Opportunities for learning design and technology skills and values in the Maltese curriculum.
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| Title: | Opportunities for learning design and technology skills and values in the Maltese curriculum. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Pulé, Sarah1 (AUTHOR) sarah.pule@um.edu.mt, Attard, Mireille1 (AUTHOR) mireille.micallef.08@um.edu.mt, Caruana, Lawrence Farrugia1 (AUTHOR) lawrence.farrugia@um.edu.mt |
| Source: | International Journal of Technology & Design Education. Apr2026, Vol. 36 Issue 2, p549-586. 38p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Curriculum planning, *Technology education, *Educators, *Computer literacy, *Educational benefits, Sustainability, Digital technology |
| Abstract: | This research was motivated by the changing nature of technologies and the idea that despite constant change, the skills and values required to harness these new technologies may have some underpinning commonalities. The rationale of the study revolves around the fact that new technologies are emerging at very fast rates and a comprehensive updated curriculum would include skills and values which are relevant to the design and operation of future technologies. It is therefore important to research what skills and values are required and also if a country's current curriculum documents are up to date. The context of the Maltese curriculum was chosen to identify whether opportunities are present for learning advanced skills and values within the context of the curricular subject of Design and Technology. The methodology of the research includes a narrative thematic literature review which was carried out to identify the common features of new technologies as well as the skills and values required to harness them. This was then followed by semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of six key experts coming from different professional backgrounds. A thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was carried out. The results of the narrative thematic literature review showed that with regards to new technologies, they would be digital or supporting automation of processes, and related to or supporting a view to sustainability. The results from the thematic analysis of the interviews revealed eight themes which the experts believed were important: (a) access and cost of technology, (b) knowing your basics, (c) technology and communities, (d) cross-curricular learning, (e) constructivism, (f) mindsets (ways of thinking), (g) types of knowledge, and the (h) digital nature of new technologies. A list of skills and values required to harness new technologies was assembled by compiling a matrix relating the results from the literature, and the thematic analysis of the interviews. From this matrix it was concluded that while the Maltese National Curriculum Framework (NCF) presents many of the ingredients that are required for a sound conceptualization of technology, the links to an up to date definition of technology education are not sufficiently made due to the narrow view of technology that the NCF holds. The latter's view sees technology as the application of science and as being composed principally of artifact design-and-make activities only. While the NCF presents opportunities for the conceptualization of technology as artifacts, it lacks, to differing degrees, in presenting opportunities for the conceptualization of technology as knowledge, processes, and volition in accordance with a more recent philosophy of technology and futuristic requirements of technological skills and values. It is recommended that a new National Curriculum Framework aligns itself more with research in design and technology philosophical and educational trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of International Journal of Technology & Design Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 192418117 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Opportunities for learning design and technology skills and values in the Maltese curriculum. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pulé%2C+Sarah%22">Pulé, Sarah</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> sarah.pule@um.edu.mt</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Attard%2C+Mireille%22">Attard, Mireille</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> mireille.micallef.08@um.edu.mt</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Caruana%2C+Lawrence+Farrugia%22">Caruana, Lawrence Farrugia</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> lawrence.farrugia@um.edu.mt</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Technology+%26+Design+Education%22">International Journal of Technology & Design Education</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 36 Issue 2, p549-586. 38p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+planning%22">Curriculum planning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+education%22">Technology education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educators%22">Educators</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+literacy%22">Computer literacy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+benefits%22">Educational benefits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+technology%22">Digital technology</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This research was motivated by the changing nature of technologies and the idea that despite constant change, the skills and values required to harness these new technologies may have some underpinning commonalities. The rationale of the study revolves around the fact that new technologies are emerging at very fast rates and a comprehensive updated curriculum would include skills and values which are relevant to the design and operation of future technologies. It is therefore important to research what skills and values are required and also if a country's current curriculum documents are up to date. The context of the Maltese curriculum was chosen to identify whether opportunities are present for learning advanced skills and values within the context of the curricular subject of Design and Technology. The methodology of the research includes a narrative thematic literature review which was carried out to identify the common features of new technologies as well as the skills and values required to harness them. This was then followed by semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of six key experts coming from different professional backgrounds. A thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was carried out. The results of the narrative thematic literature review showed that with regards to new technologies, they would be digital or supporting automation of processes, and related to or supporting a view to sustainability. The results from the thematic analysis of the interviews revealed eight themes which the experts believed were important: (a) access and cost of technology, (b) knowing your basics, (c) technology and communities, (d) cross-curricular learning, (e) constructivism, (f) mindsets (ways of thinking), (g) types of knowledge, and the (h) digital nature of new technologies. A list of skills and values required to harness new technologies was assembled by compiling a matrix relating the results from the literature, and the thematic analysis of the interviews. From this matrix it was concluded that while the Maltese National Curriculum Framework (NCF) presents many of the ingredients that are required for a sound conceptualization of technology, the links to an up to date definition of technology education are not sufficiently made due to the narrow view of technology that the NCF holds. The latter's view sees technology as the application of science and as being composed principally of artifact design-and-make activities only. While the NCF presents opportunities for the conceptualization of technology as artifacts, it lacks, to differing degrees, in presenting opportunities for the conceptualization of technology as knowledge, processes, and volition in accordance with a more recent philosophy of technology and futuristic requirements of technological skills and values. It is recommended that a new National Curriculum Framework aligns itself more with research in design and technology philosophical and educational trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Technology & Design Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=192418117 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10798-025-10006-1 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 38 StartPage: 549 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Curriculum planning Type: general – SubjectFull: Technology education Type: general – SubjectFull: Educators Type: general – SubjectFull: Computer literacy Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational benefits Type: general – SubjectFull: Sustainability Type: general – SubjectFull: Digital technology Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Opportunities for learning design and technology skills and values in the Maltese curriculum. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pulé, Sarah – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Attard, Mireille – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Caruana, Lawrence Farrugia IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 09577572 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 36 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: International Journal of Technology & Design Education Type: main |
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