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Sultan, U., Axell, C. & Hallström, J. (2024). Bringing girls and women into STEM?: Girls’ technological activities and conceptions when participating in an all-girl technology camp. International journal of technology and design education, 34(2), 647-671
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Bringing girls and women into STEM?: Girls’ technological activities and conceptions when participating in an all-girl technology camp
2024 (English)In: International journal of technology and design education, ISSN 0957-7572, E-ISSN 1573-1804, Vol. 34, no 2, p. 647-671Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Bringing more girls and women into science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, is often highlighted as an aim in education and industry. A constantly growing body of research on engagement is driven by equity concerns caused by the unbalanced gender distribution in STEM. In this study, Swedish teenage girls on a three-day technol- ogy camp are in focus. The camp was an initiative with three goals: “Get girls interested, keep girls interested and provide knowledge about futures within technology professions”. We explored the participating girls’ technological activities and conceptions of technology at the camp. Data collection was conducted through participant observations and a focus group interview. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and a gender theoretical framework. Results show the camp presented uncertain notions of what technology can be, and traditionally male-oriented domains were “girlified”. However, girlified activities might not have been constructive in this context since the girls expressed interest in technology before the camp and showed few signs of gendering technology – they liked all kinds of technology. Girlified technology can, at its worst, give a false image of the future industrial work life that the camp organiser aimed to inspire. Despite this, the camp activities were still meaningful and relevant to the girls. The camp created opportunities for the girls to develop their sense of being technical and a feeling of belonging. Implications for technology classroom settings and future camps are to value practical work and improvisational design without leaving the teaching unreflected. This could be a way of engaging and familiarising girls with the multifaceted world of technology without girlifying it. In addition, a broad conception of technology could make gender codes less relevant and open new opportunities. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature, 2024
Keywords
Technology Education, Technology Camp, Gender and Technology, STEM, Girls Interest In Technology, All-Girl Activity
National Category
Educational Sciences Gender Studies
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-197643 (URN)10.1007/s10798-023-09831-z (DOI)001058314600001 ()2-s2.0-85169813120 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Linköpings universitet
Note

Funding: Linköping University

Available from: 2023-09-05 Created: 2023-09-05 Last updated: 2025-01-24Bibliographically approved
Berg, A. & Axell, C. (2024). Introducing programming in an early primary technology classroom: the distinction between human and robot. In: Jonas Hallström, Marc J. de Vries (Ed.), Programming and computational thinking in technology education: Swedish and international perspectives (pp. 271-290). Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, Sidorna 271-290
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Introducing programming in an early primary technology classroom: the distinction between human and robot
2024 (English)In: Programming and computational thinking in technology education: Swedish and international perspectives / [ed] Jonas Hallström, Marc J. de Vries, Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2024, Vol. Sidorna 271-290, p. 271-290Chapter in book (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Since 2018, programming is a content in the technology subject in Sweden. Thus, teachers must develop new subject-specific competence to be able to realize their teaching in and about programming. This is especially challenging for primary teachers since primary technology education is a young subject and lacks a common professional base of proven experience. Research focusing on the classroom practices that are now taking form, and which are based on teachers’ use of tutorials provided from different resources, is scarce. Hence, our understanding of which programming-related knowledge is possible to develop through participation in these practices is very limited. As a novice, understanding the meaning of programming assumes an understanding of what a computational device may—or may not— ‘understand’ in relation to a human. When it comes to introducing early primary pupils to the concept of programming, there are examples of tutorials describing activities that focus on this very issue. In the study reported in this chapter, we explore an activity during an introductory lesson in programming in an early primary classroom, where the teacher used such a tutorial aimed to prompt reflections about the differences between a human and a robot. The aim of the study was to explore what content is constituted and hence what knowledge pupils are enabled to develop during this introductory activity. The results showed that the constituted content focused on a central difference between human and robot; humans, as opposed to robots, have own will and ability to think. However, the analysis also showed that the pupils had ideas beyond this rather narrow content, and that classroom conversations with the youngest pupils about the differences between a human and a robot are, in several ways, challenging to orchestrate.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2024
National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-200436 (URN)9789004687912 (ISBN)
Available from: 2024-01-25 Created: 2024-01-25 Last updated: 2024-05-30Bibliographically approved
Axell, C. & Berg, A. (2024). You give a little bit more love to animals than to robots. International journal of technology and design education, 34, 505-530
Open this publication in new window or tab >>You give a little bit more love to animals than to robots
2024 (English)In: International journal of technology and design education, ISSN 0957-7572, E-ISSN 1573-1804, Vol. 34, p. 505-530Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Although digital technology is an important part of young peoples lives, previous research implies that they have a limited understanding of what programming is and its connection to the digital devices they encounter every day. In order to create conditions for meaningful teaching in and about programming in technology education, more knowledge about younger students pre-understanding and experiences is needed. In the light of this, the aim of this case study was to explore young pupils descriptions of the concept programming, in connection with being introduced to programming as a teaching content in technology education. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 16 children in year 1 (7-year-olds) in a primary school in Sweden. In their descriptions of programming as an activity, the pupils mainly used technological descriptions-a theory of artificial mind perspective. However, when they talked about the objects with which they associated programming, psychological descriptions-a theory of mind perspective-were more clearly present. Then, a less pronounced distinction between humans and machines was made. Anthropomorphic references were used, such as when the pupils referenced childrens culture such as movies and television programs. However, the term programming was difficult for many of the pupils to grasp. They also had difficulty in finding a function for programming, as well as explanations and arguments for why they learn programming in school. The results of this study indicate that these 7-year-old pupils perceive programming as something complex. This at the same time as they describe how programmed and programmed artefacts (including AI devices) are highly present in their everyday lives, in their leisure environments, and in school. This mirrors how technology has become an intelligent and active agent, rather than a mere tool in their lives-an aspect that teachers may forget to take advantage of.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
SPRINGER, 2024
Keywords
Technology education; Primary school; Programming; Theory of mind; Theory of artificial mind
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-196766 (URN)10.1007/s10798-023-09838-6 (DOI)001016401400001 ()
Note

