Assignment 1 – What is Technology



Assignment 1 – What is Technology

Jessica Foley (Hingle) jhingle@vt.edu

February 2, 2009

1. A description of how you viewed technology prior to beginning this program.

Prior to this program, I viewed technology as objects and knowledge to improve efficiency, mostly by electronic or digital means, with new and innovative ideas. For instance, new whiz-bang cell phones, faster computers, and new, more efficient, coding languages come to mind.

2. A list of five credible websites that help formulate your definition.

a. cnet



b. Technology Review



c. The White House Webpage on Technology

d. National Institute of Standard and Technology



e. Microsoft Technology Centers



3. A description of each of the websites, especially how these websites define and view technology and why these definitions help you to develop your own definition of technology.

a. cnet



This website is described as “…the premier destination for tech product reviews, news and price comparisons, free software downloads, daily videos, and podcasts.” Articles from the site are frequently passed around my work environment as examples of the current state of technology. The site has become a resource that we use prior to purchasing new technology.

b. Technology Review



This site is described as containing “…insight into innovation [that] assists technology and business leaders -- CXOs, entrepreneurs, researchers, venture capitalists, and financiers -- as they drive the global economy.” Articles from the site are frequently passed around my work environment as examples of the current state of technology. The site has become a resource that we use prior to purchasing new technology.

c. The White House Webpage on Technology

Since my workplace is in a government office, we frequently have to align our viewpoints with that of the current administration to ensure that we are on track. This site details the goals of the White House in relation to technology and its use.

d. National Institute of Standard and Technology



When creating software and hardware solutions for the military, it is imperative that we look to the most updated technology standards. This site offers multiple ways for our office to collaborate with industry partners to locate the most applicable technology, within the appropriate standards, to utilize within the military.

e. Microsoft Technology Centers



In my mind, Microsoft has been a technology leader for many years. Aside from the commercial and business sales divisions, their technology centers provide “…technology experts, industry leaders, and an outstanding environment — to envision, plan, build, deploy, operate, and optimize a secure, customized solution, based on Microsoft and partner technologies .” This partnership has produced a long list of innovative solutions that we look to for new concepts and ideas.

4. A list of five websites about technology that you rejected and why.

a. Wikipedia definition of technology



While Wikipedia can be a good resource, it does allow anyone to edit, delete, and add to an entry. I find myself checking and rechecking all information on the site instead of trusting that published information has been verified.

b. Technology and Christian Values



This site gives a very biased viewpoint of technology, based on how it detracts from Christian values.

c. Freeform Goddess Blog



This blog is merely the opinion of a single person, who does not seem to make much sense sometimes. I would not trust her viewpoint of technology.

d. Anthony’s Personal Opinion



This blog is merely the opinion of a single person who maintains an archive of his opinion of technology. The information is not vetted by any other individuals prior to publication.

e. American Conservative Daily – Technology Section



While this is a publication that is vetted through publishers prior to release, it is heavily skewed to meet a political need. All articles revolve around how technology will either help or hurt their political agenda.

5. A description of how you view technology now.

Now, I have a broader view of technology. I have incorporated the areas of activities, processes, and sociotechnical systems, as described in the prescribed article. I understand that technology is much more than the “neat gadgets” and tangible items, such as those utilized by the military community that I work in. It involves innovative thoughts and techniques that do not always involve physical aspects.

6. Your own definition of technology.

Technology is the practical application of knowledge in order to produce a capability. The manifestation of this capability may vary, from a tangible object, abstract process, or even to information in a particular field of endeavor.

7. A discussion on how your view of technology has or has not changed or been modified.

I believe my view of technology has been widened. My opinion was previously constrained to the type of work that I was involved in and I had not been exposed to the full range of possibilities for the definition and use of technology.

8. A brief discussion of your job.

I am currently assigned to the Chief Technology Office within the Defense Information Systems Agency. Our division is responsible for finding technology (limited to hardware and software) that fills a stated need for the military. As you can see, this is a very limited application of the term “technology!”

9. A discussion of as many ways in which ALL technology can be used/viewed in your professional context (based on the web page given above, or your own views).

While the hardware and software aspects of my workplace obviously fall within the technology category, other attributes, such as processes, knowledge, activities and sociotechnical aspects need to be examined more as possible solutions to warfighter issues. Maybe new hardware and software isn’t always the solution? Maybe utilizing a new process with existing software or revising the interaction between hardware and the warfighter might be a better, and more cost effective, solution. These are aspects that I feel my workplace needs to investigate further.

10. Is your definition consistent with what you have said about the ways in which technology can be used? If not, present a revised definition.

Yes, I believe my new definition is indeed consistent with the ways that I stated technology could be used. I feel my entire workplace needs to broaden their understanding of what a “technological solution” is, based on this definition.

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