An-Najah Staff

This study aimed at identifying the attitudes of students, belonging to science colleges at Palestinian universities, towards technology as well as investigating the degree of their realization of the concept of technology. The study also sought to learn about the extent of students' interest in technology and their awareness of its social implications. Further, the study aimed at identifying the effect of some selected variables, namely sex, academic level, achievement, place of living and educational institution to which the students belong, on the students' attitudes towards technology. The sample of the study consisted of 480 students studying at Palestinian universities. A questionnaire, developed by Harding & Rennie (1993) was distributed among the subjects of the study to find out the degree of students' realization of technology, their attitudes towards it and towards educational technology. After collection, sorting out and analysis of data, by using SPSS, it was found that the level of attitude of Palestinian university science students toward technology had exceeded the neutral point of attitude (60%). This indicates that the subjects of the sample enjoyed positive attitudes towards technology. Pertaining to students' grasp of the concept of technology, it was found that the students' vision of technology was narrow in terms of being equipment that could be only used by specialists, and there was no technology without electricity , that there was no technology two hundred years ago and that the majority of people provided but a little technology. Concerning the science students' understanding of technology as a design process, it was found that their attitudes towards understanding of technology included design of solutions for problems, provision of opportunities for the design of new products and the invention of new ways to make things. Regarding the students' interest in technology, it was found that their attitude was positive. Concerning the students' grasp of positive social implications of technology, it was found that their attitude was positive. Pertaining to the effect of variables on the subjects' attitude, in this sample, towards technology, it was found that the male students had higher averages than those of women students. That is to say, the male students enjoyed higher level of positive attitudes than female students. On the other hand, academic level, achievement, major, place of living had no effect on the subjects' attitudes towards technology. In the third part of the study, the subjects were asked to write and/ or draw what comes to their mind when they read the word "technology". It was found that the students had written and drawn about: 1. technological products such as a T.V. set, a computer, a satellite and telecommunication equipment. 2. Technological operations such as invention and industrialization. 3. Social phenomena : advantages and disadvantages of technology. Based on the aforementioned findings, the researcher recommends that further studies be conducted, on this field, on college students at Palestinian educational institutions by using other new variables. In addition, Technology and Curricula Department should be urged to publish a brochure that explains the meaning of technology, its elements and goals and the difference between technology and science and the need to link the term with the nation's civilization and culture. The researcher also calls for the establishment of centers for the enrichment of technological know-how, and linking these centers with the educational institutions to enable the students to realize the "marriage" between the academic experiences and technological operations and products. Finally, the researcher recommends that comparative studies be conducted on students belonging to science and humanities colleges and comparative studies among Third World Countries.