Abstract
Technology literacy is a construct that is increasingly referred to as an essential twenty-first century skill. However, too often, it is ambiguous as to what constitutes technology literacy. This paper posits that technology literacy has three distinct levels, including, (1) identify technologies relevant to a task, (2) understanding how to use the technology and how to navigate its interface, and (3) understanding the inner-working or structure of the technology. This paper describes why one or more of these three ways of knowing technology are involved in almost every learning task. In other words, the paper argues that technology literacy should not be thought of as a isolated set of skills, but as an essential strategy for most learning objectives.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, B. S., & Otto, R. G. (1996). Media as lived environments: The ecological psychology of educational technology. In D. Jonassen (Ed.), The handbook of research for educational communications and technology (pp. 199–226). Macmillan Library Reference.
Alonso, V. H. (1999). Understanding users: The knowledge-level of analysis. In J. P. Marsh, J. L. Mey, & B. Gorayska (Eds.), Humane interfaces: Questions of method and practice in cognitive technology (pp. 89–104). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Ashcraft, M. H. (1989). Human memory and cognition. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
Bechtel, W., & Abrahamsen, A. (2007). Explanation: A mechanist alternative. Retrieved September 28, 2008, from http://mechanism.ucsd.edu/~bill/Explanation.pdf.
Bruner, J. S., & Olson, D. R. (1977). Symbols and text as tools for the intellect. Interchange, 8, 1–15.
Clark, A. (2003). Natural-born cyborgs: Minds, technologies, and the future of human intelligence. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dewey, J. (1958). Experience and nature. New York: Courier Dover Publications.
Gibson, J. J. (1979). The ecological approach to visual perception. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Green, J. G. (1991). Mathematical cognition: accomplishments and challenges in research. In R. R. Hoffman & D. S. Palermo (Eds.), Cognition and the symbolic processes: Applied and ecological perspectives (pp. 255–281). Hillsdale, NJ: Ablex.
Hickman, L. A. (1990). John Dewey’s pragmatic technology (Indiana series in the philosophy of technology). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Hook, S. (1927). The metaphysics of pragmatism. Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company.
Hughes, T. P. (2004). Human-built world: How to think about technology and culture. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Janney, R. W. (1999). Computer and psychosis. In J. P. Marsh, J. L. Mey, & B. Gorayska (Eds.), Humane interfaces: Questions of method and practice in cognitive technology. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Jonassen, D. H. (2000). Computers as mindtools for schools: Engaging critical thinking (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Jonassen, D. H. (2007). Let us learn to solve problems. Retrieved September 29, 2008, from http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/paper83/paper83.html.
Kaptelinin, V., & Kuuti, K. (1999). Cognitive tools reconsidered: From augmentation to mediation. In J. P. Marsh, J. L. Mey, & B. Gorayska (Eds.), Humane interfaces: Questions of method and practice in cognitive technology. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Karpatschof, B. (1999). The meeting place of cognition and technology. In J. P. Marsh, J. L. Mey, & B. Gorayska (Eds.), Humane interfaces: Questions of method and practice in cognitive technology. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Latour, B. (1999). Pandora’s hope: essays on the reality of science studies. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Mager, R. F. (1984). Preparing instructional objectives (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: David S. Lake.
Mayer, R. H. (1999). Designing instruction for constructivist learning. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models (Vol. II, pp. 141–160). Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
McLuhan, M. (2001). Understanding media. London: Routledge.
Moore, D. R. (2006). The technology/inquiry typology: Defining instructional technology. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 17(4), 401–406.
Norman, D. A. (1993). Things that make us smart: Defending human attributes in the age of the machine. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
U.S. Department of Education. (1996, June). Getting America’s students ready for the 21st century: Meeting the technology literacy challenge (online). Retrieved September 29, 2008, from http://www.ed.gov/Technology/Plan/NatTechPlan/.
Whitehead, A. N. (1911). Introduction to mathematics. Cambridge: The University Press.
Whitehead, A. N. (1929). Process and reality: An essay in cosmology, Gifford lectures delivered in the University of Edinburgh during the session 1927–28. New York: The Humanities Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moore, D.R. Technology literacy: the extension of cognition. Int J Technol Des Educ 21, 185–193 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-010-9113-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-010-9113-9