In today's job market, middle and high skills jobs--jobs that require some education and training beyond high school--comprise the majority of job openings and typically provide the best wages and opportunities for advancement. And almost every day, there is an article or news story discussing the "skills mismatch" phenomenon, the…

Today's hyper-connected students live in a world of instant interpersonal communications and virtually infinite access to information and educational resources. But this networked world, and the powerful learning tools it offers, has yet to penetrate the typical classroom. In many ways educational institutions are spinning their curricular wheels,…

Reports on a project coordinated by the Association for Science Education (ASE) to define occupational standards and roles for technicians in schools and colleges. Lists mandatory units for each of three levels, focusing on both the explicit and the less obvious roles of technicians. (AIM)

Counters misconceptions with facts about school-to-work (STW): students have unrealistic career goals; most are not prepared for college academics; college is increasingly paid for by loans; only one in three college graduates finds a relevant job; technical employment is the fastest growing sector; STW does not preclude college; and technician…

The use of technology has increased exponentially in recent years, with accompanying employment growth in technical fields. Despite this demand, there is a well-documented underrepresentation of females in technical fields. The Technology Adventures Program provides female high school students with information about careers in technology. (JOW)

Describes an activity that looks at employment opportunities available in the fields of science, engineering, and technology. Includes expected outcomes, a student quiz, and descriptions of several occupations. (JOW)

Describes the development of a seagoing vocational program for underachievers. (SB)

A study identified performance differences between expert and novice technicians who troubleshoot faulty technical equipment and recommended improvements in the instruction of troubleshooting techniques. Results indicate that the primary differences between experts and novices were quality of information acquired and quality of hypotheses…

Reviews a multimedia curriculum called "What's Up in Technology?" that was developed by the educational television channel Thirteen/WNET to introduce secondary school students to high-technology careers. Describes the curriculum materials, including a video, the teacher's guide, and the Web companion piece. (Author/LRW)

Describes some experiences gained working with disadvantaged youth so that these individuals gain confidence in their ability to learn and to achieve intellectually. (PB)

An exploration program, part of a comprehensive rural school-based career education project, utilized mini-course offered in cooperation with a community college to introduce ninth through eleventh grade students to technological careers. The objectives of the program were to provide students with short-term exploratory experience and at least one…

Today the basic directions in the development of secondary professional education are being set by the modernization of social life, the priority development of a number of sectors of the economy, tendencies of the scientific and technical renovation of production relating to science-intensive and information-based technologies, and the use of…

The author discusses the importance of technical education to the future workplace. He presents a potential organizing framework for the study of technology. (CH)

Reports tracer studies of Kenyan youths leaving technical school to determine their success at obtaining gainful employment. Almost 43% were neither in formal schooling nor training, nor employed a year after leaving, although technical skills were seen as useful, particularly in private life. (DP)

The document presents lessons for teaching about occupations related to environmental control, stationary engineering, and refrigeration. Intended for use with the assignments in the related science manual for students, each unit provides the teacher with objectives, a list of aids needed, procedures, a summary, and testing questions. There are 18…