Science of technology: Young children working technologically

Technology education in the age band 5 to 11 has received relatively little research attention over the past ten years. With the exception of data documented by eminent scholars such as Anning (1994; 1997), Jane (1995), Solomon and Hall (1996), and Roth (1994) only a small amount is understood about how children work when designing, making and evaluating with a range of materials, information, systems and tools. This study sought to examine children's feelings, experiences and design ideas and to document the interplay between their designs (regardless of when this occurred in the design, making and evaluating cycle) and what they actually did. The findings make a small contribution towards our understandings of the complexities associated with how children aged 5 to 11 think and act technologically whilst in schools.