Instructional Strategies
Promoting STEM and
Technological Literacy
Maurice Frazier, Ph.D.
Oscar Smith High School
Chesapeake, Virginia
Have you Ever had a
Conversation Start like this…
Person 1: “So what do you teach?”
Person 2: “Technology Education”
Person 1: “Hmmm what is that?
Computers? Shop?”
Can the average secondary technology
education teacher sufficiently explain
what they teach and why?
The Nature of Secondary
Technology Education
Support the Core Subjects
Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and
English/Language Arts
Promote technological literacy and
reinforce STEM curriculum.
It is Important to Know the
Difference…
Technology Education versus
Educational Technology
Technology education teachers, core
subject teachers, and administrators need
to understand the difference.
Technology education is intended to foster
technological literacy and educational
technology supports the implementation of
technology education.
The Importance of STEM and
Technological Literacy
Why is it important for us as educators to
integrate the core subjects into technology
education courses?
Research tells us it can be helpful in boosting
student’s performance on standards assessments.
Students can relate the material to “Real World”
applications
National technological literacy assessments are on
the horizon.
A Study Worth Noting…
Technology education completers
(courses taken in sequence) scored
significantly higher on their
standardized assessments in three out
of four core subjects than noncompleters.
Study Results
Mathematics:
Completers- 466.9 Non-Completers- 441.7
(25 points higher)
Social Studies:
Completers- 502 Non-Completers- 463.8
(38 points higher)
Study Results (cont.)
English/Language Arts:
Completers- 474.7 Non-Completers- 464.6
(10 points higher)
Science:
Completers- 459.7 Non-Completers- 430.8
(29 points higher)
Curriculum Integration Ideas
and Suggestions
It is important to actively integrate
material from the core subjects as much
as possible.
Collaborating and sharing ideas with
other instructors that teach similar
subjects is one of the best ways to
start.
Integrating English/Language
Arts
Speed Writing
One to two minute daily writing sessions
where students write about what they
know and what they have learned about a
new topic.
• Current communication devices and modes of
communicating
• Impacts that communication devices are having
on our daily lives
Integrating English/Language
Arts (cont.)
Active Notes and Paraphrasing
Students take notes and then work with a
partner to paraphrase and dictate
examples of what they have learned by
adding their thoughts to their partner’s
notes.
Students then read what their partner has
written to the rest of the class.
Integrating English/Language
Arts (cont.)
Word Discovery
Students must look up a word that relates
to the current material that they are not
familiar with. The student must record the
definition, cite examples of how to use it
properly, and teach a three minute lesson
to another student about how it relates to
what they are learning.
Integrating Mathematics
Measurement Scavenger Hunt
Students walk around school and outside
to find and measure objects that are in a
given range of measurements that have
been designated by the instructor.
• With that activity students integrate estimation,
decimals, fractions, and ratios.
Integrating Mathematics (cont.)
Real World Word Problems
Students develop a word problem for one
of their class mates to solve based on the
material that they are learning.
The student must explain how that math
that they used to solve the problem could
also be applied in a job or career that
relates to that subject they are studying.
Integrating Science
Environmental Impacts
Students can use various forms of science
to study the global impacts of technology
on the natural environment.
• Impacts on the atmosphere and natural
resources (Earth Science)
• Agricultural technology, pesticides, and
fertilizers (Chemistry)
Integrating Social Studies
Social Impacts of New Technology
Students can explore the various ways that
new technology has changed local and
global social interactions over time.
• New communication technology
• New construction and
production methods
• New digital imaging and
video technology
Integrating Social Studies (cont.)
Understanding Ethics and Responsibility
Students explore ethical awareness and
how it might have an impact on other
people and the world around them.
• Ethics and the medical field
• Ethics and environmental practices
• Ethics and public privacy
How do we Know we are on the
Right track?
How do technology education teachers
know that they are supporting core
standards?
Is there a way for technology education
teachers to know that they are
supporting a STEM curriculum and
promoting technological literacy?
Suggestions for Articulating
Curriculum and Standards
Technology education and core subject
teachers need to collaborate. Neither
group seems to know exactly what the
other group is teaching.
Align instruction
Develop activities
Reinforce standards
Suggestions for Articulating
Curriculum and Standards (cont.)
Workshops to stay abreast of current
trends relating to technological literacy
and educational strategies.
New Technological Literacy Standards
(NAEP Testing)
Trends in Mathematics, Science, and
Engineering standards
New instructional strategies and delivery
methods
Discussion, Questions, and Idea
Sharing
What are some of the ways that you are
integrating core subjects into your
technology education curriculum?
What are some ways that we can
change the perception of technology
education?
Are technological literacy standards a
good idea?
Final Comments and Remarks
Thank you for you time and attention.
Maurice Frazier
Oscar Smith High School
Chesapeake, Virginia
Mfraz004@odu.edu