New Paradigm or Old Wine? The Status of Technology Education Practice in the United States

Is current technology education practice in the US reflective of a “new paradigm” that Clark (1989) and others have proposed... or, is it more reminiscent of old wine in a new bottle, as Petrina and Volk (1995) concluded? This study provides evidence that substantive changes have taken place in technology education practice, particularly with respect to program names, the purposes of the field, students served, and instructional methods employed. But the magnitude of change pales in comparison with the shift from Ptolemy’s view of the universe (with the earth at the center) to the Copernican view (with the sun at the center). The data suggest a decided, evolutionary shift—with the legacy of industrial arts still in evidence—rather than a total transformation of the field.