Abstract:
In 1987, the Indiana state legislature mandated for all secondary schools a "Tech Prep" (Technology Preparation) program set for implementation in the 1994-95 academic year. Because this program is a new one, it is important for the high school teacher to know not only what Tech Prep is all about, but also how it can be implemented in the secondary classroom. As stated in the Indiana State Department of Education Tech Prep Handbook, "the Tech Prep program is a rigorous and focused course of study designed to provide the middle fifty percent of the student population with both the essential academic and technical foundations, including workplace skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and responsibility, necessary for twenty-first century careers and a lifetime of learning" (2; ch.1).Since 1987, there has been considerable preparation at the state level for the Tech Prep program. The previously mentioned Tech Prep Handbook was prepared and distributed to all Indiana high schools. In 1989, five high school demonstration sites in Indiana were chosen to serve as working examples of the implementation of the curriculum. Also, instructors trained in the field of Tech Prep have been providing a series of workshops to help not only educate teachers of all core areas about Tech Prep, but also to instruct them how to implement it into their classrooms.Since Spring of the 1992 school year, I have been helping to assist my own high school in the implementation of the Tech Prep program by attending a series of five workshops. During theseworkshops, the instructor focused on two aspects of Tech Prep: cooperative learning and the development of sample instructional plans that might be used in a high school Tech Prep class. I was provided with an abundance of ideas and a variety of materials in order to help me feel more comfortable with the Tech Prep methodology. Overall, attending these workshops was a good experience and gave me a better understanding of what Tech Prep is all about.Because Tech Prep is a relatively new concept of teaching, it seemed worthwhile to develop a project as part bf my Master's degree program concerning Tech Prep, what it is all about, and how it can be used in the curriculum of the secondary English program. This project includes a variety of instructional activities and unit plans which could be used with any high school Tech Prep English class. Also included is a written report which includes background research on the Tech Prep program plus other information relative to the project.Because of the limited amount of professional material concerning Tech Prep, my primary source for Part 1 of this project was the Tech Prep Handbook. The material in this handbook has been developed and compiled by the Asher Agency, of Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Indiana, under the administration of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development for the Commission on Vocational and Technical Education. It is considered by the Indiana State Department of Education to be the best up-to-date information packet currently available concerning the Tech Prep program.