The two presenters will deliver a dialogue which will explore the value judgements made, especially, around a particular issue, i.e. the value of recycling, or the need to recycle materials. Initially they will suggest possible technological projects and, as a consequence, explore the knowledge, skills and value judgements likely to be involved.

The presentation will pursue the following steps:

exploring the issue using stimulation material and information, including ideas from different cultures; 
suggesting possible technology projects; 
highlighting value judgements that would need to be taken; 
deciding appropriate criteria; 
suggesting strategies for widening the evidence that might be taken into account, clarifying perspectives and facing up to value conflicts

Anne Riggs (7150922)

Ruth Conway (7151252)

English

Loughborough University Institutional Repository

   This item was submitted to Loughborough’s Institutional Repository by the author and is made available under the following Creative Commons Licence conditions.      For the full text of this licence, please go to: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/  28Conway and RiggsIntroductionThere is no such thing as value-free technology.Decisions have to be made at all stages of thetechnological process and these decisions are basedon value judgements.   Value judgements areinvolved when the problem or need is identified,investigated and possible solutions chosen; theyare part of the designing, making and evaluatingprocesses.  Technology is not a benign  objective,impersonal activity which can be compartmentalisedand separated from culture.  If it is to be useful itmust fit into the pattern of activity which belongs toa ‘life style’ and a ‘set of values.’1   It is shaped byperspectives and priorities forged out of experience,culture and belief.There is considerable confusion about what is meantby technology, not only by the public but also byprofessional engineers and technology teachers.2There are many different perspectives on thefunction and nature of technology.  In a similar wayexplanations for the meaning of values are numerousand varied.3  Thus values are said  to be one’sprinciples, constructs, ethics, beliefs or standards.Although there may be differences in the wordsused to describe values, there is agreement thatvalues are all pervasive for they are the person’sjudgement of what is important and of worth in life.Although values are involved in  making  choices,this is often done subconsciously, without reflectionor acknowledgement of the values4.  Making explicitthe values invoked in decision making is of particularimportance when there is  conflict or failure tonotice the full range of implications.Starting a  projectThe nature of the decisions to be made and theextent to which values are openly discussed willpartly depend on the starting point of anytechnological project.    Martin Grant argued tenyears ago 5 that a start can be made within the areaof any one of the three inter-locking components ofDesign and Technology capability: skills, knowledgeand values.   Most approaches to technology teachinghave an initial emphasis on either utilitarian problem-solving skills ( to take an example from Design andTechnology Teaching 1992 : ‘ design a boat to travela 4m length of guttering’) or the application ofknowledge ( from the same article :‘ using knowledgegained from an investigation into the inter-relationships of light and colour, make a 3D AnimalHead Mask’).6  In  both approaches, the valuescomponent is likely to receive scant attention.  “ Inits absence technology can too easily be seen aslargely concerned with technical solutions totechnical problems....and its relevance to people,quality of life, social problems and values becomesubmerged and invisible.”5An alternative starting point is to start with a socialissue, changing the emphasis from the impersonalto the human and from the exclusively technical tothe sociotechnological.  “In this approach the valuescomponent is highlighted and is used to initiate andguide the designing and making activities.....  Specificproblems connected with the issue are identified byValues and Design and Technology: exploring an issueRuth Conway and Anne RiggsSelly Oak Colleges, Birmingham and Department of Educational Studies, University of SurreyAbstractThe two presenters will deliver a dialogue which will explore the value judgements made, especially,around a particular issue, i.e. the value of recycling, or the need to recycle materials.  Initially they willsuggest possible technological projects and, as a consequence, explore the knowledge, skills and valuejudgements likely to be involved.The presentation will pursue the following steps:Exploring the issue using stimulation material and information, including ideas from different cultures.Suggesting possible technology projectsHighlighting value judgements that would need to be takenDeciding appropriate criteriaSuggesting strategies for widening the evidence that might be taken into account, clarifying perspectivesand facing up to value conflicts.29Conway and RiggsBy repair and maintenanceBy re-using the materialRE-USERedesigning packaging Breakdown by chemical meansREDUCE THE AMOUNT RE-CYCLE BurnUse basic resources sparingly. Breakdown by physical meansIn landfill WHAT CAN WE DO WITH RUBBISH?Photodegradation PUT OUT OF SIGHTDEGRADE    Dump in rivers and seasBiodegradationDump on rubbish tipspupils .....and the appropriateness of social,economic , and political proposals are given thesame critical consideration as are  all potentialtechnical solutions.    This will, of necessity, involveyoung people in the making of value judgementsabout the nature of technology, and in some casescould result in the rejection of the ` technical fix’ infavour of social action.   