(PNG), in closely knit collectivist communities “minors rarely
question their parents and elders, and knowledge imparted by the
elders is readily accepted. However, students at tertiary level
[post-secondary] are expected to actively participate, question
and debate issues with the teachers (Kelegai and Middleton,
2002).
Seay (2004) an African American former information
technology professional pursuing a PhD wrote an interesting
paper on working with below average African American students at
a publicly funded charter school in the southeastern U.S.
A student’s self-perception of mastery of a subject is
highly correlated to their proficiency in that subject area;
however Seay contends there is evidence that the culture of a
student influences the “self-efficacy” educational psychology
construct (Seay, 2004, p. 84).
Seay’s unique socio-cultural technology education approach
was to make the students the central focus rather than the
technologically laden subject to “intertwine with the language
of technology with the language of the students” (Seay, 2004,
p.86, ¶3).
Seay advocates constructivist learning theory for the

12. Final Paper 12
students in his classes which establishes a socio-cultural
perspective making the learning process a social activity (Seay,
2004, p. 87).
American racism as well as other social factors,
marginalize African American students by inhibiting their
participation in the classroom and Seay’s “socio-cultural
approach to the learning environment embraces students as valid
cognitive beings in need of extending (not re-creating) their
existing cognitive toolkit to include the skills that are
required to function meaningfully in the world” (Seay, 2004,
p.88, ¶ 3).
Gender Issues Affecting Technology Education
Gender issues in the U.S. affect both the number of female
educators and students enrolled in technology education courses
“only one faculty in ten is female, this is ten times the
percentage reported two decades ago. Similarly, one third of
technology education students enrolled are female, about fifteen
times the percentage of the early 1960s” (Sanders, 2001, p.16, ¶
3).
Gender issues affecting technology education are not unique
to the U.S. In many developed nations of Europe and Asia such as
England, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Russia and Japan “most girls
do not want to work with technology” Sjoberg and Schreiner
(2005, p.12, ¶1). Whereas in developing countries in Africa and

13. Final Paper 13
Asia such as Uganda, Ghana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, the
Philippines, Bangladesh, India and Malaysia all had much more
positive responses by girls who wanted to become scientists
Sjoberg and Schreiner (2005, p.12).
Literature Review Summary and Conclusions
Sanders (2001) study seems the most definitive of all the
literature that was reviewed in this paper. His methodology,
essential questions and data are very well defined and easy to
understand. It would be a good article to emulate for my final
research study proposal.
In addition to using some of the same type of research
questions and methodologies as Sanders (2001). Emulation of the
survey instrument and participants used in previous research
conducted by Meade and Dugger (2004), Ndahi and Ritz (2003) and
Weston (1997) in their nationwide surveys of U.S. technology
educators would provide statistical consistency in a new
research study.
Global analysis of the total number of technology educators
worldwide would be extremely difficult using traditional survey
instruments due to language difficulties and various
international postal regulations. However, it might be feasible
some day to conduct a survey (funded by corporate and/or
educational research foundations) at an international conference
of technology educators using the same type of Modified-Delphi

14. Final Paper 14
Technique (MDT) in panel discussions that Wicklein (1993)
utilized in his earliest study of technology educators in the
U.S.

15. Final Paper 15
Chapter 3: Procedures
A. Description of the Research Design
Two studies will be conducted. Phase 1 will be
administered globally to selected panels of STE experts to
determine critical issues and problems with STE in their native
countries. Global Meta analysis of the data collected at the
national levels will be performed to determine if there are
common global STE critical issues and problems that transcend
cultural and national norms. The research questions mentioned in
Section C of this paper will be used during the preliminary MDT
Phase 1 of STE international expert panel discussions interests.
Survey and research content analysis is usually performed
during the initial stages of survey instrument design via the
use of experts brought in to review the instrument to insure the
validity of the content. Instead, a global expansion of
Wicklein’s expert panel discussions and Delphi probes (Table 1 –
pages 58-59) will be performed using a MDT to “ascertain and
prioritize the critical issues and problems in technology
education” (Wicklein, 1993, p.57).
The Delphi technique originally designed by Dalkey and
Helmer (1963) was used with a panel of seven experts consisting
of four economists, a physical-vulnerability specialist, a
systems analyst and an electronics engineer who were asked to
form expert opinions on uncertain future events, namely

16. Final Paper 16
determining strategic bombing targets that the Soviet Union
would engage during a future nuclear war. The Delphi Method of
expert panel discussion and the distillation of individual ideas
and opinions in response to hypothetical questions has been used
extensively in many different technical disciplines helping
predict future outcomes for long-range strategic planning
purposes (Custer, Scarcella, Stewart, 1999; Dalkey and Helmer,
1963; Streveler, Olds, Miller and Nelson, 2003; Wicklein, 1993).
The Phase 2 study will involve random sampling of student
attitudes about STE at the national level using previous
research by Sjoberg and Schreiner (2005) as a guide for
instrumentation, administration, and data collecting and coding.
On a global basis Meta analysis of national data will be
performed to look for commonalities in student attitudes towards
STE.
The final conclusions of Phase 1 and 2 will be presented
via online electronic and print versions of a prominent peer-
reviewed STE journal. This will allow science and technology
educators to view all aspects of STE from the administrator,
teacher and student levels. With this comprehensive knowledge
national, regional and local curriculum planners will be able to
formulate a dynamic STE curriculum suitable for the scientific
and technological challenges of the 21st century.

17. Final Paper 17
B. Description of the Samples
Ideally for Phase 1 all STE experts throughout the world
should be used as a target population. However, that would not
be practical from either a logistical or economical standpoint.
Instead, from a realistic perspective the accessible population
of STE experts will be selected on a national basis (instead of
regional) via the purposive sampling method from lists of STE
professionals of ITEA and other international STE organizations.
Wicklein’s previous successful STE research employed a Modified-
Delphi Technique which “relies upon the use of informed opinion,
random selection was not considered when selecting the Delphi
participants” (Wicklein, 1993, p.57). Since this is a research
proposal the total number of STE subjects in the sample is not
known at this time.
Participants to be selected will be “considered to be well
informed leading authorities in their field by their colleagues,
supervisors, and peers” (Wicklein, 1993, p.57). Phase 1 Delphi
team sample population definitions will be used as follows:
University teacher educators of technology education [STE]
and supervisors/administrators of technology education
[STE] selected for the Delphi team averaged 23 years of
experience in the field of industrial arts/technology
education [STE] with an average of 32 publications relating
to the field of industrial arts/technology education [STE].

