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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Technology Comprehension

subject

description

We account for the first research results from a government initiatedexperiment that scales Making to a national discipline.The Ministry of Education, in Denmark, has introducedTechnology Comprehension as a new discipline for lowersecondary education. Technology Comprehension is first experimentedas an elective subject in 13 schools. The disciplinecombines elements from computing, design, and the societalaspect of technology and, thus, resonates with the existingFabLearn and Making initiatives in Scandinavia. We reportthe identified opportunities and challenges based on interviews,surveys, and a theme discussion with experiencedteachers from the 13 schools. The main takeaways are: First,the teachers did not perceive Technology Comprehension asa distinguished discipline, which calls for more research onhow Making is scaled into a national discipline. Second, TechnologyComprehension opens up for interdisciplinary andengaging learning activities, but teachers need scaffoldingand support to actualise these opportunities. Third, TechnologyComprehension challenges teachers’ existing competenciesin relation to the discipline and students’ prerequisitesand needs. Teachers need pedagogical means to take thesocietal aspect into account within the discipline. Finally,we argue for further research on supporting teachers whenscaling Technology Comprehension on a national level.