Implementing Technology in the School Curriculum: A Case Study Involving Six Secondary Schools

In Australia, economic, social and educational pressures have led to in- creasing importance being placed on technology education, just as has hap- pened in other countries (Medway, 1989). The importance of technology in the school curriculum of every secondary student has been strongly advocated (Vohra, 1987) and in the USA the goals of an effective curriculum have been delineated (Fricke, 1987). Even so, how technology will be incorporated within the curriculum and who shall teach technology is not resolved (Gardner, Penna & Brass, 1990). There is a move away from aligning technology with the ‘trade’ or ‘technical’ subjects and an effort to place it more central to the cur- riculum. However, how this will be done is still a source of great debate. In England too, there has been considerable tension about which of the subjects in the school curriculum should take technology within their realm (Woolnough, 1988).