Critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Students will be expected to ask lots of questions, to think creatively, and to develop and try out new ideas. When given a situation, they will be able to identify a problem and find several ways to solve the problem. They will think about the advantages and disadvantages of each method, test the different solutions, identify and justify their choice for the best solution, and explain how their choice might change with changing circumstances.

Self-management skills.

Students will take responsibility for their own learning. They will understand what they are expected to do, and will work toward achieving those goals with a positive attitude. They will learn to work successfully as individuals and in groups, just as they will have to do in the workplace. They will learn to respect people with different cultural and social backgrounds.

Career planning and workplace readiness skills.

Children will be learning about different kinds of jobs, even in the early grades, and the kinds of skills that are needed to be successful in those jobs. Before leaving school, each student will acquire the knowledge and skills that are needed to succeed in the world of work. They will learn how to look for a job, how to interview and apply for a job, and how to keep a job once they get it.

Safety Principles.

To prepare themselves for the workplace, students need to learn how to work safely with various tools, materials, and processes. As they go through school, students will learn rules and laws that exist to ensure their own safety and health, and that of others.

Technology and Information.

In the 21st century, all kinds of work will require people to use the best technology available to get the job done. In order to become familiar with modern technology, students will be expected to use tools such as computers and calculators in all their classes. They will learn to use the Internet to find information using web sites and to communicate with others using email. They will learn how to organize, summarize, and evaluate the information that they have found, and use that information to solve problems or answer research questions.

These five types of skills correspond to areas identified in the 1992 SCANS report as being necessary for success in the world of work (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, United States Department of Education). Because they are so vital to success in the workplace, all five of these types of skills will be taught in all areas of the curriculum.

WHAT WILL MY CHILD BE LEARNING IN TECHNOLOGY?

Technology is more than computers and calculators. Three other aspects of technology that students need to know about are:

Use of Technology.

The ability to use technology is important in all areas of the curriculum, and in many areas of life. Students need to understand and use technology not only for school work, but for problems they will encounter in their lives as consumers, workers, and citizens. Undoubtedly, students need to become competent and at ease with the latest calculators and computers, but they also need to develop a spirit of adventure about technology, because the available technology is always changing -- today's innovations are obsolete tomorrow, and many of yesterday's innovations are quickly forgotten. Record players can no longer be found, and audio-tapes are disappearing in favor of compact disks. The video stores which are abundant today may disappear tomorrow when thousands of movies become available directly through Internet connections whenever you want them.

Technology and Invention.

Inventing things is one way that human beings use knowledge from science, mathematics, and technology to enhance life and help solve real problems. Children need to experience the design process used by inventors, designers, and engineers to develop new products and improve existing ones. They need to understand the nature of our technological world, and to apply scientific principles and mathematical problem-solving in creative ways to find better ways of doing things.

The Impact of Technology.

Students should understand the impact of technology, and should be aware that while new technologies create desirable solutions, they often also create significant new problems. They understand that the future of our planet depends heavily on how we decide to use technology and whether we consider carefully the consequences of what we do.