Novices to the design process often struggle at first to understand the various stages of design. Learning to design is a process not easily mastered, and therefore requires multiple levels of exposure to the design process. It is helpful if teachers are able to implement various entry-level design assignments such as reverse-engineering…

Almost everything people have ever done has involved materials. Historical evidence indicates that "engineered materials" have been available and utilized for the benefit of humankind since the Neolithic period, beginning about 10,000 BC. Some of these materials have been in existence for thousands of years. At first, materials consisted of wood,…

A number of leaders in technology education have indicated that a major difference between the technological design process and the engineering design process is analysis and optimization. The analysis stage of the engineering design process is when mathematical models and scientific principles are employed to help the designer predict design…

The integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content (STEM) has become a mainstream topic within educational systems. This paper discusses the technology integration model for education and the factors to be considered when taking into account technology education as a focal point of integrated curricula. These factors are:…

The United States is facing a crisis in terms of meeting demands for a highly skilled technical workforce. Workforce preparation must begin in primary and secondary educational settings. Teachers are perfectly positioned to increase student awareness of and interest in careers in engineering and technology; unfortunately, they are often not well…

This article describes a cooperative classroom robotics challenge named "IED Cleanup". This classroom challenge was created to incorporate a humanitarian project with the use of a robotics design system in order to remove simulated IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) to a detonation zone within a specified amount of time. Throughout the activity,…

It has been reported by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty that in 2004, over 3.5 million Americans were homeless. While many homeless live in temperate climates, many others live in locations where it can get very cold in the winter. Without adequate shelter, this can become very hazardous to the health and well-being of these…

The United States' poor performance in teaching math and science eliminates many of the best and brightest school children from the ranks of future scientists and engineers. With little chance to learn in school how science and math skills might translate into professionally useful knowledge, students are unable to make informed choices about…

There has been a great deal of discussion in the past few years about implementing engineering design in K-12 classrooms. Experts from K-12 education, universities, industry, and government officials attended the ASEE leadership workshop on K-12 Engineering Outreach in June of 2004 and came to a consensus on the need to implement engineering in…

In an era when so much emphasis is being placed on the high-stakes standardized testing of fundamental subjects such as reading, writing, and math, it makes sense to demonstrate the role technology educators play in developing such fundamental knowledge and skills in youth. While the author believes that technology education contributes to the…

Running a successful technology education lab and delivering curriculum in today's educational environment can be busy, misunderstood, and downright exhausting. Keeping up with growing and emerging technologies, educating the school and community on what a program is really all about, and running after-school technology and engineering clubs…

Addresses two questions related to the structure of technology education: (1) What is the content base of technology education? and (2) What common processes do technicians, technologists, and engineers share? (Author)

Technology education has had its directions as a school subject influenced by changes in society, the economy, politics, and homeland threats. The philosophy and curriculum content for technology education has had certain turning points due to these changes. During the twenty-first century, outside factors and internal research will continue to…

The topic of alternative energy is not only relevant to a multitude of issues today, it is also an effective vehicle for developing instruction that applies across a variety of content disciplines and academic standards. Since many of the issues associated with alternative energy are open-ended, alternative energy also lends itself to…

Research indicates that most Americans don't understand the technologies that surround them--the products and systems designed to fill a specific need. From water filtration to wheelchairs, from pens to PDAs, people use technology, often without fully comprehending how these tools are designed, developed, and function. In response, the Museum of…