Owing to its rapid development, information and communication technology has become available to all. In spite of that, people's technology skills are quite limited. Most users use it only for entertainment purposes. We should be aware that technology offers countless possibilities of application in all areas, which is why we are endeavouring to familiarise primary school pupils with the possible uses of information and communication technology. In class, such technology can be used to support learning or as a tool for enhancing the pupils' learning.
This thesis determines the influence of the use of information and communication technology on the development of technology literacy. In doing so, it stems from the Pedagogy Wheel which guides a teacher in choosing applications and in planning learning activities for achieving the set goals. The functioning of the Pedagogy Wheel is based on five elements, namely: a) attributes, b) motivation, c) Bloom's taxonomy, d) educational technology, and e) the SAMR Model. The latter is one of the main models guiding the use of information and communication technology in education. It is made up of four levels: substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition.
In light of the scope and rapid development of technology, technology literacy is becoming one of the key literacies. It helps us to function better and more easily in today's world.
The theoretical section of the master's thesis begins by describing information technology in education, the Pedagogy Wheel, and the SAMR Model; afterwards, it focuses on technology literacy and its three dimensions. It also reviews technology literacy in Slovenia and describes technical stories told using information and communication technology as a method of developing technology literacy.
The aim of this experiment is to determine how the use of information and communication technology affects the development of technology literacy, focusing on the dimension of critical thinking in 6th grade pupils. Five sessions (10 periods) were carried out in class on the topic of wooden materials by introducing information and communication technology into the lessons. The master's thesis employed a descriptive and causal quasi-experimental method, as well as the quantitative research approach. The survey encompassed pupils of three sections of the 6th grade of primary school in the 2018/2019 school year. The sample contained 50 pupils, 26 of whom were in the experimental group where lessons were carried out using information and communication technology, while 24 of them were in the control group where the lessons were carried out traditionally. In both groups, a technology literacy pretest was conducted before introducing the topic of wooden materials; after five sessions, a posttest was conducted as well. The influence of the use of information and communication technology on the development of technology literacy was determined by examining the increase in technology literacy based on the answers to the tests.
Overall, the results show that the pupils scored worse (x ̅ = 35%) on the technology literacy pretest than on the posttest (x ̅ = 41.08%). A comparison of the two groups reveals that the experimental group improved its technology literacy by 27.21%, while the control group regressed by 14.44%. Overall, the pupils scored the least points in the technology literacy pretests and posttests in the items relating to the dimension of critical thinking and decision-making skills, where the experimental group progressed by 31.45%, whereas it progressed in the knowledge dimension by 27.37%, and the least, i.e. 14.30%, in the capabilities dimension. The control group regressed in all dimensions.
Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the use of information and communication technology during Design and Technology lessons has had a positive impact on pupils' technology literacy and that it would be sensible to include it in lessons more often. Moreover, it has been established that the introduction of information and communication technology into lessons has had the most positive impact on the dimension of critical thinking and decision-making skills, which the review of technology literacy in Slovenia has shown to be the weakest dimension.
This thesis can be used by Design and Technology teachers who wish to develop the technology literacy of their pupils in all dimensions, and by teachers of other subjects who wish to develop critical thinking skills in their pupils. In the future, it would be sensible to conduct a survey on a larger sample and over a longer period of time; it would also be sensible to include the 7th and 8th grade of primary school.
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