45The teacher's guide's way of communicating with the teacher –within the subject of technology

• Published in: Design and technology education Vol. 30; no. 1; p. 45
• Main Authors: Sundqvist, Pernilla, Engström, Susanne, Nordlöf, Charlotta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2025
• Subjects: design principles; educative curriculum materials; teacher guides; Technology education
• ISSN: 2040-8633; 1360-1431; 1360-1431

Abstract The materials and artefactsutilized by teachers and students play a crucial role in education. In a subject like technology, where many teachers feel they do not have sufficient competence, curriculum materials such as textbooks and teacher guides provide important support for teachers. Teacher guides,in particular,have the potential to support teachers in different ways. The guidance provided in a teacher'sguide can be either directive and talkthrough the teacher, i.e. telling the teacher what to do, or educative and talk to the teacher, i.e. telling the teacher how to do it and why to do it this way, thereby providing the teacher with knowledge to better understand the teaching of the subject. In this study,we analyzeateacher'sguideforgrades 7-9 tofind out what kind of support it provides the teacher. An adapted framework for the design principles ofeducative curriculum materials was used. The analysis shows that this particular teacher'sguide mostly talks through the teacher, giving the teacher directives on how to teach butwithoutexplaining why orsuggesting other possible ways. Thefew educative features found are short and not very detailed. Thesupport an educativeteacher'sguide could providewould give the teacher agency over their teachingand a better possibility to adapt teaching to situations and students. However, we see little of that kind ofguidance in the teacher'sguide analyzedin this studyandconclude byoutlining the possible consequences for technology education.