University of La Salette, Inc.

College of Engineering and Architecture

Santiago City, Philippines

MODULE 9 – Digital Teachnology and Social Change

Introduction to Digital Age:

Digital age, also known as Information age, is a period when the computer
and internet were introduced. It is caused by rapid shift from traditional
industry to computerization all the way to
artificial intelligence which brought by Industrial Revolution. These
technologies enabled people to
communicate information easily and rapidly. Digital Technology became
prevalent and widely used
around the world. Information can be accessed easily specially with the use
of the internet. House
chores and jobs are getting automated with the help of machines and
equipment. Mobile phones
became very useful in every areas of life --- in education, entertainment,
jobs, etc. Digital
technologies have radically changed the way people work, consume, and
communicate over a short
period of time.

The ICT and its role in Social Change

Information Communications Technology (ICT) has the power to transform

society. ICT is defined
as a group of interrelated technologies (electronic devices) for accessing,
processing, and
disseminating information. It is a system of electronic network activated
through a complex hardware
and software systems linked by a vast array of technical protocols. ICTs are
indisputably important
part of our social setting today. The term ICTs has been used to embrace
technological innovation
and merging in information and communication transforming our world into
information or knowledge
societies. The rapid development of these technologies has fainted the
boundaries between
information, communication, and various types of media.
The development of a society mostly depends on the access to information.
The Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) greatly ease the flow of information and
knowledge offering the

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 University of La Salette, Inc.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Santiago City, Philippines

socially marginalized community an extraordinary chance to attain their own

rights socially,
economically, educationally, and politically. Despite ICT’s massive potential,
the current global
information outburst has had surprisingly little impact on development
activities and access to
practical information for rural communities, local people, and forefront
development workers in
developing countries. The emergence of Internet, World Wide Web, mobile
cell phones, digital
television, and several other new electronic devices pertaining information
and communication
technologies (ICTs) are opening a fresh passageways for transforming the
way we live, work, learn,
communicate and also provides a strategic opportunities of diverse and
significant social and
economic benefits to people across the globe. It also enables financial
inclusion through mcommerce
and allows people to connect with millions instantaneously.
Social change refers to a transformation of culture and social
organizations/structures over time. We
are aware that in a modern world, a society is never static and that of social,
political, economic, and
cultural changes occurs constantly. The social transformations that could
result from the increasing
use of ICTs depend strangely on verdicts made by organizations and
individuals outside our
household, many of whom have great economic leverage, political power or
technical expertise. To
increase the consent potential of ICTs, it is important to understand some of
their basic features,
which make them a unique kind of technologies.

Entertainment

With the advent of new technologies, the world of entertainment is

constantly evolving. Digital
broadcasting has completely changed the way we experience television and
radio. Cinema
can now be found at the comfort of your home through application such as
Netflix, iFlix, etc.
We get entertained by the content that we see in Facebook, YouTube, and
Instagram.

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 University of La Salette, Inc.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Santiago City, Philippines

Computer gaming has also been an important influence in the development

of graphical
interfaces. Technology has been at the forefront of changes in production
and distribution of
music. We can now listen to music and podcast using Spotify. These are
some of the many
technologies we use for entertainment that arise in the Digital Age.

Business

The impact of ICT on business is particularly significant. It empowers people

to share
knowledge and advice instantaneously and set up an online shop or website
at a low cost,
dramatically lowering the barriers to starting a business. As such, ICT
maturity is closely
linked to economic growth.
Businesses in today’s life have promoted a lot with the coming of ICT. Its
impact cannot be
over emphasized. For example, ICT helps to increase productivity in business
with the use
of social Media platforms for marketing and promotion. The use of websites
now allowed
companies to develop new and cheaper ways of offering customers with
opportunities of
buying goods and services at their convenient time and enhance the level of
customer
service. Online platform has been the marketplace where people can
transact and
communicate.
The impact of ICT infrastructure on social businesses cannot be understated.
It has made
social impact affordable, social impact scalable, and enables new ways to
connect to and
engage with local communities.

