The Evolution of Communication Technology and Personal Impact - Coursework Example

? The Evolution of Communication Technology and Personal Impact Mamie Borchert Kaplan Mary Eaton April IS299 Human ingenuity has been a driving force for the development of culture and society since prehistoric times. We have always looked for ways to make life easier and increase efficiency through the development of our tools. In the beginning, prehistoric technologies such as arrows and clubs were essential for helping to hunt down prey and survive. As history progressed on, we started developing different kinds of technology to help us in all different aspects of our lives from transportation to communication. As science and research developed during the many industrial and technological revolutions in the world, more and better technologies have been created. Every single person in the world is connected by a single technology alone: communications technology (Elahi, 2001). This includes cell phones, computers, Internet, etc. and they have all revolutionized the way in which we lead our lives. One of the most important developments that these technologies have influenced is the way in which we learn and assimilate information. Traditional learning in the classroom has been enhanced with computers and the Internet allows students to bring the world inside the classroom (Wingard, 2004). Personally, I have seen the benefits of this having been able to take classes while being able to still pursue an active career. The ways that the Internet and technology has developed has made it easier to learn as well as enhanced many aspects of learning to become multidiscipline. Mobile technologies have further revolutionized the educational system by allowing greater opportunities and greater exposure to new forms of learning, which can be beneficial to not only traditional students, but also those returning to school to earn their degree (Manner, 2003).  The first methods of communication were derived through writing. Old manuscripts, books, and letters were written by hand. These letters were then sent to their respective correspondents via ship, horse, or foot. It could take days to weeks and even months before the letter would be received. As such, news and collaboration around the world traveled very slowly, and so did the sharing of scientific and technological development. Even the style of learning was primitive. Many of the natural sciences were still in their first stages of development and the only way that information could be shared was through books. The one drawback was language and the ability to mass-produce. Literacy was a privilege among many cultures, so while everyone could speak their respective language, very few could write and read it. These books were also extremely valuable as not many copies were available during these periods. At many times, only one or two copies would have existed in the world. As such, learning and communication hindered human growth intellectually (Greff, 1987). The first real use of electronic communication started with the advent of Morse code. Samuel F. B. Morse created Morse code in the beginning of the 1840s. Communication and information was transmitted through a series of tones as either dots or dashes. A decoder could then be used to translate these messages (Noth, 1990). This was an extremely useful and important technological development in the age of communications. The biggest purpose was not that of education however, Morse code was instrumental in allowing communication of information and strategic planning during World War I and World War II (Mullener, 2002). This original development of communication technology would later come to serve as the communication of ideas, which is fundamental in scholasticism today. The next biggest leap in technology was the development of the first computers, which started in the mid twentieth century. At this time, the ancient computers were nowhere near the computers we use today. It was very common for a computer to take up many, many rooms in a single building and still only be capable of rudimentary calculations and data gathering (Bedoyere, 2005). The simple programs such as Internet applications and word processors could not even fit on a simple computer. The types of connections that we have now are nowhere near as complex as they are today. Research into the areas of computer science changed the ways in which we process and store electronic data. Especially when thinking about how cultures and societies access technology today, the development of computers has come very far to where we now have computers that can fit in your hand which can carry almost any function conceivable from text messaging to picture taking. Technology has made our culture into a fast paced society and this has also influenced the classroom. The instant positive gratification that comes through online grading and submission of assignments effects education. This fast paced environment has also allowed many people to earn degrees in half the time that it would take in traditional classrooms (Gobel, 2011). This issue has pros and cons which can be addressed from both sides of an argument regarding accelerated programs and online degree programs. The first association that everyone makes with the computer is the Internet. They exist in a symbiotic relationship, which cannot be broken. The Internet came into development around the time the computer was started. In essence, the Internet is a network that exists between two or more computers, which allows them to share information and communicate (Gralla, 1998). This has been mankind’s greatest achievement when it comes to terms of how we collaborate and share information. Education has been the area, which has seen the greatest increase in the use of this