The Technology education program offered here at SUNY Oswego is one of the largest programs of its kind throughout the country. And while technology remains the smallest concentration of the education program, the diverse selection of courses, hands-on learning experience, and dedicated professors fill that gap.
For most students in the Tech Ed program, every day begins promptly at 8 a.m. Apparently, the professors in our discipline are “morning people” and don’t realize that college students need extra sleep! Since the program is small, there’s usually only one professor to teach each course. And while that may seem unfortunate to some, every single professor is overqualified for their position. Unfortunately, there isn’t much wiggle room to try and squeeze in a few hours to nap, because there is a high chance that each course is only offered during one time slot.
The professors in the technology department collectively have a world full of knowledge. They all have their areas of expertise and are more than willing to share their wealth of information. Since the classes are typically around fifteen to twenty students (sometimes even smaller), your professors get to know you on a personal level. They pick up on your work ethic and learning styles and will adapt their lessons to their students.
Technology encompasses a wide variety of topics and concepts: from lab classes in wood, metal, and polymers, all the way to computer aid drafting (CAD) and transportation systems. There is a little something for everyone in the technology department. Having small classes creates a personalized environment where all students are welcome to dive right into a hands-on learning experience.
Technology students are unique in that we form a close-knit family. From the moment you step foot in the design studio, you realize that your fellow peers are soon going to become your best friends. Many of the technology courses have built in lab hours; you end spending way too much time together. The bond that is formed is unbreakable; nothing beats spending countless hours together wondering how in the world you are ever going to distinguish between the properties of polyethylene terephthalate, and polytetrafluoroethylene.
Remember that kid that made you take a second look because they were carrying a random piece of wood, rope or metal? Or what about that pack of students all dressed in matching flannels, jeans, and work boots? Maybe you noticed that a student was walking back to west campus with safety glasses on instead of their regular glasses. Chances are, if you’ve run into any of these situations, you’ve found yourself a proud technology student.
If you’ve ever run into a tech ed student, you’ve probably wondered the following: “I didn’t know this school even offered that program.” “Isn’t that major just guys?” “You’re going to the studio? What’s that? This school has one of those?” And while we aren’t opposed to clarifying confusion, forgive us if our answer seems staged; we get asked a lot of questions.
In the end, technology students know they will inevitably never be able to answer the question, “What exactly do you teach?” without resorting to saying, “We teach shop classes.” But no matter what people think we do or do not teach, the technology department is always welcoming to newcomers.