18. Final Paper 18
Selection of the classroom teachers for the Delphi team was
accomplished by an identification process which used two
national surveys (one to state supervisors/administrators
and one to university department heads of technology
education [STE]) requesting the identification of the top
three classroom teachers of technology education [STE]
within their state. The following preliminary qualifying
criteria was presented on the survey:
(1) Currently teaching in a high quality secondary level
technology education [STE] program; (2) Minimum of three
years teaching experience as a secondary level classroom
technology education teacher [STE]; (3) Prior experience in
developing curriculum materials for technology education
[STE] at the secondary level; (4) Creative and innovative
thinkers in technology education [STE]; (5) Technically
competent in their assigned teaching area; (6) Actively
participates in state and national professional
associations relating to technology education [STE]
(Wicklein, 1993, p.57).
The multi-national student sample population for the
proposed research study will be selected via two-stage random
sampling from students in the U.S. grade 9 level in the age
range of 14-15 years old.
Additional student sample guidelines from Sjoberg and

19. Final Paper 19
Schreiner’s (2004) questionnaire development paper in the
following two-page excerpt will be used:
The sample should be drawn so that it represents the target
population as defined above. For practical reasons the
sampling unit is likely to be the school class (and not the
single individual).
This implies that whole classes are expected to take part
in the study. Using whole classes does, however, reduce the
variability, and hence the 'effective sample size'. One
should therefore as a rule use only one school class from
each school to avoid further reduction of the
effective sample size.
The sample should be drawn from the class level with the
highest proportion of 15-year old students. Within the
defined target population, one should identify the existing
schools, preferably from available statistical school
administration data. In some countries educational or
statistical authorities may assist in providing such lists
as well as providing a representative sample. From the list
of schools, one should draw at random a specified number of
schools for participation. If school size varies
considerably, one may use proportional sampling in order to
get a representative sample. This means that before
drawing, the school should be given a weight that is

20. Final Paper 20
proportional to the number of students at the actual class
level.
At each school, only one class should take part. Take care
to make a representative selection of type of school, if
these exist (girls' and boys' schools, boarding schools,
etc.) The type of school may be one of your nationally
defined background variables as indicated above.
One should aim at a minimum of 25 participating schools -
preferable more. With 'normal' class sizes of about 25, the
25 schools should give a minimum of 625 respondents. (If
you plan for 25 schools, be sure to sample a considerably
higher number, since you are not likely to get a 100 %
response rate!)
If you want to compare sub-groups within your national
population, you should go for larger samples than indicated
above to ensure that you contrast groups which are
sufficiently large.
Target population(s)
U
In principle, the ROSE target population is the cohort of
all 15 year old students in the nation, or more precise:
the grade level where most 15-year old students are likely
to go. This is, in many countries, the last year students
attend lower secondary school, and it often coincides with
the end of compulsory schooling. In many countries, this is

21. Final Paper 21
the last year before streaming according to educational
choices or other forms of selection takes place. (These
considerations are not equally valid for all countries and
educational systems.)
ROSE tries to shed light on the range and the variety of
students' experiences, interests, perceptions, etc. in
issues related to S&T [Science and Technology]. The vast
variation in types of countries and cultures has
implications for the definition of the target population:
Some countries are rather homogeneous and 'mono-cultural'.
Here it makes sense to talk about national averages, etc.
Other participating countries have large variations due to
geography, differences in culture or ethnicity, level of
economic development, etc. In such cases it may not make
sense to calculate national averages. (In fact, one may
loose sight of the educationally interesting variety by
calculating national means!) In such countries, one may
consider to define the target population as a more
homogeneous subgroup, for instance a 'state' or a
particular administrative or otherwise clearly identifiable
unit. As a consequence, in such countries one may prefer to
define more than one target population, or one may define
identifiable strata in the national population.
Furthermore, the national researcher's economic and human

22. Final Paper 22
resources differ between the participating countries. Based
on the local national circumstances, one may define an
accessible population that is smaller than the whole
national student cohort, for example as a cultural or
geographic defined group as indicated above.
Whatever choice one makes, care should be taken to be
explicit in the definition of the target population. This
is important in order to avoid later confusion or
unwarranted conclusions to be drawn. If there are questions
about how to define a suitable population please discuss
them with the organizers (pp.95-96).
C. Description of Instruments Used
The Phase 1 STE professional survey instrument will be a
questionnaire derived from science and technology expert panel
discussions using a Modified Delphi Technique per Wicklein
(1993) to create a list of critical issues and problems in the
global technology education field.
The Phase 1 survey instrument will be culturally and gender
neutral. Survey questionnaires will be disbursed by mail based
on mailing lists generated by the private firm Market Data
Retrieval (MDR) 1 in the U.S. and outside the U.S. via expert
D D
panel groups at international symposiums. ITEA International
Ambassadors will be used to help locate language translation
services and facilitate distribution and collection of the Phase

23. Final Paper 23
1 and 2 survey instruments 2 .
D D
Using the four definitions of Wicklein’s (2005, p.6) survey
instrument the construction of the Phase 1 STE professional
survey instrument would be as follows:
Section 1 – Demographics will collect data on age, gender,
work experience, and participants job classifications – i.e.
high school teachers, university professors and regional or
national technology education leaders.
Section 2 – Directions will explain to the participants how
to complete the survey and operational definitions of terms used
in the survey, i.e. Critical – highly important for the
technology education field, Issue – Concern which might affect
development or progress for the field, Problem – barrier which
prevents development or progress for the field.
Section 3 - Critical issues – seeks ranking and rating on
pre-defined critical issue items.
Section 4 – Critical Problems seeks ranking and rating on
pre-defined critical problem items.
Levels of agreement or disagreement will be rated by each
participant on each item via the use of “a Likert-type scale,
indicating Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly
Disagree. In addition, each participant was [will be] asked to
independently rank order the top three (3) critical issues and

24. Final Paper 24
problems that they deemed the most vital to the field of
technology education”(Wicklein, 2005, p.6).
Expanding Wicklein’s research questions to a global
population of science and technology educators the following
detail level questions will be used in the investigation process
(Wicklein, 1993, p.56):
1. What critical issues are currently impacting STE?
2. What critical problems are currently impacting STE?
3. What critical issues most probably will impact STE
in the future (3-5 years)?
4. What critical problems most probably will impact
STE in the future (3-5 years)?
The STE student survey instrument will consist of 247
questions divided into multiple segments derived from the
Sjoberg and Schreiner (2004, pp. 83-94) ROSE questionnaire
development paper. These segments are as follows:
Section A: What I want to learn about 3 - 48 questions
D D
Section B: My future job 4 - 26 questions
D D
Section C: What I want to learn about 5 - 18 questions
D D
Section D: Me and the environmental challenges 6 -18 questions D D
Section E: What I want to learn about 7 - 42 questions
D D
Section F: My science classes 8 - 16 questions
D D
Section G: My opinions about S&T 9 - 16 questions
D D
Section H: My out-of-school experiences 10 - 61 questions
D D

