The Techne Web Quest: How can we improve our ability to talk about technology?

The Techne Webquest – Level One

The Techne Webquest has two levels of activities that engage learners in thinking about the answer to the question: What is Technology?” The first level is comprised of resources that will help learners to respond to the question: should the meaning of the word technology include four facets of technology?

The four facets are:
1) Should the meaning of the word technology include the design of objects, devices, or systems of applied knowledge?
2) Should the meaning of the word technology include objects or devices?
3) Should the meaning of the word technology include the degree of expertise demonstrated in using an object, device, and/or system of applied knowledge?
4) Should the meaning of the word technology include the consequences of that use?

Teachers and students may want to take this idea further and suggest additional dimensions to the meaning of technology. In level one, learners read and research selected web sites that provide information helpful in arguing either for or against including the four facets into the meaning of the word technology.

Teachers and learners should explore the web resources we have listed for you as well as research their own. Answer the questions offline, compile your answers, and then post them to our web site here.

Click on the Web Resources link above to go to a list of web links that can help learners to invesitgate the meaning of the word technology.

Once you have completed WebQuest Level One, please go on to level two.

Last updated 11/30/2005 ©David Whittier School of Education Boston University