Practice Test on ALS Module "Technology - Its Benefits and Negative Effects"

 Choose the letter of the correct answer:

1.        ____________________ is about discoveries and inventions, the products and methods that man uses to control or make use of his environment.

a.        Technology

b.        Science

c.        Discovery

d.        Innovation

2.        Which of the following statements about discovery and invention is true?

a.        Inventions always follow discoveries.

b.        Discoveries always follow inventions.

c.        Invention is creating things that did not exist before, while discovery is finding out about things that already exist.

d.        Discovery and invention are about improving things that are already in existence.

3.        On what technology is the electric lamp an innovation?

a.        incandescent bulb

b.        oil lamp

c.        fluorescent lamp

d.        flashlight

4.        Which one among the inventions below did not revolutionize the world?

a.        computer

b.        horse carriage

c.        automobile

d.        television

5.        How did the introduction of the Internet revolutionize the world?

a.        It enabled computers to be linked together.

b.        It enabled a widespread sharing of information.

c.        It enabled people to do many things including shopping using the computer.

d.        all of the above

6.        Technology enables workers to ____________________.

a.        increase their production

b.        reduce the amount of labor

c.        have more leisure time

d.        all of the above

7.  In the field of health, technology is able to ____________________.

a.        cure all illnesses

b.        diagnose all illnesses

c.        provide cures for many illnesses

d.        prevent all illnesses

8.        Technology can change our beliefs and value systems by ____________________.

a.        giving us access to various sources of information

b.        giving us the opportunity to be exposed to other people’s culture

c.        giving us the chance to hear others’ opinions and beliefs

d.        all of the above

9.        Most problems that are related to technology are mainly brought about by____________________.

a.        lack of planning and consideration of the possible negative effects

b.        lack of funding to implement the technology

c.        lack of knowledge on the technology

d.        all of the above

10.        Technology causes some people to lose their job because____________________.

a.        it is able to do the tasks that human workers used to do

b.        it is able to do the tasks faster and more efficiently

c.        it is able to do the task at less cost

d.        all of the above

11. According to Emmanuel Mesthene, “Technology  is ____________________”

a. good 

b. bad

c. neutral

d. all of the above

12. Which of the following is a desirable effect of technology?

a. Rapid use of natural resources

b. Loss of job

c. Products innovation

d. Less face-to-face interaction

13. The negative effects of technology can be prevented through/by __________

a. technology assessment

b. increased use 

c. customer’s satisfaction

d. mechanization

14.  Which of the following is NOT a challenge that technology faces today?

a. Spreading its benefits to most people

b. Preventing its undesirable effects on future technology

c. Preventing unemployment

d. Fighting its negative effects 

15. To change a process so that it is performed by machinery rather than with the use of human or animal labor is called _________.

a. innovation

b. mechanization

c. industrialization

d. machination

16.    He is the inventor of the television

a. Philo Taylor Farnsworth

b. Alexander Graham Bell

c. Isaac Newton

d. Thomas Edison

17.     Which of the following is considered as primitive vs. modern technology

a. Telephone and cell phone

b. Gas stove and oven

c. Electric fan and air-conditioner

d. Stone and lighter

18. Which is NOT a product of technology

a. chalk

b. coal

c. calculator

d. cellular phone

19.     A system for transmitting messages and data from one computer to another, using a telephone connection and a modem.

a. internet

b. facsimile machine

c. telephone

d. e-mail

20.     Which is NOT a desirable effect of technology?

a. It speeds up the exchange of information.

b. It makes leisure time better.

c. It increases the use of natural resources.

d. It brings us a higher standard of living.

CORRECT ANSWERS:

ALS Module "Technology Its Benefits and Negative Effects - Lesson 2: The Negative Effects of Technology and the Challenges That It Faces

 LESSON 2 - The Negative Effects of Technology and the Challenges That It Faces

According to Emmanuel Mesthene, “Technology is neither good nor bad, it is neutral.” While technology brings us conveniences and luxuries, as what we have discussed in Lesson 1, it can also cause problems. It is all a matter of how technology is used. Some people now think that we are allowing technology to become our master rather than our slave. This implies that if we are to take advantage of technology, then we have to think about how to utilize it well.

 

In this lesson, we will discuss the undesirable effects of technology and the challenges that it faces.

 

After studying this lesson, you should be able to:

 

discuss the harmful effects of technology; and

 

explain some challenges technology is facing.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY

Most problems related to technology arose mainly because those who created the technology did not consider their possible harmful effects. For example, many people welcomed the invention of the car in the early 1900s. They believed that cars would be quieter and less smelly than the horses that were commonly used in those days.