Funding Agencies|Linkoping University

Available from: 2023-08-23 Created: 2023-08-23 Last updated: 2024-08-16
Axell, C. (2023). Indigenous Technological Knowledge Systems Education: Technology Education in a Sámi School. In: Mishack T. Gumbo, P. John Williams (Ed.), Indigenous Technology Knowledge Systems: (pp. 75-101). Singapore: Springer
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Indigenous Technological Knowledge Systems Education: Technology Education in a Sámi School
2023 (English)In: Indigenous Technology Knowledge Systems / [ed] Mishack T. Gumbo, P. John Williams, Singapore: Springer, 2023, p. 75-101Chapter in book (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

This chapter is about how Sámi culture and knowledge systems are reflected through Technology Education in a Sámi school. The aim is to discuss the benefits of using traditional cultural artifacts in Technology Education, as well as what aspects indigenous technological knowledge systems (ITKS) can contribute to Technology Education. The chapter is based on the results of a case study, including recurring visits to a Sámi school in northern Sweden. In this Sámi school, specific traditional cultural artifacts were used as starting points for technology teaching. The cultural context was central and included both historical and present perspectives, with clear connections to other subject areas, as well as the children’s own experiences. Sámi myths and fairy tales were also frequently used for contextualisation. Since each technology activity was linked to many different perspectives and subject areas, the technology teaching was grounded on a holistic view of knowledge. The traditional cultural artifacts were not only attributed a practical value but also a symbolic value connected to inherited knowledge and practical applications and skills. The pupils were thus given the opportunity to discover that technology is not only modern high technology. In summary, this chapter illustrates how traditional cultural artifacts can play an important role in Technology Education and contribute to broadening the understanding of the relationship between humans, culture, nature, technology, and history. An inclusion of ITKSs in the curriculum may not only prevent marginalisation of indigenous knowledge, but also provide opportunities to broaden pupils’ understanding of technology, how it evolves, and the driving forces behind technological change.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Singapore: Springer, 2023
Series
Contemporary Issues in Technology Education, ISSN 2510-0327, E-ISSN 2510-0335
National Category
Didactics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-203982 (URN)10.1007/978-981-99-1396-1_6 (DOI)9789819913954 (ISBN)9789819913961 (ISBN)
Available from: 2024-05-30 Created: 2024-05-30 Last updated: 2024-08-29Bibliographically approved
Axell, C. (2023). "Kan vi inte få göra sånt här varje dag?": Bilderböcker och barns teckningar i teknikundervisningen. In: Maria Simonsson, Johanna Andersson (Ed.), Bilder för barn och bilder av barn: (pp. 105-126). Lund: Studentlitteratur AB
Open this publication in new window or tab >>"Kan vi inte få göra sånt här varje dag?": Bilderböcker och barns teckningar i teknikundervisningen
2023 (Swedish)In: Bilder för barn och bilder av barn / [ed] Maria Simonsson, Johanna Andersson, Lund: Studentlitteratur AB, 2023, p. 105-126Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Lund: Studentlitteratur AB, 2023
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-195965 (URN)9789144154435 (ISBN)
Available from: 2023-06-29 Created: 2023-06-29 Last updated: 2023-06-29Bibliographically approved
Axell, C. & Boström, J. (2023). Unveiling Biases: An Exploration of ChatGPT-3.5-generated ‘Technology Stories’. In: Sarah Davies, Matt McLain, Alison Hardy, David Morrison-Love (Ed.), The 40th International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Conference Proceedings 2023: . Paper presented at PATT40: The 40th International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Research Conference, Liverpool, John Moores University, 31st October - 3rd November, 2023 (pp. 1-10). Liverpool John Moores University, 1
