The DIKW framework is an idea of how we as humans intake data and and act upon using four steps. The idea is that we take in simple data then process it into information then turn it into knowledge and act upon the situation with by using our wisdom. The first example I wish to use is from the introductory chapter in Weapons of Math Destruction. The big story in this chapter is how teachers across the United States are fired based on performance. Their performance is judged through their students performance and if the improvement of standardized test scores of the students puts the teachers in the lower percentages comparative to other teachers then those teachers with low percentages are then fired. If putting this situation into the DIKW framework, the data would be the teachers performance mathematically computed. The information would be the teachers ranking when comparing their scores to other teachers. The knowledge would be that teachers with lower scores are worse as teachers than those with higher scores. The wisdom in this situation would be to fire those with low test scores and keep those with high test scores. In class we discussed how the DIKW framework is not always accurate and how we process the data and eventually turn it into wisdom can change drastically based on the situation. This manner of firing teachers was terrible. There were many situations of great teachers being fired based on their students test scores. Teachers would correct tests to make sure to not get fired and sometimes send students into their next year with higher scores than they deserve. This resulted in honest teachers being fired as they did not seem to improve the test scores of a student. Thus the DIKW framework is not always reliable. Another example is how job applicants take a personality test by Kronos a workforce management company. People can be “red lighted” based on the test and will not receive a job. In this case the data would be the persons test results. The information would be whether or not they are red lighted and determined to be an incompatible addition to the workplace or if they will work well in the workplace. The knowledge is that people with personality issues often will have difficulty cooperating with others when working in the same environment. The wisdom would be to not hire these people. In the case of the book a man named Kyle Behm decided to leave Vanderbilt University to receive treatment for his bipolar disorder. He went to find work at a minimum wage job but was not hired due to being “red lighted”. This raises the question of whether or not people with mental disabilities should receive a pass on this test as they are ultimately destined to fail. The two examples above were failures at successfully processing data, even though when logically analyzed by a DIKW framework.
Using the Term “Technology” to Represent a Sociotechnical System Of Use.
Before reading this article I have never reflected on what the word technology means to me or what it represents in our society today. To me, technology has always just been a term used to describe the appliances and things we utilize everyday to simplify and improve our lives. The author Stephen Kline writes of four specific usages of the word that that we may encounter today. Of the four his description of technology being a sociotechnical system of use stood out to me. The definition he writes is as follows, “ A sociotechnical system of use is a system using combinations of hardware, people ( and usually other elements ) to accomplish tasks that humans cannot perform unaided by such systems — to extend human capacities. (Kline, 217). His elaboration of the subject explains that by taking advantage of our capacity to use a sociotechnical system to improve our living standard has directly affected our evolutionary path. He also states that by building upon and extending our current systems, we have become the most dominant species on earth and without this ability we would be relatively powerless. He concludes with the idea that if we are to employ this power we are to continue advancing the systems and the methods of which they are applied. Although this concept contradicts my previous usage of the word his article helped me to further understand the meaning of the word technology and I agree with the definitions he layed out for the term. I do believe that our ancient ancestors used technology to create systems and with these systems came improvement upon both the technology and the sociotechnical systems of use of which the technology was applied . And with this growth our species evolved into what we are today; the human race. As a whole the humans dominate the world and we are the only species to have almost utmost control of our natural resources and all other living creatures in our world today. The only reason we have this power is because we are the only species that has the ability to take advantage of what we have created, build systems out of our technology and utilize these systems to further develop what we consider as the normal living standard. Thus to conclude, technology does not only sum up our appliances and hardware that we have today. Instead it is the use of these creations in complex systems that we will continue to build upon and improve. And with this capacity to utilize a sociotechnical system of use our race will advance even further.