The Technology Education program prepares teachers for junior and senior high schools. Graduates help their students understand the technological nature of our world, by giving them the tools they need to cope with technology and make decisions about it. The program offers a background in training and technology that is also applicable to careers in business and industry.
Interested?
The program combines general education with technical and professional studies. The courses seek to help you develop an appreciation for people and their interests. At the same time, courses will provide you with an understanding of the fields of technology that shape our world. Through study of broad areas such as communication, construction, manufacturing and transportation, you’ll learn about modern technologies and their application.
You’ll have an opportunity to apply theory to real problems. Through labs, student teaching and optional work experiences, you will apply the principles of design, mathematics and science that you learn in the classroom. You’ll work with computers, robots and lasers, and with more conventional equipment used in processing materials, energy and information.
The Technology Education program leads to junior and senior high teaching certification in all 50 states. With required work experience and a few additional classes, graduates may also become certified to teach in Wisconsin vocational and technical colleges.
Preparing for UW-Stout
High school students considering this program should prepare themselves by developing skills in writing, math and science. It is also helpful to have some technical background in the areas of materials, energy and power, and communication, including some computer applications.
Starting Out
In your first year as a Technology Education student, you receive a balance of general education, professional education and technical laboratory experience. General education courses include English composition, speech, psychology, sociology and math. An orientation course is taken in the professional studies sequence to help you plan your program. Several technical courses such as energy technology, transportation and communication technology will also help in the selection of an interest area. You will be assigned a faculty adviser for assistance with program planning. Additional help is available from the Advisement and Career Center, the Counseling Center, and Career Services.
As You Progress
Your schedule will continue to include liberal studies as you advance, but more emphasis is placed upon technical and professional courses. The program gives you the professional course work and experience you need. Students study areas such as teaching methods, educational psychology, curriculum development, reading methods, guidance and instructional evaluation. You also participate in a student teaching experience.
In addition to professional courses, you are exposed to a general background in the processes used in industry today. Through courses in energy technology, communication technology, transportation, construction, design, and manufacturing enterprise, you gain the versatility you need to teach in public schools. With this general background, you develop expertise in communication, construction, manufacturing or transportation.
All technology education students are required to complete a technical emphasis. The purpose of this requirement is to provide the student with a depth of understanding and skill within a specific technical area that is likely to be part of then teaching responsibilities at the secondary level. A general technology option has been provide for students who want to teach at the middle school level and therefore would like to increase their technical breadth. Lastly, a technical college transfer option has been provided for students enrolling in the technology education program and have completed a diploma or associate degree in a relevant technical field (e.g., automotive technology, electronics, technology, tool and die, and the like).
Entry Positions
Most graduates from the program find jobs in teaching industry and technology based subjects at the junior or senior high school level. Some with industrial experience teach in vocational/technical schools. Still others find various kinds of employment in business and industry. For teachers, salaries vary from state to state and between school districts.
Starting salaries for 2006–07 graduates ranged from $27,000 to $40,000. These contracts are for an academic school year and usually do not include the summer months.