CAPÍTULO III : METODOLOGÍA DE INVESTIGACIÓN
3.4 Técnicas e instrumentos de recolección de datos
A
t this age, students are able to collect andanalyze data and to interpret trends in order to assess what the personaland societal impacts of a particular technology might be. In so doing, students will develop certain important skills. To collect information, for example, students will need to design instruments for gathering data. The collection of data might include conducting surveys, interviewing people, writing letters, or consulting reference sources.
By investigating the effects of technology,
students will learn that people react to technology in a variety of ways. For example, students may find that some people favor a proposal for a new shopping mall or golf course in town, while others oppose it. The supporters might be more influenced by the effects on employment, as well as shopping or recreation opportunities, while opponents might be concerned about
environmental damage or traffic congestion. Using and analyzing data will help students begin to appreciate various trends that have occurred in the development and use of technology. Students should learn how to use data to create knowledge. Making sound decisions about technology demands knowledge about current trends. Students will learn what trends are, how they are important in forecasting the future, and how to interpret and make future predictions based on them. After identifying trends, students will learn how to evaluate and monitor the consequences of technological activity. For example, students may use computer simulation software to assess the impacts of technology on a city.
By combining various skills, students can evaluate or assess products and systems to determine if they are useful or not — whether they will achieve the desired outcomes, and whether the positive consequences might outweigh the negative. The ability to analyze a technology
critically and objectively is a skill that requires a great deal of time and practice to develop.
As part of learning how to assess the impact of products and systems, students in Grades 6-8 should be able to
F. Design and use instruments to gather data.Examples of these instruments could be a data-collection instrument for inter- views, questionnaires to be mailed, or computer-based forms on the World Wide Web. Assessment tools also could include devices designed to conduct tests on such things as water quality, air purity, and ground pollution.
G. Use data collected to analyze and interpret trends in order to identify the positive or negative effects of a tech- nology. Technologically literate citizens are able to fulfill their personal and social responsibility to assess technology.
H. Identify trends and monitor potential consequences of technological develop- ment.Trends are patterns of technological activities that show a tendency or take a general direction. Trends are used to provide direction in deciding if a product or system should be used.
I. Interpret and evaluate the accuracy of the information obtained and deter- mine if it is useful. Developing specific criteria for what is useful is important in making these judgments. Sometimes determining accuracy is easy — taking information from physical measuring devices like a water-purity tester, for example. At other times, accuracy is more difficult to determine, as when assessments are based on public opinion, which can differ greatly from group to group and from time to time.
G R A D E S
B
y learning how to assess technology,students will become better citizens in the future and, as a result, they will be able to make wiser decisions in an increasingly complex technological world. Students should know that the advantages of technology far outweigh the disadvantages. If it were not for thedevelopment of technology, humans would be living in a much more primitive world today. Collecting and synthesizing data is invaluable for making informed technological decisions. For example, people who are interested in buying a product or system may design a forecasting instrument and collect data in order to assess a technology’s overall efficiency and intended function. In Grades 9-12, students will learn to synthesize data and to use their syntheses to draw conclusions about the use of technology and the effects of its use on individuals, society, and the environment. It is important for students to be able to use trend analysis to judge trends and to
determine what is important in light of other current events. For example, students could research various climate forecast models and project what could occur if the earth’s polar regions warmed by 2˚C or 4˚C. They then could analyze a plan to address global warming and assess its potential solution. Once information has been accumulated, synthesized, and used for forecasting, the final step in assessing a product or system is deciding whether using it is appropriate. In making such a decision, students should come to understand the benefits and risks, costs, the limits and potential, and the positive and negative impacts of technological developments.
As part of learning how to assess the impact of products and systems, students in Grades 9-12 should be able to
J. Collect information and evaluate its quality. This may include using such methods as comparing and contrast- ing sources, examining relevancy, and investigating the background of experts.
K. Synthesize data, analyze trends, and draw conclusions regarding the effect of technology on the individual, society, and the environment.Deduct- ive thinking and synthesis techniques can assist in this process. Students should take into account historical events, global trends, and economic factors, and they should evaluate and consider how to manage the risks incurred by technological development.
L. Use assessment techniques, such as trend analysis and experimentation, to make decisions about the future development of technology. Assess- ment is an evaluation technique involv- ing iterative steps and procedures that requires analyzing trade-offs, estimating risks, and choosing a best course of action. The assessment of a product or system can prove that it is dangerous, but it cannot prove that it is safe.
M. Design forecasting techniques to evaluate the results of altering natural systems.These techniques should include testing and assessment. These natural systems could be lakes (building homes around the shore), rain forests (cutting them down for the wood), or land (strip mining for coal).
G R A D E S
9-12
Assess the Impact of Products and Systems
13 S T A N D A R D