Education

The impact of ICT on teachers, trainers, learners, researchers and the entire
education
society is tremendous. It is changing the way of the education delivery
system in the world

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 University of La Salette, Inc.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Santiago City, Philippines

by enhancing access to information for all. It also ensures effective and

inclusive education.
ICT supports the concept of open learning where the thrust is upon enhanced
student access
and the development of student autonomy.
ICT can play varied roles in developing an effective learning environment. It
assists teachers
and helps explain core content concepts and addresses misconceptions. It
acts as a
stimulant and fosters analytical thinking and interdisciplinary studies. It
networks a learner
with the peers and experts and develops collaborative atmosphere. It plays
the role of a guide
and mentor by providing tailor made instructions to meet individual needs.
Online learning
facilitates learning through digital mode. With the help of multimedia, it
enhances
effectiveness of teaching-learning and hence proves crucial for early
learners, slow learners
and differently abled learners. Modern ICT tools not only deliver the content
but also replicate
formal learning experience via virtual learning. The intention of virtual
classrooms is to extend
the structure and services that accompany formal education programs from
the physical
environment to learners.
ICT also addresses the need of mobile learning. It offers independent space
and flexibility
that comes from working away from the learning institute or tutor. It makes
education
accessible to all, irrespective of geographical barriers or resource
constraints. Learners from
remote areas, working people who want to learn further and update their
knowledge and
differently abled students who find travelling an issue of concern - benefit
from the mobile
learning mode.
Digital resources in classrooms can help prepare students for a digital
society and economy
Digital technologies can unlock new learning opportunities in the classroom
by giving
students access to a wider range of resources, by complementing the
teacher in learning

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Santiago City, Philippines

processes (computer-assisted learning) and by providing other advantages

to students, such
as access to motivational and informational resources associated with access
to tertiary
education programs. Access to technology is quite certainly beneficial to
students’ digital
skills and provide a clear advantage to students in that area. But the effects
on other learning
outcomes are generally considered limited or potentially negative. Some
studies find that
computer-assisted learning has some positive effects, especially in science
and
mathematics, because it provides students with personalized learning
modules that are
adapted to their level.

Jobs and earnings

Beyond income security, employment fulfils a number of important roles for

human wellbeing,
such as time structure, social contact, a sense of purpose, a valued social
position as well
as an opportunity for skill use. For this reason, the labor market effects of the
digital
transformation are among the most significant for people’s well-being. The
digital
transformation has the potential to generate substantial changes in the
composition of the
labor market as jobs that require certain skillsets are replaced by a
combination of technology
and higher skilled labor, or even completely automated. At the same time,
digitalization yields
opportunities by creating employment in new and existing industries, with
greater job-to-job
mobility facilitated by online job search tools. The digital economy also
fundamentally
changes the nature of work for many people, with fewer jobs exerting
physical demands on
workers but more jobs placing an emotional strain on desk-workers.
New jobs in ICT and in other sectors become available.
Despite fears for the automation, there is little evidence so far that
technological change has

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 University of La Salette, Inc.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Santiago City, Philippines

led to a net loss of jobs. There are theoretical reasons for which technological
progress may
contribute to job creation. Efficiency gains and cost-savings may induce job
creation within
industries by expanding the market and therefore increasing demand.
Increased productivity
in one sector can also have positive spillovers in other sectors, if this
translates into lower
prices and higher demand across the economy. While these processes may
imply short-term
unemployment among displaced workers, they have the potential to
generate economy-wide
employment gains.
Digital technologies may destroy jobs at risk of automation
While the previous section has pointed to the lack of evidence of the
negative effects of
technological change on total employment so far, a number of authors have
argued that ICTbased
technological change will be more profound than previous instances of great
technological change. This argument is mainly supported by the observation
that the laborsaving
potential of digital technologies is far greater than in the case of previous
technological
changes. As a result, automation may, in the future, have much more
impactful
consequences on the need for human labor than it has so far. For the
moment, while a shift
away from manufacturing jobs has been observed, this has not translated to
overall losses
in employment, as middle-skill jobs have been replaced by new high-skill and
low-skill jobs.
Concerns of the automation of jobs are warranted, however, at least in order
to make the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines case for the need to invest in the
most appropriate skills for the future digital economy. Thus,far, estimates of
the impact of automation mainly rely on expert’s predictions of the types of
tasks that are likely to be replaced by machines. Previous estimates by
Autor, Levy and Murnane (2003) quickly proved to be too cautious: tasks that
Autor et al. considered to be out of reach for machines, such as truck driving,
are already being threatened by rapid advances in machine learning and AI.
More recent estimates of the potential job displacement effects of
automation have looked at job tasks rather than entire job categories.