But as more and more cars came into use, the traffic noise proved more annoying than the clatter of horse hoofs. Car exhaust also proved worse than the smell of horse manure. The fumes polluted the air with carbon monoxide and other impurities that threatened human health. Also, cars today cause so much traffic congestion in the city that it may sometimes be actually faster to travel on horseback.

        Most people did not realize the negative effects of technologies because these effects will only be obvious once they occur on a large scale.

Let’s go back to the flying car example.Yes, the flying car can get you off the traffic, but not for long. Sooner or later, more and more people will have their own flying cars. By then, you’ll experience air traffic, and maybe air accidents as well.

THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY

1 - Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is one of the most harmful effects of technology. Most if not all countries now face problems of air, water, soil and noise pollution.

Motor vehicles have grown in number and still continue to increase. They are likely to worsen the air and noise pollution that they have already created. Aside from vehicles, factories that manufacture products also pollute the environment mainly due to the waste that they produce. Open dumpsites, logging operations and many other activities aided by technology destroy the natural environment.

2 - Depletion of Natural Resources

The rapid advance of technology may also cause the depletion of our natural resources. Because of the need to produce many products in large quantities, our natural resources are used up very fast.

The use of electric powered machinery, for example, has greatly increased factory production. However, it has also reduced the supply of oil and other fuels needed to produce electricity. Once they are used up, these fuels cannot be replaced for a very, very long time. As power production increases, the supply of fuel decreases.

3 - Unemployment

Mechanization, or the use of machines instead of manual labor, has displaced many workers or removed them from their work. Machines now perform many tasks that were formerly done by people.

Have you experienced making a phone call in an office where a voice answers you and then tells you to press certain numbers? The voice may say, “press 1 if you want to talk to someone or 2 if you want other services.” These telephones are actually programmed machines that can do the tasks that human telephone operators used to do.

4 - The Creation of Dissatisfying Jobs

Some tasks required by industrial technology fail to give workers a feeling of accomplishment. Most factory workers now do only certain tasks in creating a product rather than creating a whole product. For example, when canned goods are manufactured, factory workers most of the time just oversee the whole process, since the machines do everything including filling the cans, sealing them, and packaging or putting the labels on them. This often results to less job satisfaction for the factory workers. Also, performing the same task again and again can be monotonous and boring.

5 - Change in People’s Behavioral Patterns and Values

Technology provides us with variety and that this variety leads to value and behavioral changes. While variety may be good, the resulting behavioral and value change may not always be positive. With the coming of technology-aided communication, people are able to talk with less face-to-face interaction. Even the way families interact changes.

For example, if the family has a television set, the time that should be ideally spent for family conversation and interaction may instead be used to simply watch television. If the family has several television sets, say one TV for each of the children, the likelihood that the family will spend more time together decreases even further.

THE CHALLENGES TO TECHNOLOGY

Given the extent of technology’s influence in our lives, it faces several challenges today. One of its biggest challenges is how to fight the bad effects of existing technologies. Another is how to prevent similar effects in the development of new technologies. Still another challenge is how to spread technology’s benefits to as many people as possible.

1 - Fighting the Negative Effects

Technology’s bad effects are hard to remedy mainly because there are different technologies to deal with. For example, we have problems about the negative effects of some television programs on children, and the waste created by technologies. This variety of problems will need a variety of solutions. But people have to realize first that there is need to take action. Car makers for example can help solve the problem of air pollution by installing a catalytic converter (a kind of filter) to purify the emissions from car exhausts. Producers of technology must develop means of fighting the bad effects of their products.

2 - Preventing Undesirable Effects

Some experts believe that most harmful effects of technology can be prevented. Any proposed technology should be tested and studied before it is put into use. Such evaluation is called technology assessment.

The purpose of an assessment is to discover in advance all the possible good and bad effects that a new technology may have on society and the environment. An assessment might show that the benefits of a new technology are greater than any undesirable effect. Or it may show that the undesirable effects would be so harmful that they would outweigh any benefits.

3 - Spreading the Benefits of Technology

The benefits of technology are limited largely to the industrial nations like the United States, Japan and Germany. But even in these countries, the benefits of technology are not evenly distributed. This means that the benefits may be felt in some areas or by certain groups of people, but not in other areas or by other groups of people. Meanwhile, many families in the industrial countries lack even the basic necessities in life.

