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September 2008
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3
technically speaking
Susanne Peckham susanne@techdirections.com
I recently read a great article authored by the
lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. As a guest
columnist for The Metrowest Daily, Timothy Murray wrote
to inform the public about the benefits and successes
of his state’s technical schools, which he describes as
“high schools where admission is competitive, where
mastery is the standard not just time spent in class,
where community and business partnerships augment
school budgets, and where students are prepared for the
challenges of the global economy.”
Murray goes on to describe enrollment numbers
that attest to a growing interest in tech schools—for
example, 821 students applying for 400 spots at Worcester
Technical High. In recent years, Massachusetts tech
schools have seen roughly twice as many applications as
available openings. “Students and their families are voting
with their feet—beating a path to the vocational-technical
school yards,” Murray says.
According to school superintendents around the
state, parents and students are realizing that today’s
tech school model expands, rather than limits, students’
career opportunities. Parents and students “see a highly
structured, disciplined, and safe environment that helps
students excel,” Murray writes.
Having worked with and toured many tech schools,
Murray has come to see them as “dynamic places, where
students are engaged and inspired. Learning is applied,
not theoretical, helping students see the relevance of
their course and project work to their future success.”
He goes on to write: “Education experts say public
schools today must teach students 21st-century skills to
prepare them to compete in a
global economy. Beyond the
basic academics, 21st-century
skills include the ability
to work in teams, to think
critically and solve problems,
to use technology, and be
able to communicate effectively. . . . These skills are most
effectively taught through project-based learning, with
clear accountability standards and opportunities for
students to hone their leadership and communication
skills. That is the vocational model in Massachusetts.”
Murray calls for expanding the availability of
technical education so that “all qualified students
have the opportunity to pursue their passion.” After
noting progress in recent years with strengthening the
academic components of technical programs, he closes
by writing: “Policy makers need to take note, however,
that enhancing academics must not come at the expense
of student time spent developing their skills or trade.
Academics are vital, but equally important is learning
how to work on a team, in a real-world environment, with
technology relevant to today’s economy. . . . That’s the
core of the vocational experience, and it’s a lesson the
vocational schools could teach some of our traditional
high schools.”
Board of Directors
Turalee A. Barlow, George F. Kennedy,
Janice E. Knope, Susanne Peckham
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Michael Fitzgerald, Technology Education Specialist, Office of
Career and Technical Education, Indiana Dept. of Education,
Indianapolis, IN
Paul Koontz, President, Denford Inc., Medina, OH
Ed Prevatt, School Specialist, National Center for Construction
Education and Research, Gainesville, FL
John Roccanova, Technology Education, Webutuck Central School,
Amenia, NY
Mark Schwendau, Technology Instructor, Kishwaukee College,
Malta, IL
Kendall N. Starkweater, Executive Director,International Technology
Education Association, Reston, VA
Publisher George F. Kennedy
Assistant Publisher & Business Mgr. Turalee A. Barlow,
tbarlow@techdirections.com
Managing Editor Susanne Peckham, susanne@
techdirections.com
Associate Editor Pam Moore, pam@techdirections.com
Art, Design, and Production Manager Sharon K. Miller
Advertising Sales Representatives
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com
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techdirections.com
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Subscription Dept. Vanessa Revelli, vanessa@techdirections.
com, 800-530-9673 x217
PEER REVIEW BOARD
Gregory G. Belcher, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Technical Teacher
Education, Pittsburg State University, KS
Daniel M. Claiborne, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Industrial and
Engineering Technology, Murray State University, KY
Sam Cotton, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Ball State University, Muncie,
IN
Ronald F. Gonzales, Ph.D., ASE, Program Chair, Technology Teacher
Education Professor, Brigham Young University, UT
Clarke Homoly, Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Aviation, University of
Central Missouri, Warrensburg
Robert T. Howell, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Technology Studies, Fort
Hays State University, KS
Robert D. Mordini, Ed.D., Asst. Professor, Technology Studies, Fort
Hays State University, KS
Richard Phillips, Ed.D., Division Chair, Technologies Division,
Mountain Empire Community College, VA
A Prakken Publications Magazine
Digital Tech Directions (ISSN 1940-3100) is published monthly,
except June and July, by Prakken Publications, Inc., 832 Phoenix
Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Executive, editorial, and advertising
offices are at PO Box 8623, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8623, telephone
734-975-2800; fax 734-975-2787. Vol. 68, No. 2.
4 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
Joseph Scarcella, Ph.D., Professor of Education, California State
University, San Bernadino
Mark S. Schwendau, M.S., Technology Instructor, Kishwaukee
College, Malta, IL
Bert Siebold, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Industrial & Engineering
Technology, Murray State University, KY
Chris Zirkle, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, College of Education, Ohio State
University, Columbus, OH
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©2008 by Prakken Publications, Inc.
contents
September 2008
Vol. 68, No. 2
ELECTRONICS
Project Integrates Basic Electronics
12 Easy-to-Implement
and Computer Programming
By Richard Johnson and Ray Shackelford
Computer programming and basic electronics are often
considered two separate entities and consequently often taught
as completely separate subjects. But here, using a BASIC Stamp
development board, students fabricate digital circuits, then use
PBASIC to write program code that will control the circuits that
they have built.
COMMUNICATION
Just for English Classes—Writing Skills
17 Not
Essential in Tech Ed Today
page 12
By Peter Worley
A survey of educators from a variety of
fields indicates that writing belongs in all
courses and that all teachers need to take
responsibility for including some sort of
writing project in their classes.
CAREER DIRECTIONS
Power Technician By Pam Moore
20 Fluid
Everything students need to know about
careers for fluid power technicians—
wages, responsibilities, skills needed,
career advancement possibilities, and
more.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Tech High School Wins School Web Site
22 High
of the Month
SPECIAL FEATURE
23 e-gallery
Make classroom and lab purchases easier by referring
to Tech Directions’ gallery of leading companies
available on the Web.
COLUMNS
4 Technically Speaking
Susanne Peckham
7 Direct from Washington
Anne C. Lewis
8 The Report Susanne Peckham
9 Mastering Computers
Reid Goldsborough
page 22
10 Technology’s Past
Dennis Karwatka
11 Technology Today
Alan Pierce
26 Product Central
28 Free for the Asking
30 More than Fun
About the cover: A student fabricates a digital circuit that will eventually be
controlled by student-written PBASIC program code. (See page 12.) Photo
courtesy of Richard Johnson and Ray Shackelford. Cover design by Sharon
K. Miller.
CONTENTS
5
New this month at
techdirections.com
Project of the Month
Katapultos
Heads up! This technology project increases
math, science, and technology correlations within
the classroom while giving students a fun way to
collect and apply measurement data. This month
only, price reduced to $4.95. Save $2!
www.techdirections.com/proj_katapult.html
Product
of the Month
Exploring Solar Energy
Series
New Project
Basic Electronics and Computer Programming Project
Students build simple electronics projects using a BASIC Stamp development board and then write program code to control the circuits they have built.
Includes four student projects, culminating in a door bell circuit. (Requires
purchase of development board.) www.techdirections.com/projectsE.html
6 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
Easy-to-understand books
explain solar energy and provide step-by-step activities
that apply solar energy principles. This month only, buy
both for $19.95, $9.95 off the
list price! www.techdirections.
com/solar.html
direct from washington
Anne C. Lewis
anneclewis@earthlink.net
New CTE Report
Despite fears about career and
technical education (CTE) being
squeezed out of the high school curriculum, overall student participation
did not change measurably between
1990 and 2005. What changes that
have occurred probably dealt more
with the quality and focus than with
enrollment, areas not covered in a
new statistical report on vocational
education from the National Center
for Education Statistics (NCES).
In New York City, for example,
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced that the city may open up
to four new career schools, presumably to make an end run around traditional vocational schools that have
a poor academic record. The mayor
said earlier this year that “college is
not for everyone, but education is,”
and his takeover of the city’s public
school system has jolted business as
usual in the nation’s largest school
system, putting much more emphasis on accountability for student
progress. The city has 21 vocational
schools, but almost half (47 percent)
are ranked C or less on student progress reports. Many of the newly created small schools in New York City
have a career focus, and altogether
the district offers more than 280
vocational programs in regular or
separate schools.
The NCES report gives a national
picture of the CTE status. About 88
percent of public high schools offered occupational programs, with
half of them having access to an
area CTE school for courses. In the
15-year period studied, the average number of total CTE credits
and occupational credits earned by
public high school graduates did
not change. They totaled about four
credits for CTE and three credits for
occupational courses. In contrast,
the number of credential-seeking
undergraduates majoring in career
fields increased by about one-half
million students, although their
proportion of the overall enrollment
decreased.
For the rest of this item, visit
www.techdirections.com/w091.html.
Plans for Education
from Politicians and Others
The link between education and
the economy barely goes past rhetoric in the two presidential campaign
camps. While both candidates say
they will invest in education to keep
the economy moving, they almost ignore workforce quality or workforce
adaptation issues.
Only Sen. John McCain, the
Republican candidate, mentions
the role of community colleges in
workforce development. Sen. Barack
Obama, the Democratic candidate,
calls for expanding alternative paths
to high school graduation that include apprenticeships and environmental corps, and he emphasizes
improvements in math and science
teaching.
