Technology Redefined, or Maybe Simply Clarified.

A position statement, by Lisa Murphy 

So I wrote this in September of 2010 to broaden the definition of “technology” and to keep the conversation from getting bogged down.  I wrote it about the same time as NAEYC starting releasing drafts of their “technology and young children” position statement for commentary.  This post will be the first of three technology/naeyc position statement posts.

According to a wikipedia post, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/technology in 1937, the American sociologist Read Bain wrote that “technology includes all tools, machines, utensils, weapons, instruments, housing, clothing, communicating and transporting devices and the skills by which we produce and use them.” Additionally, “Technology can be most broadly defined as the entities, both material and immaterial, created by the application of mental and physical effort in order to achieve some value.”

For the sake of future writings, articles, web discussion and workshop presentations, Ooey Gooey, Inc. has adopted a similar, broader definition of “technology” which includes examples that stretch beyond those specifically related to consumer electronics, such as televisions, computers, radios, etc.  By intentionally stretching the boundary of definition, we no longer feel bogged down by semantics which often hinder healthy discussion.