Technology Education/Engineering Produces Ingenious Results

The fall of 2007 conference was held at the Fitchburg State College Industrial Technology Department 160 Pearl Street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts
on November 16, 2007.

The 2007 MassTEC conference was a great event. Over 195 attendees participated in sharing of ideas, attending workshops and learning about the latest technology for the classroom. Please look at pictures from the event, the speakers biographies, the workshops, and how the theme was derived.

Technology Education/Engineering Produces Ingenious Results, where does this come from and what does this mean? This years conference theme was inspired by Ken Starkmans' Presidents Message: Forward, March 2006 ITEA Technology Teacher.

An excerpt from the article- Vitruvius's De Architectura, written around 20 B.C.E. described the ideal master builder as being in command of written language, drawing, geometry, arithmetic, and optics, and not ignorant of astronomy, history, philosophy, music, medicine and law. Astronomy provided the backdrop for surveying, history for ornamentation in design and medicine for planning water supplies and city layouts. Familiarity with local laws enabled proper and smooth construction of civic structures. Knowing music enabled one to tune, on strength of sound, the tensioning of hoists and catapults.
Vitruvius asserted in the opening of his treatise that master builders were ingenious of or in the possession of ingenium. People's admiration for their resourcefulness was expressed by the name they gave them. From the eleventh century, builders of ingenious devices and fortifications-for example, Ailnolth (fl. 1157-1190), who worked on the Tower of london- were called ingeniator in Latin. Through the French ingenieur, it later became the English Engineer. The designation was significant in two ways. First, it differed from the titles such as "baker" or "silversmith," which distinguished a worker by the material he worked with. The ingeniator was distinguished by his ingenium, which meant both ingenuity and the product of ingenuity. These meanings were preserved in the English term engine, which meant genius and ingenuity before being taken over by the steam engine and its like-a case of creators overshadowed by there creations. Second, whereas names like "scientist" and "physicist" were coined by academicians for throes previously called natural philosophers, "engineer" originated in everyday usage. thus conveying a sense of spontaneous appreciation.

Are you inspiring your students to be master builders? Do your students build ingenious devices? Are your students distinguished by their ingenium? Are you a Technology Education/Engineering Teacher?

Dr. Yvonne Spicer, key note lunch speaker.
From Dr. Spicer's bio- “I have tried to build bridges over which others can walk,” says Dr. Yvonne Spicer, 44, the Vice President, Advocacy & Educational Partnerships at the National Center for Technological Literacy. She has been blazing trails for years. “I will use every tool I have to try to reach young people. But you never know what your impact will be.” To learn more about Dr. Spicer please click here. To view a article Dr. Spicer authored click here.

Dr, Jacob Foster, opening speaker
Jake Foster serves as the Director of Science and Technology/Engineering (STE) at the Massachusetts Department of Education. In this role, he oversees the state’s STE standards and curriculum framework, state-funded professional development opportunities, and support for districts. Continuing his work as a high school teacher, middle school coach, and teacher educator, Jake promotes the importance of actively engaging learners through relevant lessons.

2007 MassTEC Schedule

A packed workshop	Engineering Design Process, Johanna Bunn
Alternatives in Architectural Design, Richard Amarosa, Jeffery Hapgood	The Vendor Showcase
Don Bjorn's opening remarks	Dr Jim Alicata's opening remarks
Don Bjorn and Dr. Yvonne Spicer at lunch	A packed lunch gathering
A packed lunch gathering	Retired Members

2009 Conference

2008 Conference

2006 Conference

2005 Conference

2004 Conference

2003 Conference

2001 Conference