EnviroTech: Student Outcomes of an Interdisciplinary Project That Linked Technology and Environment

Abstract

Within technology education, few interdisciplinary models exist that attempt to simultaneously promote the development of environmental literacy and technology assessment skills. EnviroTech, an online professional development project for secondary teachers, was designed to achieve this mission. This report, the second in a series on the project, describes the interdisciplinary content of the EnviroTech project and the impact it had on the students of 18 middle and high school teachers who participated in the project. The curriculum was set against a consumer decision regarding the purchase, use, and disposal of light bulbs. This scenario enabled the examination of environmental processes (e.g., mercury cycle and bioaccumulation), mercury’s impact upon human health, and practices and policies regarding the disposal and recycling of mercury-containing lamps. Teachers employed guided inquiry strategies and several assessment tools (e.g., experimentation and life cycle assessment) to help students hone their technology assessment and decision-making skills. Differences between preassessments and postassessments indicated moderate improvements in students’ knowledge of technology, environmental processes, and strategies to protect themselves against mercury exposure. Significant changes occurred in students’ attitudes with students reporting greater attention to sustainability issues when purchasing and designing products.