In this essay I will discuss my philosophy of technology education. Since this subject is intertwined with my philosophy of teaching I find it necessary to express my thoughts using three main topics. These topics will be: what I hope to instil upon my students as a teacher, what I hope to teach future users of technology as a tech Ed teacher, and what influences I can have on my neighbours as a responsible citizen of the world. I do want to make clear that I value all three topics equally and that I do not necessarily consider them as separate entities. I believe they have relevance and effect on each other. I categorised separately them for the clarity of my paper.

For my first topic, what I hope to instil upon my students as a teacher, I will present personal values and attributes I feel are essential for my students to have to function successfully in present and future society. I credit my exposure and appreciation of these qualities to the many fine teachers I have had in my life.

My second topic, what I hope to teach future users of technology as a Tech Ed teacher, I will review the many technical skills, processes, and strategies advantageous for people interacting in the future.

And for my third topic, what influences I can have on my future neighbours as a responsible citizen of the world, describes a "school of thought" which is critical and sensitive of the world as a whole. It will include environmental, social/political, and economic aspects of our "global village".

As a teacher, when my turn is finished teaching each student I want to be confident that they leave me as a better person. While they are taught by me, I want them to explore and experiment with all facets of life. Students should be allowed to discover dimensions of themselves that have been hidden, as well as those that have been developed and nurtured. I want them to have had the chance to become comfortable of who they are becoming as a person. To become comfortable with themselves they must respect themselves. This is best accomplished by constantly improving your attributes. These attributes consist of the body, the mind and the soul.

First the body. It is important to me that my students understand that there is no other person on earth more responsible for their body than themselves. Students must appreciate their body as if it were a gift. The living body is the most beautiful, amazing, and useful thing on the planet. No one ever has or ever will be able to create anything better than a healthy human being. Nature's imagination, also known as evolution, has facilitated the design of the most awesome invention ever-Homo sapien . This product has had billions of prototypes, which have stood up to just about every imaginable test for the last few hundred million years. And because of this indisputable proof that the body is almost perfect, it would be a shame for someone to let such a great thing go to waste.

I hope that my students will take care of themselves by exercising frequently, eating well, and not harming their bodies. By not harming themselves I include exposure to smoke, drugs, alcohol and physical danger. I also want to teach them that respect for your body includes grooming, practising good personal hygiene, and keeping good care of your health. The body is like a machine, it is the latest model that technology has to offer and it must be maintained, with the proper fuel, liquids, and presentation. You can't overwork an unconditioned body just like you can't go off-roading with a Hyundai. You wouldn't put sugar in the gas tank so don't smoke. Treating your body well is not difficult; it just takes common sense and respect.

My grandmother told me that your mind is like a muscle, if you don't exercise it, it won't stay in good shape. This is why she told me that I should always keep my mind doing something. I understood this to mean that she didn't want me to watch television all day. When I was young this was interpreted as a punishment, now I know it was lifelong advice.

During my visits to my grandparents I played outdoors all day long whether it was wet or dry. I built forts, played in the snow, went fishing, played with friends etc. This was always a time when I had to find things to entertain myself. The thinking calories burned up there were triple what I expended each day at home in front of the "boob tube" after school. Maybe the outdoors' requirement for resourcefulness increases the mind's "metabolism" or possibly the past-times I busied myself with took more effort to accomplish than channel surfing. It is the simple fact that entertaining myself, rather than being entertained kept my mind in shape.

Entertainment is not the only aspect of life that I apply this advice too. It is also important to constantly challenge yourself. It is important to keep up with current events. No hobbyist would consider himself or herself a true enthusiast if they didn't update their knowledge about the newest thing on the market. All car enthusiasts "keep in touch" by reading the latest of their favourite motor-sport subscription. When people get older and retire, there tends to be fewer things to worry about. Either these people begin to lead less complicated lives or they have just developed the strategies to efficiently deal with their daily choices. What is important is that they find something to challenge themselves or be responsible for (more than simple daily routines). You might have a quick (wise) computer with lots of programs (talents) but it's no good unless your are using it to do assignments (new challenges).

I have a great aunt that lives in Vernon. She's 97 years old and she manages all her friends' finances, even some of her children's' and grandchildren's' too. My parents and I take her out for lunch once every summer. She knows what's going on, she's as sharp as a tack. She laughs at jokes and knows the score. She reads the newspaper and waters her garden every day. She has help around the house but she still prepares as much of her meals as possible. For her, getting old is no reason for pulling over to the side of the road, she just precedes in the slow lane to let the new faster cars go by. And even when a person in a Porsche passes, he or she can't help but take an envious look at the Model-T in the rear view mirror. That is if the sports-car driver has any respect for classic engineering.

