UNIT III: Specific Issues in Science, Technology, and Society

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this unit, the students will be able to:

1. know the impact of Information and Communication Technology;

2. relate to the changes of society and the world;

3. illustrate how the social media affect the lives of humanity;

4. determine the relationship of society, environment, and health; and

5. discuss the implications and impact of GMOs, nanotechnology, gene therapy,

and climate change on this modern world.

Chapter 6: The Advancement of Information and Communication Technology

The world is changing and the society landscape is also changing with it. When a

person is not changing or be willing to adapt to changes, surely that person will be

isolated or left behind and not be able to relate. The world is becoming a dynamic

environment thereby society must adapt to the new and ever changing processes that

are happening at an increasing speed.This is not just in human flourishing but also in

developmental economics, political, and cultural aspect of good life.

The information and communication technology is a catalyst of globalization that

has much impact on the society and environment. The process of globalization has

been around for centuries, but it has become more pronounced and noticeable in the

early 1900s with the advancement of science and technology. The telegraph and

telephone allowed people to communicate across borders in seconds. The invention of

the airplane allowed for quicker international travel. The radio allowed people all over
the globe to simultaneously listen to worldwide news. These technological advances are

the major stepping stones to our current state of the good life leading to a collective

worldwide integration and expansion.

A. ICT and Globalization

As defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Information and

Communication Technology (ICT) is used to describe technologies manipulating and

communicating information. With the Internet, telecommunications, broadband, cell

phone, wireless mobile, and other communication technologies enable geographically

dispersed workers to interact and collaborate globally. Globalization has completely

altered the way in which the world operates. The barriers that once hindered individual’s

ability to communicate and interact with people across the world have been diminished.

All through the years of science and technology, the speed of ICT has increased

rapidly with the process of globalization. The merger of the Global South and the Global

North have a profound effect on culture, society, economics, social life and politics

moving towards the 21st century. The integration and expansion of markets globally

have helped the developing countries increase their standard of living and create new

opportunities for growth and development.

B. Stages of Evolution of ICT

According to the International Telecommunication Union, as

telecommunication system evolved over a period of time, the inventors along with the

scientists and engineers used computing technology in switching nodes and non-

switching nodes supporting services. With mobile communications, the amount of

information processing required to manage mobility and services has increased

the telecommunication environment. The enormous increase in the capabilities and

number of personal computers brought changes by creating the Internet. It has

combined information and communication moving from catalogue to digital,and then to

packet technologies. Today, the internet emerged to be the dominant data

communication system. Initially, data was handled by making it look like voice modems

to voice over IP or VoIP. It remains dominant revenue operator as it manages the

enormous shifts in the nature and volume of traffic it carries in the networks. The ICT

capabilities vary widely. It is widespread in developed countries and less available in

under developing countries. However, the developing countries are catching up quickly

by leapfrogging older generations of technology and as well as creating solutions that

suit the needs of their community users.

Undeniably, ICT is evolving at a rapid pace over the years. The grandparents of

today’s generation grew up in a society with no telephone, only radio. Television was

the last source of information. Today, the modern generation lives in a world of internet

and wireless phones. The world around has changed dramatically over the years and

these changes are brought by the advancement of science and technology.

According to the Commonwealth of Learning and the Karnataka State Open

University (2016), the evolution of ICT can be traced and it is as follows:

Phase I is identified with the creation of electromagnetic calculator during the

World War II, weighing about 5 tons. The invention of transistors in 1947 led to the

development of smaller but versatile computers.

The development of chip technology and manufacturing of magnetic disc transformed

huge computers into desktops which are now called personal computers.

Phase III is related to the development of microprocessors, a multipurpose,

programmable device that accepts digital data as input. It processes according to

instructions stored in its memory that provides, as a result an output. Microprocessors

reduced the cost of processing power.

Phase IV is about networking.It started from connecting computers within a small

geographic area for the field of “Defense and Education”.Connecting the computers

worldwide resulted to the so called, “Internet” which is the landmark of development in

the field of ICT. This resulted to the breaking of distance barrier across the globe

creating the global village. Social networking is a by-product of internet which

introduced the broadband.