25. Final Paper 25
Section I: Myself as a scientist – Essay question 11
D
Section J: How many books are there in your home? Socio-
economic question
D. Explanation of the Procedures Followed
Phase 1 and 2 from a procedural standpoint will involve a
considerable amount of time and effort to establish research
procedures that all partner researchers can easily understand
despite language and cultural differences.
Sjoberg and Schreiner (2005) encountered some survey
compliance problems with sampling methods of partner researchers
who “For various reasons, e.g. due to limited financial
resources, some countries have not been able to comply with the
request”.
To minimize the problem of limited financial resources,
grants and funding will be sought from international
organizations such as the United Nation’s Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization 12 and Non-Governmental
D D
Organizations 13 .
D D
Emulating the research procedures of Sjoberg and Schreiner
(2004, 2005) utilization of United Nations Development Program
(UNDP, 2004) technical factors of Human Development Index (HDI)
will be used to allow meta analysis across multi-cultural and
international boundaries for the Phase 2 Student Survey.
All partner researchers will be trained in proper survey

26. Final Paper 26
instrument administration and coding procedures in a similar
manner as the ROSE project (Sjoberg and Schreiner, 2004; Sjoberg
and Schreiner, 2005).
Research partner recruitment efforts will consist of
initial pre-survey mailings derived from the mailing lists of
the following organizations: European Science Education Research
Association (ESERA), Gender and Science and Technology (GASAT),
International Organization for Science and Technology Education
(IOSTE), International Technology Education Association (ITEA),
and the National Association for Research in Science Teaching
(NARST).
Phase 2 Student Survey logistics, administration and coding
procedures will be emulated as shown in the following five page
excerpt from Sjoberg and Schreiner’s (2004) questionnaire
development paper:
Preparations take time!
U
Please be aware that the preparations for the actual data
collection may be time-consuming! Data collection should
take at the earliest convenience. The international data
analysis will start in the beginning of 2003. We have,
however, not yet decided on any definite time limit for
data collection. The data analysis for the first
international report will start in August 2004. Partners
who cannot meet this deadline, are welcome to collect and

27. Final Paper 27
analyze their own data and to take part in later joint
analysis [Meta analysis].
In most countries you may need official permission to gain
access to the schools and students to collect data. In some
places you may even need such permissions on a regional
level. And you certainly need to get permission at each
school, possibly at the 'top' level, but certainly at the
classroom teacher level. Some countries even require
permission from the students' parents.
These practical and legal constraints vary from country to
country, and the best way forward must be determined by
each researcher (or group). Do not underestimate the time
that this may require. In this planning process, many
'local' decisions are likely to be taken. Please take care
to describe these as clearly as possible when data are
submitted. If a letter of recommendations from the ROSE
organizers will help you in getting the necessary
permission, we will provide this. It is a good idea to
start preparing for data collection at the earliest
opportunity.
Administration of questionnaire
U
The ROSE study is not a test, and there are no correct
answers that can be used for ranking by some pre-determined
measure of quality. Hence, there is no need to be extremely

28. Final Paper 28
strict in the guidelines for administration and data
collection. The important thing is that we get reliable and
honest data, and that the students understand the
questions. They should also be given enough time to
complete the questionnaire. Pilot testing in has indicated
that one normal lesson (about 40 min) is sufficient time,
but this may not be enough when there are problems with the
language, etc. Please ensure that the students get time to
answer all questions. The administrator may even explain
questions where they are not fully understood. One may even
consider the possibility of completing the questionnaire as
homework.
The questionnaire should be presented by the normal class
teacher, but the researcher may assist and supervise. After
the completion and collection of the questionnaire, the
researcher or teacher may fill in the necessary school code
or other information on the front page for later
identification. At a later stage (during data entry), all
questionnaires from each country should be given a unique
identification number for easy retrieval in case of
corrections, etc. The open-ended question will be coded
separately, so the identification number is essential
for merging the two data files.
Coding of data
U

29. Final Paper 29
Each participating researcher (or group) must follow
precisely the common guidelines for data entry. We will use
SPSS (Statistical Programme for the Social Sciences) as the
instrument for analysis, but Excel may be used for data
entry if SPSS is not available. Empty data files in
SPSS and Excel format will be provided. The corresponding
code book with the necessary information for data entry
will also be made available.
The first page in the questionnaire contains a few
background data about the respondent. Additional
information might be added by the researcher (or the
teacher administrating the questionnaire). Each national
researcher has to decide what background information one
needs. The ROSE instrument and data file has, as mentioned,
set aside 4 extra variables for this purpose to be included
at the first page. These may be the name of school, type of
school,region, etc.
The coding will be made as easy as possible. Details will
be apparent from the code book and will also appear as
'legal' values in the empty data file that is provided. As
a general rule, the actual position of the respondents'
tick will be the value to be entered (a tick in the first
box will be entered as '1', a tick in the second box will
be coded as '2', etc. and no response will be coded as '9')

30. Final Paper 30
Each page shift in the questionnaire will be coded with the
letter 'x', this will ensure that a possible mistake (e.g.
a shift in position) can be easily detected. Details will
be given in the code book.
The open question (quot;Myself as a scientistquot;) at the end
needs interpretation before coding, and details will be
provided. These data will for practical reasons be coded
separately. It is therefore important that each
questionnaire is identified by the running number as
indicated above.
Cleaning of data
U
Since only the coded files (and not the questionnaires) are
returned to the ROSE organizers, it is essential that the
data are properly cleaned to avoid mistakes, since these
cannot be traced and corrected by the organizers! In any
case, we ask you to keep the original questionnaires to
be able to trace possible mistakes at a later stage.
There are many ways of cleaning data to ensure quality. If
you use SPSS for data entry, you may for instance run
frequency tables for all variables to search for values
outside the 'legal’ range. Some details and suggestions for
data cleaning and proof-reading will be provided in the
code book.
Return of data files
U

31. Final Paper 31
When you return data, please provide as detailed
information as possible about the definition of
population and the selection of the sample. Describe the
underlying considerations, whether these are of a practical
nature or based on educational or other concerns. You may
send us the data file as an attachment to e-mail, or as a
diskette. The format may be either SPSS (preferably) or
Excel.
quot;Rights and dutiesquot;
U
ROSE is intended to be a collaborative work, where all
researchers contribute and benefit. Participating
researchers may conduct their own research on their
national material, given the following guidelines:
All national reporting should pay proper credit to
the project with suitable references to the ROSE
project and its organizers.
International ROSE reporting by the organizers
should also pay credit to the ROSE project and the
participating researchers who have contributed to the
international data file.
National reporting should take place only when the
whole international data collection is finalized.
(Exceptions may be given to this, for instance when
students collect data as part of their teacher

