Foundations of Technology Syllabus

Course Overview:

The Foundations of Technology course is a two semester standards based class in which all students are required to complete for graduation. This course is based on the twenty standards for technological literacy set forth by the International Technology Education Association (ITEA).
Technology education is an integrated, experience-based instructional program designed to prepare students to be technologically literate about technology, its evolution, systems, utilization, as well as its social, economical, and cultural impacts. The result is technological literacy through the application of mathematics and science along with technological areas such as, but not limited to: engineering, communications, power transportation technology, and biotechnology. Students are challenged to discover, create, solve problems, think critically, and devise solutions by using a variety of tools, machines, computer systems, materials, and technological systems. The year long course is divided into 5 units. The first three are covered in the first semester, and the remaining are covered in the second semester. As indicated below we may not go in chronological order.at times throughout the year students will be engaged in some project based learning. As a result a Lab fee of $8.00 dollars is charged at the beginning of each semester.

FOT Course Design: Semester A

FOT Quarter 1:

Unit II: Technology and Society

• Standard 4. Students will develop an understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and political effects of technology.
• Standard 5. Students will develop an understanding of the effects of technology on the environment.
• Standard 6. Students will develop an understanding of the role of society in the development and use of technology.
• Standard 7. Students will develop an understanding of the influence of technology on history.

Concepts students will learn throughout this unit:

• Cause/ Effect / Tradeoffs
• Impacts technology has on society
• Design and Development
• Technological Development is Evolutionary
• Technological Ages

Quarter 2:

Unit I: The Nature of Technology

• Standard 1. Students will develop an understanding of the characteristics and scope of technology.
• Standard 2. Students will develop an understanding of the core concepts of technology.
• Standard 3. Students will develop an understanding of the relationships among technologies and other fields of study.

Concepts students will learn throughout this unit:

• Technology through time and how it has effected different environments
• Inventions and Innovations
• Systems
• Processes and Products
• Technology Transfer
• Patent Process

Unit III: Design

• Standard 8. Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of design.
• Standard 9. Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.
• Standard 10. Students will develop an understanding of the role of troubleshooting, research and development, invention and innovation, and experimentation in problem solving.

Concepts students will learn throughout this unit:

• Technological Design Model (TDM)
• The application of the TDM through various projects
• Engineering Design
• Trouble Shooting

Course Design: Semester B

Quarter 3:

Foundations of Technology Unit IV: Abilities for a Technological World

• Standard 11. Students will develop the abilities to apply the design process.
• Standard 12. Students will develop the abilities to use and maintain technological products and systems.
• Standard 13. Students will develop the abilities to assess the impact of products and systems.

Concepts students will learn throughout this unit:

• Application of Design
• Applications of Engineering Design
• Use and Maintain Technological Systems
• Evaluation and assessment of multiple design solutions

Quarter 4:

Foundations of Technology Unit V: The Designed World

• Standard 14. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use medical technologies.
• Standard 15. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use agricultural and related biotechnologies.
• Standard 16. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use energy and power technologies.
• Standard 17. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use information and communication
technologies.
• Standard 18. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use transportation technologies.
• Standard 19. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use manufacturing technologies.
• Standard 20. Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use construction technologies.

Concepts students will learn throughout this unit:

• Group Project Planning
• Classification of Medical Technologies
• Classifications of Agriculture and Biotechnologies
• Biotechnology/Bioengineering
• Energy technology
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Components
• Graphic Systems
• Marketing
• Classification of transporting systems and Intermodalism
• Intelligent Systems
• Classifications and Processes, Materials and Servicing, Chemical Technologies
• Construction Technologies,
• Upkeep, Service & Repairs
• Construction Technologies

Foundations of Technology Course Safety:

It is imperative that students understand his/her role in creating and maintaining a safe work environment for themselves as well as other students in the Technology Lab. In the next few weeks we will be introducing different types of tools (hand and power) and proper methods for using them to accomplish the task at hand. Each student will be thoroughly instructed, observed, and tested on all tools they will be using in the lab. In addition to this students will be instructed on proper lab safety procedures. Students are only permitted to operate tools under the direct supervision of a certified technology education instructor. Please understand that your student must be responsible for the safety of themselves as well as others in the room. Behavior sometimes thought of as playful in other classrooms creates an atmosphere that is unsafe and unacceptable in the technology education lab. Many students are new to this area of education. It is important that they know and respect the proper safety procedures set forth in class.

Foundations of Technology Course Fee:

The Foundations of Technology course requires many consumable materials therefore an $8.00 lab fee will be required from each student. This fee can be paid in cash or checks can be made payable to Northwest High School. Unfortunately, if this obligation is not paid in a timely manner the student may not be able to participate in certain school activities or their report card may be withheld.

Classroom Expectations and Procedures:

Each student is expected to work to the best of his/her ability. The following are rules for a positive learning environment for all: Respect

• All students are expected to respect themselves, their classmates, and their teachers.
• Students are expected to submit assignments on time
• Students are not to talk while others are speaking.
• No profanity.
• Reading for other courses or doing other course work during class time is prohibited.

Tardy

• Students must be in their seats and ready to work when the bell rings.
• A student who arrives to class after the bell will be marked late and will fill out a “Tardy Log” as stated by Northwest HS rules.

Aditional

• Students may not bring any food, candy, drinks, electronic devices, hats and water into the classroom.
• The only electronic device permitted in a classroom will be a calculator.
• If any items are seen, I will ask you to put the items away the first time.
• If a student brings these items more than once into the classroom and are visible, these items will be taken and given back to the student at the end of the day.
• If the items continue to be brought to class they will again be confiscated and sent to the office for your parents to reclaim.

Bathroom/Nurse/Office Visits

• No student may leave the classroom within the first five minutes or the last 5 min of the class.
• Only one student may leave the classroom at a time. The student must have the teacher fill out the designated hall pass and return the pass to the teacher upon returning to the classroom.
• The students must also fill out the Classroom Log before leaving the classroom and upon returning to the classroom.

Grading:

The following grading scale wi ll be used in all FOT classes:

• Formative: 50% (Class work, in-class projects, quizzes)
• Summative: 40% (Unit assessments)
• Homework/Class work : 10% (Work done together in class and rare but possible homework)

Procedures for late work/Making up work:

Assignments are expected to be completed by the due date. La te work will result in a loss point penalty consistent with the MCPS grading policy, I will only accept late work until an announced deadline which by default is two days after the due date. A student will not be permitted to make up work, test, and quiz if his/her absence is unexcused.

• If you miss class excused, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING UP ANY MISSED WORK. Each student will have three days to make up an assignment, test, quiz, etc. If you miss a test or quiz, you will be expected to take it on the very next makeup day.
• Any assignment that was due on the day of your excused absence (or during the course of your extended absence) is expected on the day that you return to school. If you do not have it on that day, it will be treated as late work.

These late work policies are in place to dissuade you from getting too far behind. It is imperative that you keep pace with the class. I encourage all students to come during the scheduled lunch days. I want you to get the best grade in my class but it has to be earned!
Course Website:

• http://techedclass.com
• All assignments, Power Points, and miscellaneous information will be posted on the above site.