Students interested in hands-on education, designing and building things and making a difference in the lives of students should consider the technology and engineering education major.

The major, offered by the School of Technology, prepares students to become teachers in the engineering field. Classes are offered in graphic design, video production, animation, robotics and woodworking as they hone their skills and prepare for careers shaping the minds of youth.

"The coolest thing about this major is the fact that you learn diverse technologies and at the same time you are taught educational principles," said Seth Warburton, 24, a senior from Deweyville in an e-mail. "I have enjoyed the video production classes but I have loved the teaching theories classes so much more because those classes have changed my life in a sense that I understand better how my character affects people and how I can be a positive influence in people's lives through education."

The program is hands-on; students have many opportunities to put their skills to the test.

"I made a water bottle rocket, a CO2 car, a full-sized pogo stick, a movie, a Web site, a slideshow of my own photos and a trebuchet, among other things, and that was all just in the first semester of joining the major," said Jenny Heintz, a senior from Gilbert, Ariz. "I really like that we do hands-on activities and then learn how to teach it."

With such a variety of courses available, each student has a different reason for pursuing the major.

"I was originally interested in doing film because I love video technology and technique, but I soon realized that my passions were not aligned with what the film major offered," Warburton said. "I found that the Tech Ed major had a more diverse multimedia program than anywhere else on campus. Once I saw what they provided and the joys of teaching and influencing students through what I love to do, I was hooked."

Students in the program are qualified for industry work when they graduate, but most become teachers. While teaching may not pay as well as a career in the field, there is a different kind of reward.

"I need to feel like what I'm doing with my life is making a difference somewhere and I know that teaching is a way I can fulfill that goal," said Scott Bartholomew, a senior from Orem. "It's hard, it doesn't pay as well as some other jobs do, but it's so rewarding. Seeing the light click when they finally make the connection to something you are teaching and watching them change is far more rewarding pay than any paycheck."

The School of Technology will be holding an open house on Oct. 16 at 7 pm in room 235 of the Snell Building for those interested in learning more about the major.

"People don't know about us," said Kip Christensen, a technology engineering education professor. "Rarely do we get a student who changes their major once they get into the program."



Copyright Brigham Young University 10 Oct 2008