Technological Literacy

To fully appreciate the concept of technological literacy, it is first necessary to come to terms with the word technology. Generally speaking, technology is the modification of nature to meet human needs. This very broad definition is understood and accepted by scientists, engineers, and others engaged in technology creation. But most Americans view technology much more narrowly. Rather than the entire human-built world, they think primarily of information technology. For example, when asked to list the first thing that came to mind when they heard the word technology, nearly 70% of adults in a Gallup poll conducted in 2001 (and repeated in 2004) said “computers.” The next most common response, at just 4%, was “electronics.” Research conducted by the National Center for Technological Literacy (NCTL) has found that children, too, have a limited view of what technology is, with a significant number associating technology only with things that require electricity. Over 30% of elementary students in one NCTL study thought lightning was technology, presumably because of this association. Almost 80% failed to identify a bicycle or a bridge as technology.

It is not wrong to associate the word technology with computers. Computers are one of the most transformational technologies in history. But they are far from the only technology that plays such a pivotal role. A carefully vetted list of 20 of the most important engineering achievements of the [Page 873]20th century, published by the National Academy of Engineering in 2000, includes computers, but seven other technologies (electrification, the automobile, the airplane, water purification and distribution, electronics, radio and television, and agricultural mechanization) are ranked higher in importance. As the list of achievements makes clear, technology encompasses not just the individual, tangible artifacts but the larger systems of which the artifacts are a part. A truly inclusive view of technology also includes the people and infrastructure needed to design, manufacture, operate, and repair these artifacts.

For a variety of reasons, compared with previous generations, few people today have direct, hands-on experience with technology, except as finished consumer goods. Rarely do we tinker with, disassemble, or try to repair our technologies, activities that in the past nurtured a certain familiarity with the human-built world. Instead, most use technology with minimal comprehension of how it works, the implications of its use, or even where it comes from. Thus, even as technology has become increasingly important in our lives, it has become more inaccessible and, in some sense, invisible. The situation is exacerbated by our education system, which for the most part pays little attention to technology as a school subject. An exception is the use of computers and the Internet, an area that has been strongly promoted by federal and state governments. But even here, efforts have focused on using these technologies to improve education rather than to teach students about the technology itself. As a result, many K–12 educators identify technology almost exclusively with computers and related devices and so believe, erroneously, that their institutions already teach about technology.

An interesting paradox emerges. We are a highly technological society. We depend on—some say we are addicted to—technology. At the same time, adults and children alike appear to have a poor understanding of the essential characteristics of technology, how it influences society, and how people can and do affect its development. Many people are not even fully aware of the technologies they use every day. This suggests citizens are not equipped to make well-considered decisions or to think critically about technology. In short, as a society we are not “technologically literate.”

...