However, it is likely thatsome aspect of the issue under study will beamenable to a technology output,........Using thisapproach pupils can engage in technologicalactivities with the knowledge that their work has asocial relevance....and that their value judgementsand moral decisions are controlling the direction oftheir technology.” 5Starting with an issueIt should not be assumed that in taking an issuebased approach the product or outcome is notimportant, that the product can be shoddy.Assessment and evaluation of application ofknowledge and skills remains important and pupilsshould be helped to value and take  pride in theparticular skills of making that are needed for highquality products.  Furthermore, the ability toacknowledge and make explicit the values involvedadds to the quality and appropriateness of thetechnological response and should be assessed aswell as the skills and knowledge.   The Mount Schoolin York has tried to establish this type of assessmentby developing a list of questions that might be askedof any design such as:- How does it ( both process and product ) serveto satisfy the real needs ( c.f. Maslow) of those atthe bottom of society, immediately and in thelong term, locally and globally?- Is it reversible or modifiable if it is seen to be inneed of improvement?- How does it allow for or encourage participationamong consumers and others affected? 7Evaluation therefore should not be limited to aconsideration of technical, economic, andsometimes environmental values.   Also includedshould be social, cultural, and even moral andspiritual values.   Even a small task can face this: atthe start of an INSET session a group of primary30Conway and Riggsoriginal brief to reflect on the impression eachhoped to make and there was no assessment of howwell personality was portrayed.   The criteria werespeed of production, quality of material and cost.Not even aesthetic values were considered, let alonethe personal values people had struggled to express.AOne  issue : What can we do with rubbish?An example of starting  project  work from a socialissue might be to explore the problem and potentialof rubbish.    An intitial brainstorming could  startout along the following lines:BThis could lead  to projects such as :a) Design a maintenance kit  (e.g. for a bicycle,skateboard ) including instructions.b) Design protective packaging for  a chocolatefigure using the minimum of materials.c) Design dynamic, moving toys from junk materialsand use to illustrate a story performed to youngerchildren.d) Design a marketing strategy to promote the useof recycled products.e) Plan a campaign to reduce litter in your local area.CValue - judgements may have been debatedduring the brain-storming, for example:a) What leisure activities can be enjoyed withoutextravagant use of materials and of non-renewable sources of energy?b) What maintenance activities do people findworthwhile/money saving?  What skills areneeded for maintenance activities?c) What makes a toy appealing/safe for children?d) What makes a local neighbourhood attractiveand a healthy place to live?e) What will happen to the product at the end of itslife ?DThere are broader issues behind thespecific value questions:a) What benefit is sought and for whom?b) Who gains or loses status or influence?  e.g. if theproduct one uses or wears is not the latestmodel.c) How do we want to use our time?These value decisions made at the start of a projectand during development will be determined by thebeliefs and ‘stances for living’ of people involved inthe project.   These might include:d) The satisfaction and sense of achievement inmaking something oneself overrides theconvenience of a ready-made product.e) Quality and durability matters more than flashypresentation.f) a person’s integrity/caring attitude/creativity ismore important than the status they can acquireby their possessions.g) Concern about the legacy  left to the nextgeneration.h) awareness of the delicate balances in nature andof human responsibility for not causingirreversible changes.It is these fundamental beliefs  and perspectivesthat need to be brought into the open and discussedand there is a variety of strategies that can be usedto encourage this.    These include the use ofphotopacks, the representation of thoughtprocesses by means of drawing flow-charts orconcept maps, the use of role-play or simulationexercises.    This paper is intended to start a processof sharing such ideas and experience.References1. Buchanan, S M (1962) So reason can rule.Farrar, Strauss and Giroux Inc.2. Riggs A Unpublished PhD  research3. Horley J Values and Beliefs as PersonalConstructs. International Journal of ConstructPsychology 4(1) 1991 p1-14.4. Watson B  Paper given at St Williams Foundation,Dec 1990.5. Grant M Studies in Design Education Craft andTechnology, Vol 15, No 1, Winter 1982 quotedin:  Harding J.,  Grant M.  GATE ( Girls andtechnology Education), Report 84:2 , ChelseaCollege 1984, pp 2ff.6. Wilde G, Nettleton J  Project Work at WyedeanSchool. Design & Technology Teaching 1992Vol 24 No 1,  p6.7. Pitt J Design and Technology and SocialResponsibility. Design & Technology Teaching1992 Vol 24 No 2, p35.school teachers was given a mini-project: to make aname label for themselves using the rich assortmentof materials laid out round the room.   Much stresswas laid on the opportunity to present oneself in adream role, how one longed to be known andidentified.   After twenty minutes of feverish activitythe teachers had concocted elaborate and distinctivehead-gear , brooches or bracelets to communicatetheir names and personalities.   The artefacts werethen evaluated.  No mention was made of the

Values and design and technology: exploring an issue

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Values and design and technology: exploring an issue

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