Technology is without a doubt an extremely large part of our society; it is one of the inner mechanisms that hold together the structure of our society. It helps with transportation, communication, and countless other necessary functions. Because technology has the power to be something really great, it also has the potential to be misused. It is mostly up to the user when it comes down to keep technology in its place. A user needs to be responsible for using a device only for its recommended functions. As technology grows, so does the need for more control. However, if technology is not used intelligently, then society will not function efficiently. Certain times call for certain devices, and others call for less influence from them. It is up to the user to decide when and how to use these devices. There are indeed several methods of controlling technology and keeping it in its place.
International Conference for the Integration of Science and Technology in Society (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Education Can Help Keep Technology in Its Place
As stated before, it is generally the user’s fault if technology is mishandled or used in an inappropriate way. With that being said, education is a key element in the cause to control the use of technology. If a user is educated about how to use a device, then he or she will most likely not do anything that will bring harm to him or that device. Let’s use the example of a simple computer. There are limitless things that it can do: surf the internet, perform math operations, run software or games, and much more. However, computers can be misused through things like Spyware and viruses. Now, if a user that is not educated uses a computer, it is very likely that he will download or acquire a virus. To solve that problem, he could read a manual or take a class that will help him avoid such problems. There are many classes and information books available on the market today, which shows that this is indeed an effective strategy. This technique does not stop at computers; people need to be educated when learning how to operate other technology, such as vehicles. That way, they are not used beyond their intended functions. If they are used for different functions, many risks such as injury may be involved. If people knew about past injuries and possible risks, then technology could be easily kept in its place. Technology can also become harmful to one’s physical health. Some online games have become addictive, and people play for extended periods of time, missing meals and opportunities to exercise. Some deaths have actually come about from excessive playing of these games. Knowing these risks and knowing one’s limits is certainly essential when accessing these features of technology.
Restrictions Go a Long Way in Helping to Keep Technology in Its Place
Another way to control the uses of technology is to place restrictions in certain places. The best way to explain this concept is with the ideal example: technology in schools. Mobile devices are used surreptitiously every day in schools. Nearly every institution places restrictions on what devices can and cannot be used. If any devices were allowed, there would be numerous problems. Firstly, the students could easily look up answers to problems without doing the work. That defeats the purpose of the assignment, and the student learns nearly nothing. Secondly, with the way that technology is expanding, nearly every sort of math problem can be done with a certain device. This again negates the effects of any homework that is given by the teachers. If technology is not kept in its place in schools, then the overall quality of education will diminish. There are usually consequences involved when a student is caught using technology in school. The device may be taken away, or the student will be reprimanded by losing points. There are many more types of restrictions, but they are very common among the school systems in our country.
Most of the situations above involve times when technology needs to be restricted to keep it in its place. It is hard to deny that technology is essential in today’s society. Therefore, there are places where technology needs to be introduced even more. One example is upper-level schooling. In post-secondary institutions, especially technical schools, require technology to provide the proper education experience. Let’s say that a student is going into nuclear engineering at his school. The student goes through his schooling, graduates, and attempts to get a job at a nuclear reactor. There is one essential thing missing: he has never had any experience with the controls. There are a few places, such as North Carolina State University, that provide students with the opportunity to work in an actual reactor before they graduate. Opportunities like this are essential, and can be applied to nearly any major. Chemists need access to chemical equipment; physicists need access to particle accelerators and other equipment. There are countless times in education where technology should be introduced more.
Aside from education, the use of technology is needed in other situations. It is a sad truth, but the US mail system is deteriorating. Communication is now done mostly online. With that being said, it is essential that people have an understanding of how to use certain devices so that they can keep in touch with the rest of the world. There are also many tasks that cannot be performed without technology. Some tests, such as the GRE for graduate schooling, can only be taken online. Some shopping can only be done online through certain companies. Opportunities like those are constantly growing, so it is imperative that people know how to access them and be able to take advantage of them.
As you can see, technology is extremely powerful, and it plays a very large role in everyone’s lives. Without it, our society as a whole would not function as efficiently. However, as the capabilities of such technology increase, so do the opportunities for misuse. There are new approaches to control technology being put into effect every day. Learn them, and you too can use technology to its fullest.