technology. There has been a giant movement from the use of projectors and white boards to electronic whiteboards. Homework is now turned in using Internet sites that allow papers, worksheets, etc. to be submitted via the computer. Technology enhanced classrooms allow students and teachers alike to have access to resources which might not necessarily be available in the community. The use of this collaboration and instant messaging, which is now available, allows research teams to communicate all over the world. The sharing of documents and papers via email and websites has also changed the way in which traditional learning has occurred. This increase in the use of the Internet has been documented over many years with a large increase in the amount of Internet users every year. We see that from the data that there has been a steady increase in the amount of users accessing the Internet every year. If extrapolated, it can be inferred from the graph that around two billion people will be using the Internet by the end of 2011. This can be attributed to not only an increase in computer usage and reliance in the educational and workplace setting, but also due to the fact that a majority of the mobile devices used today have access to the Internet, further connecting everyone on the world. As has been speculated by many researchers who study human technological development as well as computer science, the capabilities and expansion of the Internet is unknown to the point where it is possible that it has no boundaries to the amount of expansion it can undergo (Chadwick, 2006). The impact of technology on history and development can be traced anywhere throughout history. However, on the micro scale, 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. I also have many resources at my fingertips which allow me to sort through books, articles, etc. of a wide variety of subjects at incredibly fast speeds. 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). This in turn, has lead to the development of websites that sole purpose is to detect plagiarism in papers. The biggest problem with this is the fact that everything that is written is written based on something that has previously been read or assimilated. Therefore, how can there be anything such as an original work of art in the present? 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. There are advantages and disadvantages which weigh this issue out so that it is based on how you view the effects and future of technology in human society. 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 Face book and instant text messaging has opened my personal life. This instant communication and connection that I have to everyone allows me to always be connected on some level. 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 micro scale, technology will not only affect my life, but it will affect everyone after me. Understanding how technology works and what its 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  Bedoyere, G. (2005). The first computers. London, UK: Evans Brothers Limited. Chadwick, A. (2006). Internet politics: states, citizens, and new communication technologies. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Elahi, A. (2001). Network communications technology. Albany, NY: Thomson Learning. Gobel, R. (2011, March 29). The benefits of an accelerated bachelor's/master's degree. Retrieved from http://www.cbs8.com/story/14341407/from-investopedia Gralla, P. (1998). How the internet works. Indianapolis, IN: Que Corporation. Greff, H. (1987). The labyrinths of literacy: reflections on literacy past and present. UK: The Falmer Press. 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 Manner, J. (2003). erving the non-traditional student through a technology-enhanced curriculum. TechTrends, 47(5), 32-35. Miniwatts Marketing Group (2008). Internet Users in the World, Growth 1995-2010 [Figure]. Internet World Stats: Usage and Population Statistics. 28 March 2011. Miniwatts Marketing Group. Mullener, E. (2002). War stories: remembering world war ii. New Orleans, LA: Louisiana State University Press. Noth, W. (1990). Handbook of semiotics. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. Owens, L. A., & Young, P. (2008). You're hired! The power of networking. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 29(1), 23-28. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Wingard, R. (2004). Classroom teaching changes in web-enhanced courses: a multi- institutional study. EDUCAUSE Quarterly Magazine, 27(1), 26-35. Your Final Project will be due at the end of Unit 9.     Final Project Rubric: 6-9 pages Introduction    50 points 2-3 paragraphs 2-3 sources Thesis addressed (related to personal goals/opportunities) Terms Explained Interesting Historical Context      100 points 3 Implications Addressed 5-8 paragraphs 4-5 sources History/Background of Technology   Personal Context      100 points 3 Implications Addressed 5-8 paragraphs 4-5 Sources Personal Connection Conclusion       50 points 2-3 paragraphs Thesis Reflected Interesting/memorable conclusion References       50 points Total of 10 4 scholarly journals 2 books 4 other Quantitative Data included Correct APA Format In-text citations Mechanics/Structure      50 points Spelling, Grammar Clear writing, smooth transitions Complete sentences (no sentence fragments, run-ons) Subject/Verb agreement, punctuation, capitalization Length: 6-9 pages 12 point font – Double-spaced     Historical Context addresses implications/effects technology has on society (at least three) (social/cultural; behavior; tradition/value; communication; diversity; professions) Personal Context addresses at least three implications/effects technology has had on the author aspects (family; community; education; opportunities; goals or desires) Read More