Reflecting back over a century ago to the small village of Menlo Park, New Jersey provides insight into a remarkable visionary and an exceptional role model for today's problem-solving and design-focused technology educator: Thomas A. Edison, inventor, innovator, and model technology educator. Since Edison could not simply apply existing knowledge…

Airplane travelers are dismayed by the long lines and seemingly chaotic activities that precede boarding a full airplane. Surely, the one who can solve this problem is going to make many travelers happy. This article describes the Jet Travel Challenge, an activity that challenges students to create some alternatives to this now frustrating…

How can the teachers of today raise student achievement and prepare students to become the next generation of technologists, innovators, designers, and engineers? This article introduces new opportunities for professional development: a cadre of education professionals who are trained to deliver professional development for states, districts, and…

The effectiveness of modules, design-based instruction, and other approaches to technology education can be assessed by determining whether they communicate clear goals; present a clear definition and historical view of technology; present technology processes, actions, and authentic contexts; foster cooperation and teamwork; include open-ended…

Presents an action-based technology education activity related to printed graphic communication. Includes objectives, equipment/supply list, procedures, and follow-up activities. (JOW)

Students use tables of anthropometric data, their own measurements, underlying principles of physics, and math to solve a problem. The problem is to determine the height of a wall mirror, and where to mount it, so that 90% of the clientele can view their entire length without stretching or bending. (Author)

Thinking and doing are both necessary to prepare technological problem solvers. The key is designing learning that will result in creative, functional, and open-ended technological thinkers. (JOW)

Suggests that incorporating the technological process and a historical perspective into the technology education curriculum is essential for a good program. Presents a design brief on the historical impact of the printing press. (JOW)

Explains techniques for students working on a team design project using tools of the Internet. Helps develop a better understanding of how to exchange binary files and learn about the successes and problems with exchanging these files over the Internet. (JOW)

Classroom teachers are uniquely positioned to contribute to the body of research related to their area of expertise. Qualitative methods that may be used in the classroom include ethnography, naturalistic inquiry, observation, questioning, and scenarios. (JOW)

Discusses the Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology and their importance to the professional development of teachers. Includes an activity to be used to illustrate the role of design technology, explain the standards, and solve a problem likely to be encountered by teachers. (JOW)

The Technology for All Americans Project standards are being distributed for critique on the World Wide Web, to experts in the field, and to teachers, teacher educators, and supervisors. The standards are designed to encourage consistency in teaching and learning, provide a foundation of knowledge and skills for technological literacy, and foster…

Technology educators must accept the responsibility for providing and developing leadership to ensure continued progress in the field. The Technology Student Association is one way to foster that leadership. (JOW)

Reviews developments in telemedicine and a number of related areas (telecommunications, virtual presence, informatics, artificial intelligence, robotics, materials science, and perceptual psychology). Provides learning activities for technology education. (SK)

Features of this model for technology education are human needs and wants, problems/opportunities, resources, technological processes, technological knowledge, evaluation, and solutions/impacts. (SK)