How Technology Affect our World

Introduction
Technology has a broad meaning today. Over the years, the technology has evolved into many facets of society, from personal to business onto a world stage as we know it today. According to Colorado Department of Education (CDE), they define technology as the ability to responsibly use appropriate technology to communicate, solve problems, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, design and create information to improve learning in all subject areas , and acquire lifelong knowledge and skills in the 21st century, (Colorado Tech Literacy Organization, 2012). Technological advancement has overtaken the world at many levels and in many places across globe. From television, radio, and the computer to railroads, automobiles, and manufacturing, we can see technology in every industry and aspect of business. When you look at some of the statistics today, the internet is one of the most technological advanced communication tools that is used by billions of people and is expanding daily. It is estimated today that the worldwide population on the internet is at 1.08 billion, whereby in 2000 there was only 400 million users.

Historically, the way we communicated was a long process to reach a substantial number of people. Now, compared to how communication is shared today, it took the internet only 4 years to reach an audience of 50 million vs. radio broadcasters 38 years and television 13 years (WLP, 2013). It is evident that in today’s world technology is pacing at a faster rate than we have ever witnessed. In breaking down some other statistics, it is said that the typical Internet user is young, male and wealthy and a member of an elite minority worldwide. There is a gender gap in access and usage of information and communication technologies whereby women symbolize 42% of Internet users in the world with 37% in Italy and Germany. The gap of course is narrowing in certain countries like Brazil with 47%, Thailand at 49%, and the United States and Canada at 51% (WLP, 2013).

Technology is a revolutionary breakthrough that has affected the world in many ways through the use of different technological products in the field of transportation, education, healthcare, science, law, history and environmental service just to name a few. In an economy that critically depends on the use of technology and its complex functionality, it is imperative that companies like continue to find ways to improve technology and protect it at the same time. As the world evolves and advance in the knowledge and understanding about one another socially and culturally through technology, great emphasis should be placed on innovation expansion and fantastic creativity in a world that is ever evolving.

Technology Impact

The way technology has impacted the world is phenomenal. It perpetually change the way we interact and communicate with one another and how we live our lives on a daily basis, from learning to working to driving to living in our homes. Technology is a vital element of our lives and although the impact is extraordinary, it is important to understand that just as there is a whole lot of good we learn from it there is also some bad that comes with it. When you think about how we communicated 20 years ago, basically having to use pencil and paper to write to one another, or go to the library to read and check out books, or talk on a telephone that you were not able to see who was calling you, but now with the innovation of the internet and smart phones and software that allows you to communicate via many avenues, like email and instant messaging, and video conferencing, technology has greatly magnified the rate of speed at which the world communicates to one another. In education, the impact has been enormous where technology is now a catalyst that impacts the way children are being taught and learning in the classroom.

Students are achieving at greater rates and are learning and interacting with teachers and classmates in a virtual environment. Online classes is becoming popular among high schools and colleges, students are downloading and reading books online, participating in online learning, and cell phones and laptop computers are being used in classrooms to research and complete assignments. As a reminder, being able to manage teaching and learning in a advanced technology environment takes serious engagement and reception of technology by all , including students, teachers, parents, educators, and businesses alike that are involved in the process. It is said that technology in education creates both opportunists and challenges, whereby the opportunities include greater access to rich, multimedia content, the increasing use of online course taking to offer classes not otherwise available, the widespread availability of mobile computing devices that can access the Internet, the expanding role of social networking tools for learning and professional development, and the growing interest in the power of digital games for more personalized learning.

While concurrently, the pace of change creates significant challenges for schools whereby schools are evermore playing technological catch up as digital innovations emerge that require upgrading schools technological infrastructure and building new professional development programs. Some schools have been adept at keeping up with those changes, while many others are falling far behind , creating a digital divide based largely on the quality of educational technology, rather than just simple access to the internet (Education Week, 2011). The impact of technology on businesses has been remarkable have produced some great tools for businesses to use in communicating, sharing and protecting their data. The improvements are continuous as technology rapidly changes from day to day. Technology have effectively improved and enhanced the efficiency of how businesses operate and has improved the competitiveness of businesses all over the world.