Left out of their individual platforms is any mention of improvements or changes to the Workforce
Investment Act or an emphasis on
career pathways that respond to
changing needs of the workforce.
Some ideas for a national focus at
least came from two outside groups
that joined forces to push a policy
statement through the AFL-CIO executive council. The American Federation of Teachers and the International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers (IAM) developed
a policy statement, adopted by the
AFL-CIO, for training the next generation of skilled workers. Its major
points include:
• Encouraging skill development
and education in high-need sectors
such as infrastructure, defense, green
technologies, aerospace, renewable
energy, education, and health care
through state and federal financial
aid programs.
• Supporting new high-tech education and training institutes in each
state to help set the standard of 21stcentury excellence and innovation in
workforce development.
Expanding Workforce
Development Partnerships
A year ago, major foundations in
the United States, joined by businesses, government, and nonprofit agencies, met to launch the National Fund
for Workforce Solutions, pledging to
raise $50 million to expand promising
workforce development partnerships
in different communities. The backbone of the initiative will be intermediary organizations that will organize
regional funding cooperatives.
The idea is built on the experiences of several foundations involved in
workforce development for a decade
or more. These include the Annie E.
Casey Foundation and its Jobs Initiative in six cities, the Boston Foundation, and the Ford and Rockefeller
Foundations.
As described in a brief history
of this initiative, these foundations
called together 75 leaders in the
workforce development field in 2005
to discuss the issues and make recommendations on how to create local collaborations. Out of that meeting came new efforts in Baltimore,
San Francisco, Austin, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, and New York City.
The U.S. Department of Labor
and other foundations have joined
the initiative, and over the next five
years the National Fund will support
30 to 40 existing and new funding
partnerships in local communities.
Editor’s note: Due to rising paper
and postage costs, we’ve placed
portions of this column on our web
site. We welcome your reactions.
Anne Lewis, one of the country’s
most respected writers on education
policy, works in the Washington, DC,
area.
WASHINGTON
7
the news report
Susanne Peckham
susanne@techdirections.com
Mastercam Announces
“Innovator of the Future”
Winner
CNC Software, developer of
Mastercam CAD/CAM software, has
announced the winner of its Innovator of the Future competition for
the 2007-2008 school year: Bernie
Sievers, an advanced manufacturing
student at Vincennes (IN) University.
The competition aims to introduce
students to real-world manufacturing
by asking them to produce a specific
part, to be judged by a representative of the manufacturing industry.
The 2007-2008 competition required students to design and cut a
steering wheel. Students also had to
submit a written description of the
part, explain the inspiration for the
design, and list materials used.
The judge was Boyd Coddington,
known by many people from the
popular TLC show American Hot
Rod. As it turns out, Bernie Sievers
is a racecar enthusiast. His steering wheel featured holes along both
top and bottom that Coddington felt
added sleek racing styling.
The runner-up was Kenyoj Burrell,
a student at Eastern Arizona College,
in Thatcher. His design integrated
esthetics and ergonomics in his
steering wheel. Alex Beranek and
Jordan Hinkson, students at Kenmore
Middle School, Arlington, VA, took an
honorable mention with their biohazard symbol steering wheel.
Tiger Woods Learning
Center Embraces
Engineering Challenges
If the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC) is an accurate barometer,
high school students’ interest in
engineering is on the rise.
Student in Orange, Los Angeles,
and Riverside, CA, counties apply to
participate in activities at the TWLC,
including Synergistic Suites for those
who want to explore digital manufacturing, multimedia, aerospace rock-
8 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
etry, and engineering. TWLC focuses
on career exploration in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics. Three hundred students
participate each week.
Participating students learn
about career possibilities and the
importance of teamwork. At the end
of each session, students prepare
presentations for their classmates
and parents, giving them a chance to
showcase the skills and techniques
they’ve acquired at the center.
Winners Announced
for 2008 Adobe School
Innovation Awards
Adobe Systems Incorporated has
announced the winners of the 2008
Adobe School Innovation Awards.
The awards program honors the
innovative work of high school students in the U.S. and Canada. With
the theme “My Community—My
Planet—My 21st Century,” students
submitted more than 300 projects
in three categories: web design and
development; film and video; and
graphic and print design.
The best of the best award, for the
outstanding overall submission, went
to Macy Sarchet, Phillip David Mellon, and Dillian Neiman from Gregory-Portland High School in Portland,
TX, for “Seagrass—My Community.”
Winning entries in the three categories were also recognized. In the
Graphic and Print Design category
the winner was Nicholas Callahan,
Watauga High School, Boone, NC, for
“Stop Pollution.” In the Web Design
and Development category, the winners were Tony Guglielmi, Jacob
Bowen, Kevin Matteson, Jon Wilber,
and Sam Morgan, Pickerington (OH)
High School North for “The Environment and You.” In the Film and Video
category, the winners were Richard
Yeager, Kourtney Bryant, Craig Austin, and Chris Deig from F. J. Reitz
High School, Evansville, IN, for “1937:
Evansville’s Great Flood.”
Winning entries were recognized
at the National Education Computing
Conference (NECC) in San Antonio,
TX, in early July. They can be viewed
at www.adobe.com/education/community/k12/gallery/swf/index.html.
Winners were selected by a panel
of industry judges based on their
originality and effectiveness in communicating project objectives.
The best of the best winner, plus
a chaperone, received a trip to San
Antonio to attend the awards breakfast. Category winners received a
$1,500 cash prize, a copy of Adobe
Creative Suite 3 Master Collection,
and a Lenovo laptop from contest
sponsor Lenovo.
Adobe will continue the Adobe
School Innovation Award Program for
the 2008/2009 school year, reopening
the competition this fall. Visit http://
www.adobe.com/education/solutions/k12/awards/ for information.
South Dakota Grants
Boost CTE Curriculum
The South Dakota Department of
Education is upping its support for
career and technical education (CTE)
by issuing a total of $1.5 million to
37 schools and educational cooperatives to support 50 CTE projects during the 2008-2009 school year. The
funded programs include a hands-on
curriculum in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics.
The department had received
more than $3 million in requests for
the grants.
Events
Sept. 10-12. Spray Finishing Workshop.
Owens Community College. Toledo,
OH. www.owens.edu/workforce_cs/
seminars.html.
Oct. 13-17. Careers in Construction
Week. National Center for Construction Education and Research. www.
nccer.org.
Oct. 15-17. Canadian Society for Training and Development. Toronto, ON.
www.cstd.ca/conference/index.html.
Oct 22-25. National Career Pathways
Network Conference. Cincinnati, OH.
www.ncpn.info.
Susanne Peckham is managing editor of Tech Directions.
mastering computers
Reid Goldsborough
reidgold@comcast.net
Is Your Computer Keyboard Making You Sick?
If you pay too much attention to
all the TV commercials for antibacterial soaps, wipes, lotions, and sprays,
it can be difficult not to feel paranoid about all the germs out there
that can get you. Now there’s a new
threat, or at least a newly publicized
threat, to worry about.
Your computer’s keyboard may be
harboring the kinds of bugs that can
cause a nasty case of food poisoning.
This is according to new research
by the London-based consumer
group Which? (www.which.co.uk). In
swabbing 33 keyboards in its office,
it found that 4 were home to enough
bacteria to be potential health hazards. One harbored 5 times more
germs than one of the office’s toilet
seats and 150 times more than the
level the group considers safe, a
keyboard that was so badly contaminated that it had to be trashed.
Most of the group’s keyboards,
and by implication most keyboards
in use today, aren’t harboring harmful levels of E.coli, staphylococcus
aureus, and other nasties. But is
yours—or are the ones in your classroom or lab?
There’s no economical way to test
all the keyboards out there, but there
are commonsense ways to prevent
bacterial contamination or eliminate
it if it exists.
“The main cause of a bug-infested
keyboard is eating at your desk,”
according to a report released by the
group. Crumbs and spills can wind
up on and between the keys. “The
food deposits encourage the growth
of millions of bacteria, which can
lead to stomach bugs.”
Another cause of bacterial contamination of keyboards is thought
to be poor personal hygiene, such as
neglecting to wash your hands after
going to the bathroom. Yet another
culprit: dust, which can trap moisture and enable any bacteria that’s
already on the keyboard to flourish.
One potential cause of a keyboard
that can make someone sick, not
mentioned by the report, is sharing it
among other many users—as is typical in school settings—one of whom
may have inadvertently coughed or
sneezed onto it or into his hand. If
the user has a cold or flu, the viruses
could wind up on other users’ hands.
The way to deal with a dirty
keyboard, short of one fit to be destroyed as a result of bad bathroom
hygiene, is to simply clean it. If you
don’t regularly clean yours, you’re
not alone.
In conjunction with testing its own
keyboards, Which? conducted an online survey of 4,000 computer users
and found that 46 percent of respondents said they clean their keyboard
less than once a month, 22 percent
once a month, and 29 percent more
than once a month.
Cleaning a mildly dirty keyboard
is easy. To get rid of crumbs and dust
that may have found their way between the keys, unplug the keyboard,
turn it upside down over a trash can,
and gently shake. To remove any
remaining debris, spray between the
keys with a can of compressed air,
vacuum between the keys using a
handheld vacuum cleaner, or wipe
between the keys with a computer
brush or small paintbrush.
