Towards Philosophy of Technology in Education: Mapping the Field

Abstract

Technology has become the new star ship in the policy fleet for governments around the world. While often conceptually inchoate and ill-defined, technol- ogy studies figures as a new subject in national curricula, often as part of the new core. Also technology as a subject is promoted in higher education, including teacher education programmes, as part of a thrust to develop links with industry and business in a series of new venture partnerships. The em- phasis on technology in education also accords with initiatives to promote greater entrepreneurial skills and activity within so-called national systems of innovation. What is more, technology planning often is now part of national knowledge foresight programmes and science policy, designed to promote sunrise industries and knowledge and technology transfer. In short, technol- ogy is seen to be a key driver towards the knowledge economy.1 The