Nature of Technology
Nature of Technology examines technology as a human, social activity. The exam tests how technological enterprises operate in Aotearoa New Zealand, how technology shapes society, and how ethical frameworks guide decisions.
Core ideas
- Technology is shaped by values: cultural, economic, political, and environmental. A design that is technically sound can still fail if it ignores user values or the Treaty of Waitangi partnership.
- Enterprises: consider purpose, ownership, innovation, market, and sustainability. NZ examples include Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (medical devices), Rocket Lab (aerospace), and whanau-owned food enterprises.
- Impacts: intended benefits and unintended consequences; short-term versus long-term; who gains and who bears risk.
- Ethics: informed consent, privacy, safety, equity, and kaitiakitanga (guardianship). Ethical reasoning weighs competing values rather than applying a rule mechanically.
Worked example
A city trials e-scooters. Intended impacts: low-emission transport, first and last-mile access. Unintended: footpath injuries, clutter, and unequal access because hire requires a smartphone and card. An ethical analysis identifies safety (speed limiting), privacy (location data), and equity (cash options, priority zones). The enterprise must report to the council and adapt the scheme. A strong answer links each impact to a value and proposes a justified response, not just a list.
Traps
- Listing impacts without saying who is affected and why it matters.
- Treating ethics as personal opinion; use recognised ethical principles and NZ context (Privacy Act, Health and Safety at Work Act, Treaty principles).
- Describing an enterprise without analysing its technological decisions.
- Assuming technology is neutral.