How Taiwanese and Americans Think About Technology
The Motives
Technological changes play as a key factor for social and economic development; people’s cognition, attitudes, and literacy toward technology influence the choices of society and national development (Zhang, 1999). According to 2005 report of International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Taiwan ranks second in world technology competitiveness; it is kind of affirmative reacts to Taiwanese people. Thus, to understand how Taiwanese people’s response related to technology is very necessary to technology educators. Last year International Technology Education Association (ITEA) published a survey compared “how American people’s think about technology” in 2001 and 2004. The study initiated the comparison of this research, based on the same educational system and partnership in technological cooperation between Taiwan & U.S.A. The study used same questionnaires (Chinese version) of ITEA study, and compared both findings.
Since 2001, Taiwan enforced a 9 years consecutive program, technology course merged with science curriculum entitled as “Science and Technology”. This reform articulates textbook content. Technology credits almost cut half compares to its original hours. In order to understand more thoughts related to 9 years program, extra questions were amended.
Purpose of The Study
This study intends to compare findings of ITEA study in 2001 and 2004 as well as to find out the Taiwanese people’s reaction toward 9 years program educational reform. The research also hopes to offer findings as references for government officers while revises curriculum especially on technology education
Research Methodology
ITEA published “How American Think About Technology” in 2001 and 2004 separately; it compared the similarities and differences between these two survey findings. In order to understand American’s view toward technology, questions were investigated through telephone poll. This study could not process the same telephone method by the reason of too many harassment and anti-terror atmospheres; people try to avoid talking with strangers. The study had to choose second thought and translated questionnaires from the survey report of ITEA into Chinese.
Research Object
According to annual report of demographic household registered (Ministry of the Interior, Department of Population, 2004), up to the end of December 2004, the registered household that people reaching 18 of age is set up as target population for this study. (The so call Taiwan area, in this study not included Penghu county, Kinmen county and Lienchiang county)
Measure Instrument
This research adopted telephone questionnaires of “How Americans Think About Technology”, which ITEA published in 2004. With the approval of original author, research questionnaires were translated into Chinese; processes engaged two technology experts and one English teacher to keep the revision as close as the original meaning. For better understanding related to integration of technology into other subjects, research added two questions (namely 14 and 15), which originally appear in ITEA 2001 questionnaire.
Timing
Questionnaires were sent out on February 15, 2005. Through six weeks of duration, due date was set on March 31, 2005.
The Sample Method
(1) Target Population:
The target population was people over 18 years of age while processed this study stayed in Taiwan, the number about 17,290,000 at 2005.
(2) Dividing method:
The selected samples were divided accordingly to population ratio of civilians (a) aged over 18 (b) counties and cities (c) gender (d) length of education (e) different age ranges.
(3) Sampling:
According to Taiwan government’s Ministry of Internal demographical data December 2004 (Ministry of the Interior, Department of Population, 2004) and educational population data from Direct-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan population census report (Direct-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, 2000*). This research calculated the sample percentage of all counties and cities according to the dividing method mentioned above.
*Taiwan demographical data survey once in every ten years, 2000 is the latest version.
Survey Procedure
In 22 counties and cities this study randomly chose 2 junior high schools respectively. Study group then contact technology teachers of these junior schools, ask them for help and sent questionnaires to specific proportion samples that fulfilled the requirement of this study. This study group provided 「The proportion Tables of Counties and Cities」, tables divided groups accordingly to sex, age, and education organized with similar proportion to county or city population. This study sent 1,500 questionnaires and received 1121 effective response, namely 74.7% feedback.
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The Survey Method Figure
Data Analysis
All data were recorded and analyzed through SPSS 12.0. The study processed Taiwanese people’s view by descriptive statistics and examined differences based on T-test and One-way ANOVA.
Findings and Discussion
Following discussions was listed according to the order of questioning items from ITEA and compared it with Taiwanese questionnaires.
The Civilian Concept toward Technology
In question 1, ITEA tossed open question by telephone interview. As reasons mentioned in research methodology, this study applied questionnaires and provided choices that ITEA ranked accordingly with an extra item “others” as an option. In ITEA (2001, 2004) finding, when “technology” was heard most American closely associated it with “computers” the percentage up to 67% and 68% respectively in 2001 and 2004 survey. In Taiwan “computer” still gained the most attraction (42.3%) not as high as American counterparts. “Science” came out with 19% of the poll; “Internet” got 11.6% the third; ”New Inventions” got 9.9%; “Electronics” got 7.2%; “Education” got 6.5%; “Space” got 1.8%; “Job/work” 0.9%; “Others” got 0.8% respectively for Taiwanese (See Table 1 for comparison).
