August, 2014
Wes Perusek
We are looking back at an important article written by the late Wes Perusek, a champion of TRIZ in education. His belief that TRIZ was one of the keys to a well rounded education for all students can be re-emphasized even more today then in 2003. AI will be re-doubling its efforts to get TRIZ accepted into the national STEM curriculum. If you know any key STEM people, please have them contact AI for more information.
Improving Technological Literacy in the Schools
The systematic study of the past is crucial for full development of those who would shape the future. We here argue that historians of technology have a vital role to play in developing a curriculum for the schools that could help foster an atmosphere of innovation and invention among the next generation of engineers, scientists and researchers.
In this short article, we seek to accomplish three things. First, we speak of the importance of sorting out the conceptual problem of drawing too great a distinction between "science" and "technology," arguing that this is a necessary condition for thoroughgoing curricular reform. Second, we describe succinctly efforts now under way to enhance technological literacy in the K-12 system in the United States. Third, we suggest ways that historians of science and technology might contribute to these ongoing efforts.