Advanced Diploma in Technology Education

Purpose

The purpose of the Advanced Diploma in Technology Education is to strengthen, supplement, upgrade and enrich the teachers' knowledge of, understanding and skills in their existing specialisation of either Senior Phase Technology or Further Education and Training (FET) Engineering Graphics or Design or FET Civil Technology or FET Electrical Technology or FET Mechanical Technology. This qualification will also enable teachers to have an in-depth and systemic understanding of current thinking, practice, theory and methodology in Technology/Engineering Graphics and Design/Civil Technology/Electrical Technology/Mechanical Technology. The qualification will guide teachers in developing an understanding of the nature of the subject discipline and to acquire pedagogic content knowledge. The teacher will be able to teach Senior Phase Technology or FET Engineering Graphics and Design or FET Civil Technology or FET Electrical Technology or FET Mechanical Technology. The curriculum covers theoretical and pedagogical components required in the teaching of Technology/Engineering Graphics and Design/Civil Technology/Electrical Technology/Mechanical Technology. This qualification comprises a knowledge mix consisting of four knowledge strands, accompanied by four Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) components, to break the predominant transmission mode that characterises many classrooms. Upon qualifying teachers will be able to:

• Analyse and use relevant Technology/Engineering Graphics and Design/Civil Technology/Electrical Technology/Mechanical Technology support materials and demonstrate a sound grasp of the fundamental conceptual technological knowledge required for teaching in the area of specialisation.
• Use a variety of teaching and learning approaches, such as inquiry-based learning in the classroom, in order to better address problem solving in Technology/Engineering Graphics and Design/Civil Technology/Electrical Technology/Mechanical Technology.
• Adhere to and maintain high ethical standards in the area of specialisation.

Rationale

Currently a majority of the teachers who are teaching technology were former Home Economics, Woodwork, Metalwork and Industrial Arts teachers. These teachers are finding it difficult to make a paradigm shift from their old subjects to technology education, and therefore need to be equipped with the underlying philosophy and the relevant knowledge and skills pertaining to technology education. Therefore, there is a need among teachers for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in terms of specialised knowledge of and skills in technology teaching. Furthermore teachers need to understand the subject matter deeply and flexibly, so that they can help learners create useful cognitive maps, relate ideas to one another, and address misconceptions. Teachers need to see how ideas connect across the fields to everyday life. This kind of understanding provides the foundation for Pedagogical Content Knowledge to enables teachers to make ideas accessible to others. Thus the rationale for CPD learning programmes such as the Advanced Diploma in Technology Education is to assist teachers to become such keystone teachers. The Advanced Diploma in Technology Education has been developed to provide teachers with opportunities to strengthen or supplement their existing specialisation in either Senior Phase Technology or FET Engineering Graphics and Design or FET Civil Technology or FET Electrical Technology or FET Mechanical Technology, in ways that will be meaningful to the lives of learners. This qualification is designed with five endorsements, namely Senior Phase Technology, FET Engineering Graphics and Design, FET Civil Technology, FET Electrical Technology and FET Mechanical Technology, thus catering for the professional development needs of individual teachers.