A Focus on Technological Literacy in Higher Education

Technological literacy continues to be an important construct for learners in all societies. Quite often it is a knowledge area not required of university students unless they are engineering or technology majors. If the mission of design and technology education is literacy for all, this same mission should apply at the university level. An analysis was made of 256 students to determine their attitudes of knowledge gained from a general studies technological literacy course. The course was offered at the 100 level and was designed to expose students to various technologies so they would have a better foundation for selecting a major. It was found that this was the first time that 64% of the students studied technology. It also was noted that students gained improved understandings of the effects of technology, a working knowledge of technology, and technology and careers.