TTE 261
Foundations of Technical
Education
Lesson Nine
MODERN EDUCATIONAL
INITIATIVES
This lesson includes several modern educational initiatives. It is designed for you to look up several sources online or other available materials to learn more about modern educational initiatives.
Industrial Education Programs
While many of these programs have come and gone long before our time we can still benefit from a
study of the evolution of our discipline. This also gives us a framework from which to view
contemporary industrial education programs like School to Work and Tech Prep. This fairly
extensive list also clearly elaborates the idea that industrial/technical education today involves far
more than teaching, "Shop."
Programs of the 1960’s
These programs arose as a result of general dissatisfaction with the direction and scope of industrial
education that surfaced in the 60’s. They have changed the course of our discipline today. A
summary of some of these significant programs is included below.
Education for a productive society; provided exploratory experiences in a multiplicity of career
opportunities; a variety of learning experiences directly relating to equipment and supplies available
as representative samples of materials and technologies in our society; classes included ceramics,
graphic arts, plastics, woods, metals, electricity, power transmission, research and development in
11th and 12th grade.
American Industry
Project -- 1963 Stout State Univ., Grades 9-12
Education related to the study of concepts and problem solving directly related to industry ; Content
included marketing, management, production, materials, processes, energy, communications,
transportation, finance, economics related to American industry; Activity centered on problem
solving in a student directed enterprise.
Cluster Concepts
in Vo. Ed. -- 1965 Donald Maley, Grades 11 & 12
A set of common skills and understandings is basic to technical fields; Clusters designed for
introductory study; an individual could shift to other occupations within the cluster or family of
occupations; Content included electro-mechanical installation and repair, metal forming and
fabrication, and construction.
Correlated
Curriculum Project -- 1966 New York Public Schools Grades 9-12
Ford Foundation
Provided an educational program of career orientation, exploration, and training for non-academic
students to appeal to abilities, needs, and interests by providing them with salable skills and
on-the-job experiences; Objectives included appropriate career choice through exploratory
experiences in business, health, and industrial careers; Content included business careers --
manufacturing, retail, transportation, financial, civil service; Health careers -- food services, lab
services, nursing and therapy; Correlated subjects to science, English and math
Man and
Technology -- 1968 Ronald Stadt Grades 7-12
To understand productive society as interrelated enterprises, define occupations as productive units
and to specify occupational choice based upon occupational aptitudes, interests, and work role
expectations; Study of man and technology clusters including electronics and instrumentation, visual
communications, materials and processes, energy conversion and power transmission.
Functions of
Industry -- 1960 Wayne State Univ. Grades ???
To assist students in choosing an industrially oriented occupation by seeing the wholeness of modern
industry, its underlying functions, and interrelatedness; The student will then by able to perceive the
whole; Emphasized "goods producing" and "goods servicing"
Galaxy Plan --
1961
Students should explore the world of work manipulatively, locate what they would like to as a first
job on the career ladder; They should have a salable skill upon leaving school; Galaxy areas included
materials and processes, energy and propulsion, visual communications, personal services
Georgia Plan --
1960
To develop insights and understandings of industry and technology in our culture and the ability to
use tools, materials, and industrial processes to solve technical problems; Content included
transportation, manufacturing, communications, drafting, electricity-electronics, metals, woods,
power, and graphic arts.
Industrial Arts
and Technology --
To interpret technology and bring out its meaning , origin, nature, development, advancement, and
impact on man and society; Assisted students in discovery, development, and realization of talent
capacity; Content included technology and the home, technology and the community, technology and
the world, manufacturing industries, construction industries and research and development.
I A C P --
Industrial Arts Curriculum Project 1965 Donald Lux/
Univ/ USOE/
Industrial arts is the study of the technology of industry; Students should understand the concepts
and principles of industrial technology, have and appreciation of industry as part of our economic
system, and demonstrate knowledge and skills that will be useful in life situations of occupational,
recreational, consumer, and socio-cultural significance; Content included the "world of construction"
and the "world of manufacturing" with industrial technology divided into management, production,
and personnel practices.
Industrial Arts Education -- 1960s A V A Grades K-12
Technological foundations are in a constant state of change; Industrial arts is the study of the basics
of technology and is a phase of general education; Students should develop an insight and
understanding of industry and its place in our culture and develop talents, aptitudes, interests in
technical pursuits and applied sciences; Content includes basic exploratory experiences using tools,
materials, processes, and products.
Industriology --
1965 Wisc.
Industry affects everyone and should be part of education for all; Students should develop an
understanding of industry and its implications on modern society, solve problems, create and design
and develop a degree of skill in the use of tools, machines, materials, and processes of industry; The
structure of industry was divided into raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, service, with
activities in development and design, purchasing, manufacturing, industrial relations, finance and
office operations, and marketing.
