technology
The Present and Future of …(a technology of your choice) Reflection Paper
For this assignment, first pick a form of technology that you use or you have used or are interested in, such as social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat), fitness tracker (e.g., Fitbit, Apple Watch), voice assistant (e.g., google home, Amazon Alexa), new forms of technology (e.g., Kindle, virtual reality, Internet of Things), teleworking software (Slack, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Team), and telehealth applications. Based on what we have covered about the mutual shaping of society and technology and the role of technology in society:
1. Review of scholarly discourse around your technology: You will review and synthesize ONE of the significant intellectual debates around your technology in your chosen context and thematic area. What is the primary debate, controversies, or questions scholars/public policy experts/governmental officials/NGOs address around the debate? How is the discussion framed? Why is the discussion important?
● For example, some of the major debates around social media is its relationship with the spread of fake news and democracy, mental health, or romantic relationships. Debates around fitness trackers involve privacy concerns, and whether or not it should be classified as medical devices, etc. Debates around telework and telehealth applications include whether they are as effective as face-to-face meetings or in-person visits. Debates around streaming platforms like Netflix include whether they are good or bad news for the media industry. You can also identify other debates that are of interest to you.
● Please consult library databases such as Communication and Mass Media Complete, as well as Google Scholar (see this page for more information about finding/navigating library databases).
2. After reviewing the intellectual debate, please reflect on the current industry and
user practice in terms of developing/using the technology and propose your solution(s) to the discussion or make predictions regarding where the debate or the technology itself is going.
● You will present an original analysis of the relevance and importance of the debate in current society by outlining technology’s influence on society and vice versa. The analysis should respond to a specific
question(s), debate(s), or concern(s) around the technology that you identified in Part 1.
● This is where you will present your original argument. To do this you should critique the literature; rather than just summarizing and reporting the literature, you should synthesize and evaluate the main arguments, look for gaps that you can fill, identify any assumptions or biases, and develop an original response.
Please support your arguments with (mostly) empirical evidence throughout. This means that you may draw on scholarly (e.g. peer-reviewed articles) and/or popular writings (e.g. newspaper or magazine articles) to support your essay. The word limit is 750 -1,000 words (double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, standard (1”) margins; page length does not include references). The reflection paper is worth 250 points (25% of your final grade) and will be assessed on its grounding in relevant literature, organizational clarity, grammar and style usage, and rhetorical artistry. The project should strictly adhere to APA Guidelines (7th ed.). Pointers for the essay (DUE Sunday, May 31 at 5pm)
To help you get started, you could follow the instructions below. If you are unsure about your topic, feel free to email us!
1. Choose one item from each column below: one from A (type of technology), one from B (context), and one from C (major theme).
2. Second, construct a search with these keywords that will help you identify the related scholarly discourse.
3. This debate should look at the relationship between digital technology and society, focusing on the areas you have chosen (for example, music streaming services + personal relationships + privacy OR video games + education + race). Example: How do Islamic beliefs and values (B - Religion) influence gender expressions (C) on social networking sites (A)?
Column A: Technology (choose one)
Column B: Context (Choose one) Column C: Major theme (choose one)
Mobile phones Politics, government, policy, and/or law
Power and oppression
Social media (including social networking sites, music streaming services, microblogging, video sharing/streaming, etc.)
Business and industry Gender and/or sexuality
Internet of things or smart devices
Family and personal relationships Race and/or ethnicity
Artificial intelligence Education and learning Freedom, democracy, and/or rights
Big data, algorithms, machine learning
Health and medicine Social support
Video games Arts and entertainment (including popular culture)
Social capital
Virtual reality News media and journalism Privacy
Fitness trackers Religion and spiritual life Security
Computers Choose something else Interpersonal interaction
Software Labor/work
e-books Economics
Choose something else Choose something else