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Technology education

Technology education

Overview
Technology education is a study of technology, which provides an opportunity for students to learn about the processes and knowledge related to technology. As a study, it covers the human ability to shape and change the physical world to meet needs, by manipulating materials and tools with techniques. As education, the goal is to teach the knowledge and techniques to develop technological literacy
Technological literacy
Technological literacy is the ability to understand and evaluate technology. We live in a world where not many kids ar prepared for the internet. It complements technological competency, which is the ability to create, repair, or operate specific technologies, commonly computers...

 which is accomplished by bringing laboratory activities to students.
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Encyclopedia
Technology education is a study of technology, which provides an opportunity for students to learn about the processes and knowledge related to technology. As a study, it covers the human ability to shape and change the physical world to meet needs, by manipulating materials and tools with techniques. As education, the goal is to teach the knowledge and techniques to develop technological literacy
Technological literacy
Technological literacy is the ability to understand and evaluate technology. We live in a world where not many kids ar prepared for the internet. It complements technological competency, which is the ability to create, repair, or operate specific technologies, commonly computers...

 which is accomplished by bringing laboratory activities to students. Technology education is an innovative approach to technology education in Australia, which differs in that it is accomplished by situating students in the context of the need. The term "technology education" is frequently shortened to "tech ed".

History of Technology Education


In many countries, in the last century, technology education has evolved through craft, or technical skills, education - from Industrial Arts
Industrial arts
Industrial Arts is an umbrella term originally conceived in the late 19th century to describe educational programs which featured fabrication of objects in wood and/or metal using a variety of hand, power, or machine tools...

 and Manual Training. Industrial Arts programs were also known as "shop classes", a derivation of "workshop". Today, technology education students generally work in labs and perform laboratory activities. In the past, many referred to the work areas used in technology education as "shops", however, many teachers have encouraged students to use the term "lab". That follows the hierarchy of science (knowing about the world) > technology (applying that knowledge to solve problems, ie to improve the world) > engineering (applying that knowledge on a large scale to develop systems and structures).

Britain was perhaps the first country to include the field of technology in the national curriculum for schools, from 1989 - compulsory for most learners from Year 1 (Grade 1, age 5) to Year 11). (At the same time, information technology was made compulsory for all from Year 1 to (more recently) Year 13.)

The school subject of technology in Britain includes the traditional craft areas of "craft, design and technology" (working with resistive materials and with pliant materials, and technical drawing) and "domestic science" or "home economics" (working with textiles and food). However, there is an explicit intention to view technology as the all-encompassing human activity of problem-solving; the Government introduced the concept of secondary schools (Years 7-11 or 7-13) called city technology colleges in the 1980s and technology colleges in the 1990s. This is to encourage a problem-solving approach to tech study of ALL subjects; even so, it is very rare to find that in practice.

The Association for Science Education
Association for Science Education
The Association for Science Education is a professional association in the United Kingdom for teachers of science. It formed in 1963, and currently has 29,692 members....

 (ASE) and the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, or even the Royal, is a learned society for science that was founded in 1660 and is considered by most to be the oldest such society still in existence...

 were highly influential in these developments, as were some of the educational IT professional groups. The Design and Technology Association (DATA) is perhaps Britain's most influential association as regards technology education now.

The Association for Career and Technical Education
Association for Career and Technical Education
The Association for Career and Technical Education is a nonprofit membership association based in the United States. Its members are mostly educators and administrators of career and technical education , which is sometimes known as vocational education. The organization advocates the federal...

 (ACTE) is the largest American national education association dedicated to supporting technology education.

Objectives of Technology Education


Technology education allows learners to explore a variety of activities related to many areas of marsupial endeavors. Learners can develop problem solving strategies and work habits that will be useful in almost any career and or occupation. Learners should develop a greater appreciation for the work of craft workers and the skill required of that work.

Within the scope of this educational program is the effort to develop “soft skills” within the learner, as well as an opportunity for the learner to see how systems work together and the chance to put much of the academic class instruction to work in an applied way.

Many of the skills that are to be taught in technology education classes are identified in the 1991 SCANS Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills Report. Many of these soft skills may be better developed in a lab, problem solving setting than in a typical academic classroom.

Technology education versus technical education


The goal of technology education is different from technical education. Technical education teaches specific skills directed toward a specific type of work, for example, carpentry, automotive maintenance, welding, or computer network administration, whereas technology education
Technology education
Technology education is a study of technology, which provides an opportunity for students to learn about the processes and knowledge related to technology. As a study, it covers the human ability to shape and change the physical world to meet needs, by manipulating materials and tools with techniques...

 has a more generalized approach.

Technology education is often confused with the term educational technology
Educational technology
Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources." The term educational technology is often associated with, and encompasses, instructional theory and...

, which denotes technological devices and methods of delivering or developing educational information.

See also

  • GenYES
  • Science, Technology, Society and Environment Education
    Science, technology, society and environment education
    Science, technology, society and environment education, originates from the science technology and society movement in science education. This is an outlook on science education that emphasizes the teaching of scientific and technological developments in their cultural, economic, social and...

  • Engineering education
    Engineering education
    Engineering education is the activity of teaching engineering and technology, at school, college and university levels. The goal of engineering education is to prepare people to practice engineering as a profession and also to spread technological literacy, increase student interest in technical...

  • National Center for Engineering and Technology Education
    National Center for Engineering and Technology Education
    The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education is a partnership of four land-grant research universities , five technology teacher education universities The National Center for Engineering and Technology Education is a partnership of four land-grant research universities (Utah State...

  • Statistics Online Computational Resource for Education
  • Technology Student Association
    Technology Student Association
    The Technology Student Association is an international Career and Technical Student Organization made up of over 150,000 Middle School and High School Technology Education Students. The Association serves students interested in technology of all sorts, providing them opportunities to compete,...

  • Update (FP-6 Project)
    Update (FP-6 Project)
    UPDATE. - Understanding and Providing a Developmental Approach to Technology Education is a project within the 6th framework programme of the European Union. The project intends to improve science and technology teaching in Europe in order to appeal young people to technology, especially girls...


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