Context of the Standard

The use of technology, including computers, has allowed for global communication and has revolutionized the everyday access of information, whether for business, scientific or personal use.  Although there are many positive impacts in using technology, there are also times when computer use has impacted us in undesirable ways. As computer technology continues to advance and new generations of machines grow faster and have greater capabilities, the machines become more deeply fixed in daily life, magnifying both the benefits and the downside risks.

Positive impacts include easy access to information, automated machinery, and fast and accurate data processing.  Negative impacts include an increase in sedentary lifestyles, family and leisure interruption, and loss of privacy.

Essential Skills

Essential Questions

Essential Vocabulary

Students should demonstrate these skills:

• Identify how the use of computers and computing positively influences daily life.
• Identify how the use of computers and computing negatively influences daily life.
• Evaluate use of time in activities at school and at home to determine positive and negative impacts of these activities on health and wellbeing.

Students should investigate these concepts:

• How do computing devices make your life easier?
• How have computing devices made people’s lives more complicated?
• What are ways to limit the negative influences of computing devices?
• What do you believe are good rules about technology use to make sure that we can use them wisely?

Students should apply these terms in context: