Technology

Paper instructions:
Examine your paper and check the following areas to make informed decisions about what to change to improve your paper:
• Is the introductory paragraph effectively written? Does it define the issue and state an arguable thesis statement?
• Are main points in support of thesis statement organized logically in the essay?
• Does the supporting reasoning you provide relate logically to the main point stated in each paragraph? Are any ideas unrelated and need to be modified or deleted?
• Are paragraphs developed effectively with relevant and current evidence from credible sources? Which paragraphs need more support?
• Are opposing viewpoints addressed and counter-argued logically? Are there any opposing viewpoints you have not considered but should include in your essay?
• Are there paragraphs where you need to add transition words to improve coherence?
• Is the concluding paragraph effectively written? Does it summarize key points and restate the thesis?
• Have you used sources appropriately? Check your essay for use of sources: appropriate paraphrasing, formatting of direct quotations.
• Have you used APA correctly? Check for errors in APA in-text citations. Check to make sure text citations and reference citations correspond. Check for errors in formatting of reference citations.
• Have you written effective sentences? Examine your sentences for clarity and effectiveness. Rewrite sentences where the meaning is not clear or the sentence structure is wordy or awkward.
• Proofread your paper. Is it free of grammatical and mechanical errors? Correct errors.
Paper to be revised:

Abstract

Advancement in technology has considerably changed the lifestyles of many people in the entire world. Technology is one aspect that has immensely influenced the way people do things, talk of, communication, transacting businesses, increasing efficiencies in production, money transfer and the list is literally endless. The impacts of technology cannot be overstated, in fact it is immeasurable. In this vein, positive influences of technology measures more than the negative influences. The purpose of this discussion will be to demonstrate how technology has impacted heavily in hastening people’s way of lives. While, the flipside of the discussion will focus on some of the ways at which technology has delivered results but emerged with negative influences on various dimensions of people’s ways of life. By this token, the discussion will absorb the negative influences and take a standpoint in establishing how technology has impacted positively on people’s way of life.

Introduction

For the last few decades, technology has played a very vital role to the society. There has been a revolution in computing and communications in different areas. All that are the indications of technological progress which has totally changed the face of the world and the use of information technology which has evolved at a rapid pace. In fact, the impacts of technology are endless, since it has greatly changed the lifestyle of people on how they work in different areas, and the positive impacts certainly outweigh the negative. In the today’s society, so many changes have evolved technology, like the use of cell phones to communicate with people who are at different locations. This is part of the primary effects on relations and society. It has influenced the way people transact their businesses, increased efficiency in production, how people transfer money among many more. Internet is the key factor to technologies that have greatly affected society in large masses. The purpose of this essay will discuss on the impacts of technology, and on how it has greatly transformed our society, for instance, it will discuss on how it has hastened communication and different innovations that has evolved from technology, enhancing operations of small businesses, how it has assessed from how children interact with technology nowadays. While, the flipside of the discussion will focus on some of the ways at which technology has delivered results but emerged with negative influences on various dimensions of people’s ways of life. By this token, the discussion will absorb the negative influences and take a standpoint in establishing how technology has impacted positively on people’s way of life. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that technology has brought good to the society by enhancing various improvements that would not have been achieved so far.
Impacts of technology

Technology has impacted heavily on people especially, in hastening communication. Imagine where we have evolved from-use of symbols to the new developments in swanky mobile phone handsets. Each century has been viewed as a watershed in piling the continually growing list of means of communication. For instance, the historic invention of telephone in 1875 by Alexander Bell was basically the first invented technology (Jonhson, 1996). But today, in the 21st century we boast of internet and cell phone technology that is really taking easy strides in efficiently enhancing the way people communicate, transact and share knowledge globally. In essence, one can comfortably argue that mobile gadgets and internet are gradually becoming necessities today. Hemangi 2011 argues that mobile gadgets and internet have become daily accompaniments in business and personal lives, that is; if someone did not have them, it would feel uncomfortable (Harankhedkar, 2011). The reason behind this argument, being that communication has really eased decision making in business today. In addition, technological advancement in communication has brought the world closer through exchange of ideas and enhancing arrival to better solutions that are cost effective. Teleconferencing, use of webinars, video chats, email, local and international calls, and social media have promoted this and websites chats. Small and medium size business entities use some of these tools to communicate within or without the organization which strengthens their business relations, cut costs and enhance decision making, thanks to email, Google chats, Skype, and other chatting platforms (Hutchby, 2001).
However, these major strides in communication have not been received so well because they abound certain negative challenges. For people, who are from the older generation they can testify that the use of the new means of communication have lost the charm of scribbled letters, lengthy person to person conversations and have been substituted with the mobile texting and internet chats. But the major influence of technology in communication is that, interpersonal communication is lacking requisite aspects that are very important in enhancing communication and mutual understanding which is imperative in any social interaction (Harankhedkar, 2011). The main cause for this fact is that, the tendency of communicating using text and chat sites has increased tremendously. In addition, technological means of communication have affected the use of non-verbal cues which in a greater extend has affected the grasping power of individuals. Further, some people have taken advantage of social networks to dissipate their malicious motives. This has caused increased cyber crimes, fraud, and exchange of harmful information even with the under age (Gumbo, 2012).