32. Final Paper 32
training or for essays or degree work.) Please contact
the organizers if you are in doubt.
When the first international ROSE reports have been
published, ROSE participants will have access to ROSE
data files, and may use this for their own research in
cooperation with other ROSE participants. They can get
in touch with them through information on the ROSE web
site. (Any reporting must of course give credit to the
ROSE project and explain the background)
Copies of all papers based on the ROSE data should
be sent to the organizers when published. The
electronic version will be placed on the ROSE site.
The organizers will send all international ROSE
reports and papers to all participants when available.
A ROSE web site is established at
http://www.ils.uio.no/forskning/rose/
This site will be continually updated, and contains
background information, overviews over participating
countries and researchers, articles and publications.
Additional qualitative data
U
With a standardized questionnaire one may compare responses
from large groups and from widely different cultures. But
data collected with questionnaires have obvious
limitations. It is not always easy to interpret what

33. Final Paper 33
students have had in mind when they simply tick boxes in a
predetermined questionnaire. This is the limitation of this
type of research. We have left only one question open for
free response through writing (Question I: quot;Myself as a
scientistquot;), and details of coding will be described in
later communications.
In order to give more nuance to the 'hard data' from the
questionnaire, we suggest that one should accompany the
ROSE data collection with interviews with some of the
students. This may shed light on how they may think when
they answer the questionnaire. This sort of information may
be of value when drawing conclusions and interpreting
results.
Involving students
U
Many of the researchers involved in ROSE are involved in
teacher training and/or degree work in science education at
Master or PhD-level. It may be a good idea to use
participation in ROSE in connection with such work. Many
countries (for instance all the Nordic countries) have
already indicated that they will do so, at the PhD as well
as the Master level. PhD students from 5 different
countries have already decided to base their thesis on
ROSE. Students may of course be involved in different
aspects of the study, in data collection, or through

34. Final Paper 34
writing essays or thesis work based on the results(pp. 96-
100).
E. Discussion of Internal Validity 14
D
Threats to internal validity can be magnified in a global
research study more so than a smaller national study. Some of
these threats might include:
Subject Characteristics: Cultural differences, gender,
ethnicity, intelligence, reading ability, socioeconomic status,
religious and political beliefs might affect the outcome of this
research study.
Mortality: In a survey questionnaire driven research study
loss of subjects is a common problem which may occur once every
5 surveys. 15D
Instrument Decay: Given the large number of questions and
potential surveys administered national partner researchers may
feel overwhelmed and tired resulting in possible errors in
scoring. Mechanized scoring systems (i.e. Scantrons) might
alleviate the problem but this would be expensive to implement
for a single use situation.
Attitude of Subjects – Since there is no treatment or
intervention and the student questionnaires are not considered
to be a test then the attitude of the subjects should not be an
issue. Attitude is not a factor when using the Modified Delphi
Technique of expert panel discussion and opinion formulation

35. Final Paper 35
since each panel member is free to express positive or negative
opinions anonymously.
F. Discussion of External Validity 16
D
Nationality or culture, gender and age are the relevant or
essential characteristics (representativeness) of the sample
population in this research proposal; these characteristics
allow external validity resulting in generalizing from the
sample.
Conclusion
It would not be appropriate to formulate future
recommendations or implications at this early stage before any
research has been completed. Yet Boser, Palmer and Daugherty
(1998) discuss at the conclusion of their research
recommendations and implications which may prove to be true nine
years later in the U.S.A. and on a global basis:
In many [U.S.] school systems, there is only one
opportunity during middle school to affect students’
attitudes toward technology. Technology students will
experience a lifetime of technological change and
adaptation, but hopefully positive attitudes developed
through technology education will remain to
influence life and career decisions. To this end,
technology educators should assess students in the
affective domain to measure attitude changes that may be

36. Final Paper 36
attributable to the instructional methods and curriculum.
The PATT-USA [Pupils’ Attitudes Toward Technology] appears
to be a suitable instrument for this assessment.
If the [STE] profession is serious about enhancing
students’ technological literacy is a primary goal, there
should be an effort to develop an acceptable procedure or
instrument that will measure students’ technological
literacy. Attitude measures may eventually demonstrate some
correlation with technological literacy, but they cannot
replace a valid and reliable measurement protocol.
Finally, females have different perceptions of technology.
Results from this study suggest that technology education
programs may not be meeting the needs of female students.
The profession should strive to develop curriculum
materials and activities that meet the interest and
technological needs of all students (pp.17-18)
A comprehensive global analysis of all levels of the STE
field will give curriculum planners the knowledge they need to
enhance the STE curriculum development process. This will
benefit all citizens of the world. With relevant changes to the
STE curriculum, future generations might be able to use science
and technology to help solve some of the critical problems and
challenges of the 21st century.

37. Final Paper 37
References
Boser, R.A., Palmer, J.D. & Daugherty, M.K. (1998). Student
attitudes toward technology in selected technology education
programs. Journal of Technology Education, 10(1), 17-18.
Custer, R.L, Scarcella, J.A. & Stewart, B.R. (1999). The
modified Delphi technique – A rotational modification. Journal
of Vocational and Technical Education, 15(2), 1-11. Retreived
April 13, 2007, from
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JVTE/v15n2/custer.html
Dalkey, N. & Helmer, O. (1962). An experimental application
of the Delphi method to the use experts. Management Science,
9(3), 458-467.
Flick, L. & Bell, R. (2000). Preparing tomorrow’s science
teachers to use technology: Guidelines for science educators.
Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 1(1),
39-60. Retrieved February 17, 2007, from
http://www.citejournal.org/vol1/iss1/currentissues/science/artic
le1.pdf
Ndahi, H.B. & Ritz, J.M. (2003). Technology education
teacher demand, 2002-2005. The Technology Teacher, 62(7), 27-31,
Retrieved February 17, 2007, from
http://www.iteaconnect.org/Resources/TeacherDemand.pdf
Kelegai, L. & Middleton, M., (2002). Information technology
education in Papua New Guinea: Cultural, economic and political

