¶ … advancement, computer and information technology are double-edged swords. On one hand, they offer marginalized individuals and groups with effective new ways of empowerment. However, the same technology also threatens to sharpen the inequities that already exist between social groups.
This paper examines one of the most powerful ways in which groups have harnessed the promise of technology - through the redefinition and creation of new "cybercommunities." The first part of the paper looks at the example of Staying Connected, a network that provides single teenage mothers with public exchange messages, private e-mail and chatrooms.
The next part of the paper then looks at the main barrier to reaping the benefits of this rapidly changing technology. In the United States alone, for example, many people from disadvantaged communities do not have access to computers and information technology. The last part suggests steps that could be taken to avert this inequity, including federal funding in schools to corporate sponsorship.
New communities
Sociologist Steven G. Jones describes cybersociety as a space that is both "real in its effects and illusory in its lack of physical presence" (16). While traditional social communities are rooted in a specific time and place, cybersocieties are not defined by locality, geography, or culture.
Cybersocieties are connected through computer-mediated communication, the most widely used form of which is the Internet. Because of its decentralized structure, the Internet allows users to create, receive and send information in a myriad of forms, such as electronic mail, graphic images and websites. It also allows people to form social networks such as listservs, newsgroups, chatrooms and mailing lists. These social networks are thus both "virtual," in the sense that they do not...
2003 Annual Report Global Terrorism: An Information System Failure? The information system errors are common in government and private organizations. It is required to adopt a system development model to incorporate integration of the technology and business operations of any organization. The systems developed according to the requirements of information systems also cater the provision of self audit and correction of malfunctions. However a diligent approach should be taken when dealing
These benefits arise because of implementing both assistive technologies and Information Communication technology (ICT). The implementation of technology in classrooms usually has benefits to both the disabled students as well as the teachers (Kirk, Gallagher, Coleman, & Anastasiow, 2012, p.240). The general benefits of use of assistive technologies and ICT in teaching students with learning disabilities include greater learner autonomy and unlocking hidden potential with those with communication difficulties.
Technology and Project Management The Politics of Technology Technology today is such an integrated part of life that it has become inseparable from everyday activity. Indeed, it affects all areas of life, including general public life, professional life, schooling, and politics. In this regard, Cohen (2003) mentions that technology, when combined with politics, could become something of a double-edged sword. Terrorism, for example, could become particularly sophisticated. Enemies of the country, for example,
Technology in Education For purposes of completing this study of the use of technology in higher education, a local high school was visited, where the technology coordinator provided a demonstration of the learning systems used there. In addition, one senior-level course in Physics was attended where the advance imaging and learning technologies where shown. What was unique about this visit was how easily these technologies can be made to align with
Technology and Social Change The Industrial Revolution completely changed the way that human beings live and work. Before the Industrial Revolution, society was dominated by agrarian economies. The Industrial Revolution created a new way of life in which an increasingly large percentage of the population either owned or worked in factories involved in mass production. Populations became increasingly concentrated in urban areas; fewer people worked on farms or owned farms. Instead
A third real-life example are the pervasive Healthcare Information Systems (HIS) and Patient Information Management Systems (PIMS) that form the backbone of any healthcare facility. These are systems that capture all relevant patient demographic, treatment and health-related data in addition to showing the specific costs of treatment and profits as well (McGurkin, Hart, Millinghausen, 2006). In short, these systems form the basic financial structure of a healthcare systems. There are
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now