Editor, 'From the Editor'
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Journal of Technology Education   Volume 4, Number 2       Spring 1993

                                        FROM THE EDITOR
 
 
               Will the idea of integrating technology
          education with other disciplines outlive the
          Clinton administration?  I think it depends
          on whether you see the glass half empty or
          half full.
               On days when I see it half full, I think
          of interdisciplinary collaborations among
          technology, science, math, and other teachers
          as the stuff of the future.  More than any
          other trend or movement in our field, inter-
          disciplinary collaboration represents an op-
          portunity for the "general education" status
          we've lusted for throughout this century.  We
          know in our hearts that all children benefit
          from a better understanding about the techno-
          logical world in which we live.  Technology
          education is not just good for a few, it is
          essential for all.  But collaboration between
          technology education and other disciplines in
          the schools takes it a leap beyond that.  It
          demonstrates the interconnectedness of tech-
          nology with nearly all aspects of our lives.
               Certainly the time is right for technol-
          ogy teachers to "come out of the basement"
          (where the industrial arts shops of
          yesteryear were invariably sequestered) and
          talk to our colleagues about mutually benefi-
          cial collaboration.  The science and math ed-
          ucation establishments are making loud noises
          about the sort of "hands-on" activities we've
          taken very much for granted for the past cen-
          tury.
               The NCTM (National Council of Teachers
          of Mathematics, 1989, p.  66) Standards sug-
          gest: "Problem situations that establish the
          need for new ideas and motivate students
          should serve as the context for mathematics
          in grades 5-8." Similarly, AAAS (American As-
          sociation for the Advancement of Science,
          1989) recommends:  "Science education should
          utilize a coherent, integrated approach that
          breaks down rigid disciplinary boundaries and
          emphasizes connections among science, math-
          ematics, and technology."
               Recognizing the need is one thing --
          making it happen, of course, is altogether
          another problem.  But there are significant
          efforts now underway.  All over the country,
          interdisciplinary projects involving technol-
          ogy education, science, math, and to a lesser
          extent language arts and social science are
          being funded.  The National Science Founda-
          tion is leading the way.  Thus far, NSF has
          funded "State Systemic Initiative" projects
          in 20 states (and counting) at $10 million
          each to develop new approaches to science ed-
          ucation.  The language behind this initiative
          includes references to the integration of
          science, math and technology.
               NSF has also funded a number of projects
          in technology education that are working to
          integrate the three disciplines.
          PHYS-MA-TECH brought high school physics,
          math, and technology teachers together to de-
          velop curriculum materials.  The
          TECHNOLOGY/SCIENCE/MATH INTEGRATION PROJECT
          is working on integrated middle school activ-
          ities.  PROJECT UPDATE is developing, col-
          lecting and distributing activities that
          integrate technology, science, and math.  And
          the INTEGRATING MATH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
          PROJECT is developing an integrated seventh
          grade curriculum.
               The Technology Education Demonstration
          projects, funded by the Department of Educa-
          tion (1990), also focused on the integration
          of these three disciplines.  And many state
          departments of education are funding similar
          projects that are beginning to result in cur-
          riculum materials and changing attitudes
          about how this content should be delivered.
               If it were up to the technology educa-
          tion community alone to bring about wide-
          spread collaboration with other disciplines,
          I would see the glass as half empty.  But the
          education reports of the 1980s have spawned a
          lot of interesting development in the 1990s.
          And not just from technology education, but
          from the other disciplines as well.  So wide-
          spread integration of technology education
          with other subjects, particularly science and
          math, might just happen.  Certainly, the op-
          portunity is there.  If we miss it, we may
          not get a second shot.
 
                                                     MS
 

          Copyright 1993, Journal of Technology Education
          ISSN 1045-1064.  Permission is given to copy any
          article or graphic provided credit is given and
          the copies are not intended for sale.
 
Journal of Technology Education   Volume 4, Number 2       Spring 1993