Roland Technology Education is now in its 16th year of offering technology education to the students of Roland Public Schools. The students that are eligible to participate in Tech Ed range from the 7th grade to the 12th grade. Technology Education at Roland Schools is an instructional program that provides students with daily hands on and exploratory experiences and insights into technology and career opportunities so that they can make meaningful occupational and educational choices. Technology education is a program that includes something for all students, from honor students to the at risk students.
The technology courses cover the four required areas of construction, communication, manufacturing, and energy power and transportation. While working in these areas the students will be exposed to material that would be taught in other classes such as math, science, social studies, language art and speech.
Recently, the Oklahoma Department of CareerTech made changes to the 9th and 10th grade levels of Technology Education. The program for these levels is now called Tech-Connect. Currently we are in the transition phase of converting to the new program. Tech-Connect was developed to better provide a structured, effective, benchmarked educational delivery system while maintaining maximum local flexibility in instructional delivery to meet student needs (Controlled Flexibility). This program is designed to replace the current Advanced Technology Education high school programs. Tech-Connect more effectively builds on the introduction explorations given at the 7th and 8th grades and it focuses on the 9th and 10th grade levels.
The 2007 Sequoyah County Technology Challenge greatly enhanced our relationship with Indian Capital Technology Center (ICTC) in Sallisaw, OK. Because of the event, both ICTC and the Roland Technology Education program have a better understanding of each others operations and needs. Additionally, the joint partnership between Roland TSA, Vian TSA, and ICTC has strengthened relationships amongst county and regional Technology Education programs.
Our goal is to continue to produce students who are qualified at the pre-professional level and ready to enter the present job market in the field of technology. We are striving to develop leadership, creative abilities, positive self-concepts and individual potential in a technological world. Emphasis is placed on leadership development activities that assist students in becoming good citizens with positive qualities and attitudes. Additionally, the program helps develop student skills in communication, decision making/problem solving, human relations, management, and motivational techniques. One of the best ways to accomplish this is through our local Technology Student Association (TSA).
Furthermore, students will gain skills in specific technology areas such as graphic design, audio/video production, digital photography, website management, and AutoCAD programs. Students will also gain experience with Microsoft Office, which will greatly enhance their chance of success in college as well as in the workplace.
Tech-Connect is designed as a two-year program. The Tech-Connect’s are structured so that students will experience a semester of classroom and laboratory training in each of three occupational content areas determined for the program. The fourth semester is a focused study of all aspects of the industry in relation to the content area of their choices, from the three occupational content areas. This fourth piece or “Career Aspects,” capstone course, also includes shadowing, career research, a report, and may include internship, as well as and In-depth Application Project.
The new curriculum established at the ICTC, called E.A.S.T. for Environmental and Spatial Technology, should be an attractive program for the students at Roland High School. The program will allow students to further the skills that they have learned in Technology Education and Tech-Connect towards curriculum in desktop publishing, computer animation, video-game design, graphic design, video editing, etc.
A technical education can be acquired in a number of ways. Local Career-Techs (Vo-Techs) are one of the easiest ways to pick up extra training in specific fields. Also, there are many vocational schools one can attend. If an individual prefers not to go into a school setting, there are several other options. The U.S. military has many fields that a person can go into. Another choice is correspondence courses. With these a person can work at one’s own pace until the subject is learned. OJT (on the job training) can also teach a person a trade. Whichever direction one chooses, there is a way for a person to be trained in the environment that best fits their personality.
Before the program can be fully successful, the appropriate equipment/software must be accumulated. Some of the programs needed include, but are not limited to: Adobe Photoshop, Pinnacle Studio, AutoCAD LT, Microsoft FrontPage, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word. In addition, the program will need digital cameras, digital camcorders, A/V capturing devices, microphones, media, and miscellaneous computer peripherals.
In regards to Tech-Connect, additional software and equipment will be the primary focus in the successful conversion to the program. Job shadowing is an important aspect of a student gaining a true understanding of a specific career. Therefore, the program, the administration, and the community businesses need to work collectively in setting up a method for allowing a limited number of students to take part in job shadowing.
Student enrollment needs to continuously be monitored. Students in the 11th and 12th grade cannot be counted in the program. Additionally, there must be certain number of students enrolled in the program (that is 9th and 10th grade students) to receive funding. Additional 11th and 12th grade students may be enrolled, but must be kept to a minimal.
Students must apply to be apart of the new E.A.S.T. program at ICTC. If students have enrolled in a Technology Education course at Roland High School they have solid foundation. Students should enroll in the E.A.S.T. program their sophomore year and begin classes their junior year.
The technology education program at Roland is evaluated on the basis of students’ projects, students’ progress, and teacher and State Department made test. To evaluate our students, emphasis is placed on developing a student's understanding of the impact technology has on our culture, society, economy, environment and politics.
-Mr. O'Neal
Roland Technology Education Instructor