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To develop meaningful instructional programs for technology education, goals need to be in place to direct the outcomes of curriculum development and teaching. Goals are program terminal outcomes that focus curriculum writers or teachers who structure content for learners. Goals provide direction so content can be delivered for long-term impact to students who study the subject. They go beyond everyday teaching objectives; they are directed at long-term learning and programmatic outcomes. Goals are arrived at through at least three different sources: empirical, philosophical, or subject matter. For this profession, technology educators must look beyond the development of engineers, industrial technologists, or craft workers. They must seek goals that take curriculum designers and teachers beyond the limits of these specific professions toward the goal of technological literacy for all. (Contains 4 tables.)

Survey responses from 91 of 201 institutions in the United States, Australia, Canada, Taiwan, and Japan indicated that 55 offered distance learning in a variety of industrial teacher education programs; 45 used various televised formats, 44 used web-based delivery, 18 CD-ROM/print, and 9 videotape; and 46 allowed transfer of distance learning credits. (Contains 16 references.) (SK)

Research is an important component of each professional field. This study sought to determine topics that needed further research in the school subjects known as career and technical education. It determined topics that needed to be researched related to high school career and technical education (CTE) and the preparation for teaching CTE in secondary schools. A four-round Delphi study methodology was selected to use to determine this set of research needs. Sixteen research needs with descriptions were identified and consensus was achieved on their importance to conducting future research studies. The research needs included 11 items related to high school CTE and 5 items on the preparation for teaching of CTE. These items provide researchers with a list of research opportunities for conducting studies to better understand the needs and potential contributions of CTE.

Radar is a technology that can be used to detect distant objects not visible to the human eye. A predecessor of radar, called the telemobiloscope, was first used to detect ships in the fog in 1904 off the German coast. Many scientists have worked on the development and refinement of radar (Hertz with electromagnetic waves; Popov with determining the distance of lightening strikes; Hulsmeyer with detection of metallic objects). During World War II, radar was further developed by several nations (including the U.K. and U.S.) to detect planes and ships that were entering into a nation's coastal zones. This early warning system allowed time for military forces to prepare to defend themselves (position troops with antiaircraft guns and artillery and to get aircraft squadrons into the air) and for civilians to seek shelter (air-raid shelters and basements). A U.S. Navy radar technician supposedly identified incoming Japanese planes in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, but the reporting officer did not trust the findings with the new technology, since it was so unreliable at that time. Consequently, no warnings were issued prior to the attack, and many U.S. naval ships and aircraft were destroyed and countless lives were lost. This information resource will explain the concept of radar technology. It will review how a radar system works and some applications where it is used every day. Activities for learning more about radar will be presented.

This paper reports the perceptions of 20 international technology education scholars on their country's involvement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Survey research was used to obtain data. It was found that the concept of STEM education is being discussed differently by nations. Some consider STEM education to be the improved teaching of the separate subjects of STEM. Others believe STEM should be taught using an integrative subjects approach. Many believe it is a combination of both of these approaches. Different countries are exploring STEM because of political and economic pressures and because some believe it is a means to improve the delivery of this knowledge. The development of a STEM agenda is mixed. In many countries there have been discussions about STEM education, but little action has been undertaken to modify educational systems to deliver this form of education/instruction. Countries are providing professional development experiences to show teachers how to incorporate STEM into their teaching practices.

Stakeholders in career and technical education declare the value of applied learning through corresponding co-curricular student organizations. However, there is limited empirical evidence to support the notion that student organizations help participants to achieve academic gains. This study examined the levels of engagement in DECA's co-curricular activities, years of membership in DECA, and the impact of multiple years of membership on members' grade point averages in high school. Two-hundred twelve students across Virginia (n = 212) completed an inventory describing their involvement with DECA and provided entry, midpoint, and exit grade point averages. It was determined that DECA members showed significant increases in overall academic grade point averages during their memberships, and multiple years of membership amplified the increases. It was also determined that students who were more engaged in DECA's annual activities showed greater academic gains than did their more passive member counterparts.

These authors report the findings of a study that sought to determine the most relevant research issues needed to be studied by the technology education profession. It used an international panel of experts to develop a list of important research issues for the school subject of technology education and for the preparation of teachers to better teach it to pupils.

The Financial Crisis of 2008 has forced countries around the globe to reevaluate their monetary and fiscal strategies for stimulating growth within their respective economies. The economic connectivity among countries has been magnified by the recent financial crisis. However, with nations at different stages in their development, the economic impact from the crisis has varied throughout the world. After a brief statement on economic development, this article will examine the current economic positions of industrialized and emerging or developing countries around the world. Focus will then be directed toward the job skills needed for success in the 21st Century and the part that technology and engineering education must play in addressing the skill sets needed for creating an educated consumer and workforce.