The other desirable aspect of technology involves its use in enhancing operations of small businesses. Technology brings forth a myriad of tools that can be used to guide small businesses, especially during the startup stages .Nelson 2013 argues, “Advances in technology have revolutionized accounting, marketing, and sales practices for small businesses” (Nelson, 2001). The use of computers with internet connections, online file storage devices, printers, and web-designed applications has had steadfast influences in the growth of small businesses. Technology has the potential of increasing efficiencies of small business, enhancing their connection with customers, and significantly reducing their start up costs. In fact, web-based technologically managed business operations always have the advantage of keeping track of operations, updating cross-functional teams, delegating duties, tracking/managing time, and sharing information in real time. For small businesses that are growing, this simply means that, they have an opportunity of keeping and retrieving up-to-date information in a single contact point, notwithstanding the location of the personnel (Nerison, 2013).
However, it is important to mention that these important features of technology and its influences in small business are also affected by certain negative challenges. One of those aspects is that fraudsters, hackers and malicious bugs may violate the privacy policy of the company. These are potential threats that have capacity to affect confidential information of the company or small business regarding client information which is against the State and Federal laws. In additions, bugs and malware may destroy important information regarding a business especially if unreliable back up system is used (Rowan, 2013).
Another positive impact of technology can be assessed from how children interact with technology nowadays. Leigh Goessl who is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist argues that technology has grossly brought many personal benefits to our young generation. He notes that many types of computer software can be important learning and visual aids that can significantly help children absorb information. After analysis of a case study, the author contends that there are many educational games and tools of learning, which small kids can use to have fun and learn at the same time in a bid to expand their creativity and developmental learning (Goessl, 2011).
According to Cris Rowan 2013, she notes that computers and other forms of technology increases the child’s autonomy and instills a sense of empowerment because of the kind of information they are exposed to at a tender age. Use of calculators, spreadsheets, word processing, search engines, online dictionaries, slide shows, encyclopedias and other technology based tools empower children and help them complete learning projects especially homework and other activities. She also notes that, while excessive gaming maybe harmful to children, regulated use hastens their motor skills development through the hand and eye coordination. But most importantly, is that strategic gaming by kids sharpens their critical thinking. This nature of thinking transitions them to innovative thinkers and broadens their mental scope (Rowan, 2013).

While exposing children to technology at early an age is an important acumen in their development, it is important that, it is highly regulated by the parents. In the absence of such regulation, the child may eventually lurch into certain negative effects. Earlier in this text, it has been noted that technology can increase child’s creativity and motor skills development; however, unregulated use may become the greatest inhibitor in realizing developmental learning. This is because gross usage of these technologies may affect a child’s creativity and inhibit rational imaginations. Pediatric Leigh Goessel (2013) indicates that excessive gaming inhibits the child’s body from achieving optimum sensory and motor development. This has the effect of delaying the child’s development and, consequently affects the expected achievement of literacy among growing kids. Kids with such a problem struggle with attaining concentration and may experience mental lapses during a normal day (Goessl, 2011).

Conclusion

In conclusion, despite the many challenges that technology poses, it has important aspects that we can not do without them. Most of the negative effects highlighted in this excerpt are manageable through instrumental and objective regulations. In such, technology advancements through creativity and innovation are things that we should encourage. For the world to continue enjoying the reduced global distances, growth of small and medium-term business enterprises and instill creativity and innovation for the young generation technology should be adopted forthrightly and regulated accordingly.