To rid the surface of keys of common grease and grime, with the keyboard unplugged, gently wipe it off
with a cloth slightly dampened with
water followed by a wipe with a dry
cloth. To rid the keys of bacteria and
viruses, gently rub the keyboard with
an alcohol wipe.
To help prevent the fading of the
letters and other markings on the
keys, don’t rub too hard and avoid
household cleaning liquids. According to Which?, alcohol-free wipes are
gentler on your keyboard but aren’t
as effective in ridding it of germs.
Aside from ergonomic or spe-
cialty keyboards, most computer
keyboards are relatively inexpensive,
and replacing one if sticky liquid
(soda, sweetened coffee) is accidentally spilled is relatively painless.
Some people have reported that placing a keyboard in a dishwasher sometimes works in such cases, provided
you allow plenty of time for it to dry
afterward. Others have reported that
keyboards stop working after being
cleaned in this way.
If you use a computer in a dirty or
dusty environment, you could try a
soft, flexible keyboard “skin,” available from computer supply outlets
and more easily cleaned than keyboards.
Finally, don’t forget to keep your
mouse clean as well. With both balltype and optical mice, cleaning aids
include a moistened cloth, a moistened cotton swab, an alcohol wipe,
and compressed air.
Reid Goldsborough is a syndicated
columnist and author of the book
Straight Talk About the Information
Superhighway.
Calling All
Inventors!
Don’t let your students
miss the 2008-2009
techdirections
Inventors Competition!
RESCUE
ME!
Get them
involved
in
devising
creative
uses for
discarded
milk cartons!
For details, visit www.
techdirections.com/contest.
html or see page 22 of the
August issue of techdirections.
Deadline: January 30, 2009
MASTERING COMPUTERS
9
technology’s past
Dennis Karwatka
d.karwat@morehead-st.edu
Thomas Midgley and High-Octane Gasoline
in more power. Ethyl gasoline let
manufacturers make more powerful
engines for automobiles, airplanes,
and all other applications in which
gasoline engines were used. The first
three finishers in the 1924 Indianapolis 500 race used ethyl gasoline.
Midgley went on to develop synthetic rubber and refrigerants. He
served as president of the American
Chemical Society, received many
awards, and accumulated over 250
patents. A pleasant, likeable person, he sponsored the education of
17 engineering students in the late
1930s. After retiring from laboratory
work, in 1940 Midgley became vice
president of Ohio State University’s
research foundation. Midgley contracted polio, and complications
from the disease caused his death in
1944.
We now know that lead in gasoline is an environmental hazard.
Only lead-free gasoline can be used
in modern automobiles. No one
was aware of the seriousness of the
problems caused by lead until long
after Midgley’s death. But in its day,
not only did TEL extend gasoline
supplies, it helped win World War II.
Britain’s Air Chief Lord
Arthur Tedder stated,
“Three factors contributed to . . . victory: the
skill and bravery of the
pilots, the Rolls-Royce
Merlin engine, and the
availability of suitable
[high octane] fuel.”
Library of Congress
In the early part of the 20th
He replaced part of the cylinder
century, Henry Ford’s inexpensive,
with transparent quartz so that he
popular Model T
could photograph
automobile put
the combustion
America on wheels.
process. This was
But technologists
the first step in
wondered if there
a long journey of
was enough gasoline
researching gasoline
to support a rapidly
additives.
expanding market.
Over a five-year
Thomas Midgley’s
period, Midgley
1921 development of
and his co-worthe tetra-ethyl-lead
kers tested 33,000
(TEL) additive
different chemical
helped refiners get
compounds. Sucmore energy from a
cess finally came
barrel of crude oil.
in 1921 when they
Midgley was born
prepared and tested
in 1889 in Beaver
the first quantity
Thomas Midgley in the early
1940s
Falls, PA. His father
of tetra-ethyl-lead.
was a businessman
They found that TEL
who invented a detachable tire rim.
eliminated engine knock when just
His mother also had a technical
one ounce of the liquid was added
background. Her father invented saw
to 10 gallons of
blades with removable teeth. As a
gasoline. Comhigh school baseball player, Midgley
monly called
researched methods for throwing an
“ethyl gasoline,”
improved curve ball.
the resulting
In 1911, Midgley graduated from
mix first went on
Cornell University with a degree in
sale in Dayton in
mechanical engineering. Probably
1923. Kettering
influenced by his parents, he planned
estimated that
to become a professional inventor.
two gallons of
References
Midgley had a couple of employers
gasoline with
Bernstein, Mark. (2002,
before going to work for Charles KetTEL provided as
Spring). Thomas Midgtering (1876 –1958) in 1916. Kettering
much energy as
ley and the law of unintended consequences.
invented the self-starter in 1911 and
three gallons wiAmerican Heritage of
established the Dayton Engineering
thout TEL. This
Invention and TechnolLaboratory Company to focus on aumeant that over
ogy, pp. 38–46.
tomotive research. One of Midgley’s
the next 25 years
Kettering, Charles F.
early assignments was to analyze
TEL would save
(1982). Kettering digest.
Reflections Press.
engine knock.
a billion barrels
National
cyclopedia of
Engine knock is undesirable comof oil.
American biography,
bustion that damages engines and
Midgley’s
Midgley’s test engine resemVol. XXXIV. Ann Arbor,
reduces automobile performance.
innovation also
bled this 1929 variable-comMI: University Microfilms.
Today, we would say that it’s related
ushered in the
pression laboratory engine.
to the octane value of gasoline. But
age of the highDennis Karwatka is professor
in 1916, no one knew what caused
compression engine. In the late
emeritus, Department of Industrial and
engine knock. Midgley invented
1920s, engines had compression
Engineering Technology, Morehead
some ingenious equipment for an
ratios of about 4:1. TEL allowed high(KY) State University.
experimental single-cylinder engine.
er compression ratios, which resuled
10 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
technology today
Alan Pierce
pierceaj@optonline.net
Re-Recording the Past or Present into New Digital Formats
Communication technologies
continue to evolve, and this evolution—when it turns revolutionary—
kills older technologies that once
performed the same task. To prevent
equipment obsolescence from destroying memories stored in old film,
someone in your family probably
had old home movie films converted
into VCR tapes. Since the VCR is now
being replaced by DVD players, game
consoles, and digital video recorders
(DVRs), your movies that were once
saved as video tapes will soon need
updating into a digital format.
Many of the technology press
conferences that I attend are chockfull of products designed to convert
old media recordings into new digital
files and formats. This column looks
at some of the devices specifically
designed to transfer old or new recordings into digital formats that can
be archived, listened to, or viewed
using the latest technology.
Do you have a large, yet almost
forgotten record collection? If you do
and want to convert each record into
an MP3 file, check out Audio-Tech-
Photo 1
nica’s new record turntable (Photo
1). Vinyl-record conversion projects
once required the expertise of the
techno elite. Audio-Technica has
now automated vinyl-record ripping
into a simple plug, play, and transfer
process.
You just plug the Audio-Technica
AT-LP2D-USB stereo turntable into
your computer, load the included
software, and let your computer con-
use video-editing software to convert
the file into a movie. Finally, I would
leave my computer running most
of the night, converting my movie
frame by frame into a formatted DVD.
Dazzle performs a 1:1 conversion in
real time removing all of the above
hassle. It took 1 hour and 7-1/2 minutes to convert an analog video into
a finished formatted DVD. The only
drawback: some voice-video synchronization errors may occur.
What can you do to transfer old
or new video files without a
computer? Pinnacle’s Video
Transfer Press & Go is a
small (2-1/2" ✕ 4-3/4" ✕ 3/4")
block with a click wheel at
its center (Photo 3). To use
it, simply plug in the video
Photo 2
vert each vinyl record from
analog music into a digital
file. It will take you only a
few minutes to chop this
file into individually named
songs and save them as MP3
files to your computer’s
music library. You can also
Photo 3
use the included software to
clean up the noise found on
old records or keep the background
source at one end and the video
sound for its nostalgic value.
output at the other end. Turn on
Pinnacle’s new Dazzle DVD Rethe unit by pressing one edge of the
corder (Photo 2) does for old and
click wheel and click this location to
new video recordings what Audiochange and set the video quality of
Technica does for old vinyl records.
your final product. Pressing the opIt allows you to transfer videos
posite edge of the click wheel starts
from any video source, with
and stops the process recording.
analog outputs, directly into
When you stop a recording, it takes
DVDs without the need to
some time before the recording light
use complex, time-consuming
changes from red to blue. During this
video-editing software. It is
time, the unit finishes its 1:1 converthe perfect hardware-software
sion and finalizes encoding the file
combination for converting
for playback.
old VCR tapes or new video
camera recordings into DVDs.
Recalling the Facts
Dazzle uses your computer but
1. How does advancing technolperforms this process on the
ogy affect the playability of older
fly without ever copying your
music and video recordings?
original or converted files to
2. Do you think that CDs and DVDs
your computer’s hard drive.
will still be in use 10 years from now?
My old video camera records on
Why?
small DV tapes. To turn these tapes
into DVDs was a major process. I
Alan Pierce, Ed.D., CSIT, is a techwould first run the video through the
nology education consultant. Visit
camera to record its contents to my
www.technologytoday.us for past
computer hard drive. Next, I would
columns and teacher resources.
