Analysis of Technology Education in Estonian General Education Schools

Workgroup: Assoc. Prof Ene Lind, MA Mart Soobik, Assoc. Prof Kaie Pappel, Assistant Lecturer Kristi Paas

Characteristics of the school system A common system for general education, studies in

all stages follow unified curricula The Educational Act In 2006 - 585 general education schools (in 2000 -

685), of which 264 basic schools and 236 upper secondary schools. The number of private schools is 31.

Catchment areas for all of the municipal schools The board of trustees in schools

General secondary education

Basic education

Pre-school education

Pre-school education

Creates necessary prerequisites for successful advancement in everyday life and at school

The framework curriculum for pre-school education

Compulsory school attendance when child turns seven

Basic education Minimum compulsory general education (9 grades) Primary school (grades 1 to 6), basic school (grades 1 to 9), or an upper

secondary school (grades 1 to 12) National Curricula (3) Simplified curriculum - focuses more on developing elementary

skills and the ability to cope individually in life 46 schools for children with special needs; most of them (90%) are

basic schools In order to graduate from basic school students are required to

complete the curriculum and successfully pass three basic school final examinations

After graduating: general secondary education at upper secondary school, secondary vocational education at vocational educational institution or to simply enter a profession.

General secondary education

Upper secondary school (3 years)Possible to enter into pre-vocational training

to learn a profession by choosing corresponding optional courses

At the end of the study period students take five final examinations, including at least three state examinations with standard questions

The evaluation principles The regulations of the Minister of Education and Research (from

2005) The aim of evaluation is:

to give students feedback on their academic achievements and to support their development;

to guide the formation of students’ self-assessment, to support selecting the forthcoming educational path;

to inspire and to guide students to study purposefully; to guide teachers’ activity in supporting students’ learning and their

individual development. Numerical grades are used on a five-point scale (“5” means “very

good”, “4” means “good”, “3” means “satisfactory”, “2” means “poor” and “1” means “weak”).

Characteristics of the general curriculum

The source document for studies - National Curriculum for Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools

On the basis of the national curriculum each school compiles its own curriculum.

The national curriculum consists of the general part, the syllabi, and the recurrent topics.

Fours stages of study:

1) I stage of study – grades 1 to 3 (students from 7 to 9 years of age);

2) II stage of study – grades 4 to 6 (students from 10 to 12 years of age);

3) III stage of study – grades 7 to 9 (students from 13 to 15 years of age),

4) upper secondary school – grades 10 to 12 (students from 16 to 18 years of age).

Compulsory subjects (16)

in basic schools are: Estonian (as native

language), Russian (in schools with

Russian as the language of instruction),

Foreign Language A, Foreign Language B, Mathematics, Natural Science, Geography,

Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Anatomy, Social Education, Music, Art, Physical Education, Craft.

Syllabus for subject

Syllabi state the study aims, the activities and content of the subject, and the required study results by stages.

Structure – rather general and descriptive.

The development of the curriculum Curriculum Development Centre by the University of Tartu Periodic process Dependent on the volition of the politicians The last curricula were adopted in 1996 and then in 2002. In 2005 initiated curriculum development involved educational

scientists (general part – strategies), teachers and specialists/subject methodologists.

Up to here representatives of the industrial sphere have not been involved in the development of the curriculum.

For the evaluation of the 2002 curriculum foreign experts from Finland were used (in 1999).

Position and status of technology education Learning all the subjects should support the formation of

competences stated in the curriculum Technological competence - the capability to understand the

changes in people’s work and life style due to the development of technology, to function in the modern high-technology world, to be an economical user of resources

In the formation of the given competence the following subjects are of importance: Craft, Natural Science, Mathematics, History, Social Education; the recurring topics include The environment and economical development, Professional career and its formation and Information technology and media.

The subject that is the most connected with Technology Education is Craft.

The syllabus of Craft for basic schoolsConsists in four different syllabi for grades 1 to 3: Handicraft for grades 4 to 9:

HandicraftHome EconomicsCraft and Technology Education

Craft is and integrative subject that establishes favourable conditions for creatively applying the knowledge acquired in other subjects.

