Wednesday, October 24, 2012

What is technology from my point of view

Technology is a tool that is used to modify communication to benefit our own purpose in society. Technology is defined as “the act of making or crafting, but more generally it refers to the diverse collection of processes and knowledge that people use to extend human abilities and to satisfy human needs and wants” (Thurlow, Lengel & Tomic, 2007, p.25). Through the use of the Internet (Skype, Facebook, email and chat) we are able to connect with others on a global scale. By connecting with others globally we are able to mesh our cultures together and relate to others. Therefore, technology is becoming its own culture and forcing us to adapt to its constant changes. These changes have a significant impact on our society and force us to communicate in different ways. According to our reading, communication technologies are becoming ever more multimodal (e.g. with videos, webcams, moving graphics and sound) making us realize that technology is more than just a game but a way to socially interact with people from different backgrounds and cultures (p.33).  Therefore, technology is bridging the gap between cultures and making the world even smaller.

Reference:

Thurlow, C., Lengel , L., & Tomic, A. (2007). Computer mediated communication social interaction and the internet . London, England: Sage Publication

Tuesday, October 16, 2012