38. Final Paper 38
influences. Journal of Information Technology Education, 1(1),
11-23. Retrieved February 17, 2007, from
http://jite.org/documents/Vol1/v1n1p011-024.pdf
Meade, S. & Dugger, W.E. (2004). Reporting on the status of
technology education in the U.S. The Technology Teacher, 64(2),
29-35. Retrieved February 24, 2007, from
http://www.iteaconnect.org/TAA/LinkedFiles/Articles/TTTpdf/2004-
05Volume64/TTToct04.vol64.2.pdf
Newberry, P.B. (2001). Technology education in the U.S.: A
status report. The Technology Teacher, 61, 1-16. Retrieved
February 24, 2007, from
http://www.iteaconnect.org/TAA/LinkedFiles/Articles/TTTpdf/2001-
02Volume61/newberrysept01.pdf
Sanders, M. (2001). New paradigm or old wine? The status of
technology education practice in the United States. Journal of
Technology Education, 12, 1-21. Retrieved February 17, 2007,
from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v12n2/sanders.html
Seay, C. (2004). Using a “socio-cultural” approach in
teaching information technology to African American students
with academic difficulties. Journal of Information Technology
Education, 3, 83-102. Retrieved February, 17, 2007, from
http://jite.org/documents/Vol3/v3p083-102-103.pdf
Sjøberg, S. & Schreiner, C. (2004). Sowing the seeds of
ROSE. Background, Rationale, Questionnaire Development and Data

39. Final Paper 39
Collection for ROSE (The Relevance of Science Education) – a
comparative study of student’s views of science and science
education (Acta Didactica 4/2004). Oslo: Dept. of Teacher
Education and School Development, University of Oslo. Retrieved
April 5, 2007, from
http://www.ils.uio.no/forskning/publikasjoner/actadidactica/AD04
04.pdf
Sjøberg, S. & Schreiner, C. (2005). How do learners in
different cultures relate to science and technology? Results and
perspectives from the project ROSE (the Relevance of Science
Education). APFSLT: Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and
Teaching, 7(1), Foreword, 1-17. Retrieved February 24, 2007,
from
http://www.ils.uio.no/english/rose/network/countries/norway/eng/
nor-sjoberg-apfslt2005.pdf
Streveler, R.A., Olds, B.M, Miller, R.L, and Nelson, M.A.
(2003). Using a Delphi study to identify the most difficult
concepts for students to master in thermal transport science.
Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering
Education Annual Conference and Exposition, pp. 1-9, Session
2430. Retrieved April 16, 2007, from
http://www.mines.edu/research/cee/ASEE03_delphi_paper.pdf
UNDP (2004). Note on Statistics in the Human Development
Report 2004: Cultural liberty in today’s diverse world: New

40. Final Paper 40
York: United Nations Development Program, pp. 251-285. Retrieved
March 26, 2007, from
http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2004/pdf/hdr04_backmatter_2.p
df
Weston, S. (1997). Teacher shortage-supply and demand. The
Technology Teacher, 57, 6-9. Retrieved February 24, 2007, from
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=cache:CzRXq-
WkbLkJ:www.iteawww.org/B2k.html+teacher+%22shortage+supply%22+an
d+demand+the+technology+teacher+57+1+%226+9%22+author:s-
weston&hl=en&lr=&strip=0
Wicklien, R.C. (1993). Identifying critical issues and
problems in technology education using a modified-delphi
technique. Journal of Technology Education. 5, 54-71.
Retrieved February, 24, 3007 from
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v5n1/wicklein.pdf
Wicklein, R.C. (2004). Critical issues and problems in
technology education. The Technology Teacher, 64, 6-9. Retrieved
February 17, 2007, from
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uwa.edu:2048/ehost/pdf?vid=18&h
id=13&sid=15f38840-8d5a-4263-b5ef-b1156b08a67c%40sessionmgr9

41. Final Paper 41
Appendices
Consent Form
PARENTAL CONSENT FOR CHILDREN TO SERVE AS A SUBJECT IN RESEARCH 17
D
I hereby grant consent as the parent or legal guardian of
_____________________________________ to allow my child to
serve as a subject in the research investigation entitled:
Global State of Technology Education.
The nature and general purpose of the research procedure
has been explained to me by_________________________________.
The investigator is authorized to proceed on the
understanding that I may terminate my child’s service as a
subject at any time I so desire.
I believe that reasonable safeguards have been taken to
eliminate both the known and potentially unknown risks
associated with this research investigation.
Witness:_________________________________________________
Signed:__________________________________________________
(Parent or legal guardian of student subject)
Date:_______________________________
City:_______________________________
State or Province:__________________________
Country:____________________________________

42. Final Paper 42
Student Survey Questionnaire Instrument
The student survey questionnaire would be from Sjoberg and
Schreiner’s questionnaire development and data collection study
which was used in preparation for their 2005 research (Sjoberg
and Schreiner, 2004, pp. 82-95).
This booklet has questions about you, and about your experiences and interests related to science in
school and outside school.
There are no correct or incorrect answers, only answers that are right for you.
Please think carefully and give answers that reflect your own thinking.
This questionnaire is being given to students in many different countries. That is why some questions
may seem strange to you. If there is a question you do not understand, just leave it blank. If you are in
doubt, you may ask the teacher, since this is not a test!
For most questions, you simply put a tick in the appropriate box.
The purpose of this questionnaire is to find out what students in different parts of the world think about
science at school as well as in their everyday life. This information may help us to make schools better.
Your answers are anonymous, so please, do not write your name on this questionnaire.
THANK YOU!
Your answers will be a big help.
START HERE:
I am a _ girl _boy
I am _____ years old
I live in __________________ (write the name of your country)
Contact and ©: Professor Svein Sjøberg, ILS, University of Oslo,
PO Box 1099 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
tel: +47 22 85 41 55, fax: +47 22 85 44 09, e-mail: svein.sjoberg@ils.uio.no

43. Final Paper 43
A. What I want to learn about
How interested are you in learning about the following?
(Give your answer with a tick on each line. If you do not understand, leave the line blank.)
Not Very
Interested Interested
1. Stars, planets and the universe ................................................... □ □ □ □
2. Chemicals, their properties and how they react .......................... □ □ □ □
3. The inside of the earth ................................................................. □ □ □ □
4. How mountains, rivers and oceans develop and change ........... □ □ □ □
5. Clouds, rain and the weather ......................................................
6. The origin and evolution of life on earth ...................................... □ □ □ □
7. How the human body is built and functions ................................. □ □ □ □
8. Heredity, and how genes influence how we develop .................. □ □ □ □
9. Sex and reproduction .................................................................. □ □ □ □
10. Birth control and contraception ................................................... □ □ □ □
11. How babies grow and mature ..................................................... □ □ □ □
12. Cloning of animals ....................................................................... □ □ □ □
13. Animals in other parts of the world .............................................. □ □ □ □
14. Dinosaurs, how they lived and why they died out ....................... □ □ □ □
15. How plants grow and reproduce .................................................. □ □ □ □
16. How people, animals, plants and the environment
depend on each other ................................................................. …… □ □ □ □
17. Atoms and molecules .................................................................. □ □ □ □
18. How radioactivity affects the human body.................................... □ □ □ □
19. Light around us that we cannot see (infrared, ultraviolet) ............ □ □ □ □
20. How animals use colours to hide, attract or scare ...................... □ □ □ □
21. How different musical instruments produce different sounds ...... □ □ □ □
22. Black holes, supernovas and other spectacular
objects in outer space ................................................................. …… □ □ □ □
23. How meteors, comets or asteroids may cause disasters
□
on earth .............................................................................................. □ □ □
24. Earthquakes and volcanoes ........................................................ □ □ □ □
25. Tornados, hurricanes and cyclones ............................................ □ □ □ □
26. Epidemics and diseases causing large losses of life .................. □ □ □ □
27. Brutal, dangerous and threatening animals ................................ □ □ □ □
28. Poisonous plants in my area ....................................................... □ □ □ □
29. Deadly poisons and what they do to the human body ................ □ □ □ □

