Tips on Using Technology Questions in the Classroom
You can put students into pairs or small teams, or discuss the questions in class. Another option is to ask your students individually to write down some phrases. Later they can present their results in class.
By using these questions, your students will learn new vocabulary in the context of technology. This will help them in daily lives and especially in business.
General Technology Questions
This set of questions will help your students to get a brief overview over the topic “technology”.
- What is technology?
- What do you think of when you hear the word ‘technology’?
- How has technology changed in the past?
- How has technology changed your life?
- Could you live without technology?
- What technological achievement was the best?
- What do you think technology will be like in the future?
- What are the advantages of technology?
- What are the disadvantages of technology?
- Which new technological tool are you looking forward to?
- What do you think will be the next biggest technological advance?
Opinion and Discussion Technology Questions
Your students can exchange opinions and ideas using these questions. It’s also perfect to start a conversation.
- At what age should children get a cell phone?
- How many hours a day should children be allowed to use electric devices?
- What are the disadvantages of using technology?
- Do you think people rely too much on technology?
- What do you think about online shopping?
- Does technology make society lazy?
- Do you prefer Windows or Apple computers?
- Do you prefer to text your friends or call them?
- What do you think of today’s technology? Do we use it the right way?
- Do you think that technology controls and spies on us?
- How can countries help to create more inventors?
- Is there a piece of technology that you are afraid of that might exist in the future? (artificial intelligence, flying cars)
- Which technology has made the world worse?
- What are the possibilities of technology in clothing?
- What is the future of transportation?
- What do you think very old people think of modern technology?
- How has technology changed society?
- Do you think modern technology reduces or increases stress? Why?
- Do you think robots will cause unemployment in the future? Why? Why not?
- What do you think about GMO (genetically modified organisms) food?
- What changes would you like to see science make to the world?
Personal Technology Questions
These questions will give students the possibility to talk or write about their personal background of using technology.
- At what age did you have your first cell phone? Which one was it? What did you like about it?
- What is the most important technology device in your daily life?
- How often do you use a cell phone?
- Do you think you are addicted to technology, like social media or your cell phone?
- Which social networks do you use? Why?
- Are you shopping online? Why and how often?
- What device do you use to watch TV, Netflix or other TV shows?
- How much time do you spend online every day?
- How often do you play video games?
- Do you usually buy apps in GoogleStore or AppStore?
- What is your favorite website?
- Do you stream music? Why? Why not?
- Do you use a smartwatch? Why? Why not?
- What moment do you remember, when you were let down by technology?
- Are you afraid of technology in the future?
- Are you giving out lots of personal data?
- What do you know about Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
- Have you used the Internet to learn English?
- How have technological advances affected our life?
- What science fiction movies have you seen? Which ones did you like? Why?
Conversation Questions Science and Technology
A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom.
- What is technology?
- What is science?
- What is the difference between science and technology?
- What are some of the greatest technological achievements?
- What are the advantages of technology?
- What are the disadvantages of technology?
- In your opinion,what is the greatest technological invention? Why?
- What do you think are the three most important or interesting inventions since 1850?
- How about since 1950?
- Do you think pets should be cloned? Why or why not?
- Do you think people should be allowed to clone people or organs of people? Why?
- What do you think about GMO (genetically modified organisms) vegetables?
- Is it better to use natural food although it might not produce as much or should we use GMO crops?
- What do you think about GMO farm animals?
- Would you eat pork from a GMO cow?
- Are you willing to pay more for food that is really organic?
- How much more?
- What do you think robots should be used for?
- Do you think robots will cause unemployment (loss of jobs) in the future or make more work? Why?
- Do you think using cell phones too much is bad for our physical or mental health? Why?
- If you could copy your brain for future generations, would you?
- How do you think face to face communication differs from communication using computers?
- What social changes have cell phones made?
- What are good and bad points of using computers?
- Do you think to stop global warming that the amount of car driving should be limited or changed?
- What are some local ways you have seen to reduce waste and pollution or conserve energy?
- In your life time what changes have you seen in your environment for better or worse?
- Do you think modern technology reduces or increases stress? Why?
- Do you think money should be spent to explore space or is it better spent helping people on earth? Why?
- What is your opinion about children playing violent video games or computer programs?
- What do you think should be done to people who spread viruses, start hoaxes or create spam on the Internet?
