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National Curriculum for Technology Education Compulsory School
2011
(Year 1-9)
Technological solutions have always been important for man and for the development of society. The driving forces behind the evolution of technology have often been a desire to solve problems and meet human needs. In our time, more exacting demands are imposed on technological expertise in daily and working life, and many of today’s societal and political decisions embody elements of technology. To understand the role of technology for the individual, society and the environment, the technology that surrounds us needs to be transparent and understandable.
Aim
Teaching in technology should aim at helping the pupils to develop their technical expertise and technical awareness so that they can orient themselves and act in a technologically intensive world. Teaching should help pupils to develop their interest in technology and their ability to deal with technical challenges in a conscious and innovative way.
Through teaching, pupils should be given the preconditions to develop knowledge about technology in everyday life and familiarity with specific terms and concepts used in the subject. Teaching should help pupils to develop their knowledge on how to solve different problems and satisfy needs with the use of technology. Pupils should also be given the preconditions to develop their own technical ideas and solutions.
Through teaching, pupils should be given the opportunity to develop their understanding of the importance of technology and its impact on people, society and the environment. In addition, teaching should give pupils the preconditions to develop confidence in their own ability to assess technical solutions and relate these to questions concerning aesthetics, ethics, gender roles, the economy and sustainable development.
Teaching should help pupils to develop their knowledge about the historical development of technology so that they are in a better position to understand complicated technological phenomena and contexts of today, and how technology has impacted and impacts the development of society. Teaching should also contribute to pupils’ understanding of how technology has developed in interaction with other sciences and forms of art.
Teaching in technology should essentially give pupils the opportunities to develop their ability to:
- identify and analyse technological solutions based on their appropriateness and function,
- identify problems and needs that can be solved by means of technology, and work out proposals for solutions,
- use the concepts and expressions of technology,
- assess the consequences of different technological choices for the individual, society and the environment, and
- analyse the driving forces of technological development and how technology has changed over time.
Core content
In years 1–3
Technological solutions
- Some common objects where simple mechanisms such as levers and links are used to achieve a specific function, such as objects in playgrounds and the household of different kinds.
- Some common technical solutions where people have recreated nature, such as the cupped hand as a model for receptacles.
- Materials for their own constructions. Their properties and how they can be combined.
- Some simple words and concepts to name and discuss technological solutions.
Working methods for developing technological solutions
- Studying how some daily objects are constructed and function, and also how they are designed and can be improved.
- Pupils’ own constructions where simple mechanisms are applied.
- Documentation in the form of simple sketches, pictures and physical models.
Technology, man, society and the environment
- Some objects in pupils’ everyday life and how they are adapted to people’s needs.
- How objects in pupil’s daily life have changed over time.
- Safety in the use of technology, such as when dealing with electricity.
In years 4–6
Technological solutions
- Everyday objects consisting of moving parts and how these are linked together by means of different mechanisms for transferring and reinforcing power.
- How common solid and stable constructions are built, such as houses and bridges.
- Technological solutions using electrical components to produce sound, light or movement, such as alarms and lighting.
- How different components work together in simple technical systems, such as torches.
- Common materials, such as wood, glass and concrete, their properties and use in solid and stable constructions.
- Words and terms used to name and discuss technical solutions.
Working methods for developing technical solutions
- Different phases of technical development: identification of needs, investigating, proposing solutions, designing and testing.
- Pupils’ own constructions applying principles for solid and stable structures, mechanisms and electrical connections.´
- Documentation in the form of sketches with explanatory words and concepts, symbols and measurements, as well as physical or digital models.
Technology, man, society and the environment
- Common technical systems at home and in society, such as traffic, water and sewage systems, and also recycling systems. Some parts of the system and how they work together.
- How technological systems at home and in society change over time and some of the causes of this.
- Different ways of economising on the use of energy in the home.
- Consequences of technological choices, such as advantages and disadvantages of different technological solutions.
In years 7–9
Technological solutions
- Control and regulatory systems in technical solutions for the transmission and control of power and motion.
- Technical solutions for solid and stable constructions, such as reinforcement and types of beams.
- Basic electronics and electronic components, such as LEDs and simple amplifiers.
- Transforming raw materials into finished products, and managing waste in some industrial processes, such as the manufacture of paper and foodstuffs.
- How components and subsystems work together in larger systems, such as the production and distribution of electricity.
- Technological solutions in communication and information technologies for the exchange of information, such as computers, the Internet and mobile telephony.
- The importance of properties, such as tensile and compression strength, hardness and elasticity when choosing materials for technical solutions. Properties and applications of a number of new materials.
- Words and terms used to name and discuss technical solutions.
Working methods for developing technological solutions
- Different phases of technical development: identification of needs, investigating, proposing solutions, designing and testing. How different phases in the work process are interlinked.
- Pupils’ own constructions where principles for controlling and regulating are applied using pneumatics or electronics.
- Documentation in the form of manual and digital sketches and drawings with explanatory words and concepts, symbols and measurements, as well as documentation using physical or digital models. Simple, written reports describing and summarising work carried out on construction and technical development.
Technology, man, society and the environment
- The Internet and other global technical systems. Systems – their advantages, risks and vulnerabilities.
- The relationship between technological development and scientific progress. How technology has enabled scientific discoveries to be made, and how science has made possible technological innovations.
- Recycling and reuse of materials in different manufacturing processes. How technological solutions can contribute to sustainable development.
- Consequences of choice of technology from ecological, economic, ethical and social perspectives, such as in questions about development and use of biofuels and munitions.