44. Final Paper 44
Not Very
Interested Interested
30. How the atom bomb functions ..................................................... □ □ □ □
31. Explosive chemicals .................................................................... □ □ □ □
32. Biological and chemical weapons and what they
do to the human body .................................................................. □ □ □ □
33. The effect of strong electric shocks and lightning on
the human body ........................................................................... □ □ □ □
34. How it feels to be weightless in space ......................................... □ □ □ □
35. How to find my way and navigate by the stars ............................ □ □ □ □
36. How the eye can see light and colours ........................................ □ □ □ □
37. What to eat to keep healthy and fit .............................................. □ □ □ □
38. Eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia ..................................... □ □ □ □
39. The ability of lotions and creams to keep the skin young ............ □ □ □ □
40. How to exercise to keep the body fit and strong ......................... □ □ □ □
41. Plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery .......................................... □ □ □ □
42. How radiation from solariums and the sun might
□
affect the skin .............................................................................. □ □ □
43. How the ear can hear different sounds ........................................ □ □ □ □
44. Rockets, satellites and space travel ............................................ □ □ □ □
45. The use of satellites for communication and other purposes ...... □ □ □ □
46. How X-rays, ultrasound, etc. are used in medicine ..................... □ □ □ □
47. How petrol and diesel engines work ............................................ □ □ □ □
48. How a nuclear power plant functions .......................................... □ □ □ □
B. My future job
How important are the following issues for your potential future occupation or job?
(Give your answer with a tick on each line. If you do not understand, leave the line blank.)
Not Very
impor- important
tant
1. Working with people rather than things ....................................... □ □ □ □
2. Helping other people ................................................................... □ □ □ □
3. Working with animals .................................................................. □ □ □ □
4. Working in the area of environmental protection ........................ □ □ □ □
5. Working with something easy and simple ................................... □ □ □ □
6. Building or repairing objects using my hands ............................. □ □ □ □
7. Working with machines or tools .................................................. □ □ □ □
8. Working artistically and creatively in art ...................................... □ □ □ □

45. Final Paper 45
Not Very
Impor- important
tant
9. Using my talents and abilities ......................................................□ □ □ □
10. Making, designing or inventing something .................................. □ □ □ □
11. Coming up with new ideas .......................................................... □ □ □ □
12. Having lots of time for my friends ................................................ □ □ □ □
13. Making my own decisions ........................................................... □ □ □ □
14. Working independently of other people ....................................... □ □ □ □
15. Working with something I find important and meaningful ........... □ □ □ □
16. Working with something that fits my attitudes and values .......... □ □ □ □
17. Having lots of time for my family ................................................. □ □ □ □
18. Working with something that involves a lot of travelling .............. □ □ □ □
19. Working at a place where something new and exciting
happens frequently ...................................................................... □ □ □ □
20. Earning lots of money .................................................................. □ □ □ □
21. Controlling other people .............................................................. □ □ □ □
22. Becoming famous ........................................................................ □ □ □ □
23. Having lots of time for my interests, hobbies and activities ........ □ □ □ □
24. Becoming 'the boss' at my job ..................................................... □ □ □ □
25. Developing or improving my knowledge and abilities ................. □ □ □ □
26. Working as part of a team with many people around me ............ □ □ □ □
C. What I want to learn about
How interested are you in learning about the following?
(Give your answer with a tick on each line. If you do not understand, leave the line blank.)
Not Very
Interes- Interested
ted
1. How crude oil is converted to other materials, like
plastics and textiles ..................................................................... □ □ □ □
2. Optical instruments and how they work
(telescope, camera, microscope, etc.) ........................................ □ □ □ □
3. The use of lasers for technical purposes
(CD-players, bar-code readers, etc.) ........................................... □ □ □ □
4. How cassette tapes, CDs and DVDs store and play
sound and music ......................................................................... □ □ □ □
5. How things like radios and televisions work ........................... □ □ □ □

46. Final Paper 46
Not Very
Interes- Interested
ted
6. How mobile phones can send and receive messages ................ □ □ □ □
7. How computers work ................................................................... □ □ □ □
8. The possibility of life outside earth .............................................. □ □ □ □
9. Astrology and horoscopes, and whether the planets
can influence human beings ........................................................ □ □ □ □
10. Unsolved mysteries in outer space ............................................. □ □ □ □
11. Life and death and the human soul ............................................. □ □ □ □
12. Alternative therapies (acupuncture, homeopathy, yoga,
healing, etc.) and how effective they are ..................................... □ □ □ □
13. Why we dream while we are sleeping, and what
the dreams may mean ................................................................. □ □ □ □
14. Ghosts and witches, and whether they may exist ....................... □ □ □ □
15. Thought transference, mind-reading, sixth sense, intuition, etc. . □ □ □ □
16. Why the stars twinkle and the sky is blue .................................... □ □ □ □
17. Why we can see the rainbow ...................................................... □ □ □ □
18. Properties of gems and crystals and how these are
used for beauty ............................................................................ □ □ □ □
D. Me and the environmental challenges
To what extent do you agree with the following statements about problems with the environment
(pollution of air and water, overuse of resources, global changes of the climate etc.)?
(Give your answer with a tick on each line. If you do not understand, leave the line blank.)
Disagree Agree
1. Threats to the environment are not my business ........................ □ □ □ □
2. Environmental problems make the future of the world look
□ □ □ □
bleak and hopeless ..................................................................... .
3. Environmental problems are exaggerated .................................. □ □ □ □
4. Science and technology can solve all environmental problems... □ □ □ □
5. I am willing to have environmental problems solved even if
□
this means sacrificing many goods ................................................. □ □ □
6. I can personally influence what happens with the environment .. □ □ □ □
7. We can still find solutions to our environmental problems .......... □ □ □ □
8. People worry too much about environmental problems .............. □ □ □ □