- How often do you buy things on the Internet?
- Do you worry about identity theft or credit card number theft when buying things on the Internet or do you avoid buying things online because of this concern?
- Have you used a chat site?
- Have you ever used voice chat?
- What do you think about it?
- Have you used the Internet to learn English or read or talk in English?
- What are the pros and cons (good and bad points) about improving your English by Internet rather than with a teacher?
- Have you heard of the Large Hadron Collider?
- If so, what do you know about it?
- Do you have a smart phone?
- Can you access the internet on your telephone?
- If so, how often do you use it?
- How often do you check email?
- Are you a Mac or a PC user? What are some of the differences?
- What do you think open source software means?
- What do you know about software? What can software be used for?
- Are you a Facebook, Mixi or Myspace user?
- If not, are there websites that are similar to these in your country?
- Facebook often gets in trouble for not having very good privacy settings. Do you think that this really is a big problem?
- How much private information are you prepared to share about yourself on the internet?
- Do you feel comfortable with the idea of Artificial Intelligence (that robots can think)?
- What science fiction movies have you seen?
- Do you think that what you have seen in these movies is possible?
- What was your favorite science subject?
- Biology? Physics? Chemistry? Why?
- Do you remember any interesting, fun or dangerous lab experiments that you did at school?
- Do you think the stereotype of the ‘mad scientist’ is true?
- Does the potential that science has to change the world scare you?
- How will science change the world in the next 100 years?
- What changes would you like to see science make to the world?
- Do you think that one day science will find a way to make people live forever? If so, do you think that that would be a good or a bad thing?
- How have technological advances affected our life?
- Do you think technological advances are always good?
- Or can they sometimes be bad and harmful?
- How have technological advances affected communication/ how we receive news/ the medical field/ education?
- How have technological advances affected our life?
- Do you think technological advances are always good?
- Or can they sometimes be bad and harmful?
- How have technological advances affected communication/ how we receive news/ the medical field/ education?
- Do you think couples should be allowed to choose the sex or other characteristics of their baby like eye color? Why or why not?
ESL Conversation Questions
Talk about how technology has changed in your lifetime.
What do you think has been the most important new invention in the last 100 years?
Are there any new gadgets that you really want to get?
What do you think will be the next biggest technological advance?
How can countries help to create more inventors?
What is your favorite piece of technology you own?
How will computers change in the future?
Do you think that there will be more or less new innovation in the future?
Is there a piece of technology that you really want that doesn’t exist? (i.e. flying cars, teleportation, etc.)
Give some examples of technology that have made the world worse.
What do you think is the most important thing that humans have created?
Do you think that people will travel outside of our solar system? How will they get there?
Do you like new gadgets or do you prefer to use technology you are comfortable with?
What are the possibilities of technology in clothing?
What is the future of transportation?
Discussion Questions
- Do you get excited by new technology? What kinds of technology interest you?
- Is technology developing faster than it used to? Are you worried about being left behind?
- When you get a new product, do you read the instruction manual? Or do you just figure it out?
- How much time do you spend online each week? Is it too much time, or a reasonable amount?
- What are some of your favorite websites? What can you do on them?
- Advances in medical technology mean people are living longer. What are some of the downsides of this? How old do you hope to live?
- How do you feel if you forget your mobile phone and leave it somewhere?
- Which electronics brands do you trust most? Are you loyal to one brand?
- Are you an early adopter? Do you like to have cutting edge technology? Are there any disadvantages to buying the latest product?
- Some people dislike or fear technology. Do you know anyone like this?
- Do you read e-books? What are their advantages and disadvantages when compared with paper books?
- Is there an electronic product you want these days? What is it? How will it make your life better?
- Do you play computer games? What do you say to people who believe they are a waste of time?
- What crazy future technology are you looking forward to? For example, flying cars or personal robots.
- Which social networking services (SNS) do you use? What do you like or dislike about them?
- How do you feel about dating websites or apps? Would you use one?
- Some people prefer to live with less technology in their lives. Can you understand the desire to live a simpler life?
- Many science fiction movies present a dark vision of the future. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of humanity?
