As of September 30, 2005, the North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium
is no longer in operation.
Content
As a result of studying examples of technological innovations, students will
gain understanding of the following concepts:
- "Any invention is likely to lead to other inventions. Once an invention
exists, people are likely to think up ways of using it that were never imagined
at first." (p. 54) As an example, the transistor, invented in 1947, allowed
for the radio to take new forms of portability. The integrated circuit, invented
in 1958, began revolutionizing the computer industry. Electricity allowed
e-mail to become commonplace.
- "Transportation, communication, nutrition, sanitation, health care, entertainment,
and other technologies give large numbers of people today the goods and services
that once were luxuries enjoyed only by the wealthy. These benefits are not
equally available to everyone." (p. 54) As an example, the computer was first
used by large businesses; today, computers can be found in many households.
- "Technologies often have drawbacks as well as benefits. A technology that
helps some people or organisms may hurt others -- either deliberately (as
weapons can) or inadvertently (as pesticides can). When harm occurs or seems
likely, choices have to be made or new solutions found." (p. 55) As an example,
the invention of the telegraph brought about the end of the pony express.
- "Because of their ability to invent tools and processes, people have an
enormous effect on the lives of other living things. " (p. 55) As an example,
Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in the 1450s revolutionized the
information available to the average person. The amount of information in
one daily issue of the New York Times newspaper is more than the typical 14th-century
Western European peasant would learn in a lifetime.
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