Conference Session

Technological Literacy and K-12 Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nataliia Perova, Tufts University; Chris Rogers, Tufts University; David Henry Feldman, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

, includingScience and Technology, did not provide a guiding framework for technology education, whatled to questions about how technology should be defined and taught.Addressing this important issue, one of the interviewees said that multiple representations ofTechnology standards resulted in a debate: “It was a debate about what was meant by technology. Did it mean things like computers and software applications or did it mean, what at the time was still industrial arts just changing over to technology education.”Some of the interviewees reflected on this debate, presenting both sides of the argument – theview of Technology education as a traditional “shop” class or the idea of infusing the science andmathematics concepts to make the

Conference Session

Installing & Assessing Technology Literacy Courses

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Ohland, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

, and college courses for non-majors). The dissemination of work in this area isdominated by publication in refereed conference proceedings, most likely reflecting the fact thatthe effort of developing such work for journal publication is not likely to be recognized in thereward structure of most engineering colleges.VII. Bibliography1 International Technology Education Association (ITEA) (2000). Standards for technological literacy: Content forthe study of technology. Reston, VA: Author.2 Prime, G. (1998). Tailoring assessment of technological literacy learning. Journal of Technology Studies. 24, (1),18-23.3 Noeth, R.J., Cruce, T. & Harmston, M.T. (2003). Maintaining a strong engineering workforce. ACT Policy Report

Conference Session

Teaching Technological Literacy - Engaging Students

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Krupczak, Hope College; Kate Disney, Mission College

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

under development.DiscussionInitial tests of the portable laboratories show encouraging results. The students completing theprojects demonstrated an increase in content knowledge in areas related to the project materials.Content knowledge increases are significant. The content knowledge average rose from a poorto a fair level of comprehension. The students themselves rate the projects as interesting andeducationally useful. The students are learning and enjoying the process.AcknowledgementThis work was supported by the National Science Foundation under award: DUE-0633277. Anyopinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those ofthe authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science

Conference Session

Technological Literacy - Courses, Educational and Accreditation Standards

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yung-Hsiang Lu, Purdue University; Guangwei Zhu, Purdue; Cheng-Kok Koh, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

reflect the view of the sponsor.Guangwei Zhu, Purdue Guangwei Zhu received Bachelor's degree in Automation at Tsinghua University, Beijing. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate and teaching assistant in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. He received Magoon's Award in Teaching Excellence in Spring 2009. His research interests include control theory, applied mathematics and object orient design and programming.Cheng-Kok Koh, Purdue University Cheng-Kok Koh received the B.S. degree with first class honors and the M.S. degree, both in computer science, from the National University of Singapore in 1992 and 1996, respectively. He received the Ph. D. degree in computer science from

Conference Session

Teaching Technological Literacy - Engaging Students

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steven Walk, Old Dominion University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

future of shipbuilding resource allocation to the US Navyclass of warship, the destroyer, in the context of evolving national defense needs and seafaringtechnologies. Analysis involved plotting the cumulated destroyer launches per date from thewarship‟s arrival in the late 1890‟s through its present production. Figure 10 shows the raw dataand the best-fit logistic curve. An excellent fit to the common logistic diffusion pattern resulted,with two above-the-trend spikes reflecting intense production rates during each of the two worldwars. The logistic pattern flattens out beginning around 1975. As seen in Figure 11, where theFisher-Pry transform renders the curving logistic pattern linear, the threshold of 90% of final or

Conference Session

Engineering for Nonengineers: Ideas & Results

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Zieren, Austin Peay State University; John Blake, Austin Peay State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

electronically, to reference materials. Visual aides, both still images andvideos, are needed to teach this subject. The instructors must have support in preparingmaterials, equipment such as scanners and classroom projection systems, and general supportwith instructional technology.The instructional team approach is not a common arrangement at universities. When this coursewas first offered, we had this option through the university’s honors program. After thisoffering, there was a change in administration. Reflecting general trends in state supportedhigher education, the new administration focused on increasing efficiency and maximizingenrollment. Instructors had to be used as efficiently as possible, and innovations such as team-based instruction had

Conference Session

Engineering Courses for Non-engineers

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bradley Bishop, United States Naval Academy

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

to technology in general, a new technology will experience an initial exponential increase in capability and thereby will eventually catch and overtake existing technologies, especially with users who do not need or want the high-end performance of top systems. The Disruptive Innovation model is perfectly reflected in the current success of the netbook. Netbooks have limited capability compared to a full-blown laptop, but are typically also much cheaper (~$300) and tend to be much more straightforward to operate and maintain. These devices have broken the mold currently used in laptop and portable computing and are changing the technological landscape, being sold at places such as Toys R

