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Introduction The aim of this Guide for Teachers and Managers: Technology is to provide practical advice and exemplification to accompany Environmental Studies - Society, Science and Technology: 5-14 National Guidelines. The guidelines provide advice on what children should learn; this guide illustrates how that learning can be encouraged. Mainly through examples of tasks and topics from P1 to S2, the guide shows how pupils can be helped to develop a broad technological capability and to achieve the targets set out in the guidelines. Teachers will recognise much that is familiar in the types of activity exemplified but the particular examples used are not to be regarded as prescriptive or definitive answers to all the issues involved in implementing technology education in environmental studies 5-14. Key considerations The revised guidelines are designed to be sufficiently flexible to be used in all school contexts across Scotland. They emphasise the importance of certain key considerations that should underpin all planning, teaching and assessment across the components of environmental studies. These can be summarised as follows. The approach to planning and assessment should be as streamlined as possible. Strands should be the main organisational features for planning. An approach that is focused and manageable should be adapted for assessing technological capability: knowledge, understanding and skills. There should be a clear focus on the development of pupils' understanding to complement their growing acquisition of items of knowledge. The bullet points within attainment targets indicate a «learning path» through the levels and illustrate pupil attainment. Pupil attainment should be reported in a way that aids progression in each of social subjects, science and technology. This is particularly important at the P7 to S1 transition stage. Reviewing current practice The guide is intended to support schools and teachers as they review existing provision for technology. Schools will need to consider the extent to which they may have to amend programmes in line with the revised guidelines. Reviewing existing practice is the first step in the process so that staff can decide what changes are needed. Many schools already have robust programmes in place and the review should start from existing courses or topics. Although the revised guidelines have a different, more straightforward, structure, they are based on the previous guidelines and on good practice. Consequently, any changes required in the tasks and activities that pupils will undertake are likely to be quite small and a lot of existing practice, resources and programmes of work will remain relevant. However, some changes are likely to be required in certain aspects of planning, teaching, assessment or reporting. Once these have been identified, decisions are needed on when these should be addressed in the school development plan. [RETURN TO 5-14 ONLINE] [INDEX] [NEXT]