Student Assignment Guide: Assessing the impact of technology on society

Introduction

* Each student will work in a team to investigate the impact of a technology on society.

* Each team will present the results of their investigation to the class in an illustrated oral report.

* After the oral report, each team will answer questions from the teacher and the other students in the class

Materials

Each student should have the following:

Student Handout #2: How are activities of a society affected by technology?

Student Handout #3: How does technology affect society?

Student Handout #4: Team Presentation Outline

Step 1: Your teacher will break you into small teams of five or six students.

Step 2: Each team will agree on a topic.

Step 3: As individuals read over the Student Handout #2 and assess your knowledge of your topic by listing under each catagory what you already know about your topic.

Step 4: In your teams share what you already know about your topic and assess what you need to find out.

Step 5: As individuals conduct a search of sources that will help you with your investigation. These could include:

* a world history text

* encyclopaedias

* books about the history of math, science, inventions, engineering, art literature, music, technology, medicine

* the internet

* magazines

* your teachers

* videos

Step 6: As individuals, briefly read through your sources and determine if they fit your teams needs.

Step 7: As a team:

a. review your sources

b. divide your project into the five catagories described on your chart and assign a team member to each catagory.

c. share sourcesStep 8: Individually conduct research on your catagory.Step 9: As a team report and discuss your research findings. Complete one copy of Student Handout #3 and turn it in to the teacher for comment.

Step 10: The teacher will meet with your group and discuss and evaluate your investigation.

Step 11: If necessary, gather additional information to complete your investigation.

Step 12: As a team, prepare a 10 minute panel presentation about the impact of the technology you studied on society. Each presentation must:

* follow the format in Student Handout #4: Team Presentation Guide.

* result in equal participation of each member.

* make use of graphic illustrations--pictures, charts, video clips, etc.

* include a carefully composed outline that will be given to the teacher just before the panel presents to the class.

* answer the question: How has this technology changed society?