The first year of coordinating a local Technology Student Association (TSA) leadership conference is the most challenging. An organizer will quickly learn from his or her successes and failures and will make appropriate adjustments the following year. Hosting a conference requires a lot of work but it is very rewarding. The benefits of being…

Discusses program standards, one part of the Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology. Addresses their uses in developing K-12 curriculum. (JOW)

Discusses how technology is viewed by different people, as well as financial support for the study of technology in liberal arts programs. Three examples of how different educational institutions approach the study of technology are described: basic electronics and heating and cooling technology at Wellesley, engineering at SUNY-Stony Brook, and…

Discusses two questions: (1) Are we in the technology business, where we spend exorbitant time and energy debating which content and what method? and (2) Should we be in the business of serving all youth in a special way so they can grow, develop, and function successfully in a rapidly advancing technological world? (CT)

Describes development of a 3-year technology education program being implemented in Oklahoma. The major categories of study are (1) communication, (2) construction, (3) manufacturing, and (4) transportation. (CH)

This article defines high technology, identifies some of the reasons it should be studied, and suggests some ways that it can be studied in industrial arts/technology laboratories. These suggestions include identifying topics for study, gathering information, organizing information, performing laboratory activities, and presenting the study. (CT)

Describes the Iowa Technology Loan Program, developed to provide teacher updates on contemporary topics for technology education programs. The program consists of workshops on technology followed by an opportunity to borrow equipment for a four-week period. (JOW)

In 2003, the last state university undergraduate technology education program in Florida closed its doors due to low enrollments and a new focus on graduate studies. This closing and the continued need for 165 certified technology education teachers to fill open positions each year in Florida created a need for St Petersburg College (SPC) to…

Processing of the three major groups of modern glasses is described. Low-melting-point glasses and the roles of their ingredients are discussed. Other processes (calcining, melting, fining the batch, annealing, testing for stress, colorants) are explained. Finally, a secondary-level pilot program for glass technology is suggested. (CT)

Four leaders in state industrial arts answer questions about funding for industrial arts/technology education programs. Questions involve best sources of funding; setting up foundations for receiving funding; receiving funding through corporate grants and private foundations; and suggestions for industrial arts/technology education professionals.…

Examines the original Standards for Industrial Arts Programs and background, need, purpose, and content of the revised standards, covering educational philosophy, instructional programs, student population served, instructional staff, administration and supervision, support systems, instructional strategies, public relations, safety and health,…