Competencies

How is the competency addressed in Technology Education programs?

Resources
SCANS states that employers need employees that are able to identify, organize, plan, and allocate resources including time, money, material, facilities, and human resources.

Students in technology education programs typically engage in projects through which they are required to plan their time and keep a schedule or log of their activities.
Teachers may also require their students to “purchase” materials for design projects using pretend money and a hypothetical budget.  Students must also select and use appropriate materials to construct prototypes for design projects.

Interpersonal
SCANS states that employers need employees that are able to work with others by participating as a member of a team, teaching others new skills, serving clients and customers, exercising leadership, negotiating, and working with diversity.

Students in technology education programs often work together in team design projects, sometimes being specifically designated as the “team leader.”
Students must work together to make critical decisions throughout the design process and sometimes need to negotiate alternatives to problems encountered and justify reasons for their arguments.

Information
SCANS states that employers need employees that are able to acquire and use information by demonstrating abilities to acquire and evaluate, organize and maintain, interpret and communicate, and use computers to process information.

Students in technology education programs learn that an important step in design is to research appropriate topics, giving them practice in acquiring, evaluating, and interpreting information in a real world context.  This may occur using both print and electronic information sources.
Although Technology Education should not be equated with studying computers, students gain valuable experience by using computer hardware and software as a tool in the design process.  For example, students may use computer aided design (CAD) or simulation software throughout the design process to assist their planning for a project.

Systems
SCANS states that employers need employees that are able to understand complex inter-relationships by understanding systems, monitoring and correcting performance, and improving or designing systems.

Students in technology education programs will develop an understanding that the technological world is made up of various systems that these systems may interconnect. 
Students also engage in projects in which they design actual devices and systems.  For example, students may be challenged to design a system that will monitor and adjust controls for a hydroponic greenhouse.

Technology
SCANS states that employers need employees that are able to work with a variety of technologies by selecting technology, applying technology to task, and maintaining and troubleshooting equipment.

Students in technology education programs learn about different technologies in a very broad sense.  They will develop an understanding that not all tools may fit a task and develop the thinking skills required to select appropriate “tools” for the job.

Foundation

How is the foundation addressed in Technology Education programs?

Basic Skills
SCANS states that employers need employees that are proficient in reading, writing, mathematics, listening, and speaking.

Students in technology education programs read, write, listen, and speak in real world contexts.  For example, students must critically read research material, write summaries about testing their solutions to design problems, listen to other student’s points of view about projects and ideas, and present their solutions to problems upon completion of a project.
Students also must apply knowledge from all other areas of the curriculum, especially mathematics and science throughout their projects.  They may be required to use an equation to calculate the height their rocket project travels, or estimate the distance a projectile will be launched.

Thinking Skills
SCANS states that employers need employees that think creatively, make good decisions, solve problems, see things in the mind’s eye, know how to learn, and reason.

Students in technology education programs must think creatively in order to generate new ideas to solve a technological problem.  They must also make decisions about which of their ideas will work best upon completion.
Problem solving is the keystone of all technology education curriculums since students will engage in several real-world thematic problems throughout a course.
Students learn to see things in the mind’s eye as they develop plan drawings of their solutions to problems and organize information from their research.
Technology education courses stress critical thinking (being aware of one’s own thought processes), decision-making, and reasoning.

Personal Qualities
SCANS states that employers need employees that are responsible, have good self-esteem, are sociable, have good self-management qualities

Students in technology education programs work together to solve problems.  They must manage their time and resources during projects and be responsible for their own work as part of a group.  Throughout these experiences, students can develop an excellent sense of self-esteem and integrity as they experience their own successes during projects.