Seeking Technological Perspective in the Undergraduate Curriculum

The purpose of this essay is to relate one college’s attempt to find a coherent place for technology education in the undergraduate curriculum. The experience showed that more can be done than feature courses taught by scientists and engineers. Technology education can, and perhaps should, entail mobilization of faculty across the disciplines. But this is not a likely occurrence without deliberate effort to build a foundation of mutual understanding and agreement. A mature conception of technology education suggests that organized faculty dialogue and development must precede the instruction of students. An effective way of getting started is to assemble faculty from a spectrum of disciplines in a prolonged seminar to discuss, clarify, and seek consensus on the philosophy, content, and strategy of technology education for undergraduates.