Tech Directions - April 2008 - (Page 2)

technically speaking Susanne Peckham susanne@techdirections.com On my drive to work, I heard a story on the radio about an organization that would interest many Tech Directions readers: Shop Rat Nation. This privately funded program holds after-school and weekend classes for middle school students that teach skills involved in the skilled trades along with math, science, teamwork, work ethic, and employability traits. It was started by Chris Salow, founder of a Michigan company that manufactures cold-formed products for the heavy-truck industry. Salow created Shop Rat Nation because he feels that too many Americans fail to see the opportunities offered by—and the value of—the skilled trades. He also feels that American students no longer have enough opportunity to learn technical skills and creativity. And he thinks the schools should do more to encourage kids to pursue CTE and to show them more respect for doing so. The Shop Rat Nation Web site salutes technical professions: “Shop Rats are the backbone of America. We [make] sure that things operate smoothly. We build and invent the products you use every day. . . . We work on the assembly lines and we design and construct them as well. We are everywhere and we are talented and strong.” Shop Rat classes provide information on such varied topics as inventory management; blueprint reading; technical drawing; pipe cutting, soldering, and fitting; how screw threads work; the properties of hardwoods, softwoods, plywood, and water-resistant wood; carbonfiber composites; the principles of thrust; and use of lathes and mills. Teachers add to the mix information on careers, featured as Spotlight Job of the Week, such as plumbing, masonry, engineering, fabrication, and package design. Projects that the students take on include egg-drop competitions and building scale models, along with larger and more complex activities. Last year, Shop Rat students built a full-size chopper motorcycle that was raffled off in a fundraiser. In an exercise that gave back to the community, they customized two pediatric wheelchairs for a local hospital to add a “cool factor”—police car and motorcycle chopper details—that would make them more fun for hospitalized kids to use. This year’s students are building a two-seat hovercraft. Check out the Shop Rat Nation Web site (www. shoprat.org). It features a rap song that extolls the virtues of technical careers and more cool Shop Rat music that consists of the sounds of various tools—forklifts, mills, lathes—recorded and mixed into, as the Web site describes it, “a sonic landscape like no other.” The site also has ideas for activities that technology and CTE educators might find useful—and a lot of acknowledgement of the value of what you teach. 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. 9. 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 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 Kendall N. Starkweater, Executive Director,International Technology Education Association, Reston, VA 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 Clarke Homoly, Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Aviation, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg 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 ◆ APRIL 2008 http://www.shoprat.org http://www.shoprat.org http://www.il.proquest.com http://www.napubco.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Tech Directions - April 2008

Tech Directions - April 2008 Technically Speaking Contents Direct from Washington The News Report Technology's Past Technology Today Mastering Computers A Bridge to the Future Aeronautics Study Takes Off! Glider Design for Beginners Project Engineer in the Heavy Construction Industry for Renewable Energy Annual Buyers' Guide More than Fun

Tech Directions - April 2008

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