47. Final Paper 47
Disagree Agree
9. Environmental problems can be solved without
□ □ □ □
big changes in our way of living .............................................................
10. People should care more about protection of the environment ....... □ □ □ □
11. It is the responsibility of the rich countries to solve
the environmental problems of the world ............................................... □ □ □ □
12. I think each of us can make a significant contribution to
□
environmental protection......................................................................... □ □ □
13. Environmental problems should be left to the experts ..................... □ □ □ □
14. I am optimistic about the future ........................................................ □ □ □ □
15. Animals should have the same right to life as people ...................... □ □ □ □
16. It is right to use animals in medical experiments if this
□ □ □ □
can save human lives ............................................................................
17. Nearly all human activity is damaging for the environment ............. □ □ □ □
18. The natural world is sacred and should be left in peace.................. □ □ □ □
_
E. What I want to learn about
How interested are you in learning about the following?
(Give your answer with a tick on each line. If you do not understand, leave the line blank.)
Not Very
Interes- Interested
ted
1. Symmetries and patterns in leaves and flowers .......................... □ □ □ □
2. How the sunset colours the sky ................................................... □ □ □ □
3. The ozone layer and how it may be affected by humans ............ □ □ □ □
4. The greenhouse effect and how it may be changed by humans.. □ □ □ □
5. What can be done to ensure clean air and safe drinking water .. □ □ □ □
6. How technology helps us to handle waste,
□ □ □ □
garbage and sewage ......................................................................
7. How to control epidemics and diseases ...................................... □ □ □ □
8. Cancer, what we know and how we can treat it .......................... □ □ □ □
9. Sexually transmitted diseases and how to be
□
protected against them ................................................................... □ □ □
10. How to perform first-aid and use basic medical equipment ........ □ □ □ □
11. What we know about HIV/AIDS and how to control it ................. □ □ □ □
12. How alcohol and tobacco might affect the body .......................... □ □ □ □
13. How different narcotics might affect the body ............................. □ □ □ □
14. The possible radiation dangers of mobile phones and computers □ □ □ □

48. Final Paper 48
Not Very
Interes- Interested
ted
15. How loud sound and noise may damage my hearing ................. □ □ □ □
16. How to protect endangered species of animals .......................... □ □ □ □
17. How to improve the harvest in gardens and farms ...................... □ □ □ □
18. Medicinal use of plants ................................................................ □ □ □ □
19. Organic and ecological farming without use of pesticides and
□
artificial fertilizers ............................................................................... □ □ □
20. How energy can be saved or used in a more effective way ........ □ □ □ □
21. New sources of energy from the sun, wind, tides, waves, etc. ... □ □ □ □
22. How different sorts of food are produced, conserved and stored □ □ □ □
23. How my body grows and matures ............................................... □ □ □ □
24. Animals in my area ...................................................................... □ □ □ □
25. Plants in my area ......................................................................... □ □ □ □
26. Detergents, soaps and how they work ........................................ □ □ □ □
27. Electricity, how it is produced and used in the home .................. □ □ □ □
28. How to use and repair everyday electrical and
mechanical equipment ................................................................ ….. □ □ □ □
29. The first landing on the moon and the history of
□
space exploration ............................................................................... □ □ □
30. How electricity has affected the development of our society ...... □ □ □ □
31. Biological and human aspects of abortion .................................. □ □ □ □
32. How gene technology can prevent diseases ............................... □ □ □ □
33. Benefits and possible hazards of modern methods of farming ... □ □ □ □
34. Why religion and science sometimes are in conflict ................... □ □ □ □
35. Risks and benefits of food additives ............................................ □ □ □ □
36. Why scientists sometimes disagree ............................................ □ □ □ □
37. Famous scientists and their lives ................................................ □ □ □ □
38. Big blunders and mistakes in research and inventions ............... □ □ □ □
39. How scientific ideas sometimes challenge religion,
□
authority and tradition ........................................................................ □ □ □
40. Inventions and discoveries that have changed the world ............ □ □ □ □
41. Very recent inventions and discoveries in science and technology □ □ □ □
42. Phenomena that scientists still cannot explain ............................. □ □ □ □

49. Final Paper 49
F. My science classes
To what extent do you agree with the following statements about the science that you may have
had at school?
(Give your answer with a tick on each line. If you do not understand, leave the line blank.)
Disagree Agree
1. School science is a difficult subject ............................................. □ □ □ □
2. School science is interesting ....................................................... □ □ □ □
3. School science is rather easy for me to learn ............................. □ □ □ □
4. School science has opened my eyes to
□ □ □ □
new and exciting jobs .....................................................................
5. I like school science better than most other subjects .................. □ □ □ □
6. I think everybody should learn science at school ........................ □ □ □ □
7. The things that I learn in science at school will be helpful
in my everyday life .......................................................................... □ □ □ □
8. I think that the science I learn at school will
□ □ □ □
improve my career chances ...........................................................
9. School science has made me more critical and skeptical............ □ □ □ □
10. School science has increased my curiosity about things
□ □ □ □
we cannot yet explain .....................................................................
11. School science has increased my appreciation of nature........... □ □ □ □
12. School science has shown me the importance of
science for our way of living ............................................................. □ □ □ □
13. School science has taught me how to take better care
□
of my health ..................................................................................... □ □ □
14. I would like to become a scientist ............................................. □ □ □ □
15. I would like to have as much science as possible at school .... □ □ □ □
16. I would like to get a job in technology......................................... □ □ □ □
G. My opinions about science and technology
To what extent do you agree with the following statements?
(Give your answer with a tick on each row. If you do not understand, leave the line blank.)
Disagree Agree
1. Science and technology are important for society ...................... □ □ □ □
2. Science and technology will find cures to diseases such
as HIV/AIDS, cancer, etc. ............................................................... □ □ □ □
3. Thanks to science and technology, there will be greater
opportunities for future generations ................................................ □ □ □ □