Conference Session

Installing & Assessing Technology Literacy Courses

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Ollis, North Carolina State University; John Krupczak, Hope College

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

. Page 11.1228.5 Knows some of the ways technology shapes human history and people shapetechnology. Knows that all technologies entail risk, some that can be anticipated and some thatcannot. Appreciates that the development and use of technology involve trade-offs and abalance of costs and benefits Understands that technology reflects the values and culture of societyWays of Thinking and Acting Asks pertinent questions, of self and others, regarding the benefits and risks oftechnologies Seeks information about new technologies Participates, when appropriate, in decisions about the development and use oftechnologyCapabilities Has a range of hands-on skills, such as using a computer for word

Conference Session

Installing & Assessing Technology Literacy Courses

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Camille George, University of St. Thomas; Elise Amel, University of St. Thomas; Karl Mueller, University of St. Thomas

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

program, we asked several questions on the survey that reflect the goals of theprogram. These goals were to help students understand the finite nature of water and energyresources, that there is no single correct answer to an engineering problem, and that engineeringcombines artistic creativity with empirical science. Participant responses indicated that the goalsof the program were achieved. Specifically, on a scale ranging from 1 (art) to 7 (science) theaverage response to the question “Engineering is…” was a four. This indicates that participantsunderstand that engineering balances creativity and science. Also, for the question “For anyengineering question there is one correct answer” the average response was a six on the scale of1 (strongly

Conference Session

Improving Technical Understanding of All Americans

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary Rose, Ball State University; Jim Flowers, Ball State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

Computer Use by ChildrenAs the problem scenario is presented, the instructor assigns students to small groups of 3 to 5individuals. Over a six-week period, these cooperative groups engage in a cycle of planning,self-directed study, collaborative analysis and debate, self-reflection, and cooperative decision-making and writing. In essence, these learning groups collaboratively select and apply thetechnology assessment process and analytical methods they discovered earlier in the class to theexigencies of this issue. Eventually, the results of their analytical work enable them to proposefour policy options. Accompanying each is a future scenario that might result if these policieswere adopted

Conference Session

Technology Literacy for Engineering Students

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Byron Newberry, Baylor University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

illiterate consumer—is a problem to be solved. But the solution strategy in thiscase is not to educate consumers about technology, but rather to increasingly design technologyto cater to consumers’ low level of technological knowledge.In a research paper on why engineers sometime design poor user interfaces for technologies, theauthors attribute such failures to the fact that engineers are biased toward designing the interfaceto reflect the underlying mechanism of the technology, an interface style which the engineer,who understands the underlying mechanism, finds intuitive but the user does not. Rather, theauthors conclude, a black box model for the user interface is more effective for the user—that is,an interface which is modeled upon the tasks

Conference Session

Teaching Technological Literacy - College Courses and Minors

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Krupczak, Hope College; Mani Mina, Iowa State University; Robert J. Gustafson, Ohio State University; James Young, Rice University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.Bibliography 1. Augustine, N. (Chair), National Academies Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century. 2005. Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 2. Duderstadt, J. J. (Chair), National Academy of Engineering Committee to Assess the Capacity of the United States Engineering Research Enterprise. 2005. Engineering Research and America’s Future: Meeting the Challenges of Global Economy. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 3. Duderstadt, J. J. 2007. Engineering for a Changing World: A Roadmap to the Future of Engineering

Conference Session

Teaching Technological Literacy - College Courses and Minors

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Doyle, Penn State University; Richard Devon, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

assessmentscollected by the university produced very high scores for the class and instructors and high praisein the comments section. Students are certainly empowered by this process which puts them on asimilar footing with their professors and has them contribute successfully to publicly held wikis.A related use of Google Apps has found similar student responsiveness.36AcknowledgementThe work was supported by the National Science Foundation under award: NUE- 0836669. PIMark Horn, Professor of Engineering Science at Penn State. Any opinions, findings, andconclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do notnecessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.Bibliography1. Wadha, Vivek, “Integrating Ethics

