STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN FINLAND, ESTONIA AND ICELAND

Abstract

This paper is based on a comparative study of craft and technology education curriculums and students’ attitudes towards craft and technology in Finland, Estonia and Iceland. The study was undertaken by the Helsinki University, University of Tallinn and University of Iceland in the year 2012. Even though, the origins of craft education in Finland, Estonia and Iceland have many similarities, the Estonian and Icelandic national curriculum place greater emphasis on design and innovation, whereas the Finnish national curriculum focus on the development of students’ personalities and gender issues. A quantitative survey was subsequently distributed to 493 school students in Finland, Estonia and Iceland. The questionnaire consisted of 14 questions, which aimed to ascertain students’ attitudes towards craft and technology. The survey showed substantial differences in students’ attitudes towards craft and technology education in the three countries. In addition, significant statistical differences were found between boys and girls. These differences may be explained by differences in the national curriculums and the different pedagogical traditions. However, these findings need to be examined further through research.