Abstract:

The research project is based on a collaboration between energy researchers at a technical university (KTH) and an upper secondary school. Energy researchers have developed sensor-kits, used to measure temperature, CO2, water consumption, ventilation, air pressure, noise level, electricity consumption, air pressure, heat consumption, allergens, etc. in buildings. KTH Live-In Lab: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=ikckmvpKH5F

Students in the technology program at the upper secondary school can explore and develop the sensor-kit (in a box). Students can also bring the boxes home. Data generated by the sensor kit are used both by energy researchers and by students in an upper secondary school course, with the aim of creating a connection to what is happening in our homes, a commitment to sustainable resources and our way of living.

The research project is carried out within teaching in the upper secondary school's technology program. The research project aims to study teaching that relates to sensor-kits and data, specifically to investigate students' learning in connection with working with that specific learning material and a collaboration with energy researchers. When teaching is strongly linked to reality, so-called authentic learning (Herrington & Oliver, 2000; Hill & Smith, 2005; Herrington, Reeves & Oliver, 2010) could emerge. Which relates to goals and abilities in syllabi, but also to goals and abilities that are more general in the field of technology, for example the CDIO abilities (conceive - design - implement - operate, in Crawley, Malmqvist, Lucas & Brodeur, 2011).

Students get to visit and discuss with energy researchers, they get to develop and build their own sensor kits, they get to examine and evaluate the data material and they get to relate their reflections and knowledge to energy facts and the UN's global goals for sustainable development.

Through questionnaires and interviews as data collection methods, students' descriptions and interpretations are obtained. Additional data are obtained through observations of teaching, presentations and of study visits. Data are then thematic analysed (according to Braun & Clarke, 2006) and related to previous research on, among other things, authentic learning but also to technical knowledge that is made important within the global goals of sustainable development. Preliminary results during the autumn of 2021 show that the students find the sensor-kit project interesting, that the contact with the energy researchers stimulates the students to get involved in the project. One result is that students are stimulated to question and be happy to discuss the energy researchers' intentions. The students take their final year of the upper secondary school program and seem to have developed the ability to value technical solutions, function and appropriateness, but also to evaluate the consequences of solutions. At the conference, more results will be presented, including what learning has been made possible.

Keywords:

Technology education, upper secondary school, authentic learning.