STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF SET INDUCTIONS IN TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of set inductions on student interest in the technology education field. A previous study on the characteristics of effective set inductions was conducted in a middle school science classroom. With that study as a foundation, this study was designed to determine the characteristics of set inductions that gather and hold students’ interest in a high school technology classroom. The hypothesis for this study is that student interest will increase from the use of set inductions in technology education. Set inductions are to an educational lesson what an introduction is to a public speech. A set induction introduces an educational lesson to the audience through a variety of techniques. A set’s purpose is to change mental gears, promote interest in the lesson, and inform the students of the expectations associated with the upcoming lesson. It may include a demonstration, a review of previously covered material, or an ii activity. Anticipatory sets are generally performed at the beginning of a class and typically last five to ten minutes. The study involves the presentation by the researcher of ten set inductions. The researcher developed each set according to the course topic, appropriateness to the course, and the timing of each performance. The subjects are students of a high school introductory technology course. Upon completion of each set, the student subjects were asked to respond to a questionnaire assessing their reaction to the set induction of the given topic. iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank my research advisor Mr. Michael Nicolai for all his help, direction, and leadership on this project. He guided me enthusiastically through the development, research, and conclusion of the research that is found in this document. Not only has his teaching and writing expertise led me through a valuable research project, he has instilled in me a desire to pursue my teaching career with enthusiasm and determination. I would also like to thank my fiancee (soon to be wife upon completion of this project), Laura Graversen, for her love and encouragement for me through this last year of research. She has waited patiently for me to complete this project so that we can get married and move on with our lives. This great support has allowed for a successful project to take place.