Topic 1: Technology and Society
The Technological
Revolution is in the process of changing the face of society. Lagat states “The
integration of computer technology into society will eventually constitute the
remaking of society” (Lagat, 2005, p. 84). Technology should not be judged by its power,
speed or cleverness but by its ability to enhance the lives of members of a society
and contribute to social cohesiveness.
One of the greatest
achievements of technology is its ability to connect members of society
regardless of the physical distance between them. Technology enables individuals to communicate
with their families and friends at any time and in any place through: social
networking sites such as ‘Facebook’, text
messaging, conversations on mobile phones and ‘Skype’. These technologies may do much to make
Australia a happy society as Australians view relationships “as the most important factor contributing to
their happiness” (Horin, 2006, September 16).
While the internet is
capable of enhancing relationships, technology overuse may encourage weak and
superficial communities based around minimal contact. Additionally ‘cyber handles’ may become
alternative personas replacing the individual and devaluing relationships
through a false sense of reality. Some individuals
have been found to become obsessed with computer games to the point of
addiction, merging their computer identity with reality. This merging of reality has the potential to
result in dire consequences by destroying relationships and in some cases
resulting in death (Icon, 2006, July 8).
Social media and
smartphones also have their disadvantages. ‘Facebook’
and text messaging open new avenues for repeated abuse through ‘cyber-bullying’. “Because the intimidation or bullying action
is delivered via the written word… the target can read and therefore be
affected by the same words again and again” (Robotham, June 30, 2012).
Bullies are no longer only dependent on their physical stature but may
now be characterised by their ability to manipulate technologies.
Educators, need other
educators to collaborate; this is a necessity for creative, innovative
education. Lehrer states, “The most
creative ideas, it turns out, don’t occur when we are alone. Rather, they emerge from our social circles,
from collections of acquaintances who inspire novel thought” (Lehrer, 2012, p. 204). Sites such as: ‘Pinterest’,
‘TES’ (Times Education Supplement), and ‘Scootle’ promote the sharing and
collaboration of ideas. Blogs provide
the capability to create a twenty-four hour collaborative space, the ‘cyber-staffroom'.
Educators have a responsibility to
promote Australian values: liberty, equality and fraternity (Mackay, 2006). Online programs may do much to enhance
liberty and equality by enabling teachers to differentiate according to need,
and assisting with the early identification and support of children with
learning difficulties. For example ‘Mathletics’
enables teachers to differentiate work programs and homework, track progress
and identify children experiencing difficulty.
Another program ‘Fast For Word’ has helped hundreds of thousands of
dyslexic children, to improve their concentration and reading skills, to reach
the reading level expected for their chronological age or above. (Doidge, 2010, p. 71) The value of fraternity is
likewise enhanced by technology through ‘parent portals’ that may strengthen communication
between parents and teachers. This
technology enables teachers to alert parents to achievements and areas for
improvement through emails and open ‘marks books’ (Timson, 2006). The use of portals may encourage parents to
become a partner, along with the teacher, in their child’s education.
Technology while powerful
to society and the workplace must be used to enhance society. Technology is not human and shouldn’t be
treated as such. It is up to the
individual to regulate the time spent on technology and to prioritise
relationships with loved ones and friends.
As educators we must evaluate the quality of a technology. Is it able to: inspire and excite children
about learning, assist in accomplishing lesson outcomes and objectives, create
stronger relationships between parents, teachers and students and be quickly
and easily implemented? Salvaris states that
a good community is “ more nuanced than merely increasing economic production…
family relationships are important… the quality of life and services are
important” (Salvaris as sited in Short, August 3,
2012) Our willingness to take
the time to evaluate the quality of technologies, as they become available,
rather than adopting a technology blindly, will determine our success in
complimenting and building a stronger and more cohesive society.
References
Lagat, J. (2005). Social
and Ethical Impacts of Information Technology: Retrieved from Avondale College
Moodle, EDUC32400, Issues in Educational Computing: http://moodle.avondale.edu.au/mod/folder/view.php?id=73118. Futurics, 29(1/2),
84.
Robotham, J. (June 30,
2012). Smartphones drive latest wave of cyber-bullying [electronic version], Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved August
17, 2012 from http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/smartphones-drive-latest-wave-of-cyberbullying-20120629-21809.html
Short, M. (August 3, 2012).
The pursuit of happiness [electronic version]. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved on August 17, 2012 from: http://www.smh.com.au/national/the-pursuit-of-happiness-20120802-23i2e.html.
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