Respect for classic engineering is very important to uphold. The greatest thinkers of all time pay tribute to their teachers and mentors. Intelligent thinkers should never be as nonchalant to think that they deserve all the credit for their achievement. Their ideas either were built upon someone else's idea(s) or their process and/or creativity were nurtured by someone. Just as important as our formal teachers, are our care-givers, be them our natural parents or not. They raise us to be the people we are. And if you are a success, it is likely due to the dedicated work of some special people who deserve recognition. When I assume the role of teacher and/or parent I hope I can earn the same amount from them that I have for mine.

This is why I feel it is important to instil respect in my students. Because from respect stems all morals and values/beliefs. If a student has respect for their teachers, parents, etc., they likely have respect for the house they live in, their dog, the car they drive, and the school they go to. If they don't have this initial respect, they don't have the pre-set ability to respect other aspects around them as they grow up and encounter them. Such aspects of life occur everywhere for people. In school children encounter schoolmates who parallel the grown-up world. The playground rules of no fighting and no littering mimic the laws of society and the environment respectively.

Whenever an issue such as racism, sexism, punctuality, neatness, cruelty, etc. come up, I will always teach my students to treat everyone and everything the way you would hope to be treated by them. I don't want to see my students finish a term polluting the air with chauvinistic mindsets of the past. No one likes the smog-creating , unenvironmentally-friendly polluters of the roads. Ignorant and disrespectful mentalities are the pollution we breathe. We must air-care our cars and drive carefully. We have the ability to make new cars with non-poisoning technologies, so why not use them? We know that stealing, name calling, prejudice, and intoxicating the oceans are wrong, so why do we continue?

When a student can honestly say that they are comfortable with themselves after considering how they treat all aspects of themselves and the people, places, and things around them, they can be at ease with their conscience/soul. This means that this person is satisfied that they wouldn't mind taking the place of the receiver of their actions. So when your conscience is not burdened with guilt or even insecurity, then it won't be uncomfortable exploring the universe. A person does not need to die for his or her soul to go places, to experience new things. It can follow the body places and meet new people just the same as if the body were dead.

For instance, if a person in high school doesn't treat his or her peers with respect, he or she would probably not feel compelled to go to a party that those they disrespected were hosting. Even if they were welcomed, they would not feel comfortable in an environment with a bunch of people they have abused in some way or another . Hence, their soul would not be able to accompany them to a party to celebrate and meet new people.

The first thing future users of technology should realise is that everything that even remotely relates to man revolves around technology. Human life as we know it depends on technology more than anything else in the world. Other than the supernatural, everything that is not technology is nature. Without getting into a deep description of what technology's definition is, I want to discuss the skills that most people credit as being essential to success in the technological aspect of today's society.

Apart from maintaining a healthy body, mind and soul; traditional skills are important. Different skills hold different value during different periods in time. For instance, there was a time when being able to make things out of metal was one of the highest valued abilities by society. The blacksmith was essential in each town. Nowadays we depend immensely on things made of metal yet we do not attach the same eliteness to its trade as man did in the middle-ages. It's not that the product has been replaced, it's just that society has taken the product for granted and thus the producer becomes less significant. This fact does not only hold true for trades but other "skills" too.

I would like to talk about general skills that intelligent employers look for in people to fill important roles. To me, these skills collectively are called professionalism. Professionalism can be broken up into good work ethic, good organisation, quality production, and good communication skills.

When I speak of good work ethic I think of a hard worker. This individual is persistent, productive, and able to be a "team player." Being persistent is very important. When you commit to doing something you should be determined enough to follow through with the task until it is finished because usually someone else depends on the task being accomplished.

Another thing I think a good worker must be is productive. Whether it is physical or mental. The person should be able to display that something is getting accomplished. No one likes it when nothing gets done. Being productive also includes thinking about what you are doing while you do it. The worker must be able to notice if something is "not right" as he or she does it, if the quality of the product or task is sufficient. Nobody wants someone to continue mowing their grass with their lawn mower if the worker does not notice that the mower is smoking or that the machine is not bagging grass.

Lastly, no matter how good you are at what you do, no one will want to be involved with you if they can't get along with you. Working in a company to ultimately accomplish one common goal is like a team. The idea of this team is to split up the work needed to be done amongst the "team members". An employee who creates more work or anxiety for the "team", ceases to be an asset to the company. The best team player most often gets the most valuable player award.

The next skill I consider to be an important part of professionalism is organisation. An organised person is efficient, accomplishes things on time, and is punctual. To be efficient a person needs to be able to distinguish what needs to be done and the best way to do it to be successful. The best way to do something might include finding other doers, so being able to delegate effectively is a part of organisation. Being successful at a task includes having to meet a deadline. Meeting deadlines is a fact of life. If the squirrel doesn't collect all its nuts by winter it will not have food for the winter. We must instil upon our students that the product is no good if it is not ready for when it is needed. And to be punctual; just as we are taught in school, being on time relates back to respect. It wastes no time and allows things to take place as planned. No one likes to wait. It just takes a little thought to anticipate how much time it will take to make something or be somewhere.

