Concepts of Engineering Module 4 Test Review Technology and Engineering

Review Questions How is Technology defined? Technology is humans using objects(tools and machines, systems and materials) to change the natural and human-made environment. How does the term technology relate to engineering? Engineers have the technical knowledge, the skills to use tools and machines to produce the artifacts that modify or control our environment. Technological development over the last several thousand years has been related to the progress made in tool development. What two factors have driven this progression? Historically tools have been used to defend life and property or to modify our environment (agriculture, structure construction)

Review Questions How is a technological system defined? Defined as a collection of inputs that work together and have common application to the output of the system Technological systems can be classified in four different ways. Name these four ways By level of development (obsolete, current, emerging) Economic Structure (Profit centered, government) Number of people involved (Corporate, Individual) Type of Technology

Review Questions Describe the indicators that identify when technologies move from obsolete, current and emerging. Improved productivity in industry and business Greater consumer demand

Review Questions Technology has been and will continue to be driven by the needs of human kind. Explain the dynamic relationship between our needs, the technology systems that satisfy those needs and our nations economic system It is a cycle, as technology advances, humans want more and the more humans want the greater the pressure on technology to advance. This cycle builds an economy based on technology.

Review Questions Technology is a constantly changing phenomenon. How is this impacting the education philosophy that is teaching the concepts of technological development? As the concepts of a current technology is taught, emerging technology is taking its place. In some cases to fast that what is learned may become obsolete. Education is changing to meet this dynamic by teaching students critical thinking and problem solving to adapt current knowledge to advancing applications

Review Questions We have discussed how technology is driven by the culture of a population. Is there a point when technology drives a culture. Explain your answer. Without ethical technological development, culture feedback or attention given to culture feedback, technology can drive what a culture thinks it needs or wants.

Review Questions What are the 7 inputs into a technology system? People – materials – tool/machines – energy – information – finances - time People are the most important input into a technology system. Explain two reasons why? Human needs and wants give rise to outputs of a system. No people, no need for a system and no guidance for the system to progress.

Review Questions Information is an important input into a technology system. How is information classified and used as input? Information is derived from data as it is organized. From the information knowledge is gained by which decisions are made about the operation of a system and managing its outputs.

Review Questions Explain how time has remained a constant factor in technology and how it has become a measurement of rate in technological advancement. Time will always be a constraint in technological progress and must be managed in order to meet deadlines. Time, a factor of speed, has now also become a measurement of function of the output of the technology itself.

Review Questions Name the 7 categories of technological systems Agriculture, and Biotechnologies Communication and Information Construction Energy and Power Manufacturing Medical Transportation

Review Questions Feedback and control are important aspects of technological systems. Explain the terms feedback and control as they relate to engineering ethics. Responsible engineering and technology is a result following a set of ethics. A component of ethics is allowing decisions about system outputs to be guided by the positive and negative feedback about the technological product.

Review Questions Can technology be found in nature. Why or Why not? No, because technology is humans using tools to control or protect from nature Name the four characteristics of the information age. Automated machinery Demand for trained technicians and engineers Blending of labor and management responsibilities Constant need for job-related training to keep up with technological changes

Review Questions How could you say that history of technological development is also a study in social development? Technology has influenced the growth and advancement of civilizations. As technology improved so did the lives of those who used it outputs.

Review Questions How is engineering and science related to the concept of learning and knowledge. Engineering is at the center of technology and is changing the way that science is done improving our scientific knowledge which improves our methods of technology. This process is happening at such a rapid rate that what we learn and the knowledge we gain changes rapidly as well.