Homepage for Jim Flowers
Professor & Director of Online Education, Department of Technology, Ball State University

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Jim Flowers

Jim is a native of Great Neck, NY, where he learned carpentry from his father. He went to Buffalo State to become an industrial arts teacher, and earned a master's in technology education from West Virginia University. He taught junior high school in Salt Rock, WV, and high school at Seaford, DE, before returning to WVU to earn a PhD in Forest Resources Sciences (Wood Science). Since that time, he has been a faculty member at Elizabeth City State University, Old Dominion University, and since 1996: Ball State University in Muncie, IN. He serves as the Director of Online Education for the Department of Technology at Ball State, assisting with and teaching in two online master's degrees. He also teaches rapid prototyping.

On March 16, 2012, Jim was awarded the 2011 Silvius-Wolansky Outstanding Publication Award from the Council on Technology Teacher Education for: ‘The Problem in Technology Education (A Definite Article.)’


School of Extended Educaction names Flowers a Rawlings Award recipient

Jim Flowers was the recipient of the 2006 Rawlings Outstanding Distance Education Teaching Award from the Ball State University School of Extended Education.

Jim's Online Graduate Courses

TEDU 510: Technology - Use & Assessment (every Fall) (a core course in the Online Master of Arts in Technology Education)

This is a 3-credit course that you can take in your pajamas. It covers the study of technology use (usability testing, user surveys, etc.) and technology assessment (impact analysis, forecasting, etc.) It is appropriate for those interested in technology, the social sciences, product design, interfaces, and many other areas.

TEDU 690: History & Philosophy of Technology Education (every Spring) (a core course in the Online Master of Arts in Technology Education)

Here, students actually "do history" and "do philosophy" in the field of technology education.

TEDU 694: Curriculum Development in Technology Education  (every Fall) (a core course in the Online Master of Arts in Technology Education)

This course is a critical examination of curriculum development processes for those in technology education.

TEDU 698: Seminar in Technology Education (May/June of Even Years) (a core course in the Online Master of Arts in Technology Education)

This 5-week online course gives technology education professionals a forum for critical discussions about technology education.

Technology Projects Books
 
Technology Projects for the Classroom
New book from Prakken
More Technology Projects for the Classroom

If you are interested in fun, low-cost activities that can be used to teach students about technology, and how it integrates with math, science, history, and other subjects, check out "More Technology Projects for the Classroom." This book is a sequel to "Technology Projects for the Classroom." Both are available for a mere pittance from Tech Directions Books.

Recent Projects

Teaching: Sample Lessons & Course Modules

(Please note that there is a lot more to these course than these lessons. Each course has a high degree of interactivity with the instructor and other students.)

Instructional Guides for Equipment:

Recent Student Reports

TEDU 510, Technology: Use & Assessment

ITEDU 206, Using & Assessing Technology

ITDPT 303, Manufacturing Systems
(Automated Production, Rapid Prototyping, and Manufacturing Systems Reports)

Selected Presentations

From the 2013 International Technology and Engineering Educator Association Conference, a session sponsored by the Council on Technology Teacher Education presented with Annette Rose (3/7/13):

From the 2012 International Technology and Engineering Educator Association Conference, a session sponsored by the Council on Technology Teacher Education presented with Annette Rose (3/16/12):

Ball State University:

More than just Saving Time in Online Teaching

  • Saving Time in Online Teaching: posts to a community of interest (9/20/11 - 11/16/11)
    Module, Compendium
     

  • Adding Online Education to your Research Agenda (11/2/11)
    Module, Video Archive

Presentation archive: Adding Online Education to Your Research Agenda

  • Using the Blackboard Discussion Board (10/19/11)
    Module

Using the Blackboard Discussion Board

From the International Technology Education Association Conference 3/18/10:

From the International Technology Education Association Conference 3/18/10:

  • Teaching Historiography
    (Module)

From the International Technology Education Association Conference 3/26/09:

From the International Technology Education Association Conference 2/21/08:

  • Variety Among Technical / Technology Education Doctoral Programs (ppt)

Based on a presentation at the 2007 Distance Teaching and Learning Conference on 8/10/07, and presented at the 2007 Association for Career and Technical Education Convention in Las Vegas, NV, on 12/14/07:

  • Are We Ready for Online Doctorates? (ppt, pptx)

From the BSU Conference on Technology Enhanced Teaching in Distance Education on 2/16/07:

From the IHETS Virtual Brownbag series on 10/11/06:

Creative Faculty Uses of Breeze

From the 2006 Distance Teaching and Learning Conference on 8/4/06:

From the IHETS Virtual Brownbag series on 4/12/06, reprised from the 2005 All Partner's Conference:

From the ATAIN Conference 3/27/06:

From the International Technology Education Association Conference 3/24/06:

From the Oct. 11, 2004 meeting of the Indianapolis Chapter of the Usability Professionals Association, links to support:

From the 2003 Association for Career and Technical Education Conference:

From the 2003 Distance Teaching and Learning Conference:

From the 2003 Faculty ROLE Workshop:

From the 2003 Midwest Educational Technology Conference and the 2002 Ivy Tech Bloomington Technology Day:

Tech Knowledge Gee

What are these and how were they made? Mouseover for the answer with pop-ups enabled.

detail of a wood inlay of a bird, cut with a laser
# 1

mechanical part, designed with Unigraphics and grown with Fused Deposition Modeling
# 2

3" tall white clay sculpture, scanned, surface textured, and placed in a scene outside our building
# 3

small acrylic snowflake, cut with a 35-watt carbon dioxide laser
# 4

Dr. Jim Flowers, Professor of Technology and Director of Online Education,
Department of Technology, 130A Applied Technology Building
Ball State University Muncie, IN, USA 47306-0255
(765) 285-2879     FAX: (765) 285-2162    jcflowers1@bsu.edu  --   vita

© Jim Flowers

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