Interdisciplinary
Voc. Project -- 1955
Purpose was to find those elements which are common to all who will go into industry as well as to
college-bound students who will benefit from the information; Content to provide occupational
information, job selection criteria, guidance in self-assessment; Involved teachers from agriculture,
business, health, home economics, industrial arts, and guidance counselors.
To reflect industry and technology within the framework of a comprehensive general laboratory; To
develop skills in the use of tools, machines, equipment and related processes and to develop
desirable attitudes toward work; Content included manufacturing, construction, electrical-electronics,
power-transportation, and service; developed using an "umbrella" concept involving finance, R & D,
production, service, P & A, and marketing.
Man and Tech. as
a Structure -- 1967 Paul W. DeVore Grades K-12
Man and Technology is the base of our society and has been a central theme throughout history;
Concerned with adaptability to technological change, intelligent citizenship in a post-industrial age,
valuing and knowing about technology as a major force in our culture; Technology is
problem-oriented, future-oriented, activity-oriented, and environmentally-centered; Central themes
included man as: a builder, a communicator, a producer, a developer, a transporter, an organizer,
and a craftsman; Program is interdisciplinary in nature and requires a teacher-scholar, not a
craftsman.
Industry is oriented to sociological, psychological, and biological bases; Industrial arts is attractive,
meaningful, and valuable for all; Centers on the nature and place of science and invention in industry;
Content presented through a research and experimentation approach, group project study, and
individual study; Includes tools, machines, power, energy, communications, transportation.
Occupational
Educ. for All -- 1960s Niles Comm. Schools Grades 7-10
The world of work is for everyone and occupational competence is of utmost importance;
Developed an understanding of the world of work, tools of work, interpersonal values, and provided
a basis of selection of further high school or post-secondary training; Content included home
economics, industrial arts, business; Team teaching at the 7th and 8th grade levels.
Occupational, Voc. and Tech. Program --1964 Jerry Olson Grades 6 - 14 Pittsburg Public Schools
A need was seen to end the operation of separate vocational and academic high schools; The idea
was to blend disciplines to form an occupational mix; Each student should develop an understanding
of his/her self, increase skill and earning power, and acquire knowledge that is salable in a working
world; Content included exploratory industrial arts, home economics, and business followed by skill
centered classes in 60 areas.
Orchestrated Systems -- 1966 Lewis Yoho Grades ???? Indiana State Univ.
Examines the "human-life-system" and sub systems to determine the processes which are employed
in production of goods and services and contribution to life experiences; Content developed through
system modeling technique. The program was to operate like a basketball team with the highly
skilled operating the system but the understudies continually moving into place; High priority areas
were construction, manufacturing, service and technical communications.
Partnership Voc. Educ. Project -- 1965 Central Michigan Univ./ Grades 9- PS Ford Foundatio
The problems of unemployment and teenagers without jobs suggests the redesign of secondary
school, community college, and university curricula which is best accomplished through a partnership
among these schools; Content included The Study of American Industry and intern and work study
programs to provide more realistic approaches to skill development.
Project ABLE -- 1965 Quincy (Mass)Public Schools Grades 11-12 and USOE
A program designed to provide an education for the 75% of students who do not go to college and
the 35% who leave school before graduation; Stresses vocational competence, responsible
citizenship, and maximum self-realization; Content included pre-vocational units (mechanical, spatial,
electrical, chemical-biological, symbolic, and people) and high school occupational families
(electricity-electronics, metals and machines, power mechanics, general woodworking, piping, food
preparation, data processing, commercial arts, health occupations, home economics, and business
education); materials were developed by a team which included English, math, science, social
science and vocational teachers.
Learning should be interdisciplinary; Grouping of students by common interest is useful; Prepare
students for entry level job skills and articulation with post secondary (from "retarded to gifted")
Vocational education at the high school level must help meet the needs of students who do not enter
college; Through a combination of general education, guidance, tentative career selection, properly
sequenced courses, and a capstone course dealing with a family of occupations, this need would be
met; Capstone courses offered in Grade 12 by qualified vocational instructors
Industrial Education Continuum
Industrial education is an integrated, articulated, and educational continuum that provides students
with an understanding of industry, as well as skills and knowledge that will enable them to contribute
and profit from our industrial society. Level I, II, and III of industrial education are designed to
provide a sequential offering of orientation, exploration, and preparation to best meet the career
needs of students.
Level I- Level one courses are designed to offer students orientation and broad exploratory
experiences in general industrial areas. The courses should provide occupational information and
guidance, laboratory exercises that develop basic skills, and related experiences that assist students
in understanding different industrial areas in our economy.
The description of level one offerings are as follows:
Visual Communications- An exploratory study of the areas of drafting, graphic arts, basic
electricity/electronics and related occupations. Basic drafting, printing concepts, and
electrical/electronic communication principles are components of this course.