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Santiago City, Philippines

Food preparation assistants, cleaners and helpers, laborers in mining,

construction,
manufacturing and transport, and assemblers are the most likely to see their
job tasks
automated, while teaching professionals, health professionals and personal
care workers are
among the least likely to lose their job to a machine. Similarly, Schwab
(2016) and Susskind
and Susskind (2015) consider that the work of lawyers, financial analysts,
journalists, doctors
or librarians could be partially or totally automated. Schwab (2016)
emphasizes that
algorithms made available by AI are able to successfully replace human
actions, even
creative ones. The author presents the example of automated narrative
generation, in which
algorithms can conceive written texts for particular types of audience.
Teleworking (Work from Home) allows people to save time and combine their
work and
personal lives
Teleworking (Work from Home), on the other hand, may present an
opportunity for work-life
balance as it improves time management and may reduce time spent
commuting. A variety
of studies have found that employees who engage in telework have higher
job satisfaction.
Among positive effects, teleworkers report reduced commuting times, more
flexibility in
organizing their working time, and better overall work-life balance. Evidence
from the
American Time Use Survey shows that reductions in the time spent
commuting and in-home
production due to Internet increase labor force participation.

Health

Digitalization can affect people’s health status through the emergence of

new physical and
mental health risks and through its impact on the health-care delivery
system. Health risks
associated with the digital transformations include mental health problems
associated with

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the extreme use of digital technologies, especially among children and

teenagers and the
crowding out of other activities such as physical exercise. Health-care
delivery is also
affected by new digital technologies, such as electronic records, new
treatment options, telecare,
and teleconsultation. An important aspect of digitalization concerns the
production and
use of medical data to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health
systems. As a
caveat, the exchange and use of medical and health data must meet high
data protection
and data security standards, considering its sensitivity. How and where care
is delivered is
also affected by digital innovations, which challenges the traditional role of
care providers,
with implications for interactions among care providers and between
providers and patients.
The effects of these changes in healthcare delivery of health inequalities are
potentially large,
but also less well documented.
Extreme use of digital technologies may have negative mental health effects
The effects of mobile phones, video games, and the pervasiveness of
ubiquitous screens on
the mental health of children and teenagers have drawn significant attention
in the public
debate because they may present risks of addiction. Extreme Internet use,
defined as
children who spend more than 6 hours on the Internet outside of school, is
becoming more
common among children and teenagers, with time spent online by 15-year-
olds increasing
by about 40 minutes between 2012 and 2015 on average. A study also found
that the
iGeneration members (the generation grown up in an environment where
technology is
ubiquitous) check their social media accounts on average every 15 minutes.
While video
games used to be the primary source of extreme use of digital technologies,
the smartphone
has extended this risk to a wider range of applications. A recent study found
that 39% of 18-
to 29-year-olds in the United States are online “almost constantly”

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College of Engineering and Architecture
Santiago City, Philippines

Research suggests that the Internet triggers neurological processes similar

to other addictive
substances and activities, i.e. experiences of short-term pleasure in the
brain’s “reward
center”. This area releases a combination of dopamine, opiates and other
neurochemicals
when activated, a mechanism that can be compromised over time due to the
deterioration of
associated receptors, requiring even more stimulation to get a similar
response. Children and
teenagers, for biological reasons, are more susceptible to addiction because
their brain is
still in development. For example, a study among 14-year-olds in Belgium
found that frequent
gamers had brain abnormalities compared to other teens, potentially
resulting from dopamine
releases associated with video games.

