Introduction to Technologies. Preparing Students for Mid-Level Technology Careers
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 360 535 CE 064 308 AUTHOR Wallace, Johnny M. TITLE Introduction to Technologies. Preparing Students for Mid-Level Technology Careers. Teacher's Guide. INSTITUTION Partnership for Academic and Career Education, Pendleton, SC. SPONS AGENCY Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE Sep 90 NOTE 468p. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MFOI/PCI9 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Career Education; Course Content; Daily Living Skills; Educational Trends; *Education Work Relationship; *Employment Oppnrtunities; Entrepreneurship; *Futures (of Society); High Schools; High School Students; Job Search Methods; Job Skills; Learning Activities; Self Actualization; Study Skills; Teaching Methods; *Technology Education; Units of Study ABSTRACT This curriculum guide contains materials fora I-semester high school course designed to introducestudents at the 9th or 10th grade level to technology in theworkplace. The course gives students hands-on experiences, knowledgeabout changes in the workplace, and exploration of career opportunitiesassociated with those changes. The nine units of thecourse cover the following topics:(I) the changing world of work;(2) personal inventory; (3) midlevel technology careers;(4) self-esteem;(5) job searching skills;(6) life skills;(7) making college studya reachable goal; (8) entrepreneurship; and (9) study skills.Three appendixes contain a list of resources, handouts for the activities in thecourse, and background articles and documents. Units consist ofinformation sheets, student activities, checklists, quizzes,and answer keys. (KC) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRSare the best that can be made J. * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** 11.11.T.R.O.D.U.C.T1110.1111 *we '11411M1 -.111111 TO TECHNOLOGIES U 5 DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION Preparing Students For E ducittonal Aersoarth ano fropeovmnt f TIONAL RESOURCES INF ORMATI0e4 CENTER (ERIC) Mid-Level Technology Careers TNs rtnewnent has bean Wrenceld as 'acclaim< from ins IMOsOn 01 oegsnitatiOn caiginating C Mrior changes have been mad* IC impi<va reorOdoCtrOn Quallty Teacher's Guide P,MIS 01 vs19.OCArOai slated :n this docu- ment. do nOt neCesWily ropr000nt OE R, 001.1,0n or poo.cy Car ii/freksli RK r - v u;.;_.t, Introduction'to Technologies ..preparing students for Mid-Level TechnologyCareers TEACHER'S GUIDE developed by: Mr. Johnny M. Wallace Associate Director/Curriculum Developer The Partnership for Academic and CareerEducation expresses appreciation to the following educators fortheir assistance in the development of this course: Betty Palmer, Crescent High School Charles Lawson, Crescent High School Wayne Sibbett, Walhalla High School (September, 1990) This course was developed with supportof the U.S. Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement ofPostsecondary Education (FIPSE) as part of a three-year grantawarded to the PACE Partnership. However, the opinions andinformationpresented in this material do not necessarily reflect thepositions or policies of this entity, and no officialendorsement by them should be inferred. ; RATIONALE Education in South Carolina and America must provide students with an awareness and understanding of careers being added or changed in the workforce due to technology. Technological changes in the' workplace necessitate proper academic and vocational preparation. Jobs being created in the workforce will require muchmore than the simple Lasics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. New "basics" will require employees to: solve various problems which do not havea standard solution; carry out instructional processes which may be oral, written, diagrammatic, or a combination thereof; perform mathematics-related problems requiring higher levels of mathematical ability with algebra andgeometry skills as a minimum; have a greater understanding of a widerscope of subjects ranging from the simple to the complex. COURSE GOALS The Introduction to Technologies course is designedto: provide manipulative and experiential activitiesthat give students insight into vocational and mid-level technology careers; help students fully understand the importance ofa proper high school education in preparing for a career or pursuing postsecondary education; help students develop a greaterawareness of their own personal skills, abilities, likes, and dislikes; provide students with an opportunity to explore career-related topics such as job searching skills, life skills, making college education a reachable goal, and study skills; allow students to examine self-esteem and the impact self-esteem