Why CATTS Needs SPACE! Standards-Based Technology Curricula for Standards-Based Technology Programs

A recent discussion on ITEA's (International Technology Education Association's) IdeaGarden centered on the need for a "national curriculum." The idea of a national curriculum is one of great debate. Advancing Excellence in Technological Literacy (AETL) identifies criteria for student assessment, professional development, and programs that facilitate student attainment of technological literacy. The good news is that once a standards-based program is put in place, student assessment can be used to inform instruction and determine if students are in fact leaving the program technologically literate. This article discusses the need for a standards-based technology curricula. It also provides details behind a national model standards-based program--engineering-by-design. This program has been developed by the Center to Advance the Teaching of Technology and Science (CATTS). The process used to create this model is described.