        In the Philippines, for example, some people use computers while others have not heard or seen one yet. You can help in this area by teaching what you know about technologies to others. For example, if you know how to operate a computer, you can teach others the basic skills in the use of computers. Or, if the roles are reversed and you are the one who don’t know much about computers, you can take the effort to learn from someone who is knowledgeable.

Let’s Sum Up

Technology has harmful effects like:

(1) environmental pollution; 

(2)  depletion of natural resources; 

(3) unemployment; 

(4) creation of dissatisfying jobs; and 

(5) undesirable changes in people’s behavioral patterns and values.

Given that it has both positive and negative effects, several challenges face technology. Among these challenges are:

(1) fighting the present negative effects of technology; 

(2)  preventing the undesirable effects of technology; and 

(3) spreading the benefits of technology.

NOTES:

1 – This is an edited copy of the ALS Module entitled “Technology – Its Benefits and Negative Effects.

2 – This is reproduced for teaching and learning purposes only.

3 – The credit goes to the original creator and/or publisher of this module.

ALS Module - Technology Its Benefits and Negative Effects - Lesson 1 : Technology and Its Benefits

 

          Do you have a television, a radio or a refrigerator? If you do, then you are using technology. In a way, you are already familiar with technology. But technology is not just about having and using appliances at home or in the workplace. Do you know that even small things like the ballpen, paper and eyeglasses are all products of technology?

 

Technology has changed and influenced our life in many ways. In this module, you will learn more about technology, its benefits as well as its negative effects.

 

The module has two lessons:

 

Lesson 1 – Technology and Its Benefits

 

Lesson 2 – The Negative Effects of Technology and the Challenges

 

        After studying this module, you should be able to:

♦ identify various developments related to technology;

♦ explain the benefits of technology;

♦ explain the negative effects of technology; and

♦ state some challenges facing technology.

LESSON 1 - Technology and Its Benefits

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, INVENTION AND DISCOVERY

 

Science is the systematic observation of natural events and conditions in order to discover facts and create things related to them. For example, science studies the weather and is then able to create instruments that can tell where a storm is likely to occur.

 

Notice the italicized words in the definition of science—to discover facts and create things related to them. This discovery of facts and the creation of things is what technology is all about. Technology refers to discoveries and inventions, the things that man uses to control or manage his environment, the products and methods that man uses for building, manufacturing, and producing. These products and methods are meant to satisfy our needs and desires. For example, the telephone was invented to enable people to communicate with one another even if they are miles away.

        When we talk of technology, we always hear the terms invention and discovery. What do you think is the difference between the two?

 

Discovery means finding out or learning about something. For example, thousands of years ago, people could only see and observe the stars above them. But now, through the technology of space travel, the telescope, and other space observation instruments, people have discovered that there are actually billions of stars and that some of the “stars” we see are actually planets.

 

Discovery, therefore, means finding out about something that already exists.

 

On the other hand, to invent means to create something. For example, the appliances that you use at home like the television, refrigerator, and radio are all inventions. They did not exist before and were only created by people.

         Through the ages, people invented tools, machines, materials, and techniques to make work easier. Technology includes the use of both primitive and modern tools and methods of work. Primitive technology refers to old technologies or the things that were created thousands of years ago. Modern technology refers to new technologies. An example of primitive technology is the use of fire. Fire was discovered thousands of years ago. On the other hand, an example of modern technology is the computer.

        While examples of primitive and modern technologies perform the same functions, the latter were developed to make work a lot easier. For example, people used to wash their clothes using the washboard. Clothes were rubbed against the washboard to get rid of dirt. Today, we have washing machines. You just put your clothes in, push some buttons, and presto! Your clothes are washed. In fact, many washing machines even have dryers. You need not hang your clothes because you can get them clean and dry using such machines.

            Washboard and clothes hanging -  PRIMITIVE TECHNOLOGY

Washing machine and drier  - MODERN TECHNOLOGY

        Indeed, technology continues to change the world we live in. This is because technology evolves. This means that as time passes, developments and improvements are made on old technologies. From primitive technologies, people create new and better technologies. This is called innovation. For example, when the first television was introduced, it did not have any sound. Soon television carried black and white pictures, and then came colored pictures. Through the years, people innovate or improve on old technologies to come up with better and more efficient technologies.

TECHNOLOGIES THAT REVOLUTIONIZED THE WORLD 

Change has almost always been the effect of technology. But some discoveries and inventions have a greater and deeper impact than others. These are the inventions and discoveries that drastically or radically changed people’s lifestyles from the time that they were introduced until now. These are also the technologies that paved the way for other inventions and discoveries.

