Technology is the applied science of using products, tools and systems to solve human problems and create new opportunities. It’s a vast, evolving category, encompassing everything from your smartphone to the Internet to industrial robots and 3D printing. Its development has propelled societal changes for millennia, from the stone tool that allowed humans to hunt, forge weapons, and control fire in prehistoric times to the computer chip, which made modern computers possible and revolutionized telecommunications.
Technological progress happens mainly when we identify a need and combine existing technologies to meet it. The jet engine, for instance, is a combination of multiple technologies including a compressor and turbine, each with its own innovations like an anti-stall system and blade cooling system. As a result, it is very rare for an individual invention to go directly from a scientific discovery to a fully-functioning product. Most technological developments are step-by-step, each one building on the previous in a process that may take decades to complete.
Business uses of technology include automation, which enables companies to maximize output with minimal input; and data analytics, which helps businesses make better decisions by analyzing large volumes of information. Technology also improves the efficiency and speed of operations, reduces errors, and lowers costs.
Educational use of technology includes interactive teaching methods, virtual field trips, and online learning resources. It also prepares students for future technical working environments. Technological resources allow students with a variety of learning styles and abilities to learn in a way that suits them best.