- How cultural attitudes towards technology have an impact on men’s and women’s choice of occupation and use of technology.
Knowledge requirements
Knowledge requirements for grade E at the end of year 6
Pupils can describe and give examples of simple technical solutions in everyday life and some parts which interact in order to satisfy their purpose and function. In addition, pupils can in a simple way describe and give examples of some solid and stable constructions in everyday life, their structure and the materials used.
Pupils can carry out very simple work on technology and design by testing possible ideas for solutions, as well as designing simple physical or digital models. During the work process, pupils contribute to formulating and choosing action alternatives that lead to improvements. Pupils draw up simple documentation of work using sketches, models or texts where the intention of the work is to some extent made clear.
Pupils can carry out simple and to some extent informed reasoning, not only about how some objects or technical systems in society have changed over time, but also some of the advantages and disadvantages of different technical systems for the individual, society and the environment.
Knowledge requirements for grade D at the end of year 6
Grade D means that the knowledge requirements for grade E and most of C are satisfied.
Knowledge requirements for grade C at the end of year 6
Pupils can explain simple technical solutions in everyday life and how some parts interact in order to satisfy their purpose and function. In addition, pupils can in a developed way describe and show relationships between some solid and stable constructions in everyday life, their structure and the materials used.
Pupils can carry out very simple work on technology and design by testing and retesting possible ideas for solutions, as well as designing developed physical or digital models. During the work process, pupils formulate and choose action alternatives which with some adaptation lead to improvements. Pupils draw up developed documentation of work using sketches, models or texts where the intention of the work is relatively well documented.
Pupils can apply developed and relatively well informed reasoning not only over how some objects or technical systems in society have changed over time, but also the advantages and disadvantages of various technical solutions for the individual, society and the environment.
Knowledge requirements for grade B at the end of year 6
Grade B means that the knowledge requirements for grade C and most of A are satisfied.
Knowledge requirements for grade A at the end of year 6
Pupils can explain simple technical solutions in everyday life and how some parts interact in order to satisfy their purpose and function, and show other similar solutions. In addition, pupils can in a well developed way describe and show relationships between some solid and stable constructions in everyday life, their structure and the materials used.
Pupils can carry out very simple work on technology and design by systematically testing and retesting possible ideas for solutions, as well as designing well developed physical or digital models. During the work process, pupils formulate and choose action alternatives that lead to improvements. Pupils draw up well developed documentation of the work using sketches, models or texts where the intention of the work is well documented.
Pupils can apply well developed and well informed reasoning not only over how some objects or technical systems in society have changed over time, but also the advantages and disadvantages of various technical solutions for the individual, society and the environment.
Knowledge requirements for grade E at the end of year 9
Pupils can study different technical solutions in everyday life and with some use of topic-specific terms describe how easily identifiable parts work together to satisfy their purpose and function. In addition, pupils apply simple and to some extent informed reasoning about similarities and differences between some materials and their use in technical solutions.
Pupils can carry out simple work involving technology and design by studying and testing possible solutions and also designing simple physical or digital models. During the work process, pupils contribute to formulating and choosing action alternatives that lead to improvements. Pupils draw up simple documentation of the work with sketches, models, drawings or reports where the intention of the work is to some extent clear.
Pupils can apply simple and to some extent informed reasoning about how some objects and technical systems in society change over time, and show the driving forces behind technological development. In addition, pupils can apply simple and to some extent informed reasoning about how different technical solutions can have different consequences on the individual, society and the environment.
Knowledge requirements for grade D at the end of year 9
Grade D means that the knowledge requirements for grade E and most of C are satisfied.
Knowledge requirements for grade C at the end of year 9
Pupils can study different technical solutions in everyday life and with relatively good use of topic-specific terms describe how parts of sub-systems work together to satisfy their purpose and function. In addition, pupils apply developed and relatively well informed reasoning about similarities and differences between some materials and their use in technical solutions.
Pupils can carry out simple work involving technology and design by studying and testing and retesting possible ideas for solutions and also designing developed physical or digital models. During the work process, pupils formulate and choose action alternatives which with some adaptation lead to improvements. Pupils draw up developed documentation of the work with sketches, models, drawings or reports where the intention of the work is relatively well made clear.
Pupils can apply developed and relatively well informed reasoning about how some objects and technical systems in society change over time, and show the driving forces in technological development. In addition, pupils can apply well developed and relatively well informed reasoning about how different technical choices can have different consequences for the individual, society and the environment.
Knowledge requirements for grade B at the end of year 9
Grade B means that the knowledge requirements for grade C and most of A are satisfied.
Knowledge requirements for grade A at the end of year 9
Pupils can study different technical solutions in everyday life and with good use of topic-specific terms describe how parts of sub-systems work together to satisfy their purpose and function, and show other similar solutions. In addition, pupils carry out well developed and well informed reasoning about similarities and differences between some materials and their use in technical solutions.
Pupils can carry out simple work involving technology and design by studying and systematically testing and retesting possible ideas for solutions and also design well developed and well planned physical or digital models. During the work process, pupils formulate and choose action alternatives that lead to improvements. Pupils draw up well developed documentation of the work using sketches, models, drawings or reports where the intention of the work is well documented.
Pupils can apply well developed and well informed reasoning over how some objects and technical systems in society have changed over time and show the driving forces of technological development. In addition, pupils can apply well developed and well informed reasoning about how different technical choices can have different consequences for the individual, society and the environment.
Overview - Knowledge requirements
Source: Page 254-263 in the following document:
Curriculum for the compulsory school, preschool class and the leisure-time centre 2011
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