THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN THE CONSCIOUS
CAREER CHOICE

Hana Novakova, Pedagprogram, Prague, Czech Republic.

KEY WORDS :
Ð Conscious career choice 
Ð Technology for career choice
Ð Choice of careers

INTRODUCTION:

The transformation of our school system in the democratic society when it changed into a
market economy brought about the modernization of the education curricula and the whole
process of education. That means it was necessary to harmonize the school system with the
dynamics of science and technology development and with the needs of practice. This provided
the solution for the whole system of technology education by an optimal method. These changes
undoubtedly resulted in certain consequences for education and in promoting conscious career
choice. 

One of the irreplaceable assignments of the system of technology education in our general
education is its role in the conscious career choice of the young generation. Modern technique
and technology today permeates all the spheres of our national economy and the whole society,
including the non-productive sphere and the life of each individual. Not only a car or machine
tool designer, not only a qualified worker in a factory producing tractors or computers, but even
a dentist, teacher, bank officer or a salesman in a supermarket all come into contact with
technology on a daily basis. They work with it, and they must understand the basic function of
the technology device, which they use. 

Natural sciences became an organic part of general education in the second half of the last
century, and it is becoming one of its priorities at the turn of the millennium: technology
education for all. The realization of this basic pedagogical idea in all the member countries is
imposed even by The Project 2000+ Declaration which has been approved by the delegates of
the world forum organized by UNESCO in Paris in the year of 1993. The section 'The Way
Forward,' which forms a part of the Declaration, lays emphasis upon the contribution of
technology education for the orientation of young people to careers of a technological character.


The conditions which have changed in the economic sphere and with the introduction of the free
labour market put emphasis upon more particular preconditions concerning the preparation of
qualified workers. It is not enough just to own a certificate from a certain type of school, but it
is necessary to have a creative access to work, flexibility and adaptability to the changing
conditions, the ability to work with information techniques, and to self-evaluate and self-
realize one's potential in the selected working activity. For this reason, the problem of the
systematic education of young people assumes prominence when making a conscious  career
choice in which the needs of modern society and the relevant self-realization would be
integrated. Material production which applies the newest scientific-technical knowledge
throughout the whole world, creates the national income and is the source of assurance that the
needs of all citizens of the society would be met. Careers of a technological character have from
this point of view a priority on the labour market. If we want to orient the young people to this
fact, we must give them a chance to get acquainted with them, to get to know various types of
human activities. Any boy or girl shall certainly not select such a work field on which he/she
has no information, but he/she shall select from those fields about which he/she has a more or
less concrete imagination. For this reason, it shall be necessary to use the technology education
from the point of view of its contribution to the conscious career choice. 

The technology education system which is realized during the whole compulsory school
education, is one of the corner-stones of pupils' education for the conscious career choice. This
may pertain only to the last class in the lower secondary school which must be passed by all
pupils at the age of 15 years. It is particularly technology education which helps to form the real
professional aspirations of boys and girls during the compulsory nine-year education, and
contributes to their orientation to technology subjects at the upper secondary vocational
schools, secondary training-apprentice schools, etc. It also, in general, creates preconditions for
lifelong education and retraining. The importance of these aspects grows within the conditions
of today's market economy. 


ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN THE SYSTEM OF PROFESSIONAL
ORIENTATION


The present advanced industrialized society is characterized by a deep division of labour, by
high demands for qualifications of workers. Human professional activity  has been connected
with family life at the beginning of this century; a baker baked bread in his home bakery, a tailor
made clothes in his workshop, a farmer farmed on a family farm. The children of these
workmen and other tradesmen were all directly taken into the production process.  They were
acquainted with the tools and machines used from their childhood, and they have also got
acquainted with the production technology. They acquired the basis of technology education in
a natural way. 

The present young generation is, as a consequence of the development of production powers
and strong scientific and technological progress, separated from the working activity of their
parents. If this generation gets in touch with technology then it concerns only the use of
household technical equipment as for example, refrigerators, washing machines, T.V.sets,
personal computers, videos and cars. The activities of a technological character, acquisition of
technology skills, craftsmanship with which their grandparents were acquainted within the
family, have disappeared from the lives of children within their families. 