TECHNOLOGY TODAY
11
A Peer-Reviewed Article
Easy-to-Implement Project
Integrates Basic Electronics
and Computer Programming
By Richard Johnson and Ray Shackelford
rjohnson@bsu.edu; rshackelford@bsu.edu
T
HE activities described in
this article give students
excellent experience with
both computer programming and basic electronics. During the activities, students
will work in small groups, using a
BASIC Stamp development board to
fabricate digital circuits and PBASIC
to write program code that will control the circuits they have built. The
activity helps bridge the gap between
programming and building electronic
circuits that control other devices.
Introduction
Computer programming and basic
electronics are often considered two
separate entities and consequently
often taught as completely separate
subjects. In the 1940s and 1950s,
computer programming focused on
mathematical formulas using the
FORTRAN computer language and
business information processing
using the COBOL computer language.
As computer-controlled hardware
evolved, it was generally limited to
machines directly connected to computers like printers, storage devices,
and display devices.
Likewise, early electronic devices
like radios, televisions, and furnace
thermostats were often manually
controlled by a person turning a
dial to change the channel or temperature. However, in the past 10
to 20 years designers have started
Richard Johnson is an assistant
professor and Ray Shackelford is a
professor, Department of Technology,
Ball State University, Muncie, IN.
12 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
to include programmable components
or circuits in many of
today’s electronics
devices. Today, programmable electronic
devices include coffee
pots, video recorders, microwave ovens,
garage door openers,
HVAC thermostats, and
telephones.
In the industrial
sector, the process of
developing electronic
devices and computer programmable
controls is often combined into one design
problem. Recently,
more people are writing computer
programs of some type. But, few of
the programs they write have been
developed to directly control a piece
of hardware or other electronic device.
Designing a computer program to
solve even a simple problem can be
an exciting and challenging experience. Beginning programmers commonly make the mistake of “jumping”
into the problem by immediately
writing computer code. This usually
proves a big mistake. Designers and
developers of computer code must
clearly define and analyze the problem before attempting to solve it.
Good programmers start by analyzing the problem and considering the
most obvious and most significant
actions that they need to take or
have occur. They then consider each
of these “big” actions by breaking
them down into smaller and more
detailed actions.
After breaking the problem into
smaller, very simple actions, programmers begin writing the program code necessary to solve the
identified problems. This approach
of breaking the problem down into
successively smaller actions is commonly called the top-down analysis
method.
In an industrial environment, good
programmers write programs so that
others can easily understand them.
They include lots of comments in
their work and avoid tricky or obscure program coding techniques.
Think of it this way: others should
understand a good computer program with little to no explanation.
In a real-world setting, a good
computer program is just that—good
code! The power of a microcontroller
program lies in its ability to be linked
to another device or electronic circuit to control or analyze data from
that device. Like the design of a
computer program, building an electronic circuit to solve a problem can
also be very interesting and satisfying. Design of an electronic circuit
or device requires the designer to
understand the problem to be solved
and the hardware needed for a particular solution. The designer must
then visualize how the computer
program, electronic circuit, and
device to be controlled will function
as a unit. This process includes a
detailed analysis of the circuit hardware needed, an understanding of
how the hardware will be connected
(wired together), knowledge of how
the hardware should react when the
program runs, and, of course, the
cost of the hardware, time, and labor
needed to produce it.
The computer used in many of
today’s smaller electronic devices is
a small, thumb-size device called a
microcontroller. One of the simplest
and commonly used programmable
controllers used for educational
purposes is the BASIC
Stamp microcontroller
produced and distributed
by Parallax, Inc. (The BASIC
Stamp gets its name from
its small, postage stamp
size.) Because of the ease
of programming it, the BASIC Stamp allows everyone
from students to engineers
to quickly program a microcontroller using powerful input/output commands and
to make compatible connections to other electronic devices. (See Photo 1.) When
interfaced with peripheral devices,
the microcontroller becomes a powerful tool for solving both simple and
advanced programming and industrial control problems.
To facilitate introducing the
use of microcontrollers like BASIC
Stamp into the curriculum, Parallax created a free resource called
Parallax’s Stamps in Class. Stamps
in Class and tutorials address the
needs of secondary students and
support learning experiences ranging from beginning analog devices
Photo 1
to advanced robotics and industrial
process control.
BASIC Stamp is generally used
with a development board, either
inserted on a Board of Education
or integrated directly onto a BASIC
Stamp HomeWork Board (Photo 1).
BASIC Stamp, a development board,
and PC software in combination
form the foundation for BASIC Stamp
microcontroller applications. BASIC
Stamp Editor is PC software used
to create programs with the PBASIC
language, a special version of the
ELECTRONICS
13
Material/Equipment
Qty.
Description
1
Board of Education with Basic Stamp 2 module
or HomeWork Board from Parallax, Inc. (Serial or USB versions)
1
Power supply: 9 V battery or 9V/300mA wall transformer
2
LEDs, T1 3/4 with diffused lens (different colors if possible),
Panasonic part #LN21RPHL or #LN31GPHL or equivalent
2
470 Ω resistors, 1/8 W (color bands: yellow, violet, brown)
commonly used BASIC computer
language. It has several commands
added for hardware control functions
and a series of very thorough and
easy-to-follow support documentation and manuals. Don’t be fooled by
the name BASIC—this computer language is very powerful and includes
over 200 commands!
The Challenge
Using identified materials, students will work cooperatively in
small groups to program a microcontroller and build electronic circuits
designed to analyze, test, and perform prescribed functions.
Objectives
Upon the completion of this design brief, students will be able to:
1. Analyze and determine the necessary parts/materials to fabricate
identified electronic circuits.
2. Work cooperatively to perform
all required processes and activities.
3. Effectively use math, science,
and technological principles and
techniques to solve identified problems.
4. Design and produce required
computer codes and electronic circuits to stated criteria.
5. Effectively locate, assess, and
discuss information.
6. Determine and communicate
how computer code and electronic
sensory devices and controls impact
everyday life, and provide examples
of current technological applications.
Requirements/Limitations
1. Students will work cooperatively in groups of two or three.
2. Students will write computer
programs for a microcontroller and
build an electronic circuit which will
14 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
then interact with and control a lightemitting diode (LED).
3. Students will have three class
periods to complete all of the activities.
4. Students may use only the
materials and equipment listed or
supplied by the teacher.
Getting Started
with PBASIC: How to Use
the BASIC Stamp Editor
Follow the instructions below to
create the first PBASIC microcontroller program. To complete this
task, your group will need to successfully:
1. Connect the BASIC Stamp to the
programming PC.
2. Load and use BASIC Stamp
Editor.
3. Write a demonstration program
to determine what 6 ✕ 7 is.
Refer to the Web and Print Resources for detailed information and
sample commands required to successfully complete these activities.
Procedure
1. Review all instructions and
gather the required materials.
2. Be sure that the most current
version of BASIC Stamp Editor is
installed on your programming computer.
3. Connect the Board of Education
or HomeWork Board to the PC using
a serial or USB cable.
4. Using a 9 V battery or wall
transformer, connect power to the
Board of Education or HomeWork
Board.
5. Open the BASIC Stamp Editor
program.
6. Select “Run” and then “Identify”
from the Editor Menu Bar and verify
that the board is communicating
with the PC. Confirm the “Yes” message in the Loopback and Echo boxes
(See Fig. 1.)
7. From the Editor Menu Bar, select “Directive,” then “Stamp,” then
“BS2,” and click the “OK” button.
8. Next, from the Editor Menu Bar
select “Directive,” then “PBASIC,”
then “Version 2.5,” and click the “OK”
button. Note: Steps 7 and 8 insert
commands that tell the Editor which
model BASIC Stamp is being used
and what version of PBASIC is being
used.
9. In the program area of BASIC
Web Resources
www.parallax.com—provides basic information on microcontrollers, development boards, and programming tools and references
www.iguanalabs.com/breadboard.htm and www.kpsec.freeuk.com/breadb.
htm—provide helpful information on breadboards and their functions
www.answers.com/microcontroller—useful descriptions of microcontrollers
and their functions
www.basicx.com—detailed information on microcontrollers from BasicX
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/led.htm—basic information on LEDs
www.digikey.com and www.mouser.com—an extensive selection of electronic components
Print Resources
Edwards, Scott. (2001). Programming and customizing the BASIC Stamp
computer (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Parallax, Inc. (2004). What’s a Microcontroller? Student guide. Rocklin,
CA.
Parallax, Inc. (2005). BASIC Stamp syntax and reference manual. Rocklin,
CA. ISBN #1-928982-32-8.
end of a line means
Carriage Return). The
third DEBUG command displays a message but does not
move the cursor to a
new line (no “CR” at
Fig. 1—Loopback and
echo functions
Fig. 2—Sample first
program
Fig. 3—Partial debug
window
Stamp Editor, type the following
microcontroller program commands
(Fig. 2.):
DEBUG “Hello, here is your message”, CR
DEBUG “What is 6 x 7”, CR
DEBUG “The answer is: ”
DEBUG DEC 6 * 7
END
10. From the Menu Bar, select
“Run” and then “Run” again. The program should execute and display a
window with the messages from the
program. If an error window appears,
check the program code for errors
and make the necessary modifications. Then run the program again
until it functions properly.
