Reflections on Practice

The following narrative was originally prepared for a modest keynote address following an initiation ceremony for the Theta Chapter of Epsilon Pi Tau at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. It is being published as a service to members of Epsilon Pi Tau who may find it useful in their efforts to pass on the traditions and values of the honorary to a new generation of leaders.

Tonight, you have become part of a special community of professionals. You are now members of Epsilon Pi Tau. As you are beginning to discover, Epsilon Pi Tau is not just another student organization. It is an honorary fraternity for talented and accomplished people who are interested in technology. It does not accept just any one within its ranks. To become a member of EPT, one must meet certain established standards and like most organizations, EPT has high expectations of its members.

The Universities I attended as an undergraduate and graduate student did not have chapters of Epsilon Pi Tau. I was inducted into Epsilon Pi Tau during the 1989 International Technology Education Association Conference in Dallas as an "Exemplary Member At-large." Epsilon Pi Tau holds a special initiation during the national conference to allow a few people at-large to become members of this special organization. Just like you, a member of Epsilon Pi Tau had to nominate me for membership. However, not being affiliated with a chapter, I had to seek out information from other members of this prestigious organization to understand its values and discover the expectations that it has for its members. Tonight, I would like to describe my most profound discovery. More specifically, I want to share with you what I believe makes Epsilon Pi Tau a special organization. I will also describe several qualities that make its members leaders in the field of technology.

In my quest for understanding, the first thing that I discovered was Epsilon Pi Tau has a very interesting history that resulted in rich traditions. It was founded by William Warner who was a very colorful professor at The Ohio State University and a controversial leader in what was commonly referred to as Industrial Arts. One of the attributes that made him a unique leader was his revolutionary vision for industrial arts education. He promoted the idea that industrial arts should focus on teaching all young people about technology at a time when many of his colleagues were directing their attention to developing and implementing programs that prepared an important segment of the school population for employment in a specific trade. He believed with great conviction that Industrial Arts should strive to help all students understand and feel comfortable with an environment inundated with technology. Although he had many followers, his views on education were not always popular and a majority of the profession rejected many of the curriculum reforms he proposed.

To realize his vision to make Industrial Arts an integral part of every students' general education, Warner established two new professional organizations, the American Industrial Arts Association, now referred to as the International Technology Education Association, and Epsilon Pi Tau. Both of these organizations provided forums for innovative educators who believed in Warner's vision to debate issues, exchange ideas, and facilitate change. In many ways the discipline has still not lived up to Warner's vision: to serve the needs of all students and embrace technological literacy as its mission.

In addition to creating new professional organizations, Warner shared his vision with promising students. One of Warner's most promising graduate students was Delmar Olson. In 1950, under the direction of William Warner, he wrote his dissertation based on his advisor's vision. It was titled Technology and Industrial Arts and in contrast to structuring the Industrial Arts curriculum around specific materials and trades, Delmar Olson recommended that it be organized around technological endeavors like manufacturing, construction, transportation, and communication. Like his mentor, Olson stayed true to his convictions, and did not compromise his beliefs when faced with rejection and opposition. He published an important book promoting the study of technology and it has become a collectors item among technology educators. However, from my perspective, Delmar Olson's most important contribution to the discipline was the fact that he past his vision on to another generation of promising and talented students.

Three such promising students were classroom teachers from Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Ohio. They enrolled in one of Delmar Olson's graduate classes at Kent State University. During the course, Delmar Olson encouraged his students to question the status-quo and to carefully examine what they were teaching. He challenged his students to break away from tradition and consider an innovative curriculum concept that embraced the study of technology and would be designed to serve the needs of all students. While many students were skeptical, three talented and courageous students accepted the challenge. They were Jim Durkin, Ron Todd, and Doug Stallsmith.

Back at Shaw High School, these three teachers developed a nationally recognized program that was structured around the themes of communications, power, materials and process, manufacturing, and construction. Like the William Warner and Delmar Olson, these teachers had the courage to take risks and try something new in the interest of preparing young people for the future.

In 1965, all three teachers were invited to join the faculty at Indiana State University. Their charge was to completely renovate the industrial technology education curriculum based on the curriculum that they had developed and successfully implemented at Shaw High School. Jim Durkin and Ron Todd accepted the invitation and went on to develop a revolutionary Industrial Technology program at ISU, Indiana State University. Doug Stallsmith stayed on at Shaw High School and trained two new teachers to maintain the level of excellence that they had established and to continue to provide a model for other educators across the nation to follow. In 1965, Doug Stallsmith was approached by Wes Face and Robert Swanson to take a leadership role in the American Industry curriculum project at Stout State University.

Today, Jim Durkin is the president of his own company. His company provides innovative schools with contemporary technology education curricula and state-of-the-art laboratories. Young people across the country are benefiting from Jim's vision for technology education while engaging in rich learning experiences that center around lasers, computers, and flight simulators instead of drill presses, engine lathes, and welding booths.

To share his vision for a new kind of education, Ron Todd established TIES magazine. To obtain the support and resources that he needed to publish TIES, Ron had the conviction and courage to resign his professorship at New York University, tap his savings to make ends meet, and plant root in an institution that shared his vision. TIES magazine has become a source of inspiration for technology educators across the country and is being read by thousands of students.

Like his colleagues, Doug Stallsmith is also sharing a unique vision for technology education. He has invested years preparing teachers who can use the concept of a student enterprise to enable young people to experience and learn how industry utilizes technology to produce the goods that maintain our quality of life. A a result of his excellent teaching, his students have won numerous awards during national manufacturing competitions.

Not only are all three teachers from Shaw High School renowned leaders in the field, they are a part of the discipline's history. The discipline is profoundly different as a result of their contributions.

William Warner, Delmar Olson, Jim Durkin, Ron Todd, and Doug Stallsmith are leaders who were dissatisfied with the status-quo, who developed a vision for a new kind of education, and who took risks despite the opposition. More importantly, each generation of educators identify talented and promising students to carry on their vision. One of the things that links all these leaders together is their membership in EPT.

Today, you have been recognized by leaders in the field of technology and deemed worthy to pass on the vision to the next generation of educators and technologists. In the tradition of the leaders who passed on their vision from one generation to the next, tonight we are challenging you to have the courage and conviction to question the status-quo, direct your energy toward the future, and serve the needs of others by advancing technology, promoting social and professional efficiency, and pursuing truth through inquiry.

The author is indebted to Jim Durkin, Ron Todd and Doug Stallsmith for their help in preparing this narrative and ensuring its accuracy.