Introduction - How technology has changed

In the last couple of lessons we’ve focused on keeping safe when we use technology and having a healthy balance with technology in our lives.

In the remaining lessons in this unit we’re going to explore the technology in the world around us. From the gadgets in our homes to the tech that organisations and businesses use every day.

Technology has changed a lot over time. Take a look at these items, do you know what any of them are? 

 

Image courtesy of: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vintage_Sony_Walkman,_FM-AM_Stereo_Cassette_Player,_Model_WM-F77,_Made_In_Japan,_Circa_1986_(44032204520).jpg

This is the Sony Walkman  from 1986, one of the first portable music players that played cassette tapes. 

 

Image courtesy of: https://pixabay.com/photos/cassette-tape-magnetband-analog-4047071/

A 60 minute compact cassette tape, invented in 1962 but most popular in the 1980s.

 

Image courtesy of: https://www.wallpaperflare.com/television-old-vintage-antique-tuner-technology-old-fashioned-wallpaper-gctep

A Bush TV-12, television set that went on sale in 1948

 

Image courtesy of: https://www.flickr.com/photos/phonogalerie/358124977

A Gramophone De Luxe, from 1909

 

Image courtesy of: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Magnavox-Odyssey-Console-Set.jpg

This is the Magnavox Odyssey, the first home games console released in 1972. 

 

Discuss the images with the students and see if anyone recognises what the items are, and make comparisons to the gadgets that have replaced them today. 

Not all technology involves computers, but many of our gadgets today involve very small computers. Take a look at this video from BBC Bitesize to see how computers have changed since they were invented: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zbhgjxs/articles/ztrq7ty

 

Technology in our homes

Now think about your home and the technology in it today, talk to a partner and then make a list of all the gadgets and technology you can think of in your homes.

Ask students to feedback items from their lists. Focus in on a couple of the items they come up with and ask: What is it? How does it work? Why is it useful in our homes?

Introduce the Technology in my home - student handout. Explain that the students must choose two items from their list for this task. They should explain what it is, draw and label the item with any of its important features and then explain how it works and why it's useful in their home. 

Some students might also be able to write about how they think this gadget might be replaced in the future. 

 

 

What is the internet?

A huge part of the technology we use today involves the internet. You will have all heard of the internet , but what is it? 

Show this video from BBC Bitesize to explain: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zymykqt/articles/zgwnsbk

 

 

Ask: What did the video tell us? How are computers connected together all around the world?

The internet lets us share information really quickly around the whole world. Many machines in our homes now use the internet to get up to date  information and make them work better for us. 

 

Does it use the Internet? 

Introduce the final task: Does it use the internet? - Sorting activity. 

 

 

You may wish to cut the sheet up into sets of cards yourself before the lesson, or leave it to the students if there’s time. 

 

Explain that you’d like them to work in small groups and discuss the items on the sheet. They must sort them into two groups: those which do use the internet and those that do not use the internet. 

 

Some of the items could use the internet, so if any groups decide they want a third category that’s great! 

 

Plenary

We’ve been talking about technology in our homes and those that use the internet, can anyone remind me what the internet is? 

 

As a class, discuss what the students thought about some of the items. 

 

Smartphone - Yes it uses the internet for a lot of its features. Without the internet you cannot visit websites, download apps, videos, pictures or music to a smartphone. Some features can be used without the internet, such as making phone calls, telling the time, using the calculator or using some apps and games (if they have already been downloaded).

 

Microwave oven - These don’t usually use the internet, although you can now get smart microwaves that connect to your phone, smart speakers and your home network. 

 

Fridge - A bit like the microwave, most do not connect to the internet, but some do. Smart fridges now have features such as voice assistants, internal cameras, set the temperature in different sections remotely, sync your shopping list from the fridge to your phone and more! 

 

Kettle - Again, most kettles are not internet enabled but they can be. Smart kettles now let you remotely boil your kettle or schedule it to boil at a certain time, all using your smartphone, 

 

Games consoles - All modern games consoles can connect to the internet. This lets you download games and other media and also connect to other players to speak or play with them online. Most systems can also be used without the internet although its becoming an important part of how they work. 

 

Toaster - You’ll struggle to find smart toasters that use the internet, but they do exist. Quite why they exist is another matter! There’s not a lot they can offer and seem to be very expensive, so probably won’t catch on... but who knows! 

 

Smart watches - Like your smartphone, these mini computers on your wrist require the internet for a lot of their features such as downloading apps, streaming content and sending and receiving messages. They can also function without being online once set up though. 

 

Televisions - Most new TVs are now smart TVs and have minicomputers built into them and do connect to the internet. This allows features such as voice assistants, web browsers and streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. Normal TV shows can usually be watched without an internet connection though. 

 

Laptop Computer - All computers can connect to the internet and, like some of the things already mentioned, require that for web browsing and downloading or streaming apps or media content. Once an app or program is installed on a computer, it can usually be used without the internet though. 

 

Smart speaker - These definitely need the internet to work. When you make a request to the voice assistant your voice is recorded and the clip is sent across the internet to a computer which decodes your request, searches its memory for the correct response and sends it back across the internet to your speaker so you can hear it, and if needed send a message to another appliance in your home to make something happen. 

 

Radiator - The actual radiator does not use the internet. Water that has been heated by a boiler travels through pipes to the radiators to warm up the house. Boilers can be connected to the internet so we can control them from our phones to control the heating before we get home. 

 

Washing machine - Like many of the other kitchen appliances above, most washers are not connected to the internet but you can buy a smart washing machine. This gives remote control from your phone and other features.

 

This system of smart devices connected to the internet is known as the Internet of Things (IoT), and can also cover things like cars, animals with smart tags, health monitors and lots of other things.