COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Technology Education provides students an exploration of the technologies that they will interact with in our expanding technological world. Students can explore technologies in the OPEN LAB, (room 103) which groups technologies into four main areas of study: Transportation, Communication, Manufacturing and Construction, or in the MODULAR LAB, (room 200) which has students exploring particular technologies in 12 concentrated study areas: Information Technology, Electricity & Electronics, Audio Communications, Robotics Technology, Laser Technology, Virtual Architecture, Energy & Power, Flight Technology, Computer Graphics & Animation, Computer Aided Drafting, Computer Applications, and Video Production.
All students: - develop an appreciation of the scope of contemporary technology; - study and analyze the materials, products, processes, problems, uses, developments, and contributions of technology; - research, plan, design, construct, and evaluate problems and projects common to technology career fields; - learn safe use of basic tools, machines, materials, and processes associated with technology.
Some of the technologies experienced during the middle school years are: Computers, radio, television, electricity/electronics, computer-aided drafting, bridge building and testing, plastics, mass production, robotics, energy sources, lasers.
Goals: - Develop an appreciation of the scope of technology. - Develop an appreciation for research and development necessary to foster new ideas in the many fields of technology. - Develop an appreciation for the design phase of technology. - Develop an appreciation for the construction/production phase of technology. - Develop an appreciation for the delivery systems inherent to technology. - Develop an appreciation for the many ways to communicate using technologies. - Develop an appreciation for safety in all areas of technology. - Develop and use a specific processes to solve technological problems.
The major resources used in these classes include:
Computers, plotters, printers, video and sound equipment, scanners, digital cameras, lasers, robots, construction/production materials and supplies, simple hand tools, machine tools, and most important the students willingness and ability to learn.