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Recommended Citation
Wicklein, R. C. (2004). Critical issues and problems in technology education. The Technology Teacher, 64(4), 6-9.
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CRITICAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN
TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
Robert C. Wicklein, DTE
If we are to guide our profession successfully
"This is our decade, we will either
develop as a strong and viable through the myriad of problems and concerns
instructional program or we will wither
and die as an insignificant relic of a
failed curriculum" (Custer, 2003).
that impact us, we will need to be strategic in
These prophetic words by the 2002-
2004 president of the Council on every decision.
Technology Teacher Education (CTTE)
seem to be ringing more true with the
passing of each school year. In these
critical times it is imperative that we
utilize every available resource to build
and establish our field of study and to
survey-based research methodologies
were deemed appropriate to collect
data. A combination of random
T field; Problem - an obstacle that is
preventing progress or development for
tbe field). Section 3 - Criticallssues -
address and solve the issues and sampling and total population data sougbt the rating and ranking on 18
problems that we now face. Therefore, collection strategies were employed. pre-identified critical issue items.
if we are to guide our profession Stratified random sampling was used Section 4 - Critical Problems - sought
successfully through the myriad of to collect data from classroom rating and ranking on 21 pre-identified
problems and concerns that impact us, teachers of tecfinology education. A critical problem items. Participants
we will need to be strategic in every total of 347 middle school and high were asked to rate tbeir level of
decision. A crucial first step to scfiooi teachers were randomly agreement or disagreement on each
preserve the future of the profession is selected from tfie four regions of the item by using a likert-type scale,
to gather empirical data that International Technology Education indicating Strongly Agree, Agree,
accurately identifies the critical issues Association (ITEA) to participate in tbis Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. In
and problems facing technology study. In addition, tbe entire population addition, each participant was
education. of 132 university department asked to independently rank order the
beads/program leaders in technology top tbree (3) critical issues and
teacber education, as well as the total problems tbat tbey deemed tbe most
Research Goals population of 55 state and regional vital to the field of tecbnology
supervisors, were selected to receive education.
To address the need of identifying a the survey questionnaire. Tbese
comprehensive base for the critical individuals represented an appropriate
issues and problems, research was cross-sectional perspective of tbe Results
conducted to ascertain the perspec- current needs and difficulties facing
Survey Construction
Df the 534 survey questionnaires that
were mailed, 301 were completed in
some fasbion and returned. Eive (5)
surveys were incompletely or
inaccurately filled out and were
following two (2) questions; Tbe survey was divided into four (4) deemed unusable, therefore, 296
sections. Section 1 - Demographics - surveys, or 55%, were analyzed for
• What are the critical Issues that sought to collect data on tbe evaluation. Table 1 presents tbe results
are currently impacting tbe appropriate demographic categories, of the demographic data collected in
technology education field of including instructional position, (e.g., this study.
study? middle school teacber, bigh school
teacher, etc.), years of experience, Participants were asked to identify
• What are the critical problems that tbeir level of agreement or
are currently impacting the gender, and age. Section 2 -
Directions - explained tbe procedures disagreement on eacb survey item. A
technology education field of likert-type scale was utilized to
study? for completing tbe survey and defined
the terms used in tbe survey (e.g.. ascertain participant perspectives with
1
In order to obtain standardized Critical - bigh degree of importance for 4=Strongly Agree, 3 = Agree,
information from the most knowl- tbe field; Issue - a concern tbat may 2 = Disagree, and 1 = Strongly
edgeable subjects integral to this topic. affect progress or development for tbe Disagree. Table 2 represents tbe
analyses of tbe overall group mean
4 Enhancing business and industry connection with The matching of rating scores with
technology education 3.32 0.68 rank order for the critical problems met
with much more consistency. Four {4}
Integration of technology education with other of tbe top rated critical problems were
school subjects 3.30 0.70 also categorized within the top five in
rank order. The critical problem items,
Table 3 Insufficient quantities of qualified
Overall Mean Scores/Standard Deviations - Top Five Critical Prohtems for technology education teachers.
Inadequate understanding by
Technology Education
administrators and counselors
Critical Problem Mean SD concerning technology education, and
Inadequate understanding by general
Insufficient quantities of qualified technology populace concerning technology
education teachers 3.60 0.61 education, were rated and ranked
identically (position 1, 2, 3) on both
Inadequate understanding by administrators and
measurements. In addition, Inadequate
counselors concerning technology education 3.52 0.69 financial support for technology
Inadequate understanding by general populace education programs was rated as the
concerning technology education 3.41 0.68 5"' most important critical problem and
ranked 4"^ most significant critical
Increased high school graduation requirements problem.
i
impacting on technology education programs 3.29 0.73
Rank Order
Table 5
Rank Order of Critical Problems in Technology Education
Rank Order
Conclusions rightful place within the school future health of the technology
curriculum.
education profession. Without a
Each of the critical issues and
The most obvious conclusion from this serious and immediate effort to
problems identified in this study bears
research is the concern and crisis over address these needs, the field of
further investigation and possible
the insufficient quantities of qualified technology education, as we know it,
action to correct the crisis. Clearly,
new technology educators entering the will cease to exist in the short-range
some of the issues and problems are
instructional ranks. As the strongest future.
more critical to specialized groups, at
certain times, and in particular indicator in this research, the dilemma
Inadequacies seem to also plague the
locations. However, other issues and over recruitment and preparation of
field of technology education,
problems are serious and systemic to new technology teachers coming from
Inadequate understanding by
the entire profession of technology university programs dwarfs all of the
administrators and counselors
education. Some actions will require other concerns. Identified as the
concerning technology education and
the efforts of literally every person highest priority in both the critical
Inadequate understanding by general
involved in the profession, while others issues and problems sections of the
populace concerning technology
will need to be addressed by a select study. Recruitment of students/
education speak to the issue and
teachers into teacher education
1
group of educators. The crux of the problem of confusion and mis-
matter is that strategic actions by programs and Insufficient quantities of
understanding of what technology
technology educators at all ranks are qualified technology education
education is about. Technology
needed if the profession is to take its teachers are vital to the current and
Recommendations
The majority of the issues and
problems that were identified in this
T
study were also evaluated as
significant in similar studies conducted
in 1993 and 1996 (Wicklein, 1993;
Wicklein & Hill, 1996). The unique-
nesses of the issues and problems
facing technology education at this
time in its history may very well be at
a point of no retum, where solutions
must be found if the field is to sun/ive.