Observe what the program is
doing. Carefully compare the PBASIC
commands in Fig. 2 to the display
window in Fig. 3. The DEBUG command is a convenient and simple way
to display information from a PBASIC
program. The first two DEBUG commands will display the quoted message and then move the cursor to the
beginning of the next display line in
the DEBUG window (the “CR” at the
the end of this line).
The fourth DEBUG
command works differently—it displays
a number that is the
result of a calculation,
in this case the number 42 (the product of
6 times 7). The “DEC”
(short for “decimal”) option converts
the number to base 10, a normal
format for humans to use but not
necessarily for computers.
Advanced study question: What
would be displayed in place of the
number 42 if the “DEC” option of
the Debug command was not used?
Within your group, discuss why this
change took place.
Circuit Fabrication
and Testing
Follow the instructions below
to fabricate two electronic circuits.
Then write a microcontroller program to control the circuit’s LED. To
complete this task, your group will
need to successfully:
1. Fabricate a circuit to test the
LED to make sure it works.
2. Write a microcontroller program to control the circuit’s LED.
3. Modify the test circuit so that
the microcontroller program controls
the LED.
Refer to the Web and Print Resources for detailed information and
sample commands required to suc-
cessfully complete these activities.
Procedure
1. Review all instructions and
gather the required materials.
2. Disconnect all power to the
development board.
3. Fabricate the circuit shown
in Fig. 4 by inserting one end of a
470 Ω resistor into a Vdd (5 V) socket
and the other end into a row on the
breadboard. Then insert the anode
side of the LED into the same row
that the resistor is in and insert the
cathode side of the LED into a Vss
socket. Note: An LED has a positive
side (anode or Vdd) and negative
side (cathode or Vss), and that the
negative side is flat or has a notch on
it. The resistor in this circuit limits
the current flowing to the LED, keeping it from burning out.
4. Connect the power to the BASIC
Stamp and confirm that the LED is
emitting light. Disconnect the power
to the BASIC Stamp. Obtain a replacement LED if necesVdd
sary.
+
5. To control the
LED with the micro470 Ω
controller program,
modify the circuit
in Fig. 4 by moving
the Vdd end of the
LED
470 Ω resistor to the
P11 socket on the
left side of the bread–
board area. Connect
Vss
the power to the
Fig. 4—LED
BASIC Stamp.
testing circuit
6. From the Editor Menu Bar select
“Directive,” then “Stamp,” then “BS2,”
and click the “OK” button. Next, from
the Menu Bar select “Directive,” then
“PBASIC,” then “Version 2.5,” and
click the “OK” button.
7. In the program area of BASIC
Stamp Editor type the following microcontroller program commands
(Fig. 5):
DO
HIGH 11
PAUSE 500
LOW 11
PAUSE 500
LOOP
8. Run the program and observe
the LED activity. The DO/LOOP com-
ELECTRONICS
15
HIGH 12 command after the HIGH 11
command and add a LOW 12 after
the LOW 11 command. Also change
the value after both PAUSE commands to 500. (See Fig. 7.)
6. Run the program and confirm
that both LEDs blink on and off at
the same time.
Advanced study question: How
could the program be modified so
the LED’s blink alternately, similar
to railroad crossing warning lights?
Make the necessary changes and
Fig. 5—LED control program
need to successfully:
mand will direct the program to
1. Add a second
repeat the commands between the
LED to the previously
“DO” and the “LOOP” statements as
constructed circuit.
long as the circuit has power and
2. Modify the
the components are functioning
microcontroller proproperly. Note: An “infinite” loop is
gram to control both
often considered poor code for many
LEDs.
computer programs. However, in microcontroller programs that control
hardware the practice is common.
Procedure
9. Edit the original program by
1. Review all inchanging the value after the PAUSE
structions and gather
statements from 500 to 250. Run the
the required materimodified program and observe the
als.
change in LED activity and compare
2. Disconnect all
Fig. 7—Modified program to control two LEDs
it to the outcomes based on the
power to the develoriginal code.
opment board.
then within your group, discuss why
10. Next, change the value in the
3. Add a second LED and 470 Ω
the circuit/program functioned as it
PAUSE statements to 2000 and run
resistor to the circuit, referring to
did.
the program. Observe the change in
Step 3 from Circuit Fabrication and
LED activity and compare to previTesting. (Also, see Fig. 6.) Connect
References
ous changes. Within your group, disthe power to the BASIC Stamp and
De Jong, M. (2002). Interfacing microcuss why these changes took place.
confirm that the second LED is emitcomputers: Back to the future.
11. Change the value
ting light.
The Physics Teacher 40, 360-367.
after both PAUSE stateDisconnect
Dietz, P. H. (2000). A pragmatic introFig. 6—Add a
Vdd
ments back to 500.
the power
duction to the art of electrical engisecond LED to
12. Save the PBASIC
to the BASIC
neering. Hopkinton, MA.
the circuit
470 Ω
program. From the Menu
Stamp. Obtain
Ganssle, J. G. (2005, July). Turn a kid
Bar, select “File,” then
a replacement
on to embedded systems. Embed“Save,” and name the
LED if necesded Systems Programming, 41-44.
470 Ω
program “LEDprogram1.
sary.
Hebel, M. (1999). Application of miLED
bs2”. The program and
4. Modify
crocontrollers manual. Carbondale,
LED
circuit will be needed for
the circuit in
IL.
Vss
Vss
the next activity.
Fig. 6 by moving the Vdd
An expanded version of this article,
end of the second 470 Ω resistor to
Sequencing LED
available for purchase, provides supthe P12 socket on the left side of the
Output Devices
plementary information, ready-to-use
breadboard area. Connect the power
Use the saved microcontroller
student worksheets, and an additional
to the BASIC Stamp.
program and electronic circuit from
activity: “Controlling Output Devices
5. Modify the program saved in
Circuit Fabrication and Testing as
and Sensors.” Please visit www.
Circuit Fabrication and Testing to
a starting point for this activity. To
techdirections.com/projectsE.html.
control the second LED by adding a
complete this task your group will
16 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
By Peter Worley
WORLEYPETER@aasd.k12.wi.us
S
CHOOL districts across
the nation have pursued writing across the
curriculum since the
early 1980s. But writing
is something that many technology
educators are just starting to implement in our classes. Some instructors have shown a lot of apprehension about including writing in their
curriculum and daily assignments.
also gotten some good advice on
how to incorporate writing into our
classes. In this article, I share what
I’ve learned with others in the field.
Background on Writing
Across the Curriculum
“Writing across the curriculum is
a pedagogical movement that began
in the 1980s,” Julia Romberger writes.
This movement was the predeces-
Table 1—Writing Across the Curriculum Survey:
Communication Arts
1. How do you feel about writing across the curriculum?
2. Why do you feel writing is important in technology education
programs?
3. How do you think writing could be implemented in these classes?
4. What should a teacher who does not teach writing expect from
their students?
5. How should they, a non-communication arts teacher, grade their
writing projects?
After taking a writing course last
summer, I’ve grown very aware of
how important writing is in all subject areas, including technology education. I’ve conducted some research
and surveys that I think can help to
convince more technology teachers
that writing across the curriculum
is important to help all our students
succeed now and in the future. I’ve
Peter Worley is an automotive
instructor, Appleton (WI) East High
School.
tional system. Romberger also states:
“Writing across the curriculum acknowledges the differences in writing
conventions across the disciplines,
and believes students can best learn
to write in their areas by practicing those discipline-specific writing
conventions.”
The Surveys and Results
I composed two surveys: one for
the Communication Arts department
and one for the Technology Education department. I then surveyed
three teachers from each department. Please refer to Tables 1
and 2.
From my own perspective, as a
technology education instructor I
used to avoid writing projects, feeling that writing was something for
the English department to teach. I
now realize that my students need
to learn how to communicate with
many different people in a variety of
Table 2—Writing Across the Curriculum Survey:
Technology Education
1. Do you feel writing is important in your technology education
classes?
2. If so why?
3. Do you include writing projects in all your classes?
4. What technology education classes do you teach?
5. What type of writing projects do you do in your class?
sor to writing to learn (WTL) and
writing in the disciplines (WID). The
three movements have continued to
grow stronger throughout our educa-
ways—verbal, written, and through
demonstration.
One of my biggest fears was not
knowing how I could grade writing
COMMUNICATION
17
projects, when I felt uninformed
regarding proper writing techniques.
One of my survey questions to the
communication arts teachers asked
how a non-communication arts
teacher should grade a writing assignment.
Pauline Moran best stated the
at the content. Don’t feel that you
need to have an elaborate rubric for
everything they write. Focus on the
one or two things that you feel are
most important in that assignment.
You can even grade on a complete/incomplete basis and leave it at that.
Sometimes a simple check, check
The consensus of the educators I surveyed
was that writing belongs in all courses and
that all teachers need to step up to the plate
and take responsibility for including writing
in their class.
answer: “Teachers in all areas need
to set the specific expectations for
the assignments they design. For
something in the technology education area, for example, you might be
less concerned with format and the
level of polish on something students
write. You may be looking more
plus, or check minus on something is
a way to give basic feedback without
adding to your workload.”
As a teacher without a writing
background, I find this one of the
easier approaches to easing into the
writing and grading part of our curriculum. Over the past few years, I
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18 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
have added a few writing projects
in my classes. The consensus of the
educators I surveyed was that writing belongs in all courses and that all
teachers need to step up to the plate
and take responsibility for including
writing in their class.
