The impact of technology on history and development - Coursework Example

The impact of technology on history and development can be traced anywhere throughout history. However, on the microscale, technology has specifically impacted my life. It has made tasks easier for me to complete and allowed me to maximize my time at school and at work. One of these areas, which have seen the largest development in the field of education, has been through the use of mobile devices and the Internet (Beale, 2005). In my life, it has allowed me a great amount of flexibility in doing my assignments.

I can access information anywhere through both my phone and my computer, allowing me to look at resources from every domain as well as write papers, take exams, etc. It also has made it easier in-group work in allowing me to collaborate more quickly and efficiently with colleagues. In addition to all the positives that come with this increased use of technology in my education, there are also many disadvantages to this. Although an increased use of technology in the classroom makes it easier to learn, it also is handicapping students to this principle of instant access.

Many contemporary problems with this issue have been associated with cheating and plagiarism. What has been termed the net generation, contemporary students have natural skills in using digital devices and navigating the media compared to other generations. This is destroying the ethics in teaching because many students report that they have used the Internet in some form or another to cheat and they did not consider it a big problem (Ma, Wan, & Lu, 2008). Another big point is the fallibility of technology.

In terms of online classes and such, when technology or the Internet fails, it causes a large strain not only students, but the professors as well. In addition to the aspects of which technology has affected my educational progress, it has also played a role in my personal life. Social networking such as Facebook, and instant text messaging has opened my personal life. This can be both a positive and a negative thing. Personally, I have known friends and children of my friends that have been introduced to a new form of hazing known as cyber bullying.

It has been on the news and children have committed suicide due to the exposure and brutality they are now facing (Katz & Aakhus, 2002). Children of today and parents relate to technology very differently. Adults are more concerned with the practicality of technology whereas children have had technology integrated into their daily lives. Technology has become their “life”. Thus, this is what makes cyber bullying so dangerous and personal because of the ease of accessibility to their tormentors as well as how technology has become so personable (Keith, & Martin, 2005).

Lastly, technology has effected my economic and job opportunities. In this hard economy, finding jobs is an extremely hard task. Mobile technologies and the Internet make the searching and applying for jobs much quicker and efficient. Social networking also increases the connections and job opportunities that an individual might have (Owens, & Young, 2008). In addition, some jobs are now done through outsourcing, which allows me to work at home and set my own hours. The drawback to this method is how the Internet depersonalizes a person.

Applications and information are put in huge databases where a person is assigned a number, rather than their name. Companies make employment searching more efficient by doing this, but it makes it harder for people to get jobs using this systems approach. Technology has been existent in the past, present, and will be in the future. It shapes world events and the course of human development. Sometimes the development of technology results in inventions that work for the benefit of mankind such as vaccinations for deadly diseases.

Sometimes, technology has destructive qualities like the development of more powerful and dangerous weapons. On the microscale, technology will not only effect my life, but it will effect everyone after me. Understanding how technology works and what it’s impact is on society helps shape how we interact with one another and the endless possibilities we have. References Beale, R. 2005. Supporting Social Interaction with Smart Phones. IEEE Pervasive Computing, 4, 35-41  Katz, J, & Aakhus, M. 2002. Perpetual Contact: Mobile Communication, Private Talk, Public Performance, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press  Keith, S.

, & Martin, M. E. (2005). Cyber-Bullying: Creating a Culture of Respect in a Cyber world. Reclaiming Children & Youth, 13(4), 224-228. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Ma, H., Wan, G., & Lu, E. (2008). Digital Cheating and Plagiarism in Schools. Theory Into Practice, 47(3), 197-203. doi:10.1080/00405840802153809 Owens, L. A., & Young, P. (2008). You're hired! The power of networking. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 29(1), 23-28. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.