The Importance of Technological Education in the Curriculum
Technological innovation influences all areas of life, from the daily lives of individuals to the work of business and government, to interactions on a global scale. It helps meet basic human needs and provides tools for improving people's lives and exploring new frontiers.
The power, reach, and rapid evolution of technology demand a curriculum that will enable students to become technologically literate - that is, able to understand, work with, and benefit from a range of technologies. Students need to acquire the technological skills and knowledge that will allow them to participate fully in a competitive global economy and to become responsible citizens in an environmentally vulnerable world.
To succeed in today's society, students need to be effective problem solvers and critical thinkers, able to understand, question, and respond to the implications of technological innovation. Students who pursue careers in technology will also need these high-level skills to develop solutions to technological challenges or to provide the services required in their chosen fields.
Technological education focuses on developing students' ability to work creatively and competently with technologies that are central to their lives.
The Goals of Technological Education
The fundamental purpose of the technological education program is to provide students with knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will enhance their ability to achieve success in secondary school, the workplace, postsecondary education or training, and daily life. The goals of the technological education curriculum are to enable students to:
• gain an understanding of the fundamental concepts underlying technological education;
• achieve the level of technological competence they will need in order to succeed in their postsecondary education or training programs or in the workplace;
• develop a creative and flexible approach to problem solving that will help them address challenges in various areas throughout their lives;
• develop the skills, including critical thinking skills, and the knowledge of strategies required to do research, conduct inquiries, and communicate findings accurately, ethically, and effectively;
• develop lifelong learning habits that will help them adapt to technological advances in the changing workplace and world;
• make connections that will help them take advantage of potential postsecondary educational and work opportunities.
Programs Offered at Richmond Hill High School
The Technological Studies Department at Richmond Hill High School includes three different programs:
Communication Technology
Computer Technology
Technological Design
All of our courses including building knowledge and skills in the basic techniques of the program, developing computer software skills in a range of industry-standard software, and putting the knowledge and skills together in practical, hands-on projects.
These courses lead to a variety of interesting and rewarding career pathways, and for students who are not interested in a related career, can be a fun and rewardng elective course to enjoy something different!
Communication Technology courses offer students the opportunity to explore broadcast and print media production. The three main areas are graphic design, audio production and video production, and when we have the opportunity we also include some basics of animation and technical communication. Students will learn to use industry standard computer software like Photoshop and Illustrator, and core production equipment like video cameras, tripods, dollies, sound recording gear. These practical, hands-on courses are project driven and throughout the semester students will work on projects that enable them to build their skills. Students interested in career paths in film and television production, radio, graphic design, animation, and other media industries would benefit from this program
Computer Technology courses combine hands-on learning and computer programming. Students will create circuits, use bread-boards to prototype electronic equipment, and use robotics components to build working machines. Students will also design and create computer software to control the physical hardware they have built. In addition, we build basic knowledge about computer hardware and have the opportunity to explore the creation and set up of computer networks. Students interested in career patsh leading to computer programming, electrical engineering and robotics would benefit from this program.
Technological Design courses focus on using the Design Process to develop new products. These project-driven courses combine designing using traditional (pen-and-paper) and computer-based (AutoCAD, SketchUp) tools. Students will explore architecture and interior design, product and industrial design, and mechanical and structural design. Some projects include hands-on, model-making opportunities and others require indepth use of software to create 3D computer models of finished concepts. Students interested in career paths leading to Architecture, Interior Design, Industrial Design, Mechanical Design and engineering would benefit from this program.
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