Reflection: Technological Systems & Techno-social Systems

A. Reconsider the list of the technologies found in your living space that you made in Reflection 2.

Look back to the examples from your list. Consider how technologies almost never operate in isolation from one another. They depend on other technologies in the local environment (in your home), and on other technologies outside the local environment (power grids, broadcast infrastructure, information and distribution networks, for example).

B. In a short writing of roughly 300 words, please respond to all of the following questions:

1. Choose a set of the technologies you listed in Reflection 2 that depend on each other for their use. Describe
the relations among these technologies.
2. Which technologies outside the local environment does the set you selected rely on?
3. How does the use of these technologies involve larger social and cultural systems?

Think also about this week’s readings in connection with these questions (concerning affordances, values, and design, for example).

Grading

Write a short essay that addresses the questions above. When you respond to these questions, you should be specific and cite specific details from the class readings and your own research. You may provide references from your own research, but only in addition to material provided by the course. Also, you MUST make sure to cite your sources in your response and include a reference list at the end of your essay. Citations must be from reputable sources. Sites like Wikipedia, about.com, etc. are NOT considered acceptable sources.

In-Class Resources: