GS 106

TOPIC : NATURE AND SCOPE OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

DEPARTMENT : NATURAL SCIENCE UNIT, SCHOOL OF GENERAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA.

BY

DR. AGWU

ACHARA, C.M. 

INTRODUCTION

ØTechnology can be defined as a systematic knowledge and action usually of industrial process but applicable to any recurrent activity (Sherwood and Maynard, 1989).

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ØTechnology can be said to be dynamic and progressive and some of the inventions that have affected man’s life are electronic gadgets for communication, information and data processing, vehicles for transportation, tractors for farming, new techniques in surgery, and life saving machines to support heart and kidney.

ØEvery aspect of modern life has been in some way affected by technological development and the effect of  technology on man’s life has been in two ways, the beneficial and the adverse effects.

BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Through the ages, technology has benefitted man in four ways, namely:

ØIncreased production of goods and services

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ØReduction in the amount of labour needed for production of goods and services

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ØEasier labour

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ØHigher living standard

ADVERSE EFFECT OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

The adverse effects include

ØEnvironmental pollution

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ØThe depletion of natural resources

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ØTechnological unemployment

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ØThe creation of unsatisfying jobs.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENGINEERING

ØScience like technology has been defined in several ways by different authors but one thing common to all the definitions is that science seeks to acquire knowledge about the environment while technology is concerned with the use of the knowledge to solve practical problems, so science and technology are therefore two sides of a coin, one compliments the other.

ØHowever , not all technology is based on science , nor is science necessary for all technology.

ØTechnology not only relates to science but also engineering, while science deals with the human understanding of the real world about them, engineering is the creation of plans, designs and means for achieving desired objectives, then technology deals with tools and techniques for carrying out the plans.

NATURE OF TECHNOLOGY

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ØThe nature of technology involves the use of tools, machines, materials techniques and sources of power to make life and work easier and more productive, thus technology aims at the manufacture and use of tools  that extend and enlarge human capacity to do things (Onu 2000).

ØA major aspect of technological development is its effect on the way of the life of the recipient.

SCOPE OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Some of the areas of technological development include

1. Energy development

ØWater power

ØWind energy

ØFuel energy

ØNuclear energy

ØSolar energy

2. Transportation development

ØLand transportation

ØWater transportation

ØAir transportation

3. Communication/information technology

ØInformation storage technology

4. Agricultural technology

ØDiary production and preservation

ØFood preservation

5. Technological development in 

medicine