Technological Profile Inventory (TPI): Determining First Year University Students' Levels of Technological Literacy

In this article we describe first year university students’ levels of technological literacy. An instrument, the Technological Profile Inventory (TPI), found to be valid and reliable was used to determine these students’ levels of technological literacy. The instrument was based on a rigorous qualitative analysis of interview data which was in turn informed by categories that emerged from a phenomenographic analysis. Data were collected from 198 Engineering and 237 Commerce students and the items subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Profiles of students’ scores on the dimensions Artefact, Process, Direction, Instruction, Engaging and Tinkering were generated. On the whole an average student in the sample could be considered to have a reasonable level of technological literacy based on the dimensions in the TPI. In the category ‘Nature of Technology’ there were a significant number of students who conceive of technology as a product, a less sophisticated conception of technology. The higher levels of agreement in conceiving technology as a Process rather than an Artefact suggests that these students entered their first year university programme with at least a basic level of technological literacy, albeit a level higher than that of an artefact. The results suggest that students typically have a reasonable level of technological literacy when they arrive at university – which suggests that teachers are managing to fulfil the requirements in the NCS in addressing technology education.