Technology includes everything from the physical infrastructure (cables, patch panels, and network closets) to the software, devices, and IT services that help processes, store, secure, generate, and transmit information. It also encompasses the tools and techniques that a discipline uses to advance its knowledge, such as a physicist using physics to understand fundamental particles and their natures, a biologist using biology to study life and living organisms, or a mathematician exploring numbers and mathematical models to further our understanding of the world around us.
It is important to identify what you want to accomplish with technology before you choose a tool and technique to use. Thoughtful tech choices are wedded to a course or set of courses, a module or specific activity, and must always meet the learning objectives and outcomes. It’s important to start small—choose the technologies you are most familiar with and that are readily available to you, and only use those tools and techniques that support your educational goals.
Whether it’s the digitization of physical processes or AI-enhanced customer service, the right technology can help organizations and departments perform efficiently and tap into new opportunities. Technology can also act as a key differentiator for companies and help them create a competitive advantage by providing superior products to consumers.