 

Below are some of these revolutionary technologies. Find out how each technology made life more convenient and work more efficiently.

Wheel (3200–3500 B.C.)

 

We don’t know whom to thank for the invention of the wheel but think of what the world would be like without it. There then would be no bicycles, no roller blades, no cars, no buses. Before, people walked long distances just to get from one place to another. But with the introduction of the wheel, people were able to reach far places in shorter periods of time. It enabled the people back then (and it still does now) to work in and travel to places far from their homes.

Printing Press (1450s)

A printing press is a machine that hastens the process of printing books. Johannes Gutenberg, a businessman from Germany, is said to have invented the printing press in the early 1450s.

Gutenberg’s machine used individual letters, hand-carved out of metal, that could be removed and repositioned for each page in a book. Then, it would sweep ink over the letters and “press” them on to the paper. The technology is much like what happens when you use a stamp pad.

        For many centuries, the Catholic Church was producing most of the books that were available at that time, by hand-copying each one. But then things began to change. Paper was developed and it proved to be a good alternative to the animal skin — or “vellum” as it was called — that had been available back then. As more and more people were learning to read, the demand for books increased.

 

The invention of the printing press was an instant hit and soon many people were printing, and the prices of books went down. Many people were able to buy them, and this forever changed the way people learned.

Telephone (1876)

 

Alexander Graham Bell taught people who were deaf, so he was interested in sound vibrations or how sound bounces and travels. Bell realized that these vibrations can be turned into variations in electrical current that could be transmitted through wires from one place to another. From this, he was able to invent the telephone.

His invention not only made it possible for us to chat with friends miles away, but opened the door for intercoms, walkie-talkies, radio, fax transmission and even the Internet. It has brought people closer together.

Automobile (1900s)

Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot of France is considered to have been the first to build a true self-propelled vehicle. His vehicle actually moved on its own. In 1769, Cugnot unveiled his model, a steam-powered vehicle that carried four passengers for 20 minutes at a top speed of 3.6 km/hr.

Steam and electricity were used to power early automobiles until the beginning of the 1900s. It was at that point that gasoline was tapped as an alternative power source. The gas-powered vehicles could travel farther and faster than those that used steam and electricity.

        Two of the pioneer manufacturers of these newer and safer gas-powered models were Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz of Germany.

                             old automobile                         new car

It was in 1908 that Henry Ford started his assembly-line style of production. Assembly-line production means mass production by getting workers to specialize in parts that are put together to produce an automobile. Because of this method, Ford is credited with completely changing the automobile. Soon, other types of vehicles were innovated from the design of the old model.

Television (1927)

 

Television is the most popular way for people to get their news and entertainment today. Can you imagine what the world would be like without television?

 

Unlike most of the world’s major inventions, hardly anyone knows who created the television. His name was Philo Farnsworth. In 1927, Philo, who was only 20 years old, sent the first all-electronic image in his own lab in San Francisco, California. The image was a simple black line that was being rotated to see if the television could record and reproduce its movement.

        The first television didn’t have any sound. Soon, black and white pictures were introduced, followed by colored pictures. Now, we have television sets complete with remote control devices—you can change the program even without having to leave your seat.

Computers (1945)

  Computers today do a lot of things. In homes, tiny computers embedded in electric appliances turn the television on and off and switch channels, or control the temperature of the refrigerator.

Computers in cars and other vehicles regulate the flow of fuel. Computers are also used in hospital machines such as X-rays.

 

Do you know that computers were primarily created to be used in complex mathematical calculations?

        Machines used for doing complex mathematical calculations have roots dating back many thousands of years ago to the Chinese abacus, a set of counting beads in rows in a frame. In 1945, ENIAC — the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator — was born. It was the very first computer. However, unlike most computers today, it took up a very large room and had its own air conditioner. Now, thanks to new developments such as the computer chip, a computer with the same capability can fit into the palm of your hand. Today, computers are a must in most offices. In fact, computers are also used for study and play.

The Internet (1960s)

  The Internet links computers together throughout the world. Not all computers, however, are automatically connected to the Internet. You will have to apply for an Internet connection, just like what you do with a telephone connection.

        If you have an Internet connection, you can access documents and information from the Internet. This collection of information is called the World Wide Web. Aside from information, you can also get pictures and even sounds and movies. You can find out about things that are happening in other countries. You can also shop and communicate with others using the Internet. The Internet is now changing the way people shop, entertain, get information and learn.

