I am interested in exploring the mutual shaping relationship between technology and society through an integrated development perspective.
During my postgraduate study of science and technology studies (STS) in University of Edinburgh, I followed the mutual shaping route and briefly touched the problems of integrated development in two researches, “Understanding Local Circumstances of Surveillance on ICT Applications in China” and “The Mutual Shaping History of Agricultural Technology, Social Condition, And Public Policy in China”. By applying to the doctoral project “Innovation, Society, And Policy In China: Towards An Integrated Development”, I wish to extend my knowledge and investigation to the mutual shaping relationship among technological innovation, state and society building, and public policy in past, present, and future China through an integrated development perspective and case studies. An integrated development perspective, nascent but promising as Susan Cozzens pointed out, is to move three different perspectives on development, the confrontational power analysis from STS, the state economic growth studies from new growth theory, and the entrepreneurial learning and competence building studies from innovation systems, toward the development as freedom in Amartya Sen’s definition. In the next ten years or more, China will undergo the structural transformation in developmental mode to tackle the social and economic problems brought by its exclusive focus on economic growth and national competence. Therefore I find my research interesting and timely in both academic and real world.
Prior to further explanation of my doctoral program, some introductions of my previous academic pathway and working experience in...
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...ave the treasured opportunity to pursue my Ph.D. in your department.
Finally, I have to confess that my postgraduate’s score in Edinburgh was not excellent. Although I expressed good logical reasoning and analytical ability and knowledge as tutor Francesca Bray commented, my inadequate language skills and over-ambitious planning on research projects resulted in a not as good presentation. To tackle the problem, I never stop to practice English and project planning skill by reading more academic books after graduation. Working experience in a real set also taught me how to evaluate, plan, and conduct a project under restriction on time and resource. I believe I am more capable than before to handle a doctoral research. I believe a brash but bright and passionate young scholar should have chance to pursue his dream studies. I believe you believe it too. Thank you!
Technology, Culture, Society. Ed. Crowley, D.J., and P. Heyer. Allyn & Bacon/Pearson, 2010. 74-77. Print.
In his article titled “Upon Opening the Black Box and Finding It Empty: Social Constructivism and the Philosophy of Technology”, Langdon Winner (1993) presented a critique of social constructivism; noting that while there are definitely positive facets of social constructivism, there are also significant complications with the methodology. The aspects of social constructivism that he finds valuable include its conceptual rigor, its concern for specifics and its attempts to provide empirical models of technological change that better reveal the actual course of events (Winner, 1993). Despite this, Winner is adamant about the narrow confines of the social constructivist perspective. In his article, Winner (1993, p. 368) explores four specific limitations of social constructivism:
a doctoral journey can be a long process, with many benchmarks for the students' dissertation to satisfy. Many students have left dissertations in progress and unfinished, because job and familiy committments have been a higher priority.
As decades and centuries pass, technology evolves. Machines become more efficient, and communication between locations becomes easier. Due to this, the process of doing things changes. Especially with the advent of the Internet, it is important to understand and look deeper into the effects of technology on society, as it is “complexly woven into the circumstances and rhythms of social life” (Gasher, Skinner and Lorimer, 2012, p. 155). For this reason, there are various perspectives on technology. These perspectives, as demonstrated by Andrew Feenberg (1999) in Questioning Technology, are: instrumentalism, determinism, substantivism, constructivism, and critical theory. Being a socio-technical ensemble, the smartphone is an example of technology
For them the issue is to maximize the gains and minimize the losses, stemming from technology. For example, they focus upon the principal practitioners of technology, the engineers, and wish to examine the moral nature of
“Our Future Selves” by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen construct views on countries’ technologies that changes the world on a daily basis. Conversely, technologies reconstruct countries in various simpler ways to live throughout economic trends. Furthermore, the quality of life is massively changing with new technologies. Consequently, wealthy countries are viewed differently from poor countries towards technological advantages. Ordinarily, technologies have made the difficult obstacles so much easier than just by hand. Industries have utilized the advanced technologies to provide huge manufacturing productivity. Moreover, Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen have some very compelling reservations within their article, “Our Future Selves”, on the trends
The main purpose of conducting the interviews with Dr. Rod P. Githens and Ed.D candidate, Joshua C. Collins, is to understand the reasons they chose this career path; meanwhile, it was a good chance to know more about their experiences and stories. I also realized that there are many important components for a scholar to attain a successful career including good preparation, clear communication, and thoughtful organization. There are many takeaways from these two interviews. The following statements will illustrate the most valuable inspiration I obtained from them.
