Study of technology through the four lenses
In your response posts, compare your experience to your peers’ experiences:
* Compare similarities and differences between your plan for implementing what you have learned throughout the course and your peers’ plans.
* How could your peers’ insights on how to approach the study of technology through the four lenses be useful to you?
Ensure you support your ideas with information presented in the course material and other scholarly resources.
Justin Barker posted Feb 26, 2019 10:09 PM
How do the four lenses approach the study of technology with respect to the individual and society?
• Social Sciences:
o The social sciences would be most concerned with the psychological effects of products or how it would effect our relationships. Are we likely to become addicted to product x and how can we adjust the design to lessen or avoid this.
• Natural Sciences:
o The natural sciences would be most concerned with the biological implications of product x. Could this product have some adverse effect on our ability to sleep at night, for example. This could influence designers to adjust the design so that we see less blue light in the evening.
• History:
o Looking through the history lens, the design of product x could avoid bad design. Some examples include avoiding types of batteries that heat up to dangerous levels or avoid using a metal band around the edge of the device that blocks cell reception when held a particular way.
• Humanities:
o The humanities lens would study how product x effects the various cultures around the world. Does this product isolate a group of people? Does product x allow for the free exchange of information between all groups of people?
• How do the four lenses represent a way of seeing technology?
Our eyes provide two sets of input for our brain to process the images. Our brain combines them into one picture that we ‘see’. This is how I see the four lenses. They aren’t individual pieces, but a way in which our view of technology should be painted. It takes input from all four rather than the sum of each.
• What are the implications of technology on the future?
One of the things that I appreciate having been exposed to in this course is that there are a lot of really smart people thinking through technological advancement. Even as the technology is being created, it is funneled through the various lenses. Even if we come to the same conclusion about product x, starting the conversation earlier in the development cycle affords us the opportunity to lower the negative impact on society.
• How can technology help build community and bring us together?
Hackathon’s focused on the humanities and social issues are becoming more common. Hack’s for Humanity, for instance, is a 36-hour hackathon challenging participants to create technologies to address local and global issues (“Hacks for Humanity – Hackathon for Social Good,” n.d.).
• How are you going to implement what you have learned in this course and used in your presentation in your own life?
The one thing that has stuck with me most about this course and in my project, is the levels of abstraction technology can often create. It is meant to make things easier for the practitioner and to lower the barriers to entry. In the process it can remove the knowledge of the underlying technology (Bajcsy, 2018). To build robots in the past, you needed a solid engineering and math background. Today, many of the software needed is in an easy-to-use library and YouTube is filled with tons of how-to videos. My takeaway: when I find something that interests me, go back and pick up some of the underlying skills to become better at the craft.
REFERENCES:
Bajcsy, R. (2018). Robotics in Service and the Responsibility to Society [Ethical, Legal, and Societal Issues]. IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, 25(4), 117-118. doi: 10.1109/mra.2018.2873029
Hacks for Humanity – Hackathon for Social Good.
Joshua Croteau posted Feb 26, 2019 8:15 AM
The four lenses approach the study of technology by viewing it in various, well, lenses. All while considering the prospective of individuals and society. This has shown us that there are various ways that technology impacts different aspects of life. And each of the lenses seems to be a timeless way to break down the technology as it doesn’t really change. But rather the technology it describes changes. Technology is going to continue to change and it will be adapted to every day life all while cycling outdated technology that used to fill these needs out. It can also bring people together. Through various technologies such as social media, advertising, and more. It has a way of bringing people together at times.
This course has definitely given me a different prospectives on the study of technology and how it relates to various aspects of life. I really enjoyed breaking it down and it’s something I will continue to do when I’m out and about in life.
Tammy Harris
• How do the four lenses approach the study of technology with respect to the individual and society? The study of technology with respect to the individual and society viewed through the four lenses is quite interesting. Through history lens, people use to communicate in very primitive ways (i.e. drawings, smoke signals, telegrams, and etc.). Today, technology has come a long way. People can call each other from wireless cell phones, send text messages, and/or even facetime one another. The humanities lenses involve creativity. People can design new applications that enable better business services and opportunities. Also, those who are artistic; could create and design artwork in ways that were not possible in the past. In addition, people can travel the world at their fingertips and see many pieces of artwork held in museums in many countries, view how different cultures live, and so much more via technology (i.e. laptops, cell phones, and tablets). Socialization and technology have taken on a new twist in today’s society. Social Science and technology has connected people globally and has shaped relationships and communication in so many amazing ways. In module one, I have learned about the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) theory. It was stated in Module 1, “SCOT takes the theoretical concept of social constructionism and applies it to the development of technology.” (Dr. Lyons, 2019). As technology is newly designed, enhanced, and improved; the way people socialize improves as well. Technology from a natural science perspective has changed the way people live and enable new challenges for everyone in the world today. For example, people are able to travel to space. Another great way technology and natural science together have a magnificent connection are through invitro and surrogation. Today, women are capable of having children even though they may have childbearing issues. Science and technology together have made it possible for a scientist to figure out innovative ways to make things work.
• How do the four lenses represent a way of seeing technology? Technology can be seen through many facets of life which include the four lenses. History, how technology has changed over time. Natural Science, how technology can be utilized to advance medicine; which will inevitably prolong our lives. Social Science, how technology has advanced and improved the way our society interact and communicate with one another. Humanities, how technology enable creative ways cultures, artwork, architecture can be viewed worldwide at our fingertips.
• What are the implications of technology on the future? The implications of technology on the future are medical cures for diseases, new safety innovations found in automobiles (i.e. automatic breaks, cameras, self-driving cars, and etc.). Overall, I foresee technology in the future to continuously advance the way we live our lives. However, the negative aspects of technological advances are that we all will have less privacy and criminals will take advantage of technology to figure out new ways to commit crimes.
• How can technology help build community and bring us together? There is a saying about how “it takes a village to raise children”. As a mother, I find this to be true. Although I did not live in the same household as other family members, technology has kept our family relationship close and connected. My mother and father have always been a staple in how my siblings, myself, and our children were raised. Technology has made this possible because my parents were able to constantly talk to all of us via cell phone (i.e. verbally, text, and/or facetime). The connection/communication was not always face-to-face, but the effects were all the same. Therefore, technology has strengthened our family’s bond.
• How are you going to implement what you have learned in this course and used in your presentation in your own life? What I have learned about technology and society in this class is that there will always be new innovative and creative ways to live, communicate, view things, and evolve. I will forever view technology and socialization through the four lenses. Doing so gives me a well-rounded perspective of society and the way we live. I will continue to take every opportunity and advantage to utilize technology in the best way possible. I will also continue to utilize technology to keep a close bond with family, friends, and clients.
We can write this or a similar paper for you! Simply fill the order form!