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Unveiling Biases: An Exploration of ChatGPT-3.5-generated ‘Technology Stories’
2023 (English)In: The 40th International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Conference Proceedings 2023 / [ed] Sarah Davies, Matt McLain, Alison Hardy, David Morrison-Love, Liverpool John Moores University , 2023, Vol. 1, p. 1-10Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

A technology that is increasingly affecting our daily lives is artificial intelligence (AI). An example of such a technology is ChatGPT-3.5, which has received a lot of attention recently. ChatGPT-3.5 is a text generator that is developed on a large number of existing texts. Currently, there is a debate about negative consequences in education, for example, if students let the chatbot write texts for them. In this study, however, our point of departure is on how ChatGPT-3.5 and storytelling can be used as a tool in teacher education to develop students’ critical thinking in relation to technology.

A main objective of technology as a school subject is to prepare pupils to act in a technology-intensive world, which includes critical thinking about technology and its impact on individuals, society, and nature. However, a critical aspect of technology education is that it easily becomes an unreflective doing without a meaningful context. A way to circumventing this problem is to use storytelling in technology teaching.

This is a pre-study for a coming project aiming to let teacher students create stories using ChatGPT-3.5 and then critically analyse the technological content in the stories. In this pre-study, we gave ChatGPT-3.5 the instruction to generate ten shorter stories for children with a focus on technology. A qualitative content analysis shows that there are several dominant themes within the stories, and that the chatbot presents a view of technology that is mainly positive and without any critical reflection on its effects on individuals, nature and society. Furthermore, in the stories, high-tech male coded technology is a dominating theme. The pre-study highlights the importance of critical thinking and reflections when using AI tools in technology teacher education. It also indicates that stories generated by a chatbot can be a steppingstone to visualise technology bias and contribute to developing teacher students’ critical gaze.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Liverpool John Moores University, 2023
Keywords
technology education, storytelling, critical thinking, ChatGPT-3.5
National Category
Didactics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-203975 (URN)
Conference
PATT40: The 40th International Pupils’ Attitudes Towards Technology Research Conference, Liverpool, John Moores University, 31st October - 3rd November, 2023
Available from: 2024-05-30 Created: 2024-05-30 Last updated: 2024-05-30
Axell, C., Berg, A., Hallström, J., Thellman, S. & Ziemke, T. (2022). Artificial Intelligence in Contemporary Children’s Culture: A Case Study. In: David Gill, Jim Tuff, Thomas Kennedy, Shawn Pendergast, Sana Jamil (Ed.), PATT 39: PATT on the Edge Technology, Innovation and Education. Paper presented at PATT 39. PATT on the Edge Technology, Innovation and Education. St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada June 21st-24th, 2022 (pp. 376-386). Memorial University of Newfoundland
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Artificial Intelligence in Contemporary Children’s Culture: A Case Study
Show others...
2022 (English)In: PATT 39: PATT on the Edge Technology, Innovation and Education / [ed] David Gill, Jim Tuff, Thomas Kennedy, Shawn Pendergast, Sana Jamil, Memorial University of Newfoundland , 2022, p. 376-386Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

