Tech Directions - January 2008 - (Page 2)

technically speaking Susanne Peckham susanne@techdirections.com I recently heard from frequent contributor Harry Roman in response to my November column, which discussed the shortsightedness of calling for four-year college for all, along with the skills most needed to succeed in the new economy. I have great respect for Harry, a very successful engineer and inventor, and want to share some of his comments: “College is not for everyone, and making it the goal and mission of high schools that everyone be educated for college is wrong. College is not the great provider of creativity and innovation skills needed for global competitiveness. In fact, college is more about the tried and true and political correctness. Technology education is the only place in any curricula (grammar, high school, or college) where students get the chance to learn the process and integration skills that lead to creative and innovative solutions. Having done a great deal of renovation at my home over the past 5 years, I can say I have seen craftsmen with better problem-solving and on-the-spot creative skills than most of the engineers I worked with and managed over 36 years. The globally competitive world will demand that people understand how to solve problems but not necessarily all the theory and nuances behind the science and math. Leaders will be masters of process skills who can solve problems in a multi-disciplinary, multi-dimensional manner, leading project teams all the way from problem identification to solution implementation. I have written about this since the early 1980s, and it seems so obvious. But no one in the traditional academic venue seems to be listening. It’s always more math and science, never more project-based challenges, which is what life is like in the real world. This may be why business is hiring lower-cost engineers from overseas. What they really are willing to pay for is the integration/process-based skills. More math and science alone won’t get the job done. It’s a process vs. content argument, and technology education wins every time. Another part of the problem is that we have no clue about measuring the creative, innovative aspects of schoolwork. We just have standardized tests that measure perhaps only 1 of the 9 to 12 intelligences that experts tell us humans really posses. Global competitiveness requires the whole package of skills—subject content + integrative process—and we are woefully inadequate in the latter. This is where technology education can make the difference. All students should take technology education throughout grammar school, high school, and college. Change the academic day now.” Well said—by someone who knows firsthand how things work in the real world. A Prakken Publications Magazine Digital Tech Directions (ISSN 1940-3100) is published monthly, except June and July, by Prakken Publications, Inc., 832 Phoenix Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Executive, editorial, and advertising offices are at PO Box 8623, Ann Arbor, MI 481078623, telephone 734-975-2800; fax 734-975-2787. Vol. 67, No. 6. Board of Directors Turalee A. Barlow George F. Kennedy Janice E. Knope Susanne Peckham Publisher George F. Kennedy Assistant Publisher & Business Mgr. Turalee A. Barlow, tbarlow@techdirections.com Managing Editor Susanne Peckham, susanne@techdirections.com Associate Editor Pam Moore, pam@techdirections.com Art, Design, and Production Manager Sharon K. Miller Advertising Sales Representatives Tonya L. White, 800-5309673 x209, tonya@techdirections.com Richard J. Alden, 603-899-3010, fax: 603-899-2343. rjalden@ techdirections.com David A. Yetman, 603-878-4705;dyetman@techdirections.com Subscription Dept. Vanessa Revelli, vanessa@techdirections.com, 800-530-9673 x217 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Michael Fitzgerald, Technology Education Specialist, Office of Career and Technical Education, Indiana Dept. of Education, Indianapolis, IN Tom Frawley, Technology Education, G. Ray Bodley High School, Fulton, NY, and journal editor, New York State Technology Teacher Paul Koontz, President, Denford Inc., Medina, OH Ed Prevatt, School Specialist, National Center for Construction Education and Research, Gainesville, FL John Roccanova, Technology Education, Webutuck Central School, Amenia, NY Mark Schwendau, Technology Instructor, Kishwaukee College, Malta, IL PEER REVIEW BOARD Gregory G. Belcher, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Technical Teacher Education, Pittsburg State University, KS Daniel M. Claiborne, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology, Murray State University, KY Sam Cotton, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Ball State University, Muncie, IN Ronald F. Gonzales, Ph.D., ASE, Program Chair, Technology Teacher Education Professor, Brigham Young University, UT Robert T. Howell, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Technology Studies, Fort Hays State University, KS Robert D. Mordini, Ed.D., Asst. Professor, Technology Studies, Fort Hays State University, KS Richard Phillips, Ed.D., Division Chair, Technologies Division, Mountain Empire Community College, VA Joseph Scarcella, Ph.D., Professor of Education, California State University, San Bernadino Mark S. Schwendau, M.S., Technology Instructor, Kishwaukee College, Malta, IL Bert Siebold, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Industrial & Engineering Technology, Murray State University, KY Chris Zirkle, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, College of Education, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH Subscriptions: individuals: $30 per year; $55 two years; Canadian and foreign: add $10 per year. Canadian GST #R126213487. Single copies $3. Group rate for students in teacher-training institutions available upon request. Periodicals postage paid at Ann Arbor, MI, and additional mailing offices. Printed in U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address information to Tech Directions, PO Box 8623, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8623. Manuscripts should be addressed to: Editor, Tech Directions, PO Box 8623, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8623. Manuscripts become property of Tech Directions upon letter of acceptance to author and signed copyright release form. Payment made on publication. Electronic copies of back issues available from ProQuest Information and Learning, www.il.proquest.com. Microform copies available from NAPC, www.napubco.com ©2008 by Prakken Publications, Inc. 2 techdirections ◆ JANUARY 2008 http://www.il.proquest.com http://www.napubco.com http://techdirections.com

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Tech Directions - January 2008 Technically Speaking Contents Direct from Washington The News Report Technology's Past Technology Today Mastering Computers Transportation/CAD/CAM Communication Manufacturing Pre-engineering Special Feature: Annual Media Review Free for the Asking More than Fun

Tech Directions - January 2008

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