Conference Session

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

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Moshe Barak, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

, science and engineering; 2) learning a specific subject intechnology, for example, basic concepts in control systems; and 3) experiencing theprocess of designing, constructing and improving a technological system, for example,robotics. Students’ performance in the course and their very positive reflections on thisexperience indicate that individuals having a background in exact sciences are frequentlyinterested in learning technological concepts and are capable of handling relativelychallenging technological tasks in a short time. Based on our experience, it is suggestedto adapt the following guidelines in designing programs aimed at fostering technologicalliteracy: linking what is learned in the class to participants’ daily lives or

Conference Session

Teaching Technological Literacy - College Courses and Minors

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Austin Talley, University of Texas, Austin; Christina White, Columbia University; Kristin Wood, University of Texas, Austin; Richard Crawford, University of Texas at Austin

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

maintains a lesson diary of the course.Assessment of the course is continually monitored through directed discussion of thecourse with students, review of work produced by the students, and written reflection ofthe course by the students. The written reflections are discussed within the class andshow that the students are gaining a deep understanding of the engineering designconcepts and are actively engaged in the course. Students connect to this course of studythrough the use of active learning methods, including hands-on activities, inductive anddeductive reasoning opportunities, and multimodal experiences. Further, group work isenhanced by considering ways to group students based upon personality types and otherteam-formation strategies rather

Conference Session

Technological Literacy - Courses, Educational and Accreditation Standards

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yoojung Chae, Purdue University; Senay Purzer, Purdue University; Monica Cardella, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

experimentation in problem solving (Standard 8, 9, 10).2Mathematics Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to— build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving; solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts; apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems; monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving (Standard 6).3Modeling The second commonality among the three areas is modeling. The science standards statethat all science subject matters focus on facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models. Thatmeans, science subjects, such as physical science, life

Conference Session

Technological Literacy - Courses, Educational and Accreditation Standards

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Blake, Austin Peay State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

terms, such as systems, constraints, and trade-offs. Is familiar with the nature and limitations of the engineering design process. Knows some of the ways technology shapes human history and people shape technology. Knows that all technologies entail risk, some that can be anticipated and some that cannot. Appreciates that the development and use of technology involve trade-offs and a balance of costs and benefits. Understands that technology reflects the values and culture of society. Ways of Thinking and Acting Asks pertinent questions, of self and others, regarding the benefits and risks of

Conference Session

Technological Literacy and the Educated Person

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Krupczak, Hope College

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

ofinformation. Each discipline has specialized methods and techniques that are applied to specifichardware components that carry out well-characterized subfunctions. Functional analysis orfunctional thinking is then recognized as one of the characteristics of the engineering habit ofmind or modes of engineering thinking. This technique is well-suited to explaining engineeringto a non-engineering audience. The method reflects the type of thinking used by engineers. Aprerequisite background knowledge or use of extensive mathematics is not required. The systemsperspective is inherent in the technique, underlying scientific principles used in specificcomponents can be incorporated, and there is an evident connection to the engineering designprocess. The

Conference Session

Teaching Technological Literacy - Engaging Students

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Loendorf, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

also reflects the dynamic selectionof the material covered in the course. The students respond to technical and historical scenarios bywriting a sequence of five page essays supporting their conclusions. They must build a case thatstrongly supports and backs their decisions by finding, evaluating, incorporating and stating factsby citing resources using APA Formatting. The students are given two weeks to complete eachessay. A typical four-project sequence is presented below.The first project requires the determination of the most important technology, innovation, orinvention for civilization as a whole and then for society today. They are asked to carefullyconsider all of the alternatives and respond to the following two questions. (1) What

Conference Session

Teaching Technological Literacy - Engaging Students

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Loendorf, Eastern Washington University; Terence Geyer, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

a result, they derived more fromthe course than was possible prior to the integration of actual artifacts, graphics, pictures, andvideos. Incorporating a visual and hands-on component to the lectures fostered very interactiveresults in terms of questions and more in-depth discussions. Although not totally unexpected orunanticipated, it was still encouraging to realize this outcome. This aspect of the project, byitself, has made it a worthwhile and rewarding experience. By using a variety of differentpresentation styles, more students were able to relate directly to the material and learn from it.This was also reflected in the course and faculty student evaluations completed during the lastclass session of the term. Their comments were

Conference Session

Technological Literacy - Courses, Educational and Accreditation Standards

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Blake, Austin Peay State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

anticipated and some that cannot. Appreciates that the development and use of technology involve trade-offs and a balance of costs and benefits. Understands that technology reflects the values and culture of society. Ways of Thinking and Acting Asks pertinent questions, of self and others, regarding the benefits and risks of technologies. Seeks information about new technologies. Participates, when appropriate, in decisions about the development and use of Page 15.1193.4 technology. Capabilities Has a range of hands-on skills, such as using a computer for word processing and

Conference Session

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

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Randy Libros, Community College of Philadelphia; Kathleen Harter, Community College of Philadelphia

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

Focus or Topics Course, The Technology Creation Course (Design Course), TheTechnology Critique, Assess, Reflect, or Connect Course.”1ASET 101 has elements in common with the Technology Focus category in that the courseincorporates scientific principles focused on a limited range of technological applications. ASET101 also shares elements of The Technology Critique, Assess, Reflect, or Connect Course,helping students see the connections between technology and public policy questions.Technological literacy has been defined as “an understanding of the nature and history oftechnology, a basic-hands-on capability related to technology, and an ability to think criticallyabout technological development.”2 Providing an explanation and developing an

Conference Session

Teaching Technological Literacy - College Courses and Minors

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roy McGrann, State University of New York, Binghamton

Tagged Divisions

Technological Literacy Constituent Committee

minor.This position reflects the perspective of ABET accreditation. It was noted that minor programsare not accredited and, while specifying outcomes might be valuable criteria, it is not necessaryfor a minor. The analogy mentioned was with a minor in art: it is not generally expected that astudent who earns a minor in art be an artist. Similarly with engineering: a minor in engineeringdoes not identify a student as an engineer. It was concluded that a minor demonstrated a Page 15.32.5student’s interest in a subject area but did not necessarily indicate that a skill was developed.In addition, several bureaucratic difficulties were encountered. One

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

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

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