Computer SystemsComputer Systems Part 3: Issues In TechnologyPart 3: Issues In Technology

Inherent in all technology is both cost and benefit…

Consider the automobile, which at first promised freedom and joy:

But now gives us traffic jams and smog.

If you own a car, does it represent a cost or a benefit? What if every person on Earth owns a car?

When assessing technology, we should consider cost and benefit to: Ourselves Society The Environment

Your task is to prepare a rapid presentation on an issue related to technology. Your presentation should: Make use of ICT to… …communicate your issue… … in less than 60 seconds.

Some issues to chose from:

Technology and Change What are the effects of this change? Look at historical (loss of traditional crafts due to mass production) and contemporary (disruption of music and movie industries by P2P file sharing) examples. Why do some people see change as a bad thing?

ICT and Education How has technology changed education for ICHK students? How about students receiving the OLPC? Is it just hype or is there a real positive effect?

ICT and the Environment What happens to our eWaste? Who does this impact? Should consumers be responsible, or should the manufacturers?.

ICT and Economics Why is the Open Source model of software development becoming so successful, when it flies in the face of the traditional market-based model for software? Where else can this more enlightened model succeed? Are there any downsides?

Online Communities Systems such as Facebook and World of Warcraft allow us to be part of communities. What characteristics do these online communities have? In what ways are they different to a school community?

Misuse of ICT Information technology can be extremely useful, but it can also be destructive and harmful. In what ways can ICT misuse occur? How can such misuse be prevented?

Now, choose an issue and prepare your presentation. But remember…

Not all technology Is ICT! Technology ICT Some issues relate to technology in general, others specifically to ICT.

Licensing All original work used here is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Hong Kong License. For more details please look This license has been chosen to permit a high degree of sharing, whilst protecting the author’s control as to how the content is used. Please respect this license and use accordingly! Recycled and borrowed works from other sources are used under appropriate licenses, which are not affected by this license. The original source is always given. All original work created by Ross Parker (International College Hong Kong), except where specified.

Credits Circuit Board Photo By R. Butler on FlickrR. Butler on Flickr Available under Creative Commons, BY-SA Old Car Photo From Wikimedia CommonsWikimedia Commons Available under Creative Commons, BY-SA Traffic Jam Photo By lasgalletas on Flickrlasgalletas on Flickr Available under Creative Commons, BY-NC