Businesses are able to share information in a matter of seconds and communicate to people around the world in real time using the technology tools that are made available to them. The different types of technology that is used in most businesses includes the internet which allows them to reach audiences on a large scale and attract customers and potential employee’s from around the world. They are using public social media sites like Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn and many other sites where they advertise their products for consumers to purchase. This avenue of communication also allows businesses to communicate to their customers and the public interactively with information on their services, products, or just for general intelligence reporting. Another tool being used is smart phones. Companies are using the technology of smart phones, pda’s and laptops to keep in touch with their leaders and managers on a real time basis and to give their employees the flexibility of working whenever they need to and wherever they want to, instead of being isolated in one office space day after day.

As in the past companies pretty much operated in a vacuum but technology has changed that where social media and software now enables companies to connect to individuals and groups faster than ever before. When companies utilize this kind of technology they are able to offer employees what have become know as a Work Life Balance environment, which enhances how and where people perform their job. Another aspect of how technology has impacted how businesses operate is the ability to communicate and set up offices on a global scale. Not only are businesses are operating in their own country but now can extend beyond its borders to open offices and sell their products on a greater scale, positively increasing revenue and profits.

According to Pheifer (2012), Technology has caused communication to change drastically, both on a personal level and a global level and technology has made national and international commerce a much more feasible reality and today, businesses and people can buy and sell with other people all over the world. In past history, it might have taken months for a letter to go from one party to another, now an email can reach someone in matter of seconds, and a transaction can be completed with the push of a button. Technology has changed business to the point where the technological tools are more than just mechanisms for doing work, but people literally have grown addicted to their technology. As Pheifer (2012) states and has proven to be the truth even in my own personal life, when things like our phones or computers break or stop working, people literally do not know what to do with themselves. It is as if part of their life has been taken from them. The technological impact to how people operate and interact at home has changed drastically due to the advancement of technology.

The internet and other computer devices has made it possible for ordinary people to work and do things from the comfort of their home. Some of the things we see today that were not in place 15-20 years ago include: working from home instead of driving into an office (saves money spent on gas), take classes online instead of going into a classroom (convenience to work at a self pace and independently), pay bills online instead of mailing or dropping off payments (saves money buying stamps or driving to a location), chat with family and friends anywhere around the world through social media sites like FaceBook and Twitter (provides a level of pleasure and comfort ability knowing that family is near even when they are not), sale items online to other individuals all over the world using sites like CraigList or AngiesList (offer convenience and profits that otherwise would not be accessible), or make personal or business travel and vacation arrangements online on sites like HotWire, Priceline, or Travelocity (saves money by not having to use travel agents to reserve destinations for you which comes with a cost).

Technology Pros and Cons

There are many advantages and disadvantages that come with the advancement of technology. As with anything else in this world, there are always the pros and cons of a thing and technology is no exception, even though it is one of the most celebrated and revolutionary instruments to ever be created. We know that technology brings huge and profitable benefits with it, regardless of the number of cons that are associated with it. Some of the benefits we have gained from technology includes massive data storage and privacy protection for personable identifiable information that companies share internally with business partners, and conserve of resources, as indicated by Still (2011) at WTN News. Still (2011) indicates that the inexorable march of information technology continues to revolutionize our global economy, just as it continues to create new challenges close to home. He shows where this technology is greatly needed to prevent incidents of fraudulent activity and states that information technology makes it possible to handle mass amounts of data, some of which may be intensely personal and subject to abuse by thieves who use computers instead of guns.