The syllabus of Craft divides the subject as follows

both boys and girls or to the class as a whole

integrated with Visual Art Education, altogether 2 lessons per week (every year)

are taught 2 lessons per week The school may add some

extra Craft lessons by decreasing the number of optional lessons

Grades 1 to 3HANDICRAFT

Grades 4 to 9

HANDICRAFT AND HOME

ECONOMICS

Grades 4 to 9

CRAFT AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

Aims of technology education The general aim of Craft is to develop students as

individuals in a versatile way and to prepare them for independent life. Students familiarise themselves with the possibilities of vocational education; develop their readiness to live and to work in the world of today and in the quickly changing technological world of tomorrow.

By the means of the subject students are provided with a vision of needs of the future society, as well as of the possibilities to continue studies and to plan the career.

The primary content of the syllabus of Craft includes national experience, innovation, modern technology, their interaction with the society in the creative and purposeful practical activity of students.

Through Craft Education children are provided with the possibilities to understand, to retain, and to develop the national culture of their country.

During the lessons primary knowledge and practical skills are acquired on the fields of national working traditions and the modern engineering and technology.

Through learning activities students learn to comprehend and critically assess the development and interactions between engineering, technology, and social life.

Students learn to think and look for solutions, to experiment, analyse, customise their skills and knowledge in practical activities and use modern materials, tools, and facilities in doing so.

Teaching a subject also includes developing students’ linguistic, mathematical, social, and techno-ecological competences.

Pedaogogical means and methods for Technology Education Each syllabus makes recommendations on teaching the subject For example, the syllabi of Handicraft and Home Economics and

Craft and Technology Education: students need to have the possibility of choosing tools and technologies; considering the nature of the subject, practical activity should cover 2/3

of the total study time; the theoretical part is connected with practical activities;

in addition to practical activities, attention is paid also on students’ independent research (reports, presentations, drawing up projects);

students learn to plan work, choose and use tools and materials, carry out work according to instructions and drawings, if needed, using different sources of information.

Teachers are free to choose the teaching methods. The choice depends:on the topic, the study aims, the student contingent, the teacher’s/school’s possibilities,on the habits of the teacher.

Textbooks - for all stages of study Different forms of study are used in teaching:

individual work, group work, project learning.

Evaluation

In subject Craft:knowledge, creativity, skills to apply knowledge in individual work, culture of the work, the completeness of the product are evaluated.

Self-reflection plays an important role: students are guided to evaluate and thereby value their own and their peers’ work.

Main themes and structure of curriculum content Within the subjects of Craft mainly making

things/products are dealt with; this is built on the frame of reference focusing on themes concerning energy, transport, production, food, and household machines.

In Craft and Technology Education various working objects are made.

In Handicraft mainly textile is used. Home Economics focuses on food.

The material base In Craft and Technology Education various machines and tools

are used to process materials. Sometimes also CNC work-benches and computer programs are used, e.g. in technical drawing. Studying takes place mainly in training workshops.

Handicraft has training classrooms, where students can use modern (including electronic) sewing etc. machines.

Home Economics lessons are carried out in specially equipped training kitchens.

Well equipped computer classrooms, which can also be used to carry out Craft lessons.

The materials used

The first stage of study gives an overview of almost all widely used materials and their qualities: paper, wood, metal, textile, plastics, etc.

In Craft and Technology Education the main materials used are wood, metal, and plastic, but also electronic components are included,

in Handicraft mainly textile is used, Home Economics focuses on food.

Teachers of Craft and Handicraft and Home Economics

Teachers of Craft Teachers of HC and HE

Total number 473 436

With specialised higher education in Ed.Sc.

52% 57%

With specialised secondary special education in Ed.Sc.

4% 3%

Without specialised education

35% 40%

Age

- 30 years 4% 9%

31 – 50 years 54% 59%

51 – 60 years 24% 23%

Older than 60 20% 10%

Teachers´organisations:

Estonian Association of Technology Education

AITA, the Association of Handicraft and Home Economics Teachers

References

National Curriculum for Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools https://www.riigiteataja.ee/ert/act.jsp?id=174787

Estonian Ministry of Education and Research http://www.hm.ee/

Estonian Association of Technology Education http://www.tehnoloogia.ee

AITA http://www.zone.ee:81/eksaita/

Thank you!