VT Technology Education: Mission 21

In a modern, democratic society, people must be knowledgeable about technology and science in order to be competent decision makers and informed consumers. Schools must equip students with the technological knowledge to make these decisions, and must prepare them for their potential roles as the scientists, engineers, technologists, politicians, and business leaders who will be at the forefront of technological development and competition in the global arena. This type of preparation requires a broad-based, interdisciplinary education. It must begin at the elementary school level and extend throughout one's schooling experience. Unfortunately, numerous educational reports suggest that America's schools are deficient in this regard.

In 1985, two groups concerned with technology education in America's schools decided to address this weakness. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) joined with the Technology Education Program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) to expand technological literacy in America's elementary schools.

For decades, NASA has had close ties to the educational community through the establishment of teacher resource centers and educational programs that augment elementary and secondary school curricula. In 1985, NASA awarded a Graduate Student Researchers Program Grant to Virginia Tech to support development of an elementary school technology education program. Later, test site teachers titled the program Mission 21, to represent the idea that today's elementary schools have an important mission: to prepare children to handle the technological demands of life in the 21st century.

Graduate students and technology education faculty at Virginia Tech developed draft materials. Field test sites were established in Virginia to test these materials, which were modified and improved over the course of a few years through the combined efforts of classroom teachers and Virginia Tech project staff. In 1989, Virginia Tech and Delmar Publishers collaborated to prepare the materials for publication and distribution.

The teacher resource guides that resulted from that combined effort show elementary school teachers how to integrate technological concepts into their existing curricula. The Mission 21 program is used effectively with children of all ability levels in the elementary grades. The materials of the program are written for grades 1-2 (Level I), grades 3-4 (Level II), and grades 5-6 (Level III). These materials enhance the elementary school curriculum through flexible problem-solving activities that correlate with science, mathematics, social studies, language arts, health and physical education, and art. The strength of the program lies in the application of the problem-solving process to a variety of technological problems, thereby increasing students' technological literacy.

The combined resource investment of NASA, Virginia Tech, and Delmar Publishers made the teacher guides and their supplemental student books possible. The commitment and dedication of each organization toward the advancement of technological literacy make this contribution to elementary school education a proud accomplishment. And this commitment is ongoing. Virginia Tech's royalties, received from the sale of the Mission 21 program materials, are earmarked to support future technology education research efforts.

Mission 21 Materials Available

Mission 21

Mission 21 A Cooperative Effort Among Representatives from NASA, Virginia Tech, Delmar Publishers, and Elementary School Teachers and Administrators

Mission 21
A Cooperative Effort Among Representatives from
NASA, Virginia Tech, Delmar Publishers,
and Elementary School Teachers and Administrators