For semantic reason, almost one fifth of Taiwanese confused between “science” and “technology”.
Table 1.
When you hear the word “technology”, what first comes to mind?
ITEA / Taiwan2004（%） / 2001（%） / 2005（%）
Computers / 68 / 67 / 42.3
Electronics / 5 / 4 / 7.2
Education / 1 / 2 / 6.5
New Inventions / 1 / 2 / 9.9
Internet / 2 / 1 / 11.6
Science / 1 / 1 / 19.0
Space / 1 / 1 / 1.8
Job/work / 1 / 1 / 0.9
Others / － / － / 0.8
In question 2, 99 %( 2001) and 98% (2004) of American think knowledgeable about technology is an important thing compare to 92% of Taiwanese. Taiwanese had 6.6% selected “Don’t know/ refused” implied some resistance for technology.
Table 2.
Just your opinion, how important is it for people at all levels to develop some ability to understand and use technology?
Importance / ITEA / Taiwan2004（%） / 2001（%） / 2005（%）
Very important / 74 / 76 / 56.8
Somewhat Important / 24 / 23 / 35.2
Not very important / － / 1 / 1.0
Not at all important / 1 / － / 0.4
Don’t know/refused / 1 / － / 6.6
Table 3 indicates that 86% American and 89.3% Taiwanese think that is an important thing and only 14% American and 5.5% Taiwanese feel it’s unimportant. Therefore, we know most Taiwanese and American think it is important to know how various technologies work.
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Table 3.
How important is it to you to know how various technologies work? Is it very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not important at all?
Importance / ITEA2004（%） / Taiwan2005（%）Total Group / 18-29 / 50 and Older / Total Group / 18-29 / 50 and Older
Very important / 38 / 52 / 32 / 49.2 / 64.1 / 41.4
Somewhat Important / 48 / 43 / 48 / 40.1 / 30.3 / 38.7
Not very important / 11 / 5 / 15 / 5.2 / 0.4 / 10.2
Not at all important / 3 / － / 5 / 0.3 / 0.9 / 0.3
Don’t know/refused / － / － / － / 5.2 / 4.3 / 9.7
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On Table 4, most American and Taiwanese had same attitudes except item 4.3. On item 4.3, 89% American and 73.5% Taiwanese feel it is important or somewhat important has about 16% difference. It might be caused due to unclear explanation related to VCR and other “thinking” products.
Table 4.（ITEA）
How important is it to you, personally, to know each of the following? Is this very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not important at all?
Question 4.1~4.6 / ITEA2004（%） / Taiwan2005（%）1+2 / 3+4 / 1+2 / 3+4
Knowing whether it’s better to repair products or better to throw them away / 93 / 7 / 92.7 / 3.2
Diagnosing why something doesn’t work so it can be fixed / 92 / 8 / 92.7 / 4.7
How to program a VCR or use other “thinking” products / 89 / 11 / 73.5 / 15.8
Being able to develop solutions to a practical technological problem / 89 / 11 / 83.7 / 9.7
How to fix a light switch or other household product that stops working / 86 / 14 / 86.2 / 10.0
Knowing how products such as a paper stapler work / 64 / 36 / 63.4 / 25.8
Very+ Somewhat important=1+2 Not very+ Not at All important=3+4
The Impact of Technology on Our Daily Lives and on the World Around Us
Table 5 showed that the survey findings of ITEA 2001 and 2004 were nearly the same. In item 5.1, two-fifths of American agreed, and three-fifths disagreed; Taiwanese showed opposite digits. On this item Taiwanese and American both scored high on item 5.3. On item 5.2 and 5.4 Taiwanese respond “Don’t know/ Refused” more than American.
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Table 5.
Now, tell me whether you strongly agree, mostly agree, mostly disagree, or strongly disagree with each of the following statements.
