Technology and Engineering Education

Architectural Drawing and Design students learn the principles of communicating architecture designs and increase their understanding of working drawings and construction techniques learned in Technical Drawing and Design. Experiences include residential and commercial building designs, rendering, model development, and structural detail developments. Students use computer-aided drawing and design (CADD) equipment and established standards or codes to prepare models for presentation. The course is especially beneficial to future architects, interior designers, or home builders.

Communication Systems provides experiences in the fields of imaging technology, graphic productions, video and media, technical design, and various modes of communicating information through the use of data. Students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills using the universal systems model. Students also learn about the impact of communication on society and potential career fields relating to communications.

Students explore commercial, industrial, residential, public works, and institutional technologies to help them understand construction careers. Through hands-on projects, students learn proper safety procedures for tools and machinery, while exploring preconstruction and construction processes and investigating evolving technologies. Students apply mathematics concepts and principles used in construction.

Students gain experiences related to computer animation by using graphics and design concepts. Students solve problems involving 3D object manipulation, storyboarding, texturing/mapping, lighting concepts, and environmental geometry. Students create a variety of animations that reflect real-world applications and are introduced to interactive and 3D animation software. Production of a portfolio showcasing examples of original student work is included.

Engineering Analysis and Applications is the second of a possible four-course sequence that will allow students to apply the engineering design process to areas of the designed world and examine engineering systems. Students will participate in STEM-based, hands-on projects as they communicate information through team-based presentations, proposals, and technical reports.

Students use graphic language for product design, technical illustration, evaluation of designs, and engineering drawings. Students increase their understanding of drawing techniques. Students use computers, calculators, and descriptive geometry and adhere to established standards to solve design problems. They work in teams to design solutions for an identified need and to produce parts on a 3D printer.

In Engineering Explorations, students examine technology and engineering fundamentals in relation to solving real-world problems. Students investigate engineering history, including major engineering accomplishments, and their effect on society. They also examine engineering specialty fields and their related careers. Students practice engineering fundamentals and apply the engineering design process through participation in hands-on engineering projects. Students communicate project-related information through presentations, proposals, and technical reports.

This course provides an orientation to the careers and challenges of engineering. Students are actively involved in hands-on activities in engineering graphics, machining, fluid power, electronics, materials testing, robotics, and computer technology. Through these activities students learn to solve problems by applying math and science principles. Students communicate information through seminars, technical reports and sharing ideas in group activities.

The Graphic Communications Systems course provides experiences related to a wide range of tools and materials used to reproduce information and images. Students develop competencies in message design, composition and assembly, and message transfer and product conversion. Various digital and print output techniques and devices are used to develop concepts into finished products.

Students assess the relationship between production and society as they compose design portfolios, construct production prototypes, and apply automation to evaluate their solutions to technological problems.

Sustainability and Renewable Technologies explores issues that affect global citizens in the areas of economics, culture, and the environment. The course introduces students to the historic, economic, political, environmental, and cultural issues that impact the global community and its future. Students will address issues affecting the health of our environment and explore solutions offered by sustainable agriculture, energy efficient building design, and renewable energy sources.

In this foundational course, students design, sketch, and make technical drawings, models, or prototypes of real design problems while learning the language of technical drawing and design. The course introduces the language of graphic communication to all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students and is especially recommended for those planning a future in engineering and architecture.

In this hands-on technology education course, students use tools to build and control objects and systems using engineering design. Students will learn about materials, energy, and engineering processes. Students design, create, and assess innovations, systems, and products to learn about how and why technology works.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems prepares students to fly drones under the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Part 107 guidelines. Students get an overview of the national airspace system, FAA regulations, and the design and operation of small drones. Students monitor weather, address loading and performance of drones, and coordinate flight operation logistics. They perform administrative tasks, train to fly, and, finally, fly small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS).

This Video and Media Technology course allows students to explore video and media technology, from the history of the field to current methods of planning and producing video media. Students will learn the basics of camera operation, audio, lighting, and editing by creating their own videos from storyboard to presentation.