Many people suffer from chronic diseases and problems due to injury from accidents or ailments. Some problems, such as measles and cancer, can be cured or put into remission with time, medicine, or treatments. Other ailments, such as high blood pressure, failing kidneys, and cystic fibrosis, cannot be cured and require continuous use of medications or organ transplants. Many people are in need of organ transplants (113,075 in the U.S., with only about 1,000 donors per month giving organs or tissues to transplant) (UNOS, 2012). In addition, for those who receive transplants, there is a need to continuously receive antirejection medications to keep their bodies from rejecting the new organs. It seems that, for many, there is no cure to failing health conditions. In this article, the author explores the possible uses of stem cells to aid in mending the human body, and analyzes the ethics associated with this technology. The medical community is using the term regenerative medicine and tissue engineering more and more because of the negativism some attach to stem cell research. (Contains 5 figures.)

Humans and animals need healthy organs to live. Due to medical conditions and accidents, some organs fail to function properly. For these reasons, the medical community has experimented and can now perform successful organ transplants, allowing patients to continue to live their lives. Many countries have medical programs where individuals can donate their organs and tissue (bones, tendons, skin, cornea, etc.) to assist those in need of transplants. These practices and medical miracles have become possible during the last decades. This article describes how, with organ harvesting, transplants, and now stem cell research, the human body may be repairable just as are the machines people invent. With developments in medical technology, humans will need to continue to make decisions as to which paths to follow. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.)

Technological advances through mathematics and science have made possible the modification of boarding sports. This article discusses the development of sport technologies that use boards and also touches on the social and cultural effects of the new technologies. It identifies many new forms of sports equipment that were spawned from modifying existing technology. Two types of activities that one might use for teaching this knowledge are presented. (Contains 4 figures.)

Ship transportation includes various forms of technology. Ships have special designs to meet technological needs. They are used to transport people and cargoes and have been a major part of history throughout civilization. Products are available from around the world because they can be economically moved from producers to consumers. Not only are the ships of today technological marvels, but the supporting technology needed to load and move cargoes require special designs and materials. Ship transportation is a part of modern society and is a topic that can open students to the cultures and economics of the world. (Contains 4 figures.)

Rechargeable batteries are very popular within consumer electronics. If one uses a cell phone or portable electric tool, she/he understands the need to have a reliable product and the need to remember to use the recharging systems that follow a cycle of charge/discharge. Rechargeable batteries are being called "green" energy sources. They are a growing industry and use the advancing technologies of chemical materials and complex control (charge and discharge) circuit designs that lead to announcements of newer products daily. This article reviews the types of rechargeable batteries that are available, including their composition and charging and discharging capabilities. (Contains 5 figures and 1 table.)

Automotive wheels and tires require knowledge to understand their specifications and use. While the durability and useful life of tires have increased substantially over the last several decades, in all probability consumers will purchase a number of vehicle tires over their lifetime. Knowing how they are made and what the numbers mean will assist them in making informed and intelligent consumer purchasing decisions. Basic tire maintenance procedures that can extend the useful life of tires and maintain their safety, performance, and handling features, such as tire air pressure, balancing, and rotation are discussed in this article. Included is a class learning lab activity where a discussion of wheels, tires, and their maintenance for safety purposes is encouraged. This article provides some suggested technology literacy activities, such as having students bring in the sidewall information from their primary vehicle's tires, and determining the speed, load, tread, wear, traction, and temperature ratings.

This teacher education program experimented with innovative methods for identifying potential technology teacher candidates, and with providing training methods that take advantage of candidate's existing technological expertise and experience. In this article, the authors call attention to the shortage of technology education teachers, provide a case study highlighting an alternative technology education program at Old Dominion University, and share several "lessons learned" that will benefit other institutions seeking to implement an alternative program. This teacher education program experimented with innovative methods for identifying potential technology teacher candidates, and with providing training methods that take advantage of candidates' existing technological expertise and experience.

Standards-based testing is a major issue impacting public education around the world. Educational publications and daily newspapers cite instances where schools are accredited, or other instances where teams of educators are being assigned to failing schools, to suggest changes for improving student learning and subsequent test scores. In some instances, the state government has taken control of poorly performing schools. While articles could be written about the contribution that technology education has made to all school subjects, the authors have chosen to analyze mathematics in this writing. One reason for this choice is that when schools are reviewed for their accreditation, they are often found not performing well in mathematics at the middle school level. Why would technology teachers want to begin to build a database of their students? The answer is informed decision making. With data in hand, teachers have tools available to prove the value of studies in technology education. Teachers can use it to get technology education as a required subject in school systems or states. Teachers can position themselves as members of the education team at their school. They can also use it as leverage to get more resources to support programs. What school board would deny additional resources if educators can show that teaching in technology education can improve the test scores of students in school systems?

Responses from 40 of 50 states regarding technology teacher supply and demand with projections to 2005 indicate there will be shortages; 86% of states are using the Standards for Technological Literacy but may lack trained teachers to implement them. (Contains 14 references.) (JOW)

Discusses the projected shortage in technology-education teachers and suggests how teacher educators can increase enrollments. (JOW)

Relates the history of credit cards, their evolution to current forms, and innovations (debit cards, token cards, smart cards). Considers their sociocultural impact. Provides a design brief, including objectives, resources, evaluation criteria, outcomes, and a quiz. (SK)

A review of 12 characteristics of a profession shows that technology education professionals are involved with all of them, most actively in service orientation and knowledge based on scientific theory. (SK)