Explain the concept of appropriate technology.

Explanation should include that appropriate technology seeks to "aid and support the human ability to understand, operate, and sustain technological systems to the benefit of humans while having the least negative societal and environmental impact on communities." (excerpt from the former Office of Technology Assessment, 1981)

Process/Skill Questions:

• How do you determine the appropriate technology for a situation?
• What is a situation that might benefit from technology?
• What are the differences and similarities in the use of technology in developed, emerging, and developing nations?
• What are some of the environmental and economic implications of using technology?
• When does a technology become inappropriate?
• What technologies exist that may be perceived to invade one’s privacy?
• How do different cultures weigh privacy vs. security?