Technological Literacy And First Year Courses For Engineering And Engineering Technology Majors

Technological literacy courses and programs have the goal of educating people about technology. These courses do not focus on developing specific abilities to use some form of technology. Rather, these courses address broader questions and issues, such as the answer to the question of what is technology, and understanding how technology is developed and improved over time. A technologically literate person has learned to recognize the importance of technology in our lives, our collective ability to direct or restrict technological change, and the importance of economic, social, legal, and public policy considerations. One thrust in technological literacy education has been to teach this subject to people who are not pursuing majors in engineering and technology. This has unique challenges, including the challenge of overcoming the sense of intimidation that seems to come with engineering courses. The topics being taught here are not only important for non-majors. Student pursuing degrees in engineering and engineering technology also need to develop technological literacy. While their major courses will focus on specific aspects of the student’s chosen area of engineering and technology, especially on developing the student’s abilities in analysis, design, and application of technology, these students also need to develop an understanding of the connections between technology and society. Many institutions require new engineering and engineering technology students to take at least one first year course in the major. These courses are intended to introduce students to the subject of engineering and technology, to help them see the road ahead to the degree, and to assist the student in developing some basic abilities needed for future courses. This course is also likely to be expected to cover certain EAC or TAC of ABET program learning outcomes. This first year course often plays an important role in teaching prospective majors about engineering and technology, and may be more likely to cover broad issues of technology and society than upper level, major-specific courses. The first year course is likely to include significant coverage of technological literacy in the course content. This link with technological literacy may or may not be recognized. The author has taught introductory level courses and an upper level course focusing on technological literacy for non-majors. This paper will explore links between the two types of courses and the concept of teaching technological literacy as a framework for material in first year courses. Finally, the paper will also discuss carrying the concept of teaching technological literacy throughout the curriculum. P ge 15193.2 Introduction First year courses are an integral part of many engineering and engineering technology degree programs. These courses serve to introduce newly declared majors to careers in engineering and technology. A student taking such a course should come away with a foundation of knowledge about engineering and technology, about the different engineering disciplines, the work involved, and career prospects to be able to make an informed decision on whether they should pursue such a degree or not and what discipline would be the best match to their talents and interests. There is a strong correlation between the basic information about engineering and technology appropriate for first year courses and technological literacy. The perspective of teaching technological literacy can be useful in determining and framing content for first year courses. Likewise, a first year course may serve as a platform for developing a service course for nonmajors in technological literacy. This paper will explore the common ground between first year and technological literacy courses. First Year Courses – Content The author teaches a first year course in an engineering technology program. Taken from the course syllabus, the course includes the following topics: Introduction to Technological Professions: Engineering Technology and Engineering Technological Careers: What to Expect in Today's Environment Getting to that Career: Surviving a Technological Major in College Technological Problem-Solving Overview of the History of Technology Ethics and Technology At the end of this course, students should have met the following learning outcomes: have an understanding of engineering, engineering technology, and areas of technology, be able to solve basic technical problems using tools covered in this course, along with being aware of the limitations of the results, and through a discussion of topics from the history of technology and of issues in technological practice, students are exposed to the product development process, to physical, economic, social, and environmental issues, and will have a basic appreciation of professional issues and ethics in technology. These lists of topics and outcomes were developed to meet the main goal of giving students information on which to base major and career decisions, and were done in reference to common first year textbooks 1-5 and to accreditation criteria. 6,7 In the process of introducing engineering and technology, the course covers many topics that are relevant to meeting Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC of ABET) criteria. These are also relevant to meeting the criteria for engineering programs (Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET). While later courses in the curriculum focus on capabilities needed for specific tasks, in this course there is more emphasis on broader issues involved in understanding technology including P ge 15193.3 how and why it is developed, the benefits and risks associated with technology, and how technological change affects society and how society directs technological progress. These topics are important in helping a first year student understand the function of engineers and technologists and the importance of their work to society. This understanding is also important to graduates in their careers as they deal with the development and use of technology within societal constraints. As noted in the literature on technological literacy, this understanding is important not only to graduates of engineering and engineering technology degree programs but also to the public at large. Overview of Technological Literacy The concept of technological literacy has received significant attention in recent years. 8-21 A technologically literate person has the knowledge necessary to understand, make informed decisions, and think critically about technology. In the National Academy of Engineering publication “Technically Speaking,” this is described as having three major components: knowledge, ways of thinking and acting, and capabilities. 9 As stated in “Technically Speaking,” Characteristics of a Technologically Literate Person A technologically literate person has knowledge of technology and is capable of using it effectively to accomplish various tasks. He or she can think critically about technological issues and acts accordingly. Technological literacy can be visualized in three