A major hurdle in this academic career that I hope to have is going to be the lack of expertise in the designing, implementation and evaluation of clinical trials.
There are a few components that go along with technology. There are a lot of pros to technology, but what else is it good for? Many people think that technology is bad, but at this time of life, the good always outweighs the bad.
Technology allows culture to evolve by creating solutions to problems by removing constraints that exist. Every invention and concept is expanded on to create the utmost perfect solution. Although this process can take decades, or even centuries, to actually develop a proficient resolution, the end result is what advances society industrially. There are conflicting views, however, if these advances are beneficially or maliciously affecting society (Coget). There are three kinds of people in regards to the attitude toward technology: technophiles, technophobes, and those who aren't biased in either regard (Coget). Technophiles understand that the world adapts to the advances in technology and uses them to improve their lives (Tenner). Technophobes observe technology as damaging or are uncomfortable in using it (DeVany). It is undeniable that technology is ever-expanding, thus peaking curiosity to uncover what fuels the fear behind the technophobes. Our focus is concentrated on the technophiles and the technophobes . I will begin with the latter as they contribute greatly to the ov...
Human culture and technology are continually co-evolving in a dynamic relationship. All technologies (See Note 1) develop in a particular cultural context as the result of changing needs or constraints. But once developed, a technology changes the culture that gave it birth. When a technology spreads to another culture, the cultural context affects the speed or way in which the technology is adopted and how it is used. The diffusion of technologies to other cultures changes those other cultures as well. The changes in culture that one technology creates may then influence the development of another or different technology.
Technology has more negative effects on today’s society than positive. Due to technology in the past few decades Canine Shock Collars have been increasingly popular. Students in school pay more attention to texting than they do their classes. Violent addictive video games have made their way into American homes. Parents encourage their children to not text as much, but them to face the problem of constant communication. The Internet gives the students easier ways to cheat in school, and reinforces laziness. Internet Porn gives every bored male a chance to look at the seediest film in the comfort of his own home. Technology has taken the innocence and mystery away from the American family.
The enigma of life and the mystery of living organisms have always fascinated me. The persistent developments in the field of Biotechnology have opened up growth opportunities that are beneficial to the individual as well as the society. The perfect combination of theory and practical knowledge is required to succeed in this field. I want to be an element of innovation in this field, which is creating a better tomorrow for everyone. To do this, I need to prepare myself with mandatory knowledge that only a Masters' program can provide. I envision your university as the right stepping stone to pursue my dreams and achieve my career goals. Having been brought up in a strong and secure family, my parents have inculcated good values and principles in me. My parents’ support has always motivated me to reach my goals. Being from a family where both my parents' are highly educated and my father having done his Doctorate in Botany has always inspired me to pursue my ultimate goal of being a researcher, either in industry or in academia in this field. In the coming years, I visualize myself as a researcher or as a faculty member in one of the leading universities in the United States. I strongly believe that a Masters Degree in Biotechnology from your prestigious University will act as a crucial first step in the process of realizing my career objectives.
Technology is unavoidable in our modern lifestyle. You wake up, you use technology; you use technology while cooking, while eating, while driving. While you’re lying in bed before you fall asleep, you use technology, technology wakes you up in the morning. Is all the technology around you good for you, or is it harmful to your health? Was our society healthier or safer before all the advancements? So many questions and concerns about all of the technology we crave, but there are very few people who know the answers. Technology affects all parts of human life. It can create jobs, motivate people to get active, and assist people in learning, but this does not balance out that there are dangers that follow the use of technology.
This chapter discussed the reflection on the project and the wider implications of the project, and demonstrated the reflection on the MA experience. In a word, the major project and the MA experience gave me an extraordinary chance to carry on the higher education and learn new and advanced learning skills.