Conference Session

Objectives, Assessment, and Methods for Teaching Technological Literacy

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steve Macho, Buffalo State College; Su Wang, China National Institute for Educational Research

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

institutions in China. The Buffalo State College Center for China Studiescelebrated its ten-year anniversary this past fall (2010). Additionally, Buffalo State Collegehouses a Technology Education program and several Engineering Technology programs.Workshop Goals and Objectives The workshop goals were developed collaboratively among CNIER staff and BuffaloState College faculty. Research was conducted by reviewing CNIER Future Engineers materials,Chinese news stories on education, and conducting many interviews. The common over-archingtheme was to promote technological literacy in an integrated fashion that is not specific to anyexisting curriculum, e.g., not a portion of the science or math curriculum. The workshop goals were to

Conference Session

Technological Literacy

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William R. Loendorf, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

presentation, additional time is allocated for a question andanswer period. Many of the questions at this point are related to specific technical majors andprograms.In some cases, a single 50-minute session is simply not enough time to adequately cover a topic.In order to resolve this issue, a number of 50-minute sessions, usually two or three held onconsecutive days, are grouped together to form a type of short course or mini course. These areoften included as an integral part of an existing course in order to add depth and breadth to thesubject matter. The presenter is introduced to the audience as a guest lecturer or invited lecturer.This format offers flexibility, variety, and a change of pace for the class or audience.Evaluation and AssessmentAt

Conference Session

Objectives, Assessment, and Methods for Teaching Technological Literacy

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert J. Gustafson, Ohio State University; John Krupczak, Hope College; James F. Young, Rice University, Electrical & Computer Engineering; Mani Mina, Iowa State University

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

, technological literacy has not been a significant focus ofinstruction and assessment in K-12 curriculum or in higher education outside of engineering.Some technological topics are being integrated in other areas such humanities, social sciences,and mathematics instruction but primarily for supporting of instruction within these areas. As defined in the broadly recognized report of the National Academies2, technological Page 22.524.2literacy encompasses three interdependent dimensions – knowledge, ways of thinking and acting

Conference Session

Technological Literacy for Undergraduate Students

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Randy Libros, Community College of Philadelphia

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

democratic society charged with making long-term decisions on these emerging technologies. The course, Science, Technology and Public Policy (ASET 101) is a 3 credit, non-lab sciencecourse. It is a required course in the Applied Science and Engineering Technology curriculum,but also fulfills the science general education requirement at the institution, and so appeals to abroader audience than those specifically in the curriculum. In addition, the course is open tohigher level developmental students as well as high school students through a dual enrollmentprogram, thus providing an opportunity for students to explore science, technology and relatedsocietal issues early in their academic career. Students who are still deciding on academic and

Conference Session

Technological Literacy for Undergraduate Students

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Krupczak, Hope College; Lauren Aprill

Tagged Divisions

Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

they are likely to encounter in advanced course work in a specificengineering discipline. Achievement of either of these goals would require appropriatecurriculum materials and learning activities. Some of the curriculum materials used in currentexisting introduction to engineering courses may require modification to better meet thetechnological literacy goal of a broad understanding of a wide range of technology.An additional consideration regarding introduction to engineering courses lies in acknowledgingthat not all students enrolled in an introduction to engineering course will persist to completionof an engineering major. Setting aside the issue of why these students leave engineering, it isreasonable to suggest that introduction to