Importance of Technology in Our Lives Today
To understand and explore the importance of technology in our daily lives, let us first start by defining the term ‘Technology’. Technology refers to the use of tools, gadgets and resources that help us control and adapt to our environment. Originating from the Greek work ‘technologia’, the term also refers to the use of machines and utensils which make our daily lives simpler and more organized.
Modern technology can be considered a direct consequence of the innovations and studies in the fields of science and engineering. There is no doubt that technology has greatly influenced modern society and lifestyles. While most of these influences have been positive, there are few negative ones. But that is not the topic of this article. Here we shall only focus on the positive impact and significance of technology in the fields of education, business and health care.
Importance of Technology in Education
Technology plays a significant role in the educational field. Math, reading and writing skills can all be improved using technological advances. Students do not have to bear with mundane learning cycles anymore as more and more teachers are gravitating towards the use of interactive tools and media for making learning interesting. Students can prepare for their future using educational materials that are easily available, thanks to information technology. Teachers are able to deliver content effortlessly to students and can also research complex subjects in the classrooms itself.
It is not just teachers and students who benefit from technology but also educational administrators and parents. The benefits of technology in this field can be summarized as below:
- Technology encourages learning in a positive manner
- It improves students’ skill sets
- It helps prepare the future workforce.
Examples of technological use in the field of education include: use of spreadsheets for math and other topics, videoconferencing for distant learning, creation of web pages to display and share student work, Internet searches for exploring complex topics etc.
For technology to have positive impact in the field of education, teachers must ensure setting clear goals: else technology can be misused. Teachers also need to be trained and this education must be on-going. Technical support also needs to be provided in order to ensure correct handling of tools.
Importance of Technology in Business
Technology has also helped small businesses evolve and expand quickly. The use of social networking, video conferencing, virtual office tools and other such techniques have removed all boundaries, which, in the past, prevented growth. Thanks to technology; businesses, small and large, can reach a wider customer base and grow and expand.
Business technology has helped improve communication. Today, workers are not limited to phone calls alone; they can send emails and messages without the fear of interrupting the recipient. Mobile technology has also helped workers communicate ‘on the go’. Information is not limited to one or two channels, but multiple and faster ones.
In general, the efficiency of the workforce has also increased. Employers are able to screen, recruit and hire potential candidates quickly; they are also able to inform about vacancies to larger number of applicants. Personality and IQ assessment tools have also been made available to employers and these make the screening process a lot smoother and streamlined. Digital filing has helped improve the organization and efficiency in the workplace. Printing costs, paper consumption and space can all be saved thanks to electronic filing systems.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of technology for businesses is the elimination of wastage of time and money. Thanks to videoconferencing and Internet, travel costs can be drastically cut down. A business can set up its presence across the Globe at a fraction of the cost required in the past.
Importance of Technology in Healthcare
The importance of technology in healthcare can be summarized with this single sentence: “Technology saves lives”. Some of the objectives that healthcare information technology has fulfilled include:
- creation of social support networks for patients
- self management tools and resources that patients can use with ease
- easy access to accurate and actionable health information for patients and families
- quick communication and resolution of health risks and public health emergencies
- provision of newer opportunities to culturally diverse and hard to access nations
- improvement of quality and safety in health care
- improved public health infrastructure
- facilitation of clinical and consumer decision making
- development of health skills and know-how
Health technology has improved organization and efficiency. It has helped eliminate ambiguity and every record right from the billing to diagnostic and treatment can be maintained for easy access for healthcare providers. By using software and hardware tools, profiles of patients can be created so doctors can provide standardized treatment. This helps improve patient outcomes and thus reduces cost of health care.
It is evident that technology touches each and every facet of our lives. Be it management of employees and inventories, searching answers to complex problems, or facilitating the lives of the sick and disabled, technology has magnificently enhanced the quality of life and also boosted the economy of the world.