Education about the History of Technology in K-12 Schools.

This paper recounts the history of technology in the public schools from the early textbooks of the 19th century to the technology and society (STS) movement of the 1960s-70s. Technology and society have been a concern in education but moved into the mainstream in science education and technology education. To a lesser degree this influence is seen in social studies and language arts instruction. The paper outlines how the STS movement currently is advanced in science education, social studies, and technology education. The paper describes the move toward standards-based instruction and how technology components are seen in the standards movements. Current curriculum initiatives are discussed including National Science Foundation funded projects such as "Technology for All Americans" and "Discovering Science and Technology through History." The paper concludes with a discussion about the perennial challenges of educational reform and future implications. (EH)