Students and parents might ask
why students need to write in a
technology education class. Aaron
Wegand gave a good response: “Writing is an important communication
skill that encompasses much more
than technology education—it is a
life skill. Being able to communicate
effectively is as important, if not
more important, than understanding
content. Technical writing is even
more important within the scope of
technology education. We, as teachers and students, must be able to
convey our thoughts using technical
terms to describe an operation or
process. As a teacher and a student,
writing—especially having the ability
to write in a technical format—gives
you an advantage. Being familiar
with terminology that is used within
a specific industry allows you to
read as well as write in a format that
others in your field will be able to
understand and learn from.” This is
an extremely strong statement and
food for thought for all technology
educators.
Nick German also provided good
comments: “Understanding how to
effectively relay thoughts takes on
many formats. Students in our classes need to effectively and efficiently
present their ideas to others orally,
visually, and in written form. Faceto-face interaction (oral) is strengthened when we better understand the
proper organization of thoughts. This
Interviewees/Survey
Responders
Appleton East High School
Technology Education Instructors
Nick German
Phil Reisweber
Aaron Wegand
Communications Arts Instructors
Pauline Moran
Corey Otis
Eric Ward
organization is strengthened through
writing. Visual presentations are becoming more familiar today thanks to
the Internet and mobile devices. We
often forget the responsibility that
goes along with this instant medium.
One of the great aspects of writing is
the time it takes to convey something
that is well thought out. As with oral
communicating, writing also helps us
organize visual presentations, such
as demonstrations. In technology education, being able to relay thoughts
through written language is crucial to
success in writing and understanding
manuals, data sheets, designs, ideas,
and thoughts.”
Getting Writing
into Technology Courses
What type of writing projects
can a technology education teacher
use? I have my student’s research
new technologies in the automotive
area, then write a paragraph or two
describing the new technology, and
then explain how the new technology improves safety, drivability, or
comfort. Some technology education
instructors have short-answer questions for their lab work and book
assignments.
Aaron Wegand’s students have different assignments depending on the
classes: “In Graphic Arts and Screen
Printing, the students must, in one
typed page, explain the processes
used and the terms to describe
their work that was done during the
project. Within the Advanced Photography class, students periodically
write articles as if they were a photojournalist and describe the actions
or scenarios from a picture that they
had taken and printed.”
Other forms of writing projects
that we can incorporate into technology education classes are portfolios,
job descriptions, and step-by-step
procedures, such as steps for doing
a brake job or oil change. Students
can also do career research papers
and resume writing. They might also
pratice writing an accident report,
since most jobs in the technology
field deal with operating dangerous
equipment.
As an instructor of technology
education, what should technology
educators expect from students’ writing? Corey Otis says: “They should
expect their best efforts. They
should expect proper use of punctuation and proper spelling. They
should expect proper use of grammar. All teachers need to reinforce
these skills. They should expect a
decent effort—more than a sentence
fragment—and they should expect
full ideas.” Eric Ward adds: “Clear,
concise, organized writing that is
specific to the purpose and/or task at
hand.”
Final Thoughts
Our students are exposed to
amazing amounts of information
through many forms of media—the
Internet, satellite and cable TV, cell
phones, for example. All educators
need to teach proper ways to communicate through various media, and
it all starts in writing of one form or
another.
As technology instructors we
need to get away from old attitudes
toward writing instruction and
prepare our students for the real,
contemporary world they are about
to face. We can only do this by implementing all forms of learning—writing being one of the most important
in a technology-oriented society.
We need to leave the mentality
that writing is only for English classes behind. We need to look to the
future and see how important writing
is to survival in our ever-changing
world. If we each do even the smallest amount of writing in our classes,
we help to effectively prepare our
students for their future.
Writing should not be like a foreign language. It should be supported in all curriculum areas. As instructors who want to help our students
succeed, we need to move far away
from the attitude that writing does
not belong in the technology education curriculum.
Reference
Romberger, Julia. Writing across
the curriculum: An introduction.
Downloaded from www.owl.
english.purdue.edu/owl/
resource/671/011
COMMUNICATION
19
career directions
FLUID POWER TECHNICIAN
Fluid power technicians, sometimes called hydraulic and
pneumatic technicians, work with equipment that utilizes the
pressure of a liquid or gas in a closed container to transmit,
multiply, or control power. Working under the supervision of an
engineer or engineering staff, they assemble, install, maintain, and
test fluid power equipment.
Depending on their specialization, fluid power technicians may
be required to perform tasks as simple as replacing a hose on a
machine in a factory, or as complex as fully dismantling, repairing,
and reassembling a machine, worth hundreds of thousands of
dollars, on components that are so small that a magnifying glass is
needed to inspect it for signs of wear or maladjustment.
About three-fourths of the factories in this country use
hydraulic or pneumatic power systems. These fluid power systems
run over half the machines and equipment used in industry. They
are also important in transportation vehicles, such as in automatic
transmissions, power brakes, and power steering. In addition, fluid
power is used for tasks as varied as opening supermarket doors
and raising and lowering the flaps on airplane wings.
$$$$
Wages
Earnings vary according
to geographic location and
industry. Graduates of a two-year
program can expect to start out
at approximately $17 to $20 per
hour. An estimated average wage
for fluid power techs with some
experience is in the mid-$40,000s.
Those who move into
advanced positions, such as fluid
power specialist or consultant
can expect to earn considerably
more.
Most workers in this field
receive a full benefits package,
including vacation days, sick
leave, medical and life insurance,
and a retirement plan.
20 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
Personal
Characteristics
Mechanical ability
Analytical mindset
● Ability to work well in a team
● Ability to communicate easily, both
orally and in writing
● Enjoy learning how machines and other
equipment work
● Extremely good at mathematics and
science
● Willingness to keep up with changes in
the industry
● Enjoy challenges and troubleshooting
problems
●
●
The Job
There are two types of fluid power systems: hydraulic and
pneumatic. Hydraulic systems use “wet” fluids, such as oil and
water. Pneumatic systems use “dry” fluids, such as pressurized
air or other gases.
In their work, technician analyze blueprints and specifications,
set up various machines; make precision parts; and use sensitive
measuring instruments to ensure parts are exact. They may also
be responsible for determining whether a piece of equipment is
working properly by connecting the unit to test equipment that
measures fluid pressure, flow rates, and power loss due to friction
or wear.
Technicians might help engineers to design, test, and install a
fluid power system for a one-of-a-kind machine that is used to bolt
fenders on automobiles. Others in private industry may work on
fluid power equipment used in such products as trucks, airplanes,
and automatic doors.
Hydraulic and pneumatic technicians work in factories,
laboratories, and offices. Most are employed by private industry.
A few work in independent research centers. Those working
in private industry are often on the maintenance or research
and development staffs of companies that use fluid power in
manufacturing. Hydraulic and pneumatic technicians may also
work as service representatives. These technicians often travel
from plant to plant to service machines.
Training
Certification
High School
• Mathematics
• English
• Technology education
• Computer science
• Drafting
• Electronics
• Physics
• Technical or shop courses
Postsecondary
In the past, you could become a fluid
power technician with only a high school
diploma and some related technical
experience. Today, however, most employers
prefer to hire beginners who have some
postsecondary formal training in industrial
technology, mechanics, or a related field in
which fluid power is part of the curriculum.
There are fewer than 25 training
programs that focus primarily on fluid power
technology. Students in these programs take
classes on very specialized topics, such as
fluid power math, process and fabrication
fundamentals, hydraulic components and
accessories, pneumatics components and
circuits, and advanced systems calculations.
If it is not possible to attend a school with
this specialized training, training in a related
field, such as mechanical or electrical
technology can provide adequate preparation
for employment.
Certification is voluntary and offered through
the Fluid Power Certification Board, administered
by the Fluid Power Society. Applicants must attend
two or more days of classes and pass a threehour, written exam before receiving technician
certification.
Working Conditions
Working conditions vary greatly depending on
type of job performed. Many technicians install,
test, or repair equipment in factories and may
work alone or in pairs. Although their basic workweek is 35 to 40 hours, these technicians may be
required to work night or weekend shifts and overtime on occasion. At times, they may be required
to lift heavy parts and tools, handle greasy and
dirty parts, and stand or lie in awkward positions.
There is some danger of electric shocks, burns,
and cuts. Those who work in laboratories or shops
are often part of a team that includes technicians,
skilled workers, and engineers. Sometimes technicians must travel to inspect equipment in the field,
and in many cases, they must deal with a wide
range of customers and co-workers. Good communication skills, both written and verbal, are crucial.
Because fluid power techs often deal with a
variety of problems and solutions, the work is
challenging and not repetitious. Many workers find
their jobs highly enjoyable and satisfying.
Where the Jobs Are
Employment Outlook
Because fluid power is used in so
many different industries, the need
for technicians is growing rapidly.
Currently, the demand for trained
workers exceeds the supply. In
addition, electrohydraulic and electropneumatic
technologies have opened up new markets, such
as active suspension on autos, and reestablished
older markets, such as robotics. Therefore,
the fluid power industry is expected to remain
strong through the next decade.
Aerospace industry
Construction industry
● Agricultural industry
● Machine tool and material handling
industries
● Fluid power also provides power for
auxiliary systems on planes, ships, trains,
and trucks.
