WP 3 /WP 4 Weak points of the curriculum from an Austrian point of view

1. PABW/SCE Partner 12University of Education, ViennaGrenzackerstraße 18A-1100 Wienhttp://www.phvienna.atParticipant of WP 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 WP 3 /WP 4 Weak points of the curriculum from an Austrian point of view FactsConclusions, problems, questions• Strengthening those subjects which support the field of technology, especially the subject TE/TEW• Teaching the subject• Curriculum• Further education of teachers• Intensifying research

2. Facts A low prestige of the subject Technology Education/Werkerziehung (TE/TEW), because its content is usually associated only with crafts, decoration and doing little handicrafts, and not enough serious learning. Little popularity of those subjects which teach the contents of Technology Education/TE only theoretically. (Physics, Chemistry,...) Girls when they have to choose the alternative or optional compulsory subjects Textile Crafts and TE/TEW largely they opt for Textile Crafts. The subject TE/TEW is taught only up to lower secondary school. There is hardly any statistical data on the actual way of how TE/TEW is taught. We do not know about the effects which the present subject TEW actually has on pupils’ careers. We do not have enough specially trained teachers in TE/TEW. University of Education, Vienna

3. Conclusions, problems, questions • Strengthening those subjects which support the field of technology, especially the subject TE/TEW • •through cooperation of all technology initiatives with the schools, with the representatives of business, industry and employment • •through media and public relations • •through school-intern information work, exhibitions, campaigns ... • Teaching the subject • •to attribute the same importance to the process of designing an item as to the finished product • •to teach the subjects of technological theory with a very practical focus and to teach the subjects with a practical focus in close relation to their theoretical basis • • to strenghten the cooperation of subjects with “technological” content University of Education, Vienna

4. Conclusions, problems, questions • Curriculum • In Austria TE/TEW is basically offered only up to lower secondary. • • We demand a continued offer of the subject TE/TEW in general until the end of upper secondary school. • The pupils must either choose TE or Textile Crafts or they will be taught in both subjects with a respective reduction of the syllabus or subject matter. • •What are the reasons for the girls’ choice of Textile Crafts or their “attraction” to it? • • Which combinations of interest are at work here? • • What is the significance and what are the effects of the fact that the great majority of girls choose Textile Crafts and that TE is traditionally considered a “boys’ subject”? • • Where must we start (on the short, medium or long run) to advance the scope of options especially for girls concerning TE and Technology Literacy? University of Education, Vienna

5. Conclusions, problems, questions • Further education of teachers • Further education of teachers and strengthening the technological awareness of teachers teaching technology • Networking of teachers teaching technology • Intensifying research in the field of TE/TEW • • Establishing didactic centres of competence in the field of technology and the natural sciences • • Developing teaching materials and textbooks, supporting and coordinating best practice examples University of Education, Vienna

6. Conclusions, problems, questions • Intensifying research • Examining how and under which circumstances TEW is taught: • •for example: Which parts of the curriculum are being preferred, which are not taken into consideration at all, which parts are carried out, which are not. • Developing teaching projects which take into consideration the following aims: • • conscious interaction and communication abilities, establishing “gender competence” • • breaking down barriers against gender-atypical activities • • asking for and supporting achievement in atypical fields, we demand: girls in trades, in technical jobs, in the IT business, of course also as managers and business owners, in the natural sciences and mathematics • • creating identification – presenting role models. Everyone is a “role model”: parents, teachers, professionals, the school, companies. University of Education, Vienna

7. Conclusions, problems, questions • Intensifying research • •stimulating and strenghtening interests; Girls in particular react positively to context-related teaching. Physical-technological processes and findings are confirmed, when their practical use can clearly be seen. • •networking and gender sensitive structuring of lessons and stimulating projects; a continued discussion of the topic: Teaching in gender heterogeneous or gender • homogeneous groups. • • teaching the environment – working with parents, further education of teachers training to make them revise their own model positions as female teachers and to give them a distinctive image as “role models”. • • fighting the lack of information concerning the wide range of professional options, but: career orientation is a process – career information is just one dimension University of Education, Vienna