2001-02-11
People who right these "standards" promote what they are comfortable with
and care nothing about the future. They probably feel that the future
generations will deal with the changes to metric only. Even those who claim
to be educated and in the know will promote non-SI, because they are afraid
if people actually started to use SI, they would all of a sudden be exposed
as not being so educated and in the know. And we can't have that!!
They don't care if 96 % or even 99 % of the world is metric, all they know
and care about is that their little world isn't. And even though they give
lip service to metric, it is obvious from their mistakes that they aren't
versed in it. The longer they can keep FFU on life support, the longer they
can feel secure in living in the past. The past is a heaven for many who
have no future, and a hell for those who look forward. Unfortunately, there
are more of them then us.
John
Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrtümlich glaubt
frei zu sein.
There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they
re free!
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
----- Original Message -----
From: "James R. Frysinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, 2001-02-11 23:20
Subject: [USMA:10959] International Technology Education Association
> Barry Burke, President, ITEA
> copy to: Kevin Jost, SAE editor
>
> Dear Mr. Burke,
>
> I came across a "focus" essay in the latest issue of "automotive
> engineering international" (by the SAE) regarding your organization's
> educational standards. The SAE Executive Vice President, Max Rumbaugh,
> exhorts us, as SAE members to review and comment on those standards. For
> that purpose I have visited your site at
> http://www.iteawww.org
> and have downloaded your standards at
> http://www.iteawww.org/TAA/xstnd.pdf
>
> I have quickly scanned the executive summary for this document and have
> taken only a quick look at your full document. But in that short time I
> have already encountered something that concerns me. on page 162 of your
> document, in the section for grades 6-8, you include a section on
> energy. In there you state:
> In order to select, use, and understand energy and
> power technologies, students in grades 6-8 should
> learn that
> E. Energy is the capacity to do work.
> Energy is required for a broad range of actions,
> from walking to running a diesel engine. Energy is
> an important input to many technological systems.
> Work is the product of force multiplied by the
> distance through which the force acted. Work is
> measured in foot-pounds in the English system and
> in Newton-meters, or joules, in the metric system.
>
> First of all, as a minor comment, the unit newton-meter should not be
> started with an uppercase letter. Secondly, energy is almost always
> stated in joules, not newton-meters. But more importantly, your
> standards propose that students in the future should learn to express
> energy in "English" units. While this might serve some historic purpose,
> with 96% of the world using only metric units and nearly half of the
> industry in the United States doing the same (especially in
> technological fields), this serves no useful purpose for the future.
>
> The next section in your standard states that horsepower is a commonly
> used unit for power. Fewer that 4% of the world's people use this unit.
> The SAE states engine power, for example, in kilowatts primarily.
> Stating all forms of power in watts facilitates system efficiency
> calculations immensely.
>
> I would expect the ITEA to be in the forefront of the setting of
> standards that endorse education in solely metric units. The purpose of
> a standard ought to be to serve the future, not to keep the past on
> artificial life support. If we want our students to work competitively
> in the global, technological world we now live in, teaching them
> so-called English units will be counterproductive. Even your own
> standard, on page 173, states
> Symbols, measurement, conventions, icons, and
> graphic images are recognized components in the
> language of technology that are used to communicate
> messages. Students should communicate to others
> using the language of technology.
> On page 177 it states
> K. The use of symbols, measurements, and drawings
> promotes clear communication by providing a common
> language to express ideas.
> To communicate globally, technology workers must use units of the
> International System of units (SI), not "English" units. Otherwise, few
> people will understand the communication. By the way, the English are
> virtually entirely metric now.
>
> Is the ITEA promoting preparation for the future or protecting past
> practices?
>
> Sincerely,
> James R. Frysinger, CAMS
> member, SAE
>
> also at:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj
>
> --
> Metric Methods(SM) "Don't be late to metricate!"
> James R. Frysinger, CAMS http://www.metricmethods.com/
> 10 Captiva Row e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Charleston, SC 29407 phone/FAX: 843.225.6789
>
>