Question 5.1~5.4 / ITEA（﹪） / Taiwan（﹪）1+2 /
3+4
/ 5 / 1+2 /3+4
/ 52001 / 2004 / 2001 / 2004 / 2001 / 2004 / 2005
Technology is a small factor in your everyday life / 41 / 43 / 59 / 57 / - / - / 53.9 / 45.1 / 1.0
Engineering and technology are basically one and the same thing / 61 / 63 / 36 / 36 / 3 / 1 / 63.3 / 24.9 / 11.8
The results of the use of technology can be good or bad / 94 / 94 / 5 / 5 / 1 / 1 / 92.4 / 6.1 / 1.5
Science and technology are basically one and the same thing / 59 / 62 / 39 / 37 / 2 / 1 / 65.6 / 26.6 / 7.8
Strongly +Mostly Agree=1+2 Strongly +Mostly Disagree=3+4 Don’t know/Refused=5
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Table 6 indicates that Taiwanese and American have similar attitudes in most of items. 97% of American agrees the question item 6.1 ; and 93% Taiwanese agrees too. Two-third of American agrees item 6.2 and Taiwanese three-forth agrees. Item 6.2 also shows that Taiwanese have more confidence on “environmental problem can be solved using technology” than their American counterpart. Taiwanese & American both understand that design could turn ideas into products.
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Table 6.
Please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements about technology. Do you strongly agree, mostly agree, mostly disagree, or strongly disagree?
Question 6.1~6.3 / Humans often develop new technologies to improve upon previous technologies（%） / Most environmentalproblems can be solved using technology（%） / Design is a process that can be used to turn ideas into products（%）
ITEA
2004 / Taiwan
2005 / ITEA
2004 / Taiwan
2005 / ITEA
2004 / Taiwan
2005
Strongly Agree / 69 / 65.9 / 24 / 23.2 / 68 / 49.8
Mostly Agree / 28 / 27.1 / 42 / 41.5 / 29 / 36.5
1+2 / 97 / 93.0 / 66 / 74.7 / 97 / 86.3
Mostly Disagree / 1 / 4.3 / 23 / 20.7 / 2 / 8.5
Strongly Disagree / 2 / 1.3 / 10 / 2.1 / 1 / 0.6
3+4 / 3 / 5.6 / 33 / 22.8 / 3 / 9.1
Don’t know/
Refused / － / 1.4 / 1 / 2.5 / － / 4.6
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What People Want to Know and What They Know About Technology
Question 7and 8 are similar type of questions, question 8 is a series of choices plus one repeated item from 2001(question 7). 2004 version changed portable to cordless phone instead; it intends to see if it would alter the responses. In question 7.1 and 8.2, the proportion of true and false is nearly the same no matter ITEA 2001, 2004 or Taiwan. It appears that almost half of Taiwanese and American are not sure whether using a portable phone while in the bathtub creates the possibility of being electrocuted. Table 7 shows 26﹪American respond correctly in question 7.2, and 55.1% Taiwanese did. While 62% American understand item 7.4, only 31.4% Taiwanese did.
Table 7.
Just based on your understanding, tell me if each of the following statements is true or false. How about:
Question 7.1~7.4 / ITEA2001（%） / Taiwan2005（%）True / False / True / False
Using a portable phone while in the bathtub creates the possibility of being electrocuted / 46 / 51 / 49.3 / 48.6
FM radios operate free of static / 26 / 72 / 55.1 / 43.4
A car operates through a series of explosions / 82 / 15 / 64.5 / 33.2
A microwave heats food from the outside to the inside / 37 / 62 / 68.2 / 31.4
Table 8 indicates that 51% American understand item 8.1 is false, but only 28.4% Taiwanese respond false. The percentage in 8.3 and 8.4 are roughly close in both countries.
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Table 8.
Please tell me if you think the following statements are absolutely true, probably true, probably false, or absolutely false.
Question8.1~8.4 / Antibiotics kill viruses as well as
bacteria（%） / Using a cordless phone while in
the bathtub creates the possibility of being electrocuted（%） / The Internet and World Wide Web are the same thing（%） / Fuel cells are now being used with gasoline or diesel engines to power cars（%）
ITEA
2004 / Taiwan
2005 / ITEA
2004 / Taiwan
2005 / ITEA
2004 / Taiwan
2005 / ITEA
2004 / Taiwan
2005
Strongly Agree / 19 / 30.2 / 22 / 24.4 / 30 / 28.5 / 27 / 31.4
Mostly Agree / 29 / 38.6 / 27 / 25.2 / 42 / 33.8 / 50 / 36.8
1+2 / 48 / 68.8 / 49 / 49.6 / 72 / 62.3 / 77 / 68.2
Mostly disagree / 16 / 15.8 / 23 / 24.6 / 13 / 16.8 / 11 / 13.2
Strongly disagree / 35 / 12.6 / 26 / 21.1 / 11 / 12.2 / 5 / 8.5
3+4 / 51 / 28.4 / 49 / 45.7 / 24 / 29.0 / 16 / 21.7
Don’t know/
refused / 1 / 2.8 / 2 / 4.7 / 4 / 8.7 / 7 / 10.1
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