Construction- An exploratory survey of the field of construction and related occupations, with
instructions and activities in the areas of basic carpentry, electrical wiring, plumbing, masonry, and
structural building techniques. Important to the course content is how the construction industry
functions in today’s economy.
Manufacturing- Manufacturing is an exploratory study of occupations, materials, processes, and tool
related to production industries. How materials can be processed to form products and the study of
basic concepts, such as mass production, designing, and management in industry are included in the
course. The course is organized around the content areas of woods, metals, plastics, and industrial
crafts, and should offer activities and instruction in these areas.
Transportation and Power- An exploratory study of power mechanics, electrical theory and power,
and fluid power with appropriate activities and instruction in these areas. Occupational information
and guidance are part of the course offering.
Level II - Level II courses are designed to provide students with more in depth study of
industrial-technical areas than level I courses. Courses are organized in terms of industrial materials,
processes, and technical occupational areas. Each course represents an area particular to industry.
The courses at level II are designed to provide an experience at a level that will allow students to
articulate with level III industrial programs, secondary academic programs, or serve the students’
general education needs.
The description of the Level II offerings are as follows:
General Crafts- A broad course dealing with many aspects of a specialized industry. The content
should include activities and instruction in a least three of the following: (1) leather, (2) textiles, (3)
wood crafts, (4) artmetal, (5) ceramics, and (6) jewelry and lapidary.
General Electricity/Electronics- A comprehensive study of electrical theories and equipment that
leads to a general study of the field of electronics. The content should include activities and
instruction in all of the following areas: (1) communications electronics, (2) electrical power, and (3)
industrial and computer electronics.
General Drafting- A broad course dealing with many areas of visual communications. The content
should include basic activities and instruction in all of the following areas: (1) technical illustration, (2)
architectural drafting, and (3) machine drawing.
General Graphic Arts- This course is designed to provide the student with some basic experiences in
the massive area of printing. The content should include activities and instruction in at least three of
the following areas: (1) photo-offset lithography, (2) letterpress printing (3) screen process printing,
(4) graphic layout and design, and (5) photography.
General Metals- A broad-based laboratory course designed to provide a comprehensive
introduction to the technology of different metals and metal working processes—both its theory and
practice. The content should include activities and instruction in at least three of the following areas:
(1) sheet metal, (2) foundry, (3) welding, and (4) machine shop.
General Power Mechanics- The course is a broad look at different power systems. The content
should include activities and instruction in at least three of the following areas; (1) auto- mechanics,
(2) fluid power, (3) transportation, (4) power generation, and (5) power transmission.
General Woods- A comprehensive laboratory course designed to provide the students with
meaningful experiences in working with wood related materials and machines. The content should
include activities and instruction in all of the following: (1) wood technology, (2) cabinetmaking, and
(3) carpentry.
Industrial Materials and Processes- A course designed to study a variety of materials, such as
ceramics, plastics and how the material are converted into different products. The content should
include activities and instruction in all of the following areas: (1) Plastics, (2) masonry, and (3)
structural ceramics.
Level III- Each Level III course is designed to provide training in basic skills and knowledge
needed for entry level employment in a particular occupation. Level III courses in an industrial
education program should be selected on the basis of industrial student’s needs. Students entering
level III should have the interests and capabilities to successfully complete the selected training.
Although beneficial, Level I and/or Level II completion are not prerequisites for entering Level III
training.
In addition to basic Level III courses, more training can usually be obtained on post-secondary or
adult classes.
The description of level three courses are as follows:
Air Conditioning and Heating- Prepares students to install, service, and repair air conditioning and
heating systems.
Appliance Repair- Trains students to work on major and portable appliances.
Auto- Body Repair- Prepares students to repair and paint damaged bodies and body parts of
automobiles and light trucks.
Auto Mechanics- Equips students to maintain and repair mechanical, pneumatic, and electrical parts
of cars, trucks, buses, and other gasoline powered equipment.
Building Maintenance- Develops student abilities in maintaining buildings occupied by education
business, and industry.
Carpentry- Prepares students to lay out, cut, and install wood and other building materials used in
building construction.
Cabinet Making- Trains students to mass produce furniture, fixtures, cabinets, office equipment, and
other wood products.
Other offerings include such occupations as, commercial art, diesel mechanics, drafting, dry cleaning,
electricity, electronics, graphic arts, interior finishing, machine shop, masonry, mine equipment
maintenance, mining, office machine repair, plant maintenance, plumbing, radio and TV repair,
service station attendant, sheet metal, small engine repair, tailoring, upholstery, and welding
For Further Study:
1. Select two of the programs of the 1960’s that you find interesting and significant.
Explain how you feel those programs have influences your discipline today
2. Briefly summarize the 3 levels of the Industrial Education Continuum.