Hear how my undergraduate students discuss how technology has shaped their lives.

Undergraduate students in my 8-week seminar course, Technology & Culture: The Impact of The Internet Age are required to read Kevin Kelly’s nonfiction book, “The Inevitable.” The book has 12 chapters and each chapter covers a different trend in technology. Kelly believes these 12 trends will are currently shaping our future. For example, there is a trend towards increased connectivity (Interacting) and the trend towards access to information anytime, anywhere (Accessing).

Throughout the course there are many assignments where students are asked to apply what they are reading from Kelly’s book to their writing. For example they may be expected to reference 1 of the 12 technology trends during some of their mini-research assignments. We discuss on the first night of class a few of the main themes of Kelly’s text.

• Technology is a constantly evolving system that is becoming more integrated into our lives. Kelly argues that technology is not a series of individual inventions, but rather a system that evolves over time, with each new invention building upon previous ones.
• The future will be shaped by a set of technological trends. Kelly identifies 12 technological trends that he believes will shape the future, including cognifying (the trend towards increased intelligence in technology), sharing (the trend towards increased collaboration and connectivity), and accessing (the trend towards access to information anytime, anywhere).
• We should embrace the changes that technology brings. Kelly argues that instead of fearing or resisting the changes that technology brings, we should embrace them and work to harness their potential. He encourages readers to view technology as a tool for creativity and innovation, and to focus on using it to solve the problems of the future.

How has technology shaped our lives?

In the first chapter, Becoming, Kelly discusses the concept of technological evolution and how it has shaped and will continue to shape human society.

He argues that technology is not a series of individual inventions, but rather a system that evolves over time, with each new innovation building upon the ones that came before it. This process, he says, is inevitable and unstoppable.

Kelly identifies 12 technological trends that he believes will shape the future. These trends include things like “becoming,” which refers to the idea that everything is constantly changing and evolving, and “cognifying,” which refers to the increasing intelligence of machines.

Kelly also emphasizes the importance of embracing these trends and working with them rather than against them. He argues that trying to resist technological progress is futile and that we should instead focus on how to use it to create a better world.

How has technology become an unstoppable force?

Technology is becoming an unstoppable force because of its rapid pace of innovation, its pervasiveness in our daily lives, its transformative power, and its ability to drive progress and innovation across a range of fields. As we continue to embrace and develop new technologies, it is likely that their impact on our lives and society will only continue to grow.

One of the most significant factors is the rapid pace of technological development and innovation. New technologies are constantly being created and refined, and the speed of this innovation is accelerating.

This rapid pace of innovation is driven by a variety of factors, including advances in computing power, the increasing availability of data and information, and the growing interconnectedness of people and devices through the internet and other communication networks.

Another factor that is making technology an unstoppable force is its pervasiveness in our daily lives. Technology has become a fundamental part of how we work, communicate, entertain ourselves, and even think about the world around us. From smartphones and social media to artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles, technology is increasingly ubiquitous and indispensable.

As technology becomes more deeply ingrained in our lives, it is also transforming the way we do things. It is changing the nature of work and creating new opportunities and challenges for businesses and individuals alike. It is also transforming healthcare, education, and other areas of society, enabling us to do things that were once thought impossible.

Finally, technology is becoming an unstoppable force because of the way it is driving progress and innovation across a range of fields. Whether it’s developing new drugs to treat diseases, creating new materials with unique properties, or building new technologies that enable us to explore space or the ocean depths, technology is pushing the boundaries of what is possible and opening up new frontiers for human exploration and discovery.

Is technology is in a constant state of change?

In Kevin Kelly, in his book “The Inevitable,” defines “becoming” as the constant state of change and evolution that technology undergoes. He argues that technology is not a fixed entity but rather a dynamic process that is constantly evolving and changing over time.

According to Kelly, technology is always becoming something else. It is always in a state of flux and transformation, with new technologies constantly emerging and existing technologies being improved upon and refined. This ongoing process of becoming is driven by a variety of factors, including advances in science and engineering, changes in societal needs and demands, and the continuous feedback loop between technology and its users.

