Technology education is, quite simply, the study of technology in much the same way that art education is the study of art and English education is the study of the English language. It usually consists of theoretical study as well as understanding the historical context of advances in technology so the students have a thorough vision of how technology has evolved and developed. This type of class also typically involves some practical knowledge as well, allowing students to interact with and develop technology to better understand the principals behind what they are learning. Technology education as its own field outside of general scientific inquiry is a fairly recent field of study, but it has become increasingly important in developing regions of the world.
The proper implementation of technology in the classroom is often an important part of technology education, though it is not always essential. Students can learn a great deal about essential advances in technology through books, lectures, and research without the technology actually being present in the classroom. This allows schools that may not have the funds necessary to provide many computers for students to still be able to teach certain aspects of computers and digital technology. The historical context of technological development, for example, can certainly be understood through learning from books and lectures.
This type of technology education can actually be quite important, since one of the common concerns regarding technological advancements are the ethical aspects of such developments. On a theoretical level, the ethical consequences of developing new technology can be discussed and better understood by students interested in technology. While this type of education is often quite effective, it does have its limitations and more practical efforts are often necessary for a fully realized understanding of technology. To go beyond the theoretical aspects of technology education typically does require the technology actually be present and usable by students.
Technology education is often hands-on in this respect, and though time may be spent discussing how a simple circuit board works, it is often more useful to actually design and construct a circuit board to fully understand it. In some respects, technology education has sometimes been considered a specialization and left to technical schools to teach to students. As developments in technology and the digital revolution have become more common and integrated into nearly every aspect of modern society, however, this type of education has become more prominent and notably important for students. This can be seen in the separation of technology education into its own field of study outside of more general science classes.