Preparing Georgia's Future Technology Educators
Students in Robert Wicklein’s technological studies class in UGA’s College
of Education face a different kind of challenge than they do in most classes
around campus.Each semester these students are assigned four real-world problems for which they must create real-world solutions. And not just solutions on paper. They must research, design and create real, working technological devices that solve the problems.
This particular evening the students, divided into design teams of three to four each, are making presentations in a River’s Crossing classroom on water purification devices they have created.
The problem? People in several small communities in the Central American country of Honduras are experiencing illnesses related to drinking polluted water. These communities are in a remote mountainous region where centralized water treatment facilities and distribution are non-existent. The effects of these illnesses are a cyclical process that relates to all types of poverty (mental, monetary, physical and spiritual).
The solution? If inhabitants of these communities used a small, portable and sustainable water purification device they could eliminate many of their physical problems.
“We researched the Honduras and what problems they face in relation to drinking water and found out there was an epidemic of cholera there. But with 53 percent of the population below the poverty line, any solution will have to be inexpensive,” Mary Lewis told her classmates.
Lewis, an undergraduate student in occupational studies from Alpharetta, explained how her group’s device used a bucket-like container to funnel water down a pipe through which it is filtered through quartz sand.
Wicklein, a professor of technological studies who joined the UGA faculty 13 years ago, leans back in his chair as he listens to the presentation. “Okay. Tell us about your numbers.”
“Unfortunately, our filter would not be acceptable,” said Lewis. “The river water had 340 milligrams of colony forming units (cfu’s) per 100 milliliters (ml) of fecal coliforms. Our filter was able to reduce this to 140 cfu’s, which is a start, but it could still make you sick.”
“What more could you do to improve your device?” Wicklein asked.
“It could be used in conjunction with another filter or we could chlorinate the water using clorox,” said Steve Ferguson, an undergraduate.
Even if the first group’s device wasn’t successful in adequately filtering the water, one thing is clear. There is much learning taking place here.
The project is one of four engineering-focused activities that students must complete in Wicklein’s class titled, Research and Experimentation in Technological Studies ” (ETES 5070/7070), a course that addresses the cognitive and applied approaches to designing and solving technological problems.
Wicklein’s students not only research their topic, they use engineering design techniques, laboratory experimentation and the construction of prototypes or working models of technological artifacts.
“Students in this class are learning how to solve technological problems using an engineering design process,” says Wicklein, an affiliate member of the Faculty of Engineering, a cross-disciplinary collaboration of faculties from several different disciplines and departments who work on engineering-related projects. “This is very different from the experienced-based or trial-and-error approaches that students normally use when solving problems.”
Most of the 13 students in Wicklein’s class are pre-service teachers, but there are two graduates students who are currently teaching technology education at north Georgia high schools. The course is helpful to both future and current teachers because special attention is given to the development and implementation of a realistic problem-solving agenda for the technology education curriculum.
“Going through this process helps us learn how to teach our students,” said Abbie Taylor, also of Alpharetta, who has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and is earning her MEd in technological studies, a program within the department of occupational studies. “This prepares us to teach our students how to document, how to think critically and how to apply science – step-by-step – to solve problems.”
The class has also tackled problems in superstructures, air foils and composite beams.
“It’s fun working with equipment such as the wind tunnel,” said Walter Pawlowski,
of Fayetteville, who is earning his EdS in occupational studies while teaching
technology education in Union Grove High School in Henry County. “We had
to research and design a low-speed airfoil that achieve maximum lift and
minimum drag at a 5-degree angle of attack at 55 miles per hour. We created
a cross section of a wing out of balsa wood and tested it in the wind tunnel,
then analyzed the results.”Wicklein, who was named Technology Teacher Educator of the Year in 2000 by the Council on Technology Teacher Education, said the course prepares these future teachers to engage their classes by integrating a broad spectrum of science, math and technology to solve problems.
“I want students to learn the processes utilized in engineering design to solve technological problems and how they can use these methods to teach valuable lessons in problem solving that help better prepare students for life and possible future careers,” he said.
Pawlowski said he is already using some of the projects in his high school class.
“I make them do all the research just like I had to do and then explain it,” he said, smiling. “Of course, we tested it differently. We don’t have a wind tunnel.”
As the students continued their presentations, the most effective purification device turned out to be one of the simplest.
A ceramic flower pot-like structure, made of a mixture of clay and sawdust which allowed the water to leak out while trapping the impurities, reduced the fecal coliforms from 340 cfu’s to 0 cfu’s.
“We’re trying to address worldwide epidemics which are literally a life and death issue. Dysentery and cholera are rife, killing thousands of people,” said Neil Pestell. “We think we took a good first step towards addressing this problem.”
Another student, Jimmy Stapp, wondered aloud how with something so simple
and effective available, why these problems with drinking water persisted.“It’s just a dissemination of information issue, I guess,” he said.
In describing how his group had gotten help from a friend who is ceramics expert to create the filter, Stapp said he realized something else.
“She had me brainstorming and I realized, as a teacher, how great a cross-disciplinary project this is,” he said. “Most art departments have kilns of some type and it could very well be that the art teacher down the hall has all the stuff you need. It could be a great thing to apply the principles of appropriate technology and see what effect they can have on an indigenous people. It’s also a great unit to share with science or social studies classes.”
And that’s just the sort of information Wicklein wants his students to learn.
For more information on the technological studies program:
http://www.coe.uga.edu/occstudies/undergrad.html
FACULTY FACTS:
Robert Wicklein received his Ed.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He has authored or co-authored a number of publications over the past several years including 20 refereed scholarly articles, 3 invited articles, 6 research projects, and has presented a number of national scholarly papers. In addition to being named 2000 Technology Educator of the Year, Wicklein has received the TECA Distinguished Faculty Advisor in 1995, Distinguished Technology Educator Award in 1995, Technology Education Division Research Award in 1992, 1993 and 1994, the Outstanding Young Technology Teacher in 1992, and the Outstanding Service Award from the Technology Education Division of the American Vocational Association in 1989. He has received more than $500, 000 in grants over the past several years. Wicklein's research focuses on design of curriculum in technology education, and appropriate technological development. His publications have appeared in numerous scholarly journals including Journal of Technology Education, Journal of Vocational Education Research, Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, The Technology Teacher, International Journal of Technology and Design Education, Technology in Society and Occupational Education Forum. Dr. Wicklein has served as the Chair of the Editorial Review Board of The Technology Teacher and was Project Director of the Technology Education Demonstration Project funded through the U.S. Department of Education.
WRITER: Michael Childs, 706/542-5889, mchilds@coe.uga.edu
CONTACT: Robert Wicklein, 706/542-4206, wickone@uga.edu