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 LONGVIEW, Texas USA — The core of society's future prosperity might just lie within Judson Middle School's western-most annex, in the old wood shop classroom.
But students aren't making bookshelves or gun cabinets these days.
Instead, they are building robots and learning about motion and force with model rockets. It's the city's only full-fledged technology education class offered to students as early as sixth grade and through eighth grade, with a curriculum that is mostly hands-on and project-based, said Mark Fuller, Judson's technology education instructor. "When I began teaching, I changed the class from mostly woodworking to a class centered on math and science," Fuller said. "They gain knowledge and skills in the application, design, production and assessment of products, service and systems." Translated to sixth- through eighth-graders: It's an hour each day during which they get to design model bridges with computer aided design software, then build them. "The classes actually work in groups, or companies, and design the bridge," Fuller said. "Each of those companies is presented a real-life scenario with deadlines, budgets and construction criteria." Similar programs are offered to eighth- and ninth-graders at Pine Tree Independent School District, said Jeff Hahne, the district's director of technology. Students there also have the option of a multimedia technology course in which they learn everything from computer animation to video and audio recording, Hahne said. Middle school technology courses are more than just a classroom version of Sim City, according to Tom Hellmuth, dean of LeTourneau University's School of Engineering and Engineering Technology. "Studies show that children start making decisions in middle school and junior high as to what their career choices will be," Hellmuth said. "That's when we need to generate their interest in these fields — the fields of science and technology." At Pine Tree, the seventh-grade course schedule provides for that interest with a broadcasting class, in which they learn audio and video technology to create broadcast journalism programs. "The students in broadcast class not only produce, but star in the weekly news program," Hahne said. The show airs at school on Monday mornings and four more times each Monday and Wednesday on Longview Cable Channel 23 starting at 7 p.m. Fuller said he also hopes to start a similar program at Judson later this year. Ultimate technology class objectives Though technology courses are only "fun" electives in schools statewide, Fuller said there is a bigger picture. "Students gain an understanding of career opportunities available in technology and what employers require to gain and maintain employment in those careers," Fuller said. He added that such courses have spawned career aspirations for several former students, including himself. "When I took the course, it was wood shop, but my instructor was interested in aviation," Fuller said. "A hobby shop in town went out of business and he bought their stock of gas-powered balsa wood airplanes. Little did I know I'd be teaching a course at age 40 that I became interested in at age 14." Hellmuth said society needs to understand that technology development provides the core of society's future prosperity. "We need scientists and engineers," he said. Although they are few and far between locally, technology courses are nothing new for Texas middle schools. In 1998, standards for sixth- through eighth-grade technology and industrial technology were added to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the framework for public school curriculum. The state curriculum requirement covers everything from lessons on information technologies to industrial quality control, but allows teachers to choose particular activities. Neither technology subject is covered on the state-mandated Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. "What we do, however, directly correlates with math and science, for which there are TAKS," Fuller said. "Today, the science class next door is studying Newton's Laws of Motion — motion and forces. This directly correlates to our rocketry activity and how the rocket motor is able to provide a directed force which moves the rocket in the opposite direction." Unlike the math and science classes, however, Fuller said he does not require a final written exam from his students. Middle school tech classes: the future Judson's was not always the only middle school technology course in Longview Independent School District. Foster Middle School's was nationally recognized by the Technology Student Association, but the program was discontinued when teacher Charles Mosley took a similar position at Longview High School this year, said Brian Bowman, district spokesman. Fuller said students at Foster and Forest Park middle schools still have an option of transferring to Judson. "And I'd certainly encourage (transferring for the technology program) if the student is strong in math and science," he said. At Pine Tree, fifth-grade students may participate in a newly formed after-school robotics club, in which they learn about and build toy-sized robots from LEGO brand Mindstorm kits, said teacher Crista Black, club coordinator. "Our plan is to increase membership in the after-school club by opening it to other grade levels and explore ways to create a class elective for the older grades as these engineers grow older," Black said. No technology classes are offered to middle school students at Spring Hill Independent School District, said Penny Fleet, district curriculum director. "Learning how to use a computer in itself is typically not enough to foster an interest in engineering and technology," Hellmuth said. "I believe you need to expose students to projects that give them a taste of the types of things they do in engineering and technology." 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