Has Technology Improved Work Place Efficiency - Term Paper Example

Has Technology Improved Work Place Efficiency Introduction Technology is a progression where man alters nature in order to meet his needs and desires more efficiently. It is a move towards rapidity, simplicity and efficiency in all the processes of production. It is normally associated with its products such as soft ware’s, computers, pesticides, birth control pills, water treatment plants, and aircrafts. However, technology entails a wide range of features, which include these technology artifacts, design, operation and maintenance of these facilities.

It also includes the technical skills in working with these facilities (Courtiat, 23). Technology is very dynamic: people are always coming up with better ways of doing things improving on what they already have. Technology influences all the activities of our life and it would be unimaginable living without it. Technology improves work efficiency and learning experiences largely that its contributions cannot be ignored. As much as technology has such tremendous advantages in our live, is also has some detrimental effects.

This paper discusses the two sides of technology. Technology and Work Efficiency Technology improves work efficiency in many ways. To start with, technology comes with improve methods of communication. With the contemporary technology, means of communication have developed to the fullest. It is now possible to communicate with anyone anywhere on the globe and get instant feedback. Technology within communication involves the use of satellites, telephones, radios, computer, internet and cellular gadgets.

All these have restructured the lifestyle of people making it quite different from the lifestyle of people who lived before the evolution of these gadgets and equipments. This has improved efficiency in the work place since there is clear communication of objectives and goals of certain processes. Good communication also ensures that there is harmony in production promoting coordination thereby avoiding doubling-up of work. Mistakes are also corrected promptly avoiding losses that could arise from such errors (Kleiman & Sharon, 42).

Application of machine technology in production highly improves the efficiency of the production process. This is because unlike human beings, machines are more efficient, fast and have higher productivity. Application of machines in the manufacturing industry has helped companies to produce a large number of products at a low cost and in high quality. This amplifies the profit margins and sales turnovers. In business, application of the current day myriad software has made the daily running of businesses professional and easy.

Technology has also improved the security system of businesses that have also helped in cutting losses arising from theft (Hodson et al, 138). It has also helped in maintaining office records. The accounting software that have been developed help in keeping track of the financial status of a company and thus are used to determine whether profits are being made and know how to cut on the losses. Use of technology in fabrication reduces wastage. This is reflected in lower production costs increasing the profit margins.

Advantages of Technology in Learning Technology such as use of computers and the internet has been introduced to the classroom situation. These have helped largely in helping the meeting of learning goals and imparting to them skills needed for the subsequent levels and for the future career. One of the advantages associated with the utilization of technology in the classroom is exposing students to different unique experiences that make learning interesting and easy. Exposing students to new technology in the classroom aids in later life when they will be needed to apply technology in their careers.

This also makes them very adaptable to new technologies as they pass through life (Kleiman & Sharon, 42). Using technology in a classroom situation makes the students learn faster and become more adaptable. Students who are conversant with technology tend to be much better in literacy skills such as writing, solving mathematical problems and reading skills compared to students with less exposure. The same study indicates that the introduction of technology in schools has resulted in a reduced number of dropouts, increased class attendance and improved academic performances (Hodson et al, 76).

Technology prepares the learner for higher education by laying a strong professional foundation. Use of computers and internet in learning make explanations more interesting making learning an enjoyable process. The internet has information on every field and it is a great source of information opening the mind of the learner to a sea of knowledge and sharpens their brains. Technology also simplifies the official procedures of the school. Records on the students and the teacher are efficiently stored using modern technology.

Records on the attendance of teachers and students can also be stored in databases that are easy to retrieve. Use of technology in schools can thus reduce paper work making the running of the institutions to be very easy. Application of multimedia in learning, which involves the use of music, video, simulations and animatronics, go a long way in making learning meaningful. It enhances learning by placing less demand on memory, by engaging several senses at the same time. This also promotes information retention and creates a desire to learn in the learners.

Use of multimedia makes active learning possible, enriches classroom learning experiences and personalizes learning (Hodson et al, 96). Introduction of technology orchestrates an interconnection of the student with the future. Failure to teach them in this field will result in them being alienated in the current dynamic world that is characterized by technology on every side. The world is moving towards a trend where everything will be computerized. Now we even have online courses where student learn and sit for exams online without physical contact with their teacher.

Disadvantages of Use of Technology in the Work Place Use of technology comes with a couple of disadvantages. In the manufacturing and business world, it results in loss of job for some qualified workers. This is because these workers are replaced by machines. This is because machines produce goods in larger quantities, are more accurate and cost efficient compared to human labor. Since such organizations are bent to maximize profits, they reduce the number of human labor rendering a large population unemployed.

A good example is of ATMs replacing the human cashiers in banks. Technology has also contributed greatly to increased crime. Internet technology has been used to perpetrate crime by for example hacking and stealing money by illegally accessing credit cards. The internet has been used to con people and its nature makes hard to track the offenders. Machines and robot is multifaceted (Courtiat, 334), implying that their use require technical expertise. It is hard for a single person to operate a number of machines simultaneously.

Machines are also bound to breakdown and this incurs many costs in repair. Disadvantages of Use of Technology in Learning Experiences The use of technology in learning may have disadvantages in some situations. One, it may culminate in erosion of communication skills as the interaction between the teacher ant the students is reduced. The relationship between the students and their peers also deteriorates. This is because in learning using computers, individuality is promoted leading to the socializing aspect of schooling.

Use of technology can also extend the gap between the moneyed and the poor. This is because students from underprivileged families may not passably access modern technology making them to be disadvantaged. The new technologies such as video games for children and the internet can divert the student’s attention to entertainment only and this affects their school performance badly (Hodson et al, 96). The internet has no restriction on the sites that children should access and this has led to exposure of kid to adult sites creating a moral decay in the society.

Use of technology is also said to result in promoting laziness and obesity as everything is performed by machines. In instances where the teachers lack technical knowhow in using technology in class, the passing of skills to the students can be obscured. This results in time wastage. Time loss can also be brought about by connection problems and other technical issues. This makes implementation of modern technology in the learning situation difficult. The costs of upkeep and maintaining of equipment is also high and sometimes equipments are neglected the moment they breakdown for lack of funds to repair them (Courtiat, 23).

Conclusion The advantages of using technology in the work place and in a learning situation are greater than the advantages. Technology is here to stay and as such, we should make total use of it and come up with sound measures of overcoming the disadvantages associated with it. It benefits students and makes office work easy. It is our responsibility to continue improving the technology to benefit from the advantages accrued to it. Works Cited Courtiat, Jean-Pierre & Costas Davarakis, and Thierry Villemur.

Technology Enhanced Learning. New York: International Federation for Information Processin, 2005. Print. Creating New Learning Experiences on a Global Scale: Second European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning, Ec-Tel 2007, Crete, Greece, September 2007 ; Proceedings. Berlin: Springer, 2007. Internet resource. Hodson, Randy, and Teresa A. Sullivan. The Social Organization of Work. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth, 2012. Print. Kleinman, Sharon. The Culture of Efficiency: Technology in Everyday Life.

New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Print