Definition of technology UPDATE kick-off meeting 9th–10th January, 2007 Jyväskylä, Finland Aki Rasinen Aki Rasinen

Concept of technology (Parikka & Rasinen 1993)

Technology is the understanding of the functions of technical instruments, equipment and machines and their controlled and skillful use in order to create products and services (Parikka & Rasinen, 1994)

Technology is the means by which people mediate between nature and themselves (Hansen and Froelich,1994)

Technology is human innovation in action (ITEA)

Technology is how people modify the natural world to suit their own purposes. From the Greek word techne, meaning art or artifice of craft, technology literally means the act of making or crafting, but more generally it refers to the diverse collection of processes and knowledge that people use to extent human abilities and to satisfy human needs and wants. (ITEA,2000)

Technology education Of central importance is the pupils’ growth (sensitization) in recognition, description, specification, understanding and solving of technological problems. In general the term basic technological education can be applied to the above-mentioned learning and educational outcomes. (Parikka & Rasinen, 1993)

Technological literacy Technological literacy is the ability to use, manage and understand technology (ITEA, 1996)