This section of the course is central to the identity of the subject. It invites the student to understand and constructively evaluate the role of Technology in society, to value the good and bad that it brings to our lives past, present and to come. It establishes the context within which to understand the practical work that f o r m s the main focus of the coursework.
Some possible headings for the teaching of this section.
History
Applications
Where have our society and our technology come from? How has Technology developed through the ages? How have different societies down the centuries used their technologies, and to what ends? How do we use technology in out" society? What ends does it serve? Who benefits and who does not?
Technology andSocial~CulturalDevelopment
Limitations
This heading will draw students to question and understand the influences that determine the development of technology. These should include a simple understanding of factors such as:
- economics
- pure research
- military
- ethics
The discussion of ethics must also include issues such as the automation of production processes that results in redundancy for the workers who used to operate those processes. What is the acceptable price of progress? Similar questions might be asked about the role of entertainment in our lives. What is the impact of television, video, computer games, and soon, virtual reality systems with applications in simulations, games, training ete? It is important that students understand the limitations of technology, from the physical limits of particular materials and processes to the limits we may care to impose on technology for social, health, cost and other reasons.