The last main skill I hope my students will walk away with is being an effective communicator. This is a priceless skill which comes in handy in almost any situation that someone else is involved. I do not mean to just speak of the fluency of language as the ability to touch-type or understand the conventions of the draftsperson. I mean a person who can observe and listen to information/ideas/suggestions of other people, and a person who can convey information and ideas clearly and concisely. Successful communication is rarely successful when both are not participating effectively. When a person receives information, he or she must wait patiently, allowing the full communication to be conveyed before responding. For instance, it's not only polite to let the other person finish what they are saying, it's respect. Because interrupting is not only impolite but it is usually counterproductive. The whole idea here is to teach our students to be as efficient as they can possibly be.

Not only does the listener have to be considerate of the transmitter but the speaker has to be considerate of the receiver too. The speaker has to not only make sure that they are clear and concise but also they must insure that the information is correct and conveyed in an appropriate way. The speaker has to be conscious that he or she presents the information in a manner which is interesting and dramatic. A boring and monotonous presentation can be just as counterproductive as unclear information.

These aspects of communication can be related to electronics. When listening to music from a CD, it is not desirable to shake the CD player, causing the CD to skip and the symphony of sounds to be interrupted. The music comes through in segments and therefore it doesn't get its full impression through to the audience. Another example-this one to support appropriateness of presentation. If the idea trying to be conveyed were a digitised message, it would be inappropriate to convey the information using a format which does not reflect its complexity, a gif. for pictures, a wave. for sounds or text for an essay. The way we "package" our message makes a huge difference of how the audience will receive it.

Communication also comes in other forms than words and electronic code. Gestures are to an oral presentation as punctuation is to an essay. The waving of hands, facial expressions, and eye contact are the question mark, the comma, and the exclamation mark along with tone and volume being bold, underline, caps, and italics.

These aspects of oration are so important for emphasising certain points. A discussion lacking physical cues might as well be pre-recorded and played through a tape player on the table at the front of the room.

The last main segment of my philosophy of technology education I want to discuss is what influences I can have on my students since they will be my "future neighbours" on this planet. This segment deals with the ethics of making choices about human kind's use of technology-its appropriateness and impact are the key words that I want my students to be most aware of.

The most obvious realm I will talk to my students about is the environment, from small microcosms to the world as a biosphere. I want them to understand that it is important that they all make an individual effort to make their own contribution and that its these small, incremental changes are the ones which have the long lasting effectiveness. Some topics in the realm of the environment that I would include would be deforestation, pollution, weather, species extinction, water quality, ozone layer, etc.

Another realm to be integrated into my holistic teaching will be a social/political view of the world. Here I want my students to focus in on how those with power delegate resources-the most obvious resource being money of course. The students should be able to question their government's stand on issues such as military confrontation, trade, welfare, urban development, education, minorities, etc. Current events in the media will be brought up and I will ask what the students think about what is happening over seas? What do they think about the present free trade deal? What can we do about poverty? Should the housing development on the side of the mountain be allowed? Do you think that your classes are too crowded? What would you do if someone used a racial, homophobic or sexist remark towards one of your friends? An even deeper question could be a question about medical ethics such as genetic engineering or drug testing on animals. The student may have a stand on whether or not keeping someone on life support is worth the cost, but then they may have a different opinion if that person were a closer relative. I want my students to feel responsible for being informed and aware of what their contribution to these issues can be.

The last realm to be integrated into my holistic aspect of teaching is the significant economic values that rule our day. These discussions will focus on consumption and personal choices. Students will not only discuss what options they can purchase instead of Nike shoes, ivory jewellery, or Cuban cigars. They will also learn about other ways they can get to school and what career they should choose. They don not necessarily have to feel compelled to walk to school every day, nor do they have to rule out being a petrochemical engineer. I just want them to understand what implications their choices have on the world around them and their neighbours that live along side them on the planet.

In conclusion I want to note that my philosophy contains no objective or procedural descriptions. Those explanations can be read from a text book. They have been organised and recorded as core subject matter. As teachers "we teach who we are". I have been discussing the ideals from my personal agenda. With the tremendous freedom we have with our projects, I do not want to value technical expertise more than experience. I hope my students will come away with "life skills" when I integrate "textbook" information with the real world.

As a teacher I want to take use the route that starts off with teaching values, then develops problem solving, and as a result teaches technical skills. I do not believe that introducing our students to revolutionary new technology is my soul purpose. I do not need all the bells and whistles of the lab of the future. Present industry standard equipment does not have to exist in my shops to have their concepts taught. Part of the "proudness, fun, and satisfaction" of your class' success is the creativity and ingenuity that you used to teach them. At the same time you are modelling resourcefulness.

And lastly, just like my philosophy essay is full of questions, I hope my students will start to be critical of things that effect them: They must learn to question everything if they are to become responsible for themselves. Ultimately isn't this the whole idea of what school's purpose is? Another question.

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