50. Final Paper 50
Disagree Agree
4. Science and technology make our lives healthier, easier and
□ □ □ □
more comfortable ................................................................................
5. New technologies will make work more interesting ........................ □ □ □ □
6. The benefits of science are greater than the harmful
effects it could have ............................................................................ □ □ □ □
7. Science and technology will help to eradicate poverty and
□ □ □ □
famine in the world .............................................................................
8. Science and technology can solve nearly all problems .................. □ □ □ □
9. Science and technology are helping the poor ................................ □ □ □ □
10. Science and technology are the cause of the
□ □ □ □
environmental problems .....................................................................
11. A country needs science and technology to become developed... □ □ □ □
12. Science and technology benefit mainly
the developed countries ..................................................................... □ □ □ □
13. Scientists follow the scientific method that always leads them to
□
correct answers .................................................................................. □ □ □
14. We should always trust what scientists have to say .................... □ □ □ □
15. Scientists are neutral and objective ............................................. □ □ □ □
16. Scientific theories develop and change all the time ..................... □ □ □ □
H. My out-of-school experiences
How often have you done this outside school?
(Give your answer with a tick on each line. If you do not understand, leave the line blank.)
I have ...
Never Often
1. tried to find the star constellations in the sky ............................... □ □ □ □
2. read my horoscope (telling future from the stars) ........................ □ □ □ □
3. read a map to find my way .......................................................... □ □ □ □
4. used a compass to find direction ................................................. □ □ □ □
5. collected different stones or shells .............................................. □ □ □ □
6. watched (not on TV) an animal being born ................................. □ □ □ □
7. cared for animals on a farm ........................................................ □ □ □ □
8. visited a zoo ................................................................................ □ □ □ □
9. visited a science centre or science museum .............................. □ □ □ □
10. milked animals like cows, sheep or goats ................................. □ □ □ □
11. made dairy products like yoghurt, butter, cheese or ghee ........ □ □ □ □

51. Final Paper 51
Never Often
12. read about nature or science in books or magazines ................. □ □ □ □
13. watched nature programmes on TV or in a cinema .................... □ □ □ □
14. collected edible berries, fruits, mushrooms or plants .................. □ □ □ □
15. participated in hunting ................................................................. □ □ □ □
16. participated in fishing ................................................................... □ □ □ □
17. planted seeds and watched them grow ....................................... □ □ □ □
18. made compost of grass, leaves or garbage ................................ □ □ □ □
19. made an instrument (like a flute or drum) from natural materials. □ □ □ □
20. knitted, weaved, etc .................................................................... □ □ □ □
21. put up a tent or shelter ................................................................ □ □ □ □
22. made a fire from charcoal or wood .............................................. □ □ □ □
23. prepared food over a campfire, open fire or stove burner............ □ □ □ □
24. sorted garbage for recycling or for appropriate disposal ............. □ □ □ □
25. cleaned and bandaged a wound ................................................. □ □ □ □
26. seen an X-ray of a part of my body ............................................. □ □ □ □
27. taken medicines to prevent or cure illness or infection ............... □ □ □ □
28. taken herbal medicines or had alternative treatments
(acupuncture, homeopathy, yoga, healing, etc.) .............................. □ □ □ □
29. been to a hospital as a patient .................................................... □ □ □ □
30. used binoculars .......................................................................... □ □ □ □
31. used a camera ............................................................................ □ □ □ □
32. made a bow and arrow, slingshot, catapult or boomerang ......... □ □ □ □
33. used an air gun or rifle ................................................................ □ □ □ □
34. used a water pump or siphon ..................................................... □ □ □ □
35. made a model such as toy plane or boat etc .............................. □ □ □ □
36. used a science kit (like for chemistry, optics or electricity) ......... □ □ □ □
37. used a windmill, watermill, waterwheel, etc ................................ □ □ □ □
38. recorded on video, DVD or tape recorder ................................... □ □ □ □
39. changed or fixed electric bulbs or fuses ..................................... □ □ □ □
40. connected an electric lead to a plug etc. .................................... □ □ □ □
41. used a stopwatch ........................................................................ □ □ □ □
42. measured the temperature with a thermometer .......................... □ □ □ □
43. used a measuring ruler, tape or stick .......................................... □ □ □ □
44. used a mobile phone.................................................................... □ □ □ □
45. sent or received an SMS (text message on mobile phone) ......... □ □ □ □

52. Final Paper 52
Never Often
46. searched the internet for information .......................................... □ □ □ □
47. played computer games .............................................................. □ □ □ □
48. used a dictionary, encyclopedia, etc. on a computer .................. □ □ □ □
49. downloaded music from the internet ........................................... □ □ □ □
50. sent or received e-mail ................................................................ □ □ □ □
51. used a word processor on the computer ..................................... □ □ □ □
52. opened a device (radio, watch, computer, telephone, etc.) to
find out how it works ..........................................................................□ □ □ □
53. baked bread, pastry, cake, etc .................................................... □ □ □ □
54. cooked a meal ............................................................................. □ □ □ □
55. walked while balancing an object on my head ............................ □ □ □ □
56. used a wheelbarrow .................................................................... □ □ □ □
57. used a crowbar (jemmy) .............................................................. □ □ □ □
58. used a rope and pulley for lifting heavy things ............................ □ □ □ □
59. mended a bicycle tube ................................................................ □ □ □ □
60. used tools like a saw, screwdriver or hammer ............................ □ □ □ □
61. charged a car battery ................................................................... □ □ □ □
I. Myself as a scientist
Assume that you are grown up and work as a scientist. You are free to do research that you find
important and interesting. Write some sentences about what you would like to do as a researcher and
why.
I would like to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..................................................................................
..................................................................................
Because . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..................................................................................
..................................................................................
..................................................................................
..................................................................................
J. How many books are there in your home?
There are usually about 40 books per metre of shelving. Do not include magazines.
(Please tick only one box.)
□
None ...............................
1-10 books ...................... □
11-50 books .................... □
51-100 books .................. □
101-250 books ............... □
251-500 books ................ □
More than 500 books ...... □

53. Final Paper 53
Author Notes
David R. Wilkowske is a former computer programmer and
computer systems consultant for TruServ Corporation, IBM Global
Services, C.N.A. Insurance, The Maxim Group, and Allied Van
Lines. Currently he is a Master’s of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)
graduate student majoring in Biology at the University of West
Alabama.
Footnotes were used to help explain or expand upon certain
aspects in this paper where reference citations were not used.
The ED 504 textbook was used as either a background reference or
excerpted as indicated in footnotes 14 through 17.
Footnotes
1
Market Data Retrieval (MDR). Used by Sanders (2001, p. 4)
research.
2
International Technology Education Association.ITEA’s
International Centers. Retrieved March 30, 2007 from
http://www.iteaconnect.org/Membership/InternationalMembership/in
ternationalcenters.htm
3
Coding Section 4.2.4 (Sjoberg and Schreiner (2004, p.54 &
p.58) “What I want to Learn” sections A, C & E (See also Section
4.3.3 on page 58). There was a total of 108 “What I want to
Learn” questions broken up in sections ACE to avoid student
fatigue. The ACE questions take on a psychological evaluation