The second installment of the ITEA/Gallup poll and what it reveals as to how Americans think about technology: a report of the second survey conducted by the Gallup Organization for the International Technology Education Association

Abstract

The first poll in what has become a two-part series was commissioned by the International Technology Education Association (ITEA) in the spring of 2001 with the intent of finding out how Americans viewed technological literacy. Funding for this second survey was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Although it was not anticipated at the time, the opportunity has been provided just three years later to revisit this question in a manner designed to either validate or bring into question the findings in that first survey and to build on and extend what those findings told us. With that in mind, it is important to cite and acknowledge the three major conclusions reached in 2001. They were: * The American public is virtually unanimous in regarding the development of technological literacy as an important goal for people at all levels. * Many Americans view technology narrowly as mostly being computers and the Internet. * There is near total consensus in the public sampled that schools should include the study of technology in the curriculum. Technology, as viewed by experts in the fields of technology, engineering, and science, has been with us since the beginning of time. These experts view technology as anything people do to modify the natural world to meet human needs. By that definition, the earliest inhabitants of this planet, in whatever means they used to carve out caves, create tools from stones, or gather wood for fires, were using To many, however, the word technology has a newer meaning tied more to the modern apparatus, machines, and gadgets people have developed. The first poll was designed to explore the public's view of technology, what it is, and its continuing impact on society. The International Technology Education Association (ITEA), given its focus on education, has a keen interest, not only in exploring technology, what it is, what it does, and its impact, but also in the ability people have to design and innovate. That interest extends to how prepared people feel they are to interact with technology and the role they see for themselves in decisions regarding the use of technology in our everyday lives. For the purposes of these two surveys, technological literacy is defined as one's ability to manage, assess, and technology. The ability to use, manage, assess, and understand is, of course, tied to attitude and interest, and these matters have been addressed in both surveys. Finally, ITEA believes that technological literacy is, as are so many things that we do, dependent on what we know and the skills, interest, and expertise we develop. Since schools are the places where young people develop the initial databases that they will build on through life, the importance the public places on developing technological literacy in the schools becomes the key to promoting that literacy. These surveys address that topic at length. This is a good point to insert a caution that needs to accompany every survey that is taken and reported. Surveys are not about fact; they are, instead, about what people think. A survey is about public reactions, what the public thinks, and what it is prepared to support and not support. It is also a snapshot taken in time. Opinions can and do change as events take place and new ideas and understandings come forth. With that in mind, those planning this second survey chose to repeat several questions from the initial survey to establish whether those responses have continued validity. Complete reporting of the repeat questions is integrated into the report. Suffice it to say, at this point, that the public's view on the matters dealt with in 2001 have changed little. * Approximately three-fourths of those questioned in 2001 expressed the belief that having people develop the ability to and use technology was important. …

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