●
●
Professional Associations
Fluid Power Educational Foundation
www.fpef.org
Advancement Opportunities
International Fluid Power Society
www.ifps.org
Experienced hydraulic and pneumatic technicians can become
supervisors of maintenance crews in plants. They can also advance to
careers in sales, marketing, management, technical writing, or teaching.
National Fluid Power Association
www.nfpa.com
CAREER DIRECTIONS
21
High Tech High School
Wins School Web Site
of the Month
T
HE September Web Site
of the Month, www.hths.
mcvsd.org, comes to us
from the high school that
Newsweek magazine ranks
7th in the nation: High Tech High
School (HTHS) in Lincroft, NJ. According to Tanay Gavankar, the student who submitted the site: “This
site was created from scratch (from
layout design to all the coding) by
students and is still currently maintained solely by students. It is W3C
validated and cross-browser compatible. With a clean and easy-to-navigate layout, it is a stunning school
web site.” The staff of Tech Directions
agrees.
After selecting the site, we interviewed HTHS instructor Peter Borchardt, who teaches computer applications and digital electronics and
advises the students who created
and maintained the site. He told Tech
Directions that when the class of 2009
started the school’s computer club
about three years ago, it established
as its first goal a complete redesign
of the school’s web site. All members
of the club were assigned to work
in groups or individually to make a
basic template. Andrew Shum came
up with the current concept design.
Using Shrum’s PhotoShop file, a
group of club members started coding the new site. The team leaders
were Tanay Gavankar, Kevin Risden,
and Joe Nugent.
The beta of the site was first released in 2006. It was initially coded
with tables and was not XHTML or
CSS standard compliant. During revisions of the web site, students modified the code design to comply with
XHTML and CSS standards. They
used Notepad, TextEdit, and Adobe
22 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
maintenance have formal training in
web design. All knowledge of HTML
and CSS has been self-taught. They
have expanded the activities of their
extracurricular HTHS computer club
beyond design and maintenance of
the web site to include refurbishing
PCs as a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher and providing tech support to
the entire school.
When asked how he and his students benefit from having the site,
Borchardt responded, “The web site
harbors a vast wealth of knowledge,
ranging from basic announcements
and news to various downloadable
forms for students and parents. It
also has background information on
clubs, teachers, and so forth, for prospective and current students. The
PFA and Guidance each have their
respective pages so that they can put
Dreamweaver Source Code editing
(no WYSIWYG) to create the site.
Students generate content for
the site from other students, teachers, administrators, and parents. It
includes announcements of research
prizes, awards, and club achievements. As this issue of Tech Directions goes to press, featured on the
site are results of
the most recent
New Jersey Technology Students
Association
competition and
HTHS students’
first-place finish
in Moody’s Mega
Math Challenge.
The site also has
a blog written by
the principal; an
alumni site with
alumni news and
blogs for each
class; and access
to downloads of
the school’s annual calendar. Borwww.hths.mcvsd.org
chardt noted that
students update the site as often as
whatever information they desire on
necessary and at least once a week.
the web. A resources page includes
When asked what problem-solvinformation on other sites to conduct
ing strategies students have used
research and access the district-wide
in creating and maintaining the site,
(MCVSD) Bulletin Board System.
Borchardt replied, “The first problem
“Students working on this project
was to convert the layout to pure CSS
also gain valuable work experience
from tables. This involved tedious
developing a standards-based web
recoding and debugging of the code.
site in groups, relying on each other
Thankfully, server side includes are
for support and guidance. They learn
used (initially with SHTML, currently
how to adhere to strict deadlines and
with PHP) to minimize the amount
ethics that will further their academof work required to make site-wide
ic and moral integrity in the long run.”
changes.”
Congratulations to the High Tech
None of the students involved in
High School computer club for a job
creation of the site and its ongoing
well done!
W
e-gallery
elcome to techdirections’ portfolio of web sites from career/technical- and technology educationoriented manufacturers and vendors. Check out these sites, where you’ll find descriptions and online ordering
information on the products and services you need. Make classroom and departmental purchasing easier by
referring to these cutting-edge companies—and tell them techdirections sent you!
Electronic Parts and Supplies
at Discount Prices
www.allelectronics.com is a unique source for
low-cost electronic parts and supplies. We stock a
wide array of products including components, small
dc motors, kits,
magnets,
tools,
breadboards
and supplies. We
also have
a wide variety of industrial surplus, which includes
many unique one-of-a-kind items.
Advanced Welding Training
Hobart Institute of Welding Technology’s staff of professionals offers you
advanced training
in all major welding
processes. Services
include skill-development courses for the
new student, as well
as certifications and
technical training for
welders looking to
advance their skills.
Customized training
for your corporate
welding needs is
available on- or off-site. A wide selection of world-class welding training and educational materials are available for training or reference use. 1-800-332-9448, www.welding.org.
Electricity and Electronics Software
Computer interaction makes learning electricity
and electronics
exciting.
Use with
your current textbooks
and curriculum.
Programs
include
activities for dc, ac, digital, diode, transistor, op amp, and
power supply circuits plus troubleshooting activities
using ohmmeters and voltmeters. Activities provide
immediate feedback and grading. Random variable
values give variety to student learning experiences.
Visit ETCAI Products at www.etcai.com for software
descriptions and to download free trial software.
Call 800-308-0154 to request a free trial CD.
Technical Books for Engineering, Technology,
Manufacturing, and Education
The Industrial Press web site is your source for Machinery’s Handbook and other technical references for CAD/CAM,
CNC, Machine Shop/Tools, Metalworking, Maintenance, Math,
Welding, and more. Look for the acclaimed Beginning and Advanced AutoCAD 2009 Exercise Workbooks; CNC Programming
Handbook, 3rd Edition; Learning Mastercam Mill X2 Step by
Step 2D; and Technical Shop Mathematics, 3rd Edition. For
more information,
visit www.
industrialpress.
com then navigate
to AutoCAD, CAD/
CAM/CIM, or CNC.
E-GALLERY
23
Training Systems for Industry and Education
intelitek.com has the latest products from the world-leading developer,
producer, and supplier of technology training systems for Industry and Education. View brochures on products,
including CNC machines, robots,
curriculum, and software. Our training programs have produced results
for educators worldwide. For over
25 years, intelitek has provided
solutions for training programs in
Engineering, Industrial Maintenance,
Automated Manufacturing Robotics, and Technology. From middle
schools to universities and industrial
training facilities, intelitek offers
programs in over 50 countries.
Inexpensive Solution
to the OSHA Anti-Automatic
Restart Requirement
The www.jdsproducts.com web
site shows how small shop machines
can be made safer by preventing
them from restarting after a power
interruption with the SENSING-SAFSTART. They can be purchased from
The World Leader in Technical Training
For 50 years, Lab-Volt has enjoyed a reputation in U.S. and international
training communities as the leading manufacturer of technical training hardware and courseware. Our newly
redesigned web site, www.labvolt.
com, features links and information about our programs and products, which are designed to help
educate students in the fields of
Electricity and Electronics, Electric
Power, Radar, Telecommunications, Fluid Power, Automation and
Robotics, Motor Control, HVAC,
Industrial Training, and Instrumentation and Process Control.
Midwest Technology via a link to
their web site. The SENSING-SAFSTART installs in minutes on table
and band saws, drill presses, belt
and disc sanders, and many other
small shop machines.
Mastercam X3 is Here!
Give Your Students a Competitive Edge
in Construction!
Visit www.mastercam.com for the Mastercam X3
information
you need,
including
a comprehensive
video detailing the
many X3
enhancements.
Mastercam
customers
with maintenance can easily download the X3 update
directly from the site. Not yet a Mastercam customer?
Locate your Reseller by clicking on the Resellers tab
or contact our educational division directly at education@mastercam.com and get Mastercam X3 today.
When second best won’t cut it, use Mastercam X3.
Built exclusively for the construction, maintenance, and
pipeline industries, this online job board and resume database at careers.nccer.org allows your students to prepare
for a rewarding construction career. Students can post a
resume with the
resume builder
and if they have
NCCER credentials, they can
tag their resume
with the NCCER
logo—making
their resume
stand out! Students can receive
job alerts, access
career resources,
and view a live
Web cam!
24 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
New! RealBooks
School Publishing System
RealBooks offers a quick, easy, and
low-cost solution for users to create
professional hard and softcover books.
Dramatically reduce your yearbook
costs, create club or sports photobooks, cookbooks, or professional student reports and portfolios. You can even launch a new school store fund-raising
service. Discover our new do-it-yourself, entry-level book-binding system—you’ll
love the results! Visit: www.schoolpublishingsystems.com or call 1-800-994-6008.
Projects, Posters, Books,
and Tech Directions Online!
The Tech Directions web site
presents a wealth of products
that make teaching more effective
Compact Heavy-Duty Machining Center
The Patriot is a combination
lathe and milling machine with
specifications superior to separate
machines. The steel bench with casters allows it to roll through a 36" door.
Equipped with all the drive mounts
for CNC and DRO and an electronics
enclosure, you can build your own or
Shopmaster can supply the unit complete with CNC, DRO, and ballscrews.
Special school discounts available.
www.shopmasterusa.com.
and more fun for technology and
career/technical educators. You’ll
find a variety of projects, posters,
videos, books, and software that
you and your students will love.