Conference Session

Technology Literacy for Non-Engineers

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Ollis, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

variousengineering labs across the campus.Science, technology, society projectsAll students completed two science, technology, and society projects. Working in teamsof three and imitating the work in the “take-apart” lab, they studied an artifact of theHispanic world. Their task was to research and describe the historical significance andengineering importance of the artifact and then to explain how the artifact reflects theculture which produced it. The fruits of these activities were two group presentations inthe course of the semester –practicing the final methodology of the end project—and agroup paper in English to summarize their project in Sevilla, Spain, and inMilwaukee,Wisconsin, two cities seemingly disparate in culture.Evaluation and assessment

Conference Session

Installing & Assessing Technology Literacy Courses

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan Voss, Smith College; Borjana Mikic, Smith College

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

freshener for a hat. A fly swatter andspatula formed the arms, and a broom and umbrella the legs. A thermometer represented thespinal cord through the center of the body and a clock was used to represent the heart. Woundthroughout the inside of the box was an orange electrical wire symbolizing a person’s veins. Page 11.567.20Hanging from the wire were mirrors, which in addition to the “ribs” of spoons adhered to thesides, allowed a spectator to see themselves and be reflected in technology and art.

Conference Session

Technology Literacy for Non-Engineers

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jan DeWaters, Clarkson University; Susan Powers, Clarkson University; Mary Graham, Clarkson University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

affective domains, and is broadly categorized into the three dimensions ofknowledge, sensitivity/attitudes, and intentions/behaviors. Specifically, an energy literateindividual is one who: ‚ has a basic understanding of how energy is used in everyday life; ‚ has an understanding of the impact that energy production and consumption have on all spheres of our environment and society; ‚ is sensitive to the need for energy conservation and the need to develop alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy resources; ‚ is cognizant of the impact of personal energy-related decisions and actions on the global community; and ‚ strives to make choices and decisions that reflect these attitudes with respect to energy

Conference Session

Technological Literacy and the Educated Person

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Heywood, Trinity College Dublin

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

sense embodying thematerials of them all.” 19This activity is what Newman called liberal knowledge and Page 15.491.5at other times, as Culler notes, philosophy, philosophia prima, Architectonic scienceor Science of the Sciences. He did not pursue this concept in any great detail, but inthe today’s jargon it would seem to be a reflective activity of synthesis. An ability tobring all the parts together in order to make a judgement for which reason the subjectsof the curriculum cannot be taught as entities isolated from each other. Theconsequences of this capability for the educated person so produced were set down byNewman in the oft quoted statement about

Conference Session

Technological Literacy and the Educated Person

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michele Dischino, Central Connecticut State University; James DeLaura, Central Connecticut State University; Patrick Foster, Central Connecticut State University; David Sianez, CCSU

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

activitiesPedagogy-based Strategies  Make personal connections with students and facilitate student connections with program staff and others  Emphasize and give students time for reflection on group process  Consider students’ learning styles  Structure opportunities for students to take leadership roles  Provide safety for students to take learning risks  Provide for group/team building activities from day one  Allow for flexible grouping, but also be vigilant for students falling into gender- stereotypical rolesThe strategies for recruitment and retention should be dynamic as research and practiceknowledge is both culturally and community specific and times and conditions change.Therefore, these approaches cannot be static

Conference Session

Technological Literacy and the Educated Person

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

R. William Graff, LeTourneau University; Paul Leiffer, LeTouneau University; Martin Batts, Le Tourneau University; Maria J. Leiffer, LeTouneau University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

ifyou developed a matter transmitter and the soul did not follow? What if Spock wasbeamed down to a planet and he simply ceased to exist (if BWC#1 is true), and anotherbeing with his memory appeared on the planet? Or, he might find himself in an animal,or being born as a baby somewhere, with no memory of his previous existence (if BWC#2 is true). If BWC#3 turns out to be true, he might either be standing before God to bejudged, or have gone on, in a soul-less body, to do whatever soul-less things do.If Sagan’s book reflects his conclusions, he believes that the “rapture of the Geeks” ispossible, that the universe is teeming with life, and that many species have been“raptured“ in this way, and have been living for perhaps billions of years, so

Conference Session

Technological Literacy for K-12 and for Community College Students: Concepts, Assessment, and Courses

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steve Macho, Buffalo State College

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

can reflect on and evaluate present and past D&T, its uses and effects. (Design and Technology Association, ¶1, 2010) As summarized in Developing Industrial Design Education: A British perspectivea paper by David Weightman, Professor/Director & Deana McDonagh, AssociateProfessor of Industrial Design of the School of Art and Design, University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign: After establishing the context of design and design education in the UK, the authors describe emerging themes in industrial-design education. These themes can be classified into three types. The first theme involves enabling students to utilize a variety of research approaches at different levels. The design process