Technology and its Impacts

Whilst technology has improved our lives immeasurably, and will continue to do so in amazing ways, it has never been more important to understand the risks associated with its use and abuse.

Why choose discovery modules from Technology and Its Impacts?

The modules in this Theme cover the full spectrum – from learning new practical skills, such as programming for web pages, through to taking part in informed debate about the risks the Internet poses to our privacy - and even democracy itself.

Modules in this Theme will help you explore how technologies both assist and challenge us. New technologies often come with all kinds of promises for a better future but sometimes they come with threats too. If you are looking to future-proof your prospects by grappling with technology, and exploring its potential benefits, challenges and impacts, this Theme is for you. Anybody that has an ambition to take part in creating a better world needs to understand technology and its impacts. For example, robotics is on the cusp of a big revolution, and various in-depth studies suggest that between a third and a half of current jobs in the UK will be made obsolete by robotics and autonomous systems.

Modules in this Theme will help you gain analytical and organisational skills, and bring fresh perspectives on the rich, fascinating and ever-changing relationships that our technologies help us create with the wider world. By looking at the roles of technologies in relation to the environment, the world of entertainment, paths to innovation, and the kinds of risks we all take, this Theme will give you confidence in coping with our 24/7, global, technological world. After all, you want to ensure that you control the technology – not the other way around!

For general guidance relating to discovery modules, contact your parent school. For information relating to a specific discovery module, contact the teaching school for the module concerned.

Make the most of your discovery modules

If you want to branch out into other Themes, Ethics, Religion and Law offers modules which cover many of the same subjects from different perspectives. Alternatively, learn about the relationship between technology and the environment by taking modules from the Creating Sustainable Futures Theme.