Plus each issue of the magazine is
available on the site. Visit www.
techdirections.com for details and
to place orders.
E-GALLERY
25
product central
New tools, equipment, and teaching aids to make you
a more effective educator.
Career center advice
How to Plan and Develop a Career Center, Second Edition, is a collection of 12
essays written by experts
that discuss all aspects of
establishing and running
a career center within a
school or other institution.
This revised and expanded
handbook covers key topics such as identifying the
goals of a career center,
designing and developing
facilities and resources,
training and managing
staff, fitting into educational settings, the role of
the Internet in career development and job searches, and
trends for the future. From Ferguson Publishing, www.
fergpubco.com.
Accelerate
learning with
NASCAR
The new
six-book
series, The
Science of
NASCAR,
gives readers an infield
pass to the
fast-paced
sport that
is fueled by
science and
math. From precise car designs to the role
of friction and momentum on the track,
there is no escaping the science that permeates every apsect of NASCAR. Each
title blends fast-action entertainment with
fact-filled education that supports national
science and math standards. This series is
the perfect addition to creative teaching
techniques that help bring science and
math to life in a classroom. Free downloadable teaching guide available. From Lerner
Publishing Group, www.learnerbooks.com.
26 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
Engineering the past
The game, Time Engineers, encourages creative
thinking as it teaches civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering.
The content
is delivered
through interactive exercises,
narration, and
text, and
includes binary numbers,
Boolean logic,
statics, weirs
and water flow,
force balance,
and trajectory.
It gives students (7th-9th grade) an opportunity to
build pyramids, irrigate farmlands, operate drawbridges and catapults, and set radar distance and
navigate submarines. Made in conjunction with the
College of Engineering at Valparaiso University, the
game encourages learning in a fun, entertaining way.
Visit www.timeengineers.com for more info. From
Software Kids, www.software-kids.com.
Mastercam for SolidWorks
SolidWorks users can now program their parts directly
within SolidWorks using Mastercam’s industry-leading toolpaths and machining strategies. Features of Mastercam’s
latest release, X2MR2, includes the Peel Milling toolpath
that moves
the tool in
and “peels”
away material layer
by layer,
the Operations
Manager
pane that
can float
to a different area of the graphics window or to a separate
screen when you are working with dual monitors, the Create Boundary function that expands Mastercam’s toolpath
boundary creation, and much more. Visit www.mastercam.
com or call 800-228-2877 for more information.
Engineering guides
Building an engineering curriculum can prove a towering
challenge. Pitsco’s Contextual
Engineering Guide series aims to
simplify the process. Each of the
three guides uses a variety of
activities to cover vital subject
matter for each area of engineering. Written by Celeste Baine,
author of engineering books
for middle and high school students, each guide offers five or
more activities, two challenges,
career information, and standards correlations. For example, the
Engineering Graphics Teacher’s Guide incorporates sketching,
logo designing, screen printing, modeling, and milling. To learn
more, visit www.shop-pitsco.com or call 800-835-0686.
Web-based tool teaches employability skills
The web-based Job Ready Career Skills curriculum by Career Solutions Publishing is designed to teach students fundamental skills that employers have identified as key to success
in the workplace. Topics covered include employer expectations, communicating at work, customer service, problem solving, time management, and teamwork, as well as personal
qualities, such as self-management, taking responsibility,
and integrity. Job Ready Career Skills features 200
lessons on work habits, communication skills,
workplace effectiveness, business etiquette, and
job search techniques. For more information, visit
jobreadyweb@careersolutionspublishing.com or
call 888-299-2784.
Multifunctional cart
Designed for maximum efficiency, the
Anything Truck helps teachers manage the
classroom essentials that can become disordered and cumbersome, allowing for easy
storage and
distribution of
class materials.
It has six roomy
cubbies on top
and two flat
shelves below,
enabling teachers to distribute or pick up
books, projects,
and supplies in
just one trip.
With 11 colors
to choose from,
the Anything
Truck can also
be used with a color-coding system—each
grade can have a different color. The Anything Truck is GREENGUARD certified. From
Smith System, www.smithsystem.com.
Insulated tools
Wiha tools has a new line of insulated wrenches,
L-keys, knives, cable cutters, and sockets. Each insulated tool is tested and certified to 10,000 volts ac,
1500 volts dc, and meets OSHA requirements for use in
applications where safety insulated tools are called for.
The two-colored multilayer insulation allows immediate identification of damages to the outer insulation
and is flame retardant to prevent risk for fire or spark
over. For additional information, call 800-494-6104 or
visit www.wihatools.com.
PRODUCT CENTRAL
27
free for the asking
Share
techdirections
with your
students!
Technology, industrial arts catalog
Hearlihy’s Curriculum & Supplies catalog emphasizes
technology, construction, and industrial arts for hands-on
classrooms. New are two modules: Exploring Masonry in
which students construct walls of brick, stone, and concrete block and measure to ensure precise
specifications, and
3-D Computer Animation: Character Design. Using modeling
software Rhinoceros,
students can create a
3D character suitable
for animation. Also
new to the catalog are:
Dimensioned Lumber—scaled basswood
strips that represent
the most popular lumber sizes so students
can build 8:1 scale models, and large Archi-Board—3-D
drawing boards that accommodate11" x 17" paper. Visit
Hearlihy at www.hearlihy.com for more information and
to request a catalog.
Machine/tool catalog
Classroom sets
only $10* per
subscription
Email vanessa@techdirections.com or
call 734-975-2800 x217 for details.
Fax purchase orders to 734-975-2787.
*When you order at least 10 subscriptions
28 techdirections
◆
SEPTEMBER 2008
This high-quality, color, 246-page catalog from
Woodstock International, Inc. features hundreds—no
thousands—of every kind of machine and tool you’d
ever need, plus the shelves to store them on. They’ve
got everything from dental picks and dovetail machines to wagons and wrenches. Woodstock has
added many new products to this catalog, including
unique and hard-to-find items as well as more Shop
Fox woodworking
and metalworking machines.
Woodstock is
committed to providing excellent
customer service, the fastest
delivery, and the
best products.
Call 800-647-8801
or visit shopfox.
biz to request a
catalog.
Welding spec sheets
Complete technical details on Bernard’s core products, including MIG guns,
consumables,
liners, necks,
direct plug kits,
and manual
products are
now available in
PDF format on
the company’s
web site. Located at www.
bernardwelds.
com/service/specs.html, the spec sheets address product
installation and operation, compatibility with other products,
features and benefits, replacement parts, and more. For example, welders can use the Centerfire consumables spec sheet to
determine what adapters, insulator caps, and diffusers they’ll
need to upgrade their equipment to Centerfire consumables.
Bernard Welding Equipment, a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works
Inc.
Science experiment
Adam Equipment’s free offering, The Burning Question: A Conservation of Matter Experiment demonstrates the Law of Conservation
of Matter. The experiment involves burning
steel wool in both an open and closed environment so students can better understand
what happens to matter during a chemical
reaction. The history of Antoine Lavoisier
(the Father of Modern Chemistry) is woven
into the activity to provide science’s human
link. The experiment includes three student
sheets: a prep sheet, a procedures sheet, and
a work sheet. The teacher’s guide features an
overview of the activity, advice to maximize
safety, science and math education standards, a vocabulary/definition list, sample
data, an answer key, plus an extension activity. Visit www.adamequipment.com/education
to download.
Exploring Solar Energy
Series
monthly marketplace
Two books complete with
step-by-step activities.
This month only, on sale for $19.95!
www.techdirections.com/
solar.html
More than Fun Answers
Architecture Terms Work Search
C
X
X
S
Q
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E
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E
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H
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A
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P
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O
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O
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A
M
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L
J
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F
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W
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S
D
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P
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O
V
C
Z
Y
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N
G
V
N
Q
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E
Jam-Making Contest
Place Name
1
James
2
Kevin
3
Stuart
4
John
D
L
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B
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Age
20
14
17
22
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PROJECTS YOU CAN AFFORD!
www.techdirections.com/
projects.html
FREE FOR THE ASKING/MARKETPLACE
29
more than fun
J
C
Architecture Terms Word Search
Submitted by Michael McClendon, Noblesville (IN) High School.
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ALCOVE
BUFFER
CHAMFER
CORNICE
DIGITIZER
EXCAVATION
FACADE
GUSSET
HEXADOME
INSULATION
JALOUSIE
KILOBYTE
LATTICE
MASONRY
NEWEL
OVERHANG
PARAPET
QUOINS
RABBET
SCUTTLE
We will pay $25 for
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contributions to “More
Than Fun,” PO Box 8623,
Ann Arbor, MI 48107-8623.
See answers on
page 29.
TRIMMER
UTILITY
VENEER
WYTHE
ZONING
Jam-Making Logic Puzzle
At the recent inter-departmental jam-making
contest, four lucky candidates took part to make
the juiciest strawberry jam. The ages of the contestants were 14, 17, 20, and 22. As it happens, the
person who came in last was the oldest, whereas
Stuart was three years older than the person
who came second. James was neither the oldest
nor the youngest and Kevin finished ahead of the
17-year-old, but didn’t win. John was also unlucky
this time and didn’t win either. Can you determine
who finished where and how old they are?
© Kevin Stone [www.brainbashers.com]
30 techdirections
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