BENEFITS OF TECHNOLOGY

 

Technology is created to address a certain need. For example, the need to disseminate (give out) information led to the invention of paper, printing press, and partly, television and the radio.

 

As the population continues to grow the need to mass-produce products emerged. Technology has greatly helped in this area.

 

1 - Technology has led to increased production and reduced labor.

 

This is the first benefit of technology. Through technology, people have achieved a great increase in the production of goods and services. In the past, for example, farmers and animals were the main sources of power in farms. Farmers had to work from dawn to dusk, yet one farmer could produce enough food for only about four people.

        The introduction of machines has not only increased production but has also reduced the amount of work needed to produce goods and services.

  In the 1800s, factory workers needed to work 12 to 16 hours a day, six days a week. Few people were able to take a holiday.

 

Today, however, new technologies and machines have reduced the amount of work needed to produce goods. For example, the earliest newspapers required the workers to have every letter that would be used to be carved in metal much like how stamp pads are made. These stamps were used for every newspaper that was to be printed. Today, however, producing the text will only require one person to do it on the computer. The computer output is then “photographed” to produce a negative which is used for mass production. There is no need for stamps for every newspaper today! Think about how much time and effort are saved.

2 - Technology has brought us higher living standards.

 

Higher living standards are a result of the increased production of goods and services. We are now better fed, better clothed, and housed, and we enjoy a healthier, more comfortable life than people in the past. Technology has changed the way we live our life.

 

For example, the development of cars and other vehicles changed where people live, work, and even how people spent their leisure time.

Radio and television have also changed our entertainment habits. We can watch programs, sing with our television (videoke), or play games (Play Station or family computer).

3 -Technology has made leisure and play better and more enjoyable.

 

Under the influence of modern technology, many forms of play have been transformed. An example is the team game that is watched by thousands of spectators and which caters to the large population of big cities. New sports like cycling, motor racing, parachuting, and hang gliding have appeared as a by-product of the new inventions that made them possible.

Still more significant is the development of traditional sports. Modern technology has brought a great increase in the skills displayed. Identically and perfectly manufactured balls, more efficient bats, clubs, rackets, and vaulting poles have reduced the element of chance and increased the need for skill.

4 -Technology has improved the life expectancy of people.

 

Life expectancy refers to the number of years a person can expect to live. Discoveries and inventions that treat diseases have helped many people to prolong and improve the quality of their life. In the 1900s, many people did not live past the age of 50. Today, many people live for more than 75 years.

5 -Technology has sped up the exchange of information.

 

Through mass media, which includes television, radio, film, and the Internet, information can be disseminated or shared with thousands and even millions of people at the same time.

People can talk to other people in an instant through the telephone or cellular phone, even if they are far from each other. Now people can write to each other using the computer (through the Internet), through the fax machine, or even through the phone (text messaging). The latest form of electronic communication is the e-mail, which is like sending letters through the computer and the Internet.

6 –Technology has provided us options and access to variety.

 

Technology has provided us with more choices on what food to eat, what clothes to wear, what programs to watch, etc. The presence of many options then leads to value and behavioral changes.

 

For example, before, the only modes of transportation in Metro Manila were the jeepneys, the buses, the taxi cabs, and the train (LRT). Then came the Tamaraw FX taxis, which are like larger taxi cabs. You pay a lower fare and get the same comfort when riding the FX.

Let’s   Remember

        Before you proceed to Lesson 2, do not forget the important points of this first lesson.

 

        Science is the systematic observation of natural events and conditions in order to discover facts and create things related to them.

 

        Technology is about inventions and discoveries, the products and methods that man uses for building, manufacturing and producing.

 

        Discovery means finding out or learning about something that already exists.

 

        Invention means creating new things.

 

        Some of the inventions and discoveries that revolutionized the world are the wheel, printing press, telephone, automobile, television, computers, and the Internet. They are considered to have revolutionized (greatly changed) the world because they paved the way for other major inventions. They drastically changed the way people lived during the time that they were invented or discovered.

        Some of the benefits of technology are:

 

–    increased production and reduced labor;

 

–    higher living standards;

 

–    better leisure and play;

 

–    improvement in the life expectancy of people;

 

–    increased and faster exchange of information; and

 

–    more variety and choices in lifestyle.

- End of Lesson 1 - 

NOTES:

1 – This is an edited copy of the ALS Module entitled “Technology – Its Benefits and Negative Effects.

2 – This is reproduced for teaching and learning purposes only.

3 – The credit goes to the original creator and/or publisher of this module.