The primary goal of technology is to reduce scarcity. This proximate goal is embodied in the way new technologies are described: faster, smaller, cheaper. It is the rational reason behind technological progress and, thus, why billions of people are grateful for their first smartphone. It is why so many people find it hard to be cynical about technology – even dystopian science fiction doesn’t inspire such a view.
The more long-term goal of technological research is to allow machines to perform tasks that are limited by human capacities, such as decision making, natural language processing and complex problem solving. This is embodied in the more general field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which has developed into a fascinating and diverse field of applications, from self-driving cars to virtual assistants.
Technological advancements have also reduced the amount of resources that we need to use in order to accomplish a task, such as the Haber Process and the Green Revolution. They have made information on any topic available to everyone with Internet access, and facilitated communication through email and WhatsApp. They have made it possible for individuals to build things with much less materials and energy than the past required.
The goal of placing technology into the classroom is to enable teachers and students to engage in different ways of learning in content areas and multidisciplinary settings. To be truly integrated, the technology must become a part of the environment, accessible in the same way as all other tools. This can be achieved by incorporating lists of competencies – such as those presented in this article – into curriculum standards, student assessment and evaluations of instructional and administrative staff.
