Technology Education
Technology & Engineering Education - “Building a Strong Foundation for College and Career”
To enhance student's ability to exist and function in a technological world, the technology department offers the following course to encourage learning and knowledge of diverse technological elements, and to promote career and readiness skills in an ever-developing world.
Foundations of Technology (9/10)
Students will develop an understanding of the influence of technology on history by exploring how people of all times and places have increased their capability by using their unique skills to innovate, improvise, and invent. They gain an understanding of technology innovation and the fact that it often results when ideas, knowledge, or skills are shared within a technology, among technologies, or across other fields of study. Students develop an understanding of engineering design, the formal process that transforms ideas into products or systems of the designed world. They select and use manufacturing technologies and understand that modern manufacturing technologies produce quality goods at low prices, enhancing the quality of life for many people. Students select and use construction technologies and recognize that cultural norms, environmental conditions, and the requirements of enterprises and institutions impact the design of structures. Opportunities are provided that enable students to select and use energy and power technologies and to explore the processing and controlling of the energy resources that have been important in the development of contemporary technology. They become familiar with information and communication technologies and their role in maintaining competitive economic growth. The course concludes with the synthesizing of major ideas through an understanding of the core concepts of technology, with an emphasis on “systems thinking” and related principles.
Foundation of Computer Science (9-11)
Foundation to Computer Science is an introductory computer science course that empowers students to create authentic artifacts and engage with computer science as a medium for creativity, communication, problem solving, and fun. This course is an exciting opportunity for all students to learn problem-solving skills and computational thinking. It is designed to introduce students to the field of computer science through an exploration of engaging and accessible topics. Rather than focusing the entire course on learning software tools or programming languages, the course is designed to focus on the conceptual ideas of computing. As part of this course, students will delve into real world computing problems that are culturally relevant and address social and ethical issues while delivering foundational computer science knowledge to students
Advanced Design Applications (10/11)
The Advanced Design Applications course has been designed as an advanced study for students engaged in themed academies and general technology studies that lead to the capacity to understand how technology’s development, control, and use is based on design constraints, and human wants and needs. The structure of the course challenges students to use design processes so that they can think, plan, design and create solutions to engineering and technological problems. Students are actively involved in the organized and integrated application of technological resources, engineering concepts, and scientific procedures. Students address the complexities of technology that stem from designing, developing, using, and assessing technological systems. In developing a functional understanding of technology, students comprehend how human conditions and personal preferences drive technological design and problem solving. Actively engaged in making and developing, using, and managing technological systems, students better understand the role of systems in meeting specific purposes. Students are able to assess and understand the behavior and operation of basic technological systems in different contexts.
Engineering Design (11/12-Capstone Course)
Engineering Design offers students the opportunity to understand and apply knowledge and skills required to create and transform ideas and concepts into a product that satisfies specific customer requirements. Students will experience design engineering in the creation, synthesis, iteration, and presentation of design solutions and will coordinate and interact in authentic ways to produce the form, fit, and function documentation, with appropriate models to completely define a product.
Technology & Engineering Education Department Staff:
Mr. Matthew Braxton: FCS and AE
Mbraxton2@bcps.org
Mrs. Heather Giles: IED (PTECH and PLTW)
Hgiles@bcps.org
Mr. James Hemming: FOE and ADA
Jhemming@bcps.org
Mr. Anthony Johnson: FOE and ED
Ajohnson22@bcps.org
Ms. Kenyetta Kendrick: Department Chair
Kkendrick2@bcps.org
Informational Links
MSDE College Career Readiness
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DCCR/index.aspx
MSDE Career Technology Education
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/programs/Pages/CTE/CTEprograms.aspx
MSDE Tech ED Programs
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/programs/Pages/CTE/TechnologyEducation.aspx
ITEEA- International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
https://www.iteea.org/
PLTW – Project Lead The Way
https://www.pltw.org/