READINGS IN GE 7 – SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

What are the Human Conditions Before and After Science

Technological Advancements and Their Effects on Humanity

Our personal life is highly dependent on the technology that people have
developed. Technology has advanced with years and it has changed the way we
purchase products, the way we live, the way we communicate, the way we travel,
the way we learn and so many changes have been brought about by these
continuous technological advancements. As people's demands and life style
change, the demand for advancing the type of technology we use is high. Almost
everything we use has been innovated to better standards, a good example is the
"Mobile Phone," the type of mobile phones we had in 1995 are no longer on demand
in this century, the demands of mobile phone users have changed greatly, and this
has resulted in the advancement of mobile phone technologies.
Users of mobile phones demand simplicity and more functionality, which has
forced mobile phone manufactures to develop computer minded smart phones,
which are so easy to use, but also, they come with more functionality compared to
the type of mobile phones we used to have in the past.
Technological advancements have helped businesses and organizations save
time and cost of production, which has been an advantage to all business. They
manage these advancements to gain competitive advantage. A good example is the
3G/4G broadband, small businesses have taken advantage of this super-fast
internet to reach target markets with less costs of operation.
Technology Advancement in Medicine and Health Care Technology has
helped in saving many innocent lives. Human medicine and health sciences have
improved. Doctors and medical students have embarked on medical technological
tools to carry out extensive research on human health problems and challenges.
This extensive research has resulted into the development of new drugs, and
treatments which have helped in curing most challenging human diseases. This has
helped in saving so many lives and it has also prolonged the human lifespan.
 Let's look at some cool medical technological advancements and how they
help us treat diabetes, Robotic Surgeons, Neuroprosthetic Chips which prevent
seizures and control artificial limbs with mind, Multimodality Hybrid Imaging
Technology which detects prostate cancer and Artificial Wombs which are used to
grow an embryo outside of a woman's body.
Other health care technologies include Nano-composite Contact Lenses used
for Technological advancements in communication. Communication is a major
factor in both human lives and business. Communication technology has changed
with years and it has even become better, I can tell what the future holds in this
field of communication. They were using a fixed land line to communicate before,
by then, this was the best way to communicate with your family, friends or business
partners and suppliers. The only challenge it had was that it was fixed, so if you're
not in the office or at home, people could not communicate with you. With years
this technology has evolved, and we have witnessed new mobile phones which
made communication easier. The people can enjoy advanced communication
technology (iPad). This is a new technology, which can do more than just making
calls. With its technology, you can even do a live video call and see the people
you're communicating with, like Smart phones, iPhone or Samsung galaxy which
can have related functions.
Technological Advancements in Agriculture has played a big role in changing
the face of agriculture. This has resulted into increased production and abundant
food supply. The farmers in a developing world use poor methods for irrigating their
plants. During droughts, crops will run out of water, so farmers must irrigate their
crops for a better yield, but with the type of irrigation method, the crops will not
yield well so the farmer will have a big loss. The advanced sprinklers are used to
irrigate a big farm, and this saves the farmer time. A farmer who used this
advanced technology will have a large output as well as produce high quality
products. This is an automated water sprinkler, which can be set based on time of
the day and movement of the sun, so the crops will always get sufficient water.
Technological Advancements in Education has greatly changed the education
sector. We nowadays learn through mobile gadgets and tablets. Technology has
simplified the way teachers reach their students and it has also helped students
learn from anywhere as well as enable them access academic information at
anytime from anywhere. Information is power, so both students and teachers can
use advanced technologies for education to make research on subjects of interest.
Some of the most popular technology advances which have changed the face of
education include use of smart phones in classroom, use of tablets and mobile
computers in education and classroom, use of smart whiteboards for visual
illustration in the classroom, use of internet for long distance learning, use of social,
media to connect students with teachers, for example [Link]. Lets' look at this
example: The teacher before was using a black board and chalk to explain
mathematical equations, this is the type of education most of us had, but some
students could fail to learn because of its lack of real time visual illustration. The
teacher today is using a smart whiteboard which gives students visual illustrations
on each subject, you can see that all students in the classroom are well engaged
compared to a classroom with a blackboard.
ACTIVITY: To be written in bond paper
Make a reflection essay of what you have read. Highlight the significant
contributions of science and technology in the different sectors. Share your insights
of how science and technology impacts humanity.
Please be guided with the rubric for your output.
Content – 40%
Organization – 25 %
Clarity & Coherence – 15 %
Depth of Reflection - 20 %
____________________________
Total 100%

Submission: Next meeting