THE DISCUSSION ON TECHNOLOGY
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)
| (1) | What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘technology’? |
| (2) | Is technology a good or a bad thing? |
| (3) | What new technology could you not live without? |
| (4) | Do you like reading about technology? |
| (5) | Do you like using technology to learn? |
| (6) | What do you think very old people think of modern technology? |
| (7) | How has technology changed society? |
| (8) | Has technology made us more impatient? |
| (9) | Max Frisch said: “Technology is the knack of arranging the world so that we don’t have to experience it.” Do you agree with him? |
| (10) | Mark Kennedy said: “All of the biggest technological inventions created by man – the airplane, the automobile, the computer – say little about his intelligence, but speak volumes about his laziness.” Do you agree? |
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)
| (1) | What do you think of today’s technology? |
| (2) | What do you think of tomorrow’s technology? |
| (3) | Do you think we’ve become obsessed with technology? |
| (4) | Do you always trust technology? |
| (5) | Does technology ever let you down? |
| (6) | What things would you never let technology replace? |
| (7) | Has technology made our lives better than our grandparents’ lives? |
| (8) | What technology is dangerous? |
| (9) | Frank Lloyd Wright said: “If it [technology] keeps up, man will waste away all his limbs but the push-button finger.” What does this mean? Do you like this quote? |
| (10) | Alan M. Eddison said: “Modern technology… Owes ecology… An apology.” What does this mean? Do you agree? |
Questions to Ask about Any Technology
Ecological
- What are its effects on the health of the planet and of the person?
- Does it preserve or destroy biodiversity?
- Does it preserve or reduce ecosystem integrity?
- What are its effects on the land?
- What are its effects on wildlife?
- How much and what kind of waste does it generate?
- Does it incorporate the principles of ecological design?
- Does it break the bond of renewal between humans and nature?
- Does it preserve or reduce cultural biodiversity?
- What is the totality of its effects, it’s “ecology”?
Social
- Does it serve community?
- Does it empower community members?
- How does it affect our perception of our needs?
- Is it consistent with the creation of a communal, human economy?
- What are its effects on relationships?
- Does it undermine conviviality?
- Does it undermine traditional forms of community?
- How does it affect our way of sensing and experiencing the world?
- Does it foster a diversity of forms of knowledge?
- Does it build on, or contribute to, the renewal of traditional forms of knowledge?
- Does it serve to commodify knowledge or relationships?
- To what extent does it redefine reality?
- Does it raise a sense of time and history?
- What is its potential to become addictive?
Moral
- What values does its use foster?
- What is gained by its use?
- What are its effects beyond its ability to the individual?
- What is lost in using it?
- What are its effects on the least person in the society?
Aesthetic
- Is it ugly?
- Does it cause ugliness?
- What noise does it make?
- What pace does it set?
- How does it affect quality of life (as distinct from standard of living)?
Practical
- What does it make?
- Who does it benefit?
- What is its purpose?
- Where was it produced?
- Where is it used?
- Where must it go when it’s broken or obsolete?
- How expensive is it?
- Can it be repaired? By an ordinary person?
- What is the entirety of its cost, the full cost accounting?
Ethical
- How complicated is it?
- What does it allow us to ignore?
- To what extent does it distance us from effect?
- Can we assume personal, or communal, responsibility for its effects?
- Can its effects be directly apprehended?
- What ancillary technologies does it require?
- What behavior might it make possible in the future?
- What other technologies might it make possible?
- Does it alter our sense of time and relationships in ways conducive to nihilism?
Vocational
- What is its impact on craft?
- Does it reduce, deaden, or enhance human creativity?
- Is it the least imposing technology available for the task?
- Does it replace, or does it aid, human hands and human beings?
- Can it be responsive to organic circumstance?
- Does it depress or enhance the quality of goods?
- Does it depress or enhance the meaning of work?
Political
- What is its mystique?
- Does it concentrate or equalize power?
- Does it require, or institute, a knowledge elite?
- Is it totalitarian?
- Does it require a bureaucracy for its perpetuation?
- What legal empowerments does it require?
- Does it undermine traditional moral authority?
- Does it require military defense?
- Does it enhance, or serve, military purposes?
- How does it affect warfare?
- Does it foster a mass thinking or behavior?
- Is it consistent with the creation of global economy?
- Does it empower transnational corporations?
- What kind of capital does it require?
Metaphysical
- What aspect of the inner self does it reflect?
- Does it express love?
- Does it express rage?
- What aspect of our past does it reflect?
- Does it reflect cynical or linear thinking?
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