This family  technology vacuum must be fulfilled by a school within the system of technology
education which must be realized from kindergarten. Even though this thesis seems rather
paradoxical, it has its logical substantiation. Children are very sensitive from early childhood
on and we may get them acquainted with the simplest technology principals and various
technology careers, for example by including a walk which would take place near a construction
site, or by a projection of a special video programme which concerns this problem. We have
come to the application of these forms on the basis of results of a pedagogical survey with
children in a kindergarten, where we asked children from 4 to 6 years what would they like to
work at when  they grow up. Many of the children answered: 'I would like to be a doctor, I
would like to be a kindergarten teacher, I would like to be a figure-skater, I would like to be a
shop-assistant in a sweetshop - I love cakes.' All careers which have been answered by the
children were careers with which we have met previously. It is understandable that the
imagination of the children formed by this way, concerning their future career, arevery vague
and it is not possible to come to any conclusions. But they have pointed out the insufficient
development of technology interest in technology and the lack of information on careers where
technique and technology play a key role. 

We, as educators, know that technology education and education of pupils to conscious career
choice are two sides of one coin. No other teaching subject within the curricula of general
education plays such an important role in education of pupils to the career choice as the
subjects of technological character. They are intermediate to the key knowledge and skills from
general technology to the pupils and they lead to an understanding of the importance of high
technology for the development of national economy and the whole society. The pupils get
acquainted in the subjects of technology character during their study at the primary and lower
secondary school in the theory and practice with the basic technology processes used in various
spheres of human activity. Graduation of the demands on topic of technology character from
the beginning of the school compulsory education (work with paper, textile, with construction
legos, simple grower's works, assembly and disassembly works) to the more demanding topics
which form the content of the lower secondary school (6th - 9th grade) as for example, wood, 
metal, plastic processing, agricultural experimentation, introduction into economy and
organization, forms sufficient space for the system access for getting the pupils acquainted with
various professional groups. And that is what the informative function of technology education
consists of. 

Its second function - formation is also very important. It contributes to the development of
intellectual abilities of the pupils, their technology thinking. It forms the correct attitude to work,
it helps to develop their creativity, ability to recognize processes within their mutual
connections, to independently solve problems, to work in teams, to be responsible for his/her
work and to seek self-realization in his/her work. It enables the realization of the technological
interests of the pupils and contributes to their professional orientation to technological fields. 


The role of topics of a technological character in the professional orientation is intensified even
by the pupils' excursions to various workplaces where the pupils are acquainted with various
types of human activities, as well as appropriately selected audiovisual teaching aids. Our
knowledge state that it is particularly the excursions to various production plants, workshops,
computer centres, etc. that are important in providing motivation for careers. The pupils like to
participate in the excursions and the protocols  from excursions are positively evaluated by the
fact that they could talk with various categories of workers about what their work is like. Even
the parents welcome this method of getting the pupils acquainted with various careers. 

Please, allow me to state one of the examples concerning the use of topic of 'technology
character' for conscious career choice. A didactic unit of 'Metal Processing' is included within
the technology work in the 5th grade of primary school. The pupils get acquainted with the
basic knowledge of metals and their qualities and processing. The teacher acquaints the pupils
with the demands which are laid upon individual types of materials in the production, i.e.
different demands are laid upon the frame of a bicycle and other different demands are laid
upon the pistons of an internal combustion engine, other demands are laid upon material for a
nuclear reactor. In addition to the topic of this didactic unit is the projection of video cassettes
informing the pupils about the basic activities of a career where metal processing is applied.
This didactic unit often includes even excursions of the pupils to a metal-working firms
(locksmith,plumber, etc.) where they can get acquainted in practice with the work orientation of
various careers in the relevant sphere. 

Practically each didactic unit in the topics of a 'technology character' leads to information on
careers in the relevant field. Even the qualification preconditions are mentioned (demand on the
approval in the subject, completing upper secondary vocational school, etc.).


ROLE OF NON-FORMAL TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN CONSCIOUS CAREER CHOICE 

The system of technology education includes (although not the topics of technology character)
various types and forms of interest technology activities (i.e. modeller's interest units, interest
units concerning work with computers, radiotechnical, bee-keeper's activities etc.) The boys and
girls may in these non-formal free activities under the control of the teachers or other experts
develop their technology interests which contribute to their professional orientation to
technological fields.

Various types of technological competitions form other forms of non-formal technology
activity.  The pupils themselves design and produce a certain technical product within these
non-formal activities, their quality is evaluated by a professional committee. In this connection I
would like to mention 'Competition Key' which is advertised by the methodical board for
technology education in Prague 3 on an annual basis. Pupils aged 10 to 14 years from the whole
Prague region, who are interested, receive a technical set concerning the production of a certain
product. They themselves make the design, select the appropriate material, production
technology and surface finish. They make the product during one afternoon and this product is
evaluated by a technical committee which also grants a diploma to the best producers. The
success in this technological competition brought many pupils during these years to additional
studies of technology subjects.