There is evidence of a direct link between extreme Internet use and

depression and anxiety,
but the nature of this relationship is disputed and is likely to be bi-
directional, as people with
anxiety, depression and other mental health problems are also potentially
more likely to
spend time online. A longitudinal study run on 3 000 children in Singapore
found that extreme
video game use and problems such as social phobia, attention deficit
disorder, anxiety and
depression often occur together and are likely to be mutually reinforcing.

Theories in Technology

Technological Determinism
It is the theory which strongly believe that technology shapes the culture,
values, social
structures of a society. The main reason why society progresses is because
of the kind
technology the society has. Technological innovation is the cause of the
social progress.
The technology has the control over the society --- over human actions,
culture and values.
Technology greatly influences human thought and action. In other words the
society is

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changing because of technology.

According to Winner, technology is not the slave of the human being but
rather humans are
slaves to technology as they are forced to adapt to the technological
environment that
surrounds them.

Example. The Medium is the Message by Marshall McLuhan. The technology

which is used
as a channel of communication matter more than the content.

Example. The invention of the stirrup. It is the foot support for horse-riders.
Before its
invention, riders were not able to use swords while riding in a horse because
they may lose
balance. When the stirrup was invented, it enabled armored knights to fight
on horseback.
Because of this, it brought the development of feudal societies --- a military
rule by nobles or
lords

Example. The invention of gun. Before, the weapons used were swords and
archery ---
soldiers had to be skilled and trained in using these weapons. But a new
invention in
technology changed it all. A gun was invented which require a less effort and
can be used
even from far distances. This technology changed the way soldiers are
trained. It also
changed how soldiers fight in a war.

Social Constructivism

Social Constructivism is the opposite of the Technological Determinism.

Social
Constructivism believes that humans play a main role in shaping technology
rather than
technology shaping society. It believes that technology does not determine
human action,
but rather, human action shapes the technology. Our curiosity, the hunger to
expand, and
the need to do things efficiently drive us to create these technologies.

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Technological Change

Technological change means the technical knowledge used in the production

of capital and
machinery. The various changes in technology leads to an increase in the
productivity of
labor, capital and other production factors. Technological progress comprises
of creation of
skill, new means of production, new uses of raw materials and the
widespread use of
machinery.
The technology is the most powerful means of wresting power from nature in
all possible
ways. It strengthens the facilities of man. Prof. Frankel assumes that the,
“Technological
change is not a mere improvement in the technical know-how. It means
much more than this.
It should be preceded by sociological change also, a willingness and desire
on the part of
community to modify their social, political and administrative institutions so
as to make them
fit with new techniques of production and faster tempo of economic activity.”
Technology,
according to J. P. Dewhurts, in fact, can be thought of as the change in the
production
process of material and human skills.
Process of Technological Change
Technological changes devise new goods and techniques of production. The
development
of new technical knowledge can be defined as the growth of the new
technique that can
produce goods and services at lesser cost of production.
The process of growth of technical knowledge can be divided into following
stages:
(a) Formulation of scientific principles
(b) Application of these principles to give technical problems
(c) Development of technical inventions to the point of commercial
exploitation.
The first stage is the advancement in scientific knowledge, the second is that
of the
application of this knowledge to some useful purposes and third is the
commercialization of

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invention which is called innovation. This has a great significance in the

process of
development. Schumpeter has distinguished between invention and
innovation. Invention
implies the discovery of new technique while innovation is practical
application of invention
in production for market.
It may be called commercialization that originates from scientific
advancement. Invention is
scientific fact while innovation is economic fact. Inventions are carried on by
the inventors
large capital investments at every stage as it needs not only a scientific
attitude but an attitude
of the community and an entrepreneurial skill of high order with the ability to
understand the
possibilities of employing scientific incentives for commercial purposes.

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