In this article, the author describes the technology education program at Southern Lehigh High School, Center Valley, Pennsylvania. The school district is presently providing an educational program known for its excellence and forward-looking perspective, which is sensitive to the changing needs of its students. Within the technology education…

Presents a model for the purchase of computer-aided design (CAD) software: collect general information, observe CAD in use, arrange onsite demonstrations, select CAD software and hardware, and choose a vendor. (JOW)

Desktop manufacturing is the use of data from a computer-assisted design system to construct actual models of an object. Emerging processes are stereolithography, laser sintering, ballistic particle manufacturing, laminated object manufacturing, and photochemical machining. (SK)

If education is to meet the challenged posed by the U.S. productivity crisis and the large number of computer-assisted design (CAD) workstations forecast as necessary in the future, schools must integrate CAD into the drafting curriculum and become aggressive in providing CAD training. Teachers need to maintain close contact with local industries…

Describes how technology education majors are using a high-tech model builder, called a fused deposition modeling machine, to develop their models directly from computer-based designs without any machining. Gives examples of applications in technology education. (JOW)

Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of teaching manual drafting and concludes that teaching manual drafting in technology education is no longer justified. Recommends teaching drawing in the context of the design process, including all types of drawing, and focusing on freehand techniques for ideation and communication. (JOW)

Teacher and student roles continue to change as computers continue to influence the design curriculum (Kaplan, 1997). Educators and administrators continue to grapple with the best ways to teach, implement, and maintain current technology. Few technology teachers would argue that computers, software, and hardware found in technology laboratories…

Describes the adaptation of a model of self-directed learning to the instruction of computer-assisted design in a senior high school technology education program. (JOW)

This article discusses how students in a college-entry-level CAD course researched four generations of their family histories and documented cultural and symbolic influences within their family backgrounds. AutoCAD software was then used to manipulate those cultural and symbolic images to create the design for a multicultural area rug. AutoCAD was…

In phase I of an Ohio project, 10 high school teams completed technical projects based on a fictitious manufacturer. In phase II, local industries provided reality-based projects for teams of math, science, and technology teachers and students. (SK)

M.A.S.H. mnemonic is a useful framework for generating, tracking, and objectively evaluating innovative ideas. M.A.S.H. expresses the fundamental components of successful design; Mechanics, Aesthetics, Sustainability, and Human Factors. These essential elements are often underdeveloped in student design concepts and subsequently require bolstering…

Motivating students to master the basics in any field is a demanding task. In technical education, while the direct benefit--almost certain, well-paying employment--is obvious, the challenge is to keep students' interest high. Absent that, the technical workforce lacks skilled replenishment, and the possibility of being overtaken by competition…