It is also possible to mention many technological competitions of upper secondary school
pupils, i.e. production of teaching aids, processing of software for the school needs, video
recording, etc. The process of individual works with the production or research general subjects
is increased on the basis of relevant experimenting activity which is a long tradition  amongst
pupils from the age of 16 to 18 years of age. This form also particularly effects the professional
orientation of the upper secondary schools pupils.


PROFESSIONAL ADVISING

We have already mentioned that we understand the professional orientation in our school as a
long-term process which has its roots in the most elementary form in kindergarten.

The whole system of technology education includes technology for the whole period of  school
compulsory education. In the final stage, in the highest grades (pupils from the age of 13 to 15
years), professional advisors (teachers at the school with this specialization) enter the above
mentioned  system by a form of consultations, informal meetings, projection of information
films, professional advising, organization of ÒDays of Open DoorÓ at the upper secondary
schools, with the qualification preconditions for individual careers, which the system of
remuneration, social insurance and with the possibilities of the qualification improvement, etc.


Experts from Pedagogical-Psychological Consulting Centres help with the solution of problems
concerning the conscious career choice. These centres are located in individual regions and
parents  apply to them particularly in cases when their children's interests in a particular
professional career are not definitely formed, and they apply for an individual evaluation and
professional consultation.


CONCLUSION

Technology education as an essential part of modern general education has an irreplaceable
importance in the education of pupils to their conscious career selection in accordance with the
necessities of the developed democratic society.

The modern technique and technology, including computer technology, forms a part of all
spheres of human activity at the present, i.e. at the turn of the millennium. The technology
education is from the point of view of general preparedness and education of pupils in key
technological knowledge and skills, of a priority character at the formation of the youth
interests, particularly in technical careers, which are the carriers of national product formation.

Subjects of a 'technology' character in the system of technology education form the function of
information and formation. The informative function consists of providing key knowledge and
skills of general technology to the pupils, the pupils get acquainted with the importance of high
technology for the development of national economy and they practically show the application
of technology in various spheres of production, services, trade, research, etc. The theoretical-
practical content of the subject matter provides many opportunities to the  pupils, the pupils
get acquainted with various spheres of human activity directly in practice. This is what forms
the base for conscious selection of a future career. The  centre of the formative function of
technology education is formed by the development of the intellectual abilities of the pupils,
their technological intellect, technological interests and interest in additional technology
education. The technology education, technological free activities, technological and practical
composition are important to the formation of education of pupils to work, for the development
of their creativity, for the development of the ability to independently solve problems, to work
in teams, to be responsible for their work and to enjoy their work.

The widely conceived base of technology education forms the platform of additional technology
education in various spheres and makes the necessary adaptability and flexibility of the
workers possible in the changing conditions of market economy. It forms the base for lifelong
education and for the retraining, and therefore it contributes to the decrease of the
unemployment rate.

We include excursions into the production sphere, into the sector of services, information
meetings, and lectures for pupils, concerning the characteristic of career and their qualification,
as well as exhibitions of careers, movies of an information character,
engagement of pupils in various technological free activities (for example in computer centres,
in technology units, etc.,) and individual information interviews. The schools of higher education
organize a so called 'Welcome Day' which are also very important.

Educational consultants who act at each school, provide together with other teachers a
comprehensive system of professional information to the pupils. Information of high quality are
also provided to the pupils and their parents by a network of Pedagogical-Psychological
Consultation Centres, these information include the possibility of career preparation and future
self-assertion of high quality.

The quality of the future population, that is even the economic prosperity which is developed
from the wide bases of education, from the creation of preconditions for harmonic development
of each individual who must be prepared to be able to fully and in qualified manner self-assert
in  adulthood, and so such activity makes self-realization possible for him.


REFERENCES

Klimova, M.  To the basic problems of education to career choice in Vychovny poradce, No.3,
ed.1982, Prague

Mares, K.  To the philosophy of technology education at primary school and its importance for
pupils' education for career choice, in: Vychovny poradce No.4, ed. 1977, Prague.

Novakova, H.  The importance of the use of scientific knowledge in education for career
choice.

Function and assignments in general educational subject in professional orientation. 

Role of interest activity and topics of technology cycle in the education to career

Interest units of technique, grower's and breeding in Vychovny poradce
No.3m ed. 1982, Prague.

Novakova, H.  Teacher's guide for teachers of technology agricultural
subjects in the 3rd grade of upper secondary schools, statni pedagogickenakladatelstvi,
1986, Prague.

The project 2000 + Declaration, UNESCO, Paris, 1994