Kelly sees this process of becoming as an essential characteristic of technology and argues that it is what makes technology so powerful and transformative. By constantly evolving and adapting to new circumstances, technology is able to solve new problems, create new opportunities, and drive progress and innovation across a wide range of fields.

Overall, Kelly’s view of becoming as a central characteristic of technology highlights the dynamic and ever-changing nature of technological progress, and underscores the importance of ongoing innovation and evolution in driving future technological advancements.

What are some examples that my undergraduate students shared for the technological force, “becoming”

Last night I challenged my students to come up with a list of ten examples from their lives how technology was still “becoming.” Here is what they shared.

1. Social media platforms are constantly evolving, adding new features and functions that change the way we interact with each other online. For example, Instagram started as a photo-sharing app, but now also includes features like Stories and Reels that allow users to create and share short videos.
2. Smartphones we use today are much more advanced than they were just a few years ago. They now have larger screens, better cameras, and more processing power, enabling us to do more with our devices than ever before.
3. Online shopping has become increasingly popular over the last decade, with more and more people buying everything from groceries to clothes online. This has led to the development of new technologies like virtual try-on tools that allow customers to see how clothes will look on them before they buy. There are also features like one-click ordering and same-day delivery becoming increasingly common.
4. Online learning is on the rise and has made it easier than ever to access educational materials from anywhere in the world. This has led to the development of new tools like learning management systems (LMS) that allow teachers to create and manage online courses.
5. Wearable health tracking devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches are becoming more advanced, allowing us to track our health and fitness in real-time. This has led to the development of new tools like sleep tracking apps that help us monitor our sleep patterns and make changes to improve our overall health.
6. Transportation industry is undergoing a major transformation thanks to new technologies like electric cars and autonomous vehicles. This is leading to the development of new transportation systems like ride-sharing services and hyperloop trains that could revolutionize the way we travel. In this same space we also cannot forget self-driving cars are in a constant state of development, with new sensors and algorithms being developed to improve their performance and safety.
7. Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu are constantly updating their content libraries, adding new shows and movies while removing old ones.
8. Renewable energy is constantly advancing, with new technologies and methods being developed to harness the power of the sun, wind, and other natural resources.
9. Video games is constantly evolving, with new consoles, controllers, and games being developed on a regular basis.
10. Artificial intelligence is constantly advancing, with new breakthroughs in machine learning and natural language processing being made on a regular basis.

Will my students appreciate the ways in which technology is driving change and shaping the world around them?

These are just a few examples of how Kelly’s concept of “Becoming” is playing out in our everyday lives. My hope is that my students will understanding this concept and begin to appreciate the ways in which technology is driving change and shaping the world around them. The hope is that they will:

• Embrace change: I hope that my students are open to new experiences and to embrace change as it comes. The world is constantly evolving and the ability to adapt to new situations will be an important skill for them to have.
• Stay informed: I hope that my students will stay informed about the latest trends and developments in their fields of study. This will help them stay ahead of the curve and prepare for future changes.
• Be flexible: I hope that my students will be more flexible and adaptable in their approach to learning. They should be willing to try new things and explore new ideas.
• Take risks: I hope that my students will take risks and try new things, even if they are outside of their comfort zone. This will help them grow and learn in ways that they may not have otherwise.
• Embrace lifelong learning: Doesn’t every teacher hope their students will see that learning as a lifelong process? The world is constantly changing and they will need to continue to learn and adapt throughout their lives.
• Be proactive: Every teacher should encourage their students to be proactive in their approach to their studies. They should take the initiative to seek out new opportunities and to be proactive in their own learning.
• Develop a growth mindset: And finally, I also hope that I can pass on a desire for my students to develop a growth mindset, which emphasizes the idea that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This mindset will help them be more open to new ideas and to view challenges as opportunities for growth.

I hope that you too will be able to encourage your students to be open to change and to view the world as a constantly evolving system. By embracing this idea, your students can prepare themselves for the challenges and opportunities of the future.