Technology as a Design Process
Many of us associate technology with computers, robots, or cell phones. These all qualify as examples of technology, but examples are not the definition. In the case of technology it would be a definition which would limit our thinking. Sometimes people associate technology with science or scientific advancement. Science deals with the understanding the nature of things and is neutral. Scientific understanding or knowledge may or may not be applied. It may exist simply because it is true and yet serve little practical purpose. Not all science is technology. (Learn more about Technology).
In contrast, technology begins with a purpose. It is a designed rather than discovered. Systems, knowledge, processes, tools, and methods may all be described as technology in the larger sense. An example is writing. The development of writing was a technological advance. Moving from hieroglyphics to alphabets was a new technology within the technology of writing.
Bottom line…science is learned or discovered. Technologies are designed with purpose. Technologies always begin with a purpose or outcome in mind and are designed and developed to bring about a specific result.
In light of this definition of technology, what technologies can be identified in the children’s ministry arena? When we talk about purpose-driven, aren’t we really designing a process to develop a ministry technology? We can have technologies for teacher training, for recruitment, for security evacuations, or anything else. AWANA has a technology for memorizing versus. (Is there a technology of diaper changing?) You can think of other examples. Sometimes, technologies are a composite of smaller units of technology.
I developed this understanding as I was doing graduate work in Instructional Systems Design – that field looks at the design of learning materials as a technology. As I got into the studies, I found there were standard processes of educational design I had often neglected in children’s ministry. (See ADDIE as a Design Process
The first is front-end analysis. It is easy to grab an off-the-shelf curriculum and assume that, because it is clever and entertaining, that it is well-designed. That cannot be determined without a careful analysis of our audience comprised of the kids, their teachers and parents and the context in which it is being used. There is always a danger that we will use someone else’s technology, when it may not have been designed for our specific context. Popular doesn’t mean it is well designed.
It may be best to start with what we want to accomplish first, and then look at what is available to accomplish that purpose. For example: Is Biblical literacy important to us? If so, then a values based, thematic curriculum may not give the kids those skills. If audience analysis determines that many of kids attend sporadically, then a curriculum which depends upon prerequisite information from a previous lesson may not be the best choice. Develop a technology of analysis that will help you determine what you need.
The second element often neglected is post ministry assessment. I am not talking about giving kids tests, but there are ways of measuring whether or not they are achieving the expected results. We will hear a lot of people talk about the importance of application, but how do we assess whether it is applied or not? We can design components which will give us the feedback we desire.
One final comment – frequently in our quest for technology, the technology becomes an end unto itself. The system becomes more important than the purpose – the letter of the law because more important than the spirit of the law. One of the dangers of technology is that while society shapes technology, technology also shapes society.
Do you think our methodology shapes our Christianity to some degree? How do we keep our Children’s Ministry technologies in their rightful place?
Is there a danger that out technologies can speak so loud they drown out the still small voice of the Holy Spirit? If so, how can we prevent that from happening?
When is it appropriate to exchange our roles as Children’s Pastors to become Children’s Ministry Technologists, that is, dispensers of programs and managers of systems? Where is the balance?