John R. Dakers – författare

Reflections on Technology for Educational Practitioners analyzes the use of philosophy of technology in technology education and unpacks the concept of ‘reflective practitioners’ (Donald Schön) in the field. Philosophy of technology develops ideas and concepts that are valuable for technology education because they show the basic characteristics of technology that are important if technology education is to present a fair image of what technology is. Each chapter focuses on the oeuvre of one particular philosopher of which a description is given and then insights are offered about technology as developed by that philosopher and how it has been fruitful for technology education in all its aspects: motives for having it in the curriculum, goals for technology education, content of the curriculum, teaching strategies, knowledge types taught, ways of assessing, resources, educational research for technology education, amongst others.

Reflections on Technology for Educational Practitioners analyzes the use of philosophy of technology in technology education and unpacks the concept of ‘reflective practitioners’ (Donald Schön) in the field. Philosophy of technology develops ideas and concepts that are valuable for technology education because they show the basic characteristics of technology that are important if technology education is to present a fair image of what technology is. Each chapter focuses on the oeuvre of one particular philosopher of which a description is given and then insights are offered about technology as developed by that philosopher and how it has been fruitful for technology education in all its aspects: motives for having it in the curriculum, goals for technology education, content of the curriculum, teaching strategies, knowledge types taught, ways of assessing, resources, educational research for technology education, amongst others.

Although technology education is in desperate need of reform, the new refuses to be born. Despite the introduction of technological literacy, the evolving merger with science, mathematics and engineering (STEM), and even a proposed merger between STEM and the arts (STEAM), nothing has changed. The subject continues to be a craft-based, vocationally orientated subject.Human beings have always had a relationship with technology, but never before has the progression of technological development had such an impact on the environment, one which has led to the birth of the Anthropocene. This poses the greatest existential threat ever known to the future of human existence.Those in power continue to turn a blind eye to this threat. Moreover, technology education today does not reflect issues relating to our technologically textured lifeworld. Given that it is the young who will inherit this potentially dystopic future, they must be given a voice, one in which they can reimagine their futures in a sustainable way. This book explores the development of ethnotechnological literacy, as delivered by a radical new nomadic pedagogy inspired by the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari; one that can enable these voices to be expressed and more importantly, to be heard.