The overall aim of the school subject technology is to develop pupils’ understanding of technological solutions in everyday life. A starting point for this study is that it is important for teachers in technology to have knowledge of pupils’ prior conceptions of the subject content since these can both support and hinder their learning. In a previous study we found that when pupils (age 7) talk about digital technology and programming, they often refer to out-of-school experiences such as films, television programmes and books. Typically, their descriptions include robots with some form of intelligence. Hence, it seems like children’s culture may have an impact on the conceptions they bring to the technology classroom. In light of this, it is vital that technology teachers have knowledge about how robots and artificial intelligence (AI) are portrayed in children’s culture, and how pupils perceive these portrayals. However, knowledge about these aspects of technology in children’s culture is limited.The purpose of this study is to investigate how artifacts with artificial intelligence are portrayed in television programmes and literature aimed at children. This study is the first step in a larger study aiming to examine younger pupils’ conceptions and ideas about artificial intelligence. A novice conception of artificial intelligence can be described as an understanding of what a programmed device may, or may not, “understand” in relation to a human, which includes discerning th edifferences between the artificial and the human mind. Consequently, as a theoretical framework for investigating how artificial intelligence is portrayed in children’s culture, the concepts of Theoryof Mind (ToM) and Theory of Artificial Mind (ToAM), are used. The empirical material presented in this paper, i.e. four children’s books and a popular children’s television programme, was analysed using a qualitative thematic analysis. The results show that the portrayal of AI is ambiguous. The structure and function of the robot has elements of both human and machine, and the view of the human fictional characters of the robot is sometimes that of a machine, sometimes of a human. In addition, the whole empirical material includes portrayals of AI as a threat as well as a saviour. As regards implications, there is a risk that without real-life experiences of robots, the representations children’s books and other media convey can lead to ambivalent feelings towards real robots.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2022
Keywords
Technology Education, Artificial Intelligence, Children’s Culture, Theory of Mind, Theory of Artificial Mind
National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-189717 (URN)978-0-88901-505-0 (ISBN)
Conference
PATT 39. PATT on the Edge Technology, Innovation and Education. St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada June 21st-24th, 2022
Available from: 2022-11-03 Created: 2022-11-03 Last updated: 2022-11-03
Skill, K., Axell, C. & Gyberg, P. (2022). Facts, Values and Perspectives on Sustainable Development in Free Teaching Materials in Sweden. Sustainability, 14(19), Article ID 12290.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Facts, Values and Perspectives on Sustainable Development in Free Teaching Materials in Sweden
2022 (English)In: Sustainability, E-ISSN 2071-1050, Vol. 14, no 19, article id 12290Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

