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ERIC Number: EJ1122800
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2158-0502
EISSN: N/A
Technological Literacy: The Proper Focus to Educate All Students
Loveland, Thomas; Love, Tyler
Technology and Engineering Teacher, v76 n4 p13-17 Dec 2016-Jan 2017
As technology and engineering (T&E) education seeks to survive a shortage of teachers and funding, among other factors, it must proceed with caution. The field should remain true to its hands-on, design-based roots but must also provide rigorous instruction that applies STEM skills and situates it as a valuable stakeholder among the core content areas. Dropping the "T" would not solve the public's misconception of what is taught, rather the authors believe another name change to the field would increase this misunderstanding. Adding engineering to the name of T&E education has helped provide some clarification in what is done and remedies the common misconception that technology education is instructional technology. Technological literacy is the right focus for the future because it provides an opportunity for T&E education to reach more students, not just those interested in specific vocational skills or becoming professional engineers. The inclusive approach has served the field well over many years. There is room for manufacturing programs in the Midwest, gaming development courses in the South, and traditional courses in rural areas. Making a change to a purist engineering education or returning to an industrial arts focus will not adequately serve the field and will increase pressure to close down secondary and higher education programs nationwide. The inclusive technological literacy approach that serves all students continues to be the best direction for this field at this time.
International Technology and Engineering Educators Association. 1914 Association Drive Suite 201, Reston, VA 20191-1539. Tel: 703-860-2100; Fax: 703-860-0353; e-mail: iteea@iteea.org; Web site: https://www.iteea.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A