Phase V is related to the development of wireless technology which started with

the invention of the mobile phone. The initial mobile phone was large and bulky; the

reduction of its size has greatly expanded the range of its functions. Today, mobile

phone is used for talking, texting, taking pictures, listening to music, browsing,

navigating, and viewing. Added to that latest technology is the satellite phone which

allowed people to get connected even in the absence of telephone and cell phone.

C. Advancement of ICT

Information and communication technology is the driver in creating the worldwide

integration and expansion of various global markets building up globalization. For over
50 years, there are selected number of advances in information and communication that

truly had a monumental impact on the progress of globalization and its relationship to

science, technology, and society. These are as follows:

1. Rise of the Personal Computer. The rise of the window-based PC has

eliminated important barriers that restricted the process of globalization. This has

popularized the personal computer. The PC allowed individuals to author and share

their own digital content. The PC was soon followed the invention of the dial-up modem

where users could connect to a phone line and send emails through the service

providers. But when people started combining the PC, fax, and dial up modems

together, they created a new platform that started a global information revolution which

gave individuals and societies both the access and extent. They can now distribute

information in so many different ways and send their information to many more people

around the world.

2. The invention of the World Wide Web. The invention of the WWW made

the internet more useful to individuals and societies. It created a link between the

computer and the internet. Presently, it gives individuals the access to post their own

digital content for everyone across the globe to see. The use of internet accelerates the

pace of globalization by simply sharing knowledge and information almost

instantaneously around the world. For the users to have a common way of viewing the

web, “Netscape” created a browser that made the internet accessible to all. It also gave

everyone a common way of assessing, and sharing information and digital content.

Today, anyone can communicate to people all over the world.

arranged in bundles that could be used to carry digitalized packet of information. It has

much higher bandwidth signal capacity than other types of transmission cables.

“Telecom” companies invested a huge amount of money for fiber-optic cables to

increase speed and bandwidth power. These advances in ICT made digital content and

information transmission cheaper and easy to access across the globe.

4. Creation of Work Flow Software. Work Flow Software is a software

package that automates data procedures and passes along workflows like documents,

information, and other tasks form one employer to another conveniently. This enables

the employees to collaborate, manage, and design data that had previously handled

manually. The combination of PC and e-mail work flow became so easy, effective, and

quicker. Utilizing new work flow software along with the development of transmission

protocols made transactions fast, effective, and cost efficient. People can now

communicate with all people globally.

5. Open-Sourcing. One of the most successful open-source tools is the

“Apache”, a web server owned by International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation

which has a power nearly 2/3 of all websites in the globe. Resulting to accessibility of

everyone around the world to download software for free. All they have to do is to

redistribute it back and make it available for others to use.

6. Supply Chaining. This is a method of integrating horizontally between

suppliers, retailers, and customers. SM and Watson department stores are the perfect

examples of supply chaining. Normally, a customer picks up an item from the shelf and

goes to the cashier to pay. As soon as the cashier scans it, a signal is sent to the
supplier of the product regardless of wherever the location is. The supplier can monitor

the stock balance of products before they run out. The supplier will then prepare for the

next shipment of supply for SM and Watson to sell. This eliminates border frictions,

helps companies build their supply chains while getting the best suppliers at a lowest

possible prices.

7. Digital, Mobile, Personal and Virtual Movement. Recently, the world

has been startled with digital cameras, mobile PDA’s, cell phones, and personal

laptops. These technological advances had put globalization in progress with an

unprecedented speed. Nowadays, people are able to collaborate with one another

more frequently in so many ways than before. Technology allows people to

communicate instantly through text, email, teleconferencing, chats, messenger, Skype.

Today, email, chat, and Skype are virtually free, and it has affected individuals, society,

and relationships.

These advancescreated a global market place that is more advanced and

lucrative than before. Presently, people have adopted new habits, skills, and processes

to survive and continue to flourish. These platforms now operate with no regard to

distance, time, and geographical locations which enable people to search and discover

the world for opportunities that can create values that were in the past unimaginable.

ICT is the driving force behind globalization and is becoming an integral part of

human flourishing. Science and technology provide the means by which society can

move into achieving the goal of the good life. It is changing the landscape of human

civilization. The never ending evolution and technological adaptation is driving and

transforming individuals and societies day to day.