Introduction Technology

What is technology?

  Think for a moment what it might be like to live in the 14th century. Image that you could travel back in time and found yourself in a small European village in 1392.

What do you think you would find? How would you cook your food? Would you use an oven, a fire, or a microwave? How would you eat your food? Do you think you could use a plastic cup to drink your milk? How would you go from one city to the next? Could you get on a train or would you have to walk or ride a horse? How would you send a message to your mom telling her you’ll be late for dinner? Can you email her or call her on your cell phone?

How would you get your clothes? Can you shop at a 14th century mall, or on the internet? And what would your clothes be made of?

Technology Level I Introduction 3

Do you think you could find pink spandex shorts or would they have to be made of brown cotton? Think for a moment how different everything would be if you were to live in the 14th century.

Many of the items you use today are a result of technology. Your cell phone, microwave oven, washing machine, and plastic cup are all the result of scientific discoveries combined with engineering that have allow people to invent products that have improved the way people live. Technological advances have improved our health, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, how we travel, and how we communicate with one another. There are a few drawbacks to some aspects of technology (such as pollution) but overall technology has greatly improved many aspects of living for most people.

The word technology comes from the Greek words techne which means “craft” and logy which means “scientific study of.” So technology means the “scientific study of craft.” Craft in this case, means any method or invention that allow humans to control or adapt to their environment.

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 www.arn.org/realscience/kog1asample/kog-tech-chem-1a-sample.pdf....