Movie Response, Question 4

I think that the three different school environments provide different levels of success in their mission. For Cupertino high and Tech high, their missions are only to connect their students with silicon valley jobs, computer and computer technical jobs. To this end, there is a difference between the two tech high schools. Cupertino high seemed to be part of a wealthy, educated community, while the community served by Tech high seemed to be relatively less wealthy and educated. The results of this might be that Cupertino has more expensive technology from their students to learn from, therefore acquiring more advanced skills than Tech high. Also, the connections parents and educators at Cupertino high to silicon valley jobs may be greater than the connections at Tech high. If Travis had gone to Cupertino high, he may have been able to get a better job out of high school, and had better help with his class project, than he did going to Tech high.

I think that it would be very difficult for Luisa's high school (Austin) to catch up to the other tech high schools in regards to their job placement and education within that field. Austin high school is a traditional, standard curriculum high school, and it is also disadvantaged in terms of the technology it provides to its students because it is a school that is in a more middle class community. Austin high school cannot concentrate all their efforts on technology and computers because it has to concentrate on other aspects of its school. I do not think Austin high school should be compared to the tech high schools, because their missions are different.

I do not think that tech high is the way of the future for all students, but because a technology-related career might become more popular as technology becomes more relevant in our lives, the number of tech schools might increase, especially in places like silicon valley, where those careers are very popular. However, tech high schools will not replace traditional, standard curriculum high schools, simply because of the fact that not everyone will go directly into a tech-related career. Also, while some tech skills are required for the majority of jobs people have, the complexity of skills taught at the technical high schools are unnecessary for most individuals.