A Phenomenographic Study of Chinese Junior Secondary School Students’ Conceptions of Technology

Abstract

Fostering students' comprehensive conceptions of technology (COT) is a critical goal of technology education. While international research on COT is extensive, studies focusing on mainland China—a context with a unique technological history—remain scarce. This phenomenographic study investigates the COT of 61 Chinese junior secondary students (aged 13-15) through semi-structured interviews and photo-elicitation. The findings reveal that students conceptualize technology across five dimensions: attributes, generation, operation and use, mastery, and functions. Compared to their primary school counterparts, junior secondary students exhibit both more nuanced rational views (e.g., technology as activity, symbol of civilization) and persistent partial understandings (e.g., fragmented views of experiential vs. scientific technology). The study highlights the influence of sociocultural context and weak school-based COT education on student understanding. The findings offer empirical insights for technology educators and policymakers in China and similar cultural settings, suggesting the need for curricula that explicitly integrate the multidimensional nature of technology.