Successfully publishing new technology-level text materials

Abstract

This paper explores why Engineering Technology (ET) courses - especially upper division - have few level-appropriate textbook options, & what can (& can't) be done about it. First, ET is defined vs. its more theoretical & practical counterparts. Next comes why ET's small number of majors (vs. other STEM subjects), & confusion in how the word "Technology" is used, have kept publishers out of the ET market from its inception. Then: how five "game-changing" events in publishing & academia further decreased ET text choice, with greater impact (& felt sooner) in Junior/ Senior-level courses. Various solutions to the resulting scarcity of text choices (persisting to this day) are next evaluated, with reasons why collective actions by ETD would likely produce the best results. Finally we explore what a would-be ET-level textbook author should consider in deciding if it's worth writing a textbook & - if yes - how to maximize his or her odds of success. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2013.