has on self-perception; develop fundamental technology skills through hands-on, experiential activities. -1- FOREWORD Introduction to Technologies is a new coursedesigned to provide hands-on experiences; knowledge aboutchanges in the workplace; and exploration of careeropportunities associated with,changes in the workplace. Students are given the opportunity toexplore careers and career-relatedinformation through various activities such as interviews, guest speakers,and on-site visits to businesses and industries and localcolleges as well as through classroom activities. Introduction to Technologies goes furtherthan just giving students an understanding of careeropportunities. This courst also covers such areas as self-esteemand the associated effect upon selecting a career;study skills and how to get the most out of high school; and ways of making acollege education possible among others. Introduction to Technologies is designed as asemester course to be taught at the ninth or tenth gradelevel. However, the units in this course can be broken apartand used as supplemental materials for courses already in placewithin the school setting. There is no set textbook t:Ir this course. However, it is highly recommended that the book WORKING: Today and Tomorrow, copyright 1987, from EmC Publishing be obtainedif at all possible (See list of Unit I Resources for orderinginformation). This book can serve as an additional resourceto the units covered in Introduction to Technologies. Since Introduction to Technologiesis a semester course, it is recommended that students enroll in a computerclass for the other half of the school year.Knowledge of computers is a necessity in today's workplace becauseof the advancements in technology. By combining Introduction toTechnologies and the development of computer skills, studentswill gain a greater understanding of the basic requirements tobe successful in the ever changing workplace. The following is a synopsis of eachunit for Introduction to Technologies. Unit I--The Changing World Of Work Today's workplace is vastly differentfrom that of yesterday and tomorrow's workplace will be differentfrom today's. Students must be made aware of how and why thesechanges have and will occur and provided with anunderstanding of what they must do now to ensure themselves of a place inthe workforce of tomorrow. Unit II--Personal Inventory Very often students seek employmentwhich does not necessarily fit their skills and/or interests. Being happy in the workplace means analyzing personal skills andabilities to determine strengths and weaknesses and thenidentifying compatible careers.. Unit III--Mid-Level Technology Careers The impact of technology upon the workplace hascreated new careers. More often than not, these careers fall intothe mid-level range, those which require some postsecondaryeducation but not necessarily a four-year degree. Students must be made aware of these careers and the factthat these careers offer excellent salaries and opportunities for advancementwithout the requirement of a bachelor's degree. Unit IV--Self-Esteem Self-esteem is an important factor in how peopleperceive themselves and their ability to accomplish personalgoals. Helping students feel good about themselves andproviding opportunities for them to make improvements will creategreater self-confidence to seek careers which were once only partof a dream. Unit V--Job Searching Skills The first impression applicants oftenmake upon prospective employers, is through either a letter ofapplication or a jab application. Personnel managers are telling educators- that prospective employees cannot successfullycomplete a job application. As a result, prospective employees areoften perceived as lacking skills needed to besuccessful in the occupation for which they have applied. Unit VI--Life Skills Life skills involve more than beingable to write checks and balance a checkbook. These skills include a basicunderstanding of housing, transportation,borrowing money, insurance, and employee benefits. All of these, and more, affectthe amount of "real money" an individual willhave to lead a comfortable life style. Comfortable lifestyle is closelyrelated to the career chosen and the level of educationattained. Unit VII--Making College Study aReachable Goal Employment in the future will requireformal educational studies beyond high school. In fact, "by the year 2000,the average job in the Southeastwill require almost fourteen years of formal education" (The Southeast's21st Challenge, U.S. Department of Labor, Spring, 1990). Many students, and their parents, may not have the means by which tofinance the cost of a postsecondary education either on the two- or four-yearlevel. Various options for financing a postsecondaryeducation are now in existence. An increased