Expert Report By Prof. Rayko Genchev Raykov, Ph.D. On the research of experts’ views on the problems considered in the project “New Approach in Technology Training Development and Integration of European Modules in TE”

Expert’s answers on the main topics have been classified in 3 (three) different groups for all the 7 (seven) questionnaires as follows: Practice (15), Method (14), Vocational Guidance (8), Adaptation to Industry (10), Teacher (13), Teacher Training (15), Program (19), or in general 79 questions and answers. The interviewed experts are an extract of many great authorities in this field and they aggregate a big number of professional points of view on the topic of this investigation. Although answers were given only by 20% of all the experts participated in the poll, I reckon that this is a good base for objective analysis for the purpose of the poll and the main goal of the project. The particular results have been generalized in Table 1.

Table 1

1. Practice In 61% of the answers we find out that technology education has to be conducted in the classroom environment not only in the form of traditional educational methods but also by means of different projects for putting the accumulated knowledge into practice, using visual arts, computer skills and qualified teachers covering the primary, secondary and higher education. Some of the experts (26%) disagree that Technology Education should be performed by guidance of psychological consultants, instead of Technology Education teachers and more than 2 (two) hours a week and additional classroom environments are needed to achieve the goals of the practice.

2. Method More than 85% of the experts think that Technology Education methods should stress on predicting structural changes, including small vocational practice, complex approach, individual and group project elaborations, trips and observation activities, also obtaining numerical results, preparing graphics, working out cost determination studies and using communication language of technical drawing. In order to strengthen technology knowledge, education should include information about all kinds of machines, models, products and parts and also implement simulations of how technology works. The purpose of using these methods is to achieve a high level of effective interaction among school, working life, the environment and the society.

3. Vocational Guidance Experts’ answers are useful because they advise students to make trips for professional orientation, take part in conferences supported by leading experts, activities on physical and intellectual development of the students, identifying their future profession through examination of events which may be encountered in real life, simple activities at home and getting known their own fields of interests during all the stages of the educational process.

4. Adaptation to Industry Most of experts’ views on the organization and implementation of Technology Education confirm the tendency toward adaptation to industry by means of industry-focused training courses, educational technology process, “industrial connection” over the Internet, industrial products certification knowledge, information about the changes in production systems, labor-employer, educational and industrial organizations interaction, integration of school, industry and working life.

5. Teacher 88% of all the experts consider that a technology education teacher should be familiar with fundamental science knowledge, information technology, project management and educational process. Teachers should encourage entrepreneurship, application of technical knowledge, personality development, visual and laboratory activities and communicational abilities of the students.

6. Teacher Training In 89% of the answers in this questionnaire, the experts give the following systematic characteristics of the Technology Educational program for Teacher Training: technology culture, professions knowledge, project workout, industrial technology and design, teaching talents, fundamental science knowledge, interdisciplinary education, economical methods for evaluation of industry projects, interaction with production process and introduction of new technologies.

7. Program At this point of the study, 59% of the answers are positive and 34% are neutral which means that the identified problems are complicated and specific for particular fields of the research. Nevertheless, a systematized teachers’ program for technical education should include the following fields of knowledge: electronics, computers, control, energy, construction, metallography, mechanics, graphics, transport, finance, automatics, and environment.

Conclusion The implemented investigation over the 7 (seven) main directions of Technology Education shows that of all the 1548 answers, 77% correspond to the implied tendencies in the questions, 16% are neutral and just about 7% - negative. On the basis of all this I reckon that this construction of the project is a solid frame for increasing the level of Technology Education in accordance to the European and World standards.