He used the example where inadvertently there was a release of 260,000 Social Security numbers by a state contractor that had been handling Medicaid and other health data, largely without incident, for more than 30 years. About a year earlier, a different state contractor printed 171,000 Social Security numbers on tax booklets sent through the mail. Another benefit of having technology in our life is the advancement in medicine, where it is used to help doctors and scientists improve medicine, perform medical procedures, save lives. Technology allow people and airlines to travel all over the world using a GPS system that will guide and yield verbal instructions on how to arrive at your destination. Technologies have helped with forensic science in various ways such as DNA analysis. It said that a variety of manufactures are now producing automated machines to aid in the extraction of DNA from forensic examples and that automated systems are available for all different types of chemistry, columns, and magnetic bead based extractions.

There are many benefits to automated DNA extraction which involves less hands-on time by technicians and thus, has a lower likelihood of contamination or human error with the protocol, and automated systems can be very simple and do not require that the laboratory staff be highly trained and specialized, as well as the use of automated extraction allows for the processing of many more samples a day than manual methods, which can be quite time consuming (Cengage, 2013). A few other ways that technology benefits is that it offers flexibility and convenience for individuals to work, attend school, listen to music, watch movies, manage their finances and personal affairs online, and make a financial profit all from the comfort of their homes or on the go. Businesses enjoy the benefit of technology because it maximizes their return on investment, save on head count, and increases their consumer base to sell their products or services.

Technology in the education arena is on the rise and continues to be a benefit to educators all around the world by offering learning experiences that is personal and social when it comes to chatting with peers, communicating on social networks and discussion boards and allowing a self paced work environment. Technology helps us communicate, share data, and organize our lives on a daily basis and have created a techie workforce in many industries like education, manufacturing, retail, sales and service, and government. Some cons of technology include people getting addictive to computers or technology where they spend most of their day on a computer, playing video games, or texting on their phones. The costs associated with technology can be expensive for businesses and people, especially when they have to upgrade their systems to stay current with the changes that rapidly take place with technology and to prevent hackers from accessing your systems and personal information.

One of the worst cons we of technology we are seeing today is that people are being forced out of their jobs because companies are using things like robots to replace humans and using cheap labor internationally for cost effectiveness, increased profits, and better market share. There are many more pros and cons to mention, but we have to acknowledge that the development of technology has transformed the lives of many people and businesses all over the world in good ways and bad ways and have impacted our society in a manner that we may never get to experience again in this lifetime. Whether we can clearly conclude that the pros outweigh the cons, we have yet to determine this since technology continues to evolve and progress as fast as ever. Conclusion

In conclusion, we are living in an age of technology and it must be embraced because it is not going away anytime soon and will continue to expand and develop. The best thing people can do is to learn what they can about it, whether it is the computer, a smart phone, using a credit card, etc… technology will impact every facet of our lives in the near future. Our world is being swept with technology and its impact has revolutionized how we live, work and play. Businesses and government have been changed forever in how business is conducted on every level. With the development of the internet and the computer and the software that is used to run them, these have reinvented civilization in every field and on every stage. From the internet, smart phones, computers, video conferencing, video games, faxing, instant messaging, emails, banking, e commerce, learning, organizing, sharing information, and talking to friends and family, in this day and age, the existence of humanity have been changed forever because of technology. In light of the differences and pros and cons, technology is an essential part of our life and it has drastically improved our communication abilities over the past two decades.

The availability and use of technology has positively influenced people lives. The purpose of technology is primarily to make people lives easier, however, when it is used unwisely or in a bad way technology can work against you. Just as there is a bad side to everything, technology is no exception to the rule. Technology is a great contributor to society and its impact can be an advantage or disadvantage, however, it has the ability to reflect how we adapt to the changes of it has brought us like the internet, cell phones, online banking, information sharing, and social and business networking. In its most complex and easiest forms, eventually every human being will be forced to grasp technology in some shape, form, or fashion whether they desire to or not.

References
Cengage, G. (2013). Technology and forensic science.
Pheifer, T. (2012, 08 26). Effects of technology in today’s business world Still, T. (2008). Technology brings benefits, and tests, to society.

Technology Literacy (2013). Definition. (n.d.). TLAP Home Page.
What is Education Week. (2011). Technology in education.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/
Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP) (2013). Technology facts & figures.