In this study, we adopt a critical perspective on knowledge about sustainable development in Swedish free teaching materials, where certain ways of illustrating sustainable development can make invisible alternative ways to understand and delimit it. We analyse physical, free materials for school teaching, distributed by Utbudet. The materials were produced between 2008 and 2019. Our analysis shows that there is a focus on facts, certifications and technical fixes, as well as scientific and societal consensus. The companies’ perspectives are prominent in the free materials, as are anthropocentric and Western approaches. Taken together, our study shows that the free materials convey that the global situation has improved and that development is on the right track, rather than in crisis, or that the sustainability problems are complex and difficult to manage. Thus, the materials present a fairly one-sided picture of the situation and the future, which does not really agree with the aim in Swedish education of presenting a balanced view of sustainable development.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MDPI, 2022
Keywords
education for sustainable development; ESD; free teaching material; anthropocentrism; wicked problems; critical perspective; environmental risk, hållbar utveckling, undervisning för hållbar utveckling, kunskapssociologi, gratismaterial, antropocentrism, kritiskt perspektiv
National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-188967 (URN)10.3390/su141912290 (DOI)000867111700001 ()
Available from: 2022-10-05 Created: 2022-10-05 Last updated: 2022-12-16Bibliographically approved
Axell, C. & Boström, J. (2021). Technology in children’s picture books as an agent for reinforcing or challenging traditional gender stereotypes. International journal of technology and design education, 31, 27-30
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Technology in children’s picture books as an agent for reinforcing or challenging traditional gender stereotypes
2021 (English)In: International journal of technology and design education, ISSN 0957-7572, E-ISSN 1573-1804, Vol. 31, p. 27-30Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Technology is a field with strong connections to the female/male dichotomy. Children start to stereotype everyday life regarding this dichotomy as early as the age of two. The preschool, through its activities—among them reading aloud from picture books—is an arena where societal norms can be either preserved or challenged. Books about different artefacts, e.g. cars, airplanes and boats, often serve as an introduction for children about the human application of technology and may influence how they identify and categorise the technology they encounter in everyday life. The aim of this study was to investigate the technological content in a selection of picture books from a gender perspective. Since preschools in Sweden often use books from libraries in their daily activities, the empirical material was derived from the library sections Facts for youngsters and Technology for youngsters, aimed at children aged 1–3 and 3–6. A thematic analysis was used to discover the dominant themes within the books. The results show that there is a focus on how separate artefacts function but no detailed explanation of how these artefacts are connected or what kind of implications they have in a societal context. There also seems to be an emphasis on traditionally masculine coded technology.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Switzerland: Springer Natuer, 2021
Keywords
Technology education, Preschool Picture books, Gender, Artefacts, Equality
National Category
Learning Gender Studies
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-160272 (URN)10.1007/s10798-019-09537-1 (DOI)000614051900003 ()
Available from: 2019-09-16 Created: 2019-09-16 Last updated: 2024-10-28Bibliographically approved
Axell, C. (2020). Broadening the Horizons of Technology Education: Using Traditional Cultural Artefacts as Learning Tools in a Swedish Sámi School. Design and Technology Education: An International Journal, 25(2), 192-216
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Broadening the Horizons of Technology Education: Using Traditional Cultural Artefacts as Learning Tools in a Swedish Sámi School
2020 (English)In: Design and Technology Education: An International Journal, ISSN 1360-1431, E-ISSN 2040-8633, Vol. 25, no 2, p. 192-216Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The aim of this case study was to explore the nature of technology education in a Sámi school setting and to examine how knowledge about traditional cultural artefacts can contribute to broadening the horizons of technological literacy. The participants (teacher and pupils) in the study were all from the same Sámi primary school in Northern Sweden, and the activities connected to the artefacts took place with year 2 and 3 pupils. The method employed was participatory observation, and field notes, recorded conversations, photographs and children’s drawings were analysed using a qualitative content analysis.

The findings show that technology education in this school was connected to specific artefacts that are important in Sámi culture. Using these traditional cultural artefacts as a starting point, the pupils were given the opportunity to see that technology is more than modern high-tech; it is an age-old tradition of problem-solving, modification and adaptation to fulfil human needs. Technology education in this school was grounded in a holistic view of knowledge and was largely integrated with other school subjects. Myths and storytelling were frequently used to contextualise the technological content, and the historical aspect of technology was clear since connections between older and newer technological solutions were frequently made. The knowledge system embedded in the technology teaching can be described as collective and related to both artefacts and activities. Technological knowledge, activities and specific artefacts were not only attributed a practical value, they were also given a symbolic value, since a common knowledge base in technology contributes to strengthening the children’s cultural identity.

This study confirms that artefacts can play an important role in technology education and that an understanding of the relationship between technology and culture can be regarded as a critical part of technological literacy. A cultural context, in combination with a holistic perspective on learning, gives artefacts meaning and provides a context within which they are used. Including indigenous technological knowledge can thus not only prevent a marginalisation of indigenous knowledge, it can also provide opportunities to broaden pupils’ perspectives of what technology is, how it evolves, and the driving forces behind technological change

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Wellesbourne, United Kingdom: The Design and Technology Association, 2020
National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-170042 (URN)
Note

Special Edition: Primary Design and Technology Education

Available from: 2020-09-27 Created: 2020-09-27 Last updated: 2020-10-13Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0001-5721-7719

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