Week #6: A Look At Software

According to Picciano (2011), the nature of software has not changed over the past several decades, its acquisition, people interface formats, and implementation have changed radically.  Throughout history all computer installations required a well-trained software staff to develop application programs using different levels of language. Software is a collection of instructions that enables a user to interact with the computer or have the computer perform specific tasks for them. Without any software the computer would be useless. For example, you wouldn't be able to interact with the computer without a software operating system.

 An operating system or OS is a software program that enables the computer hardware to communicate and operate with the computer software. Without a computer operating system, a computer and software programs would be useless. Once major software applications such as database management system or a course management system are established in a school district, users such as administrators and teacher become dependent on the programming staff for support, documentation, maintenance, and modification of the software. A major application such as a student record-keeping system or a financial management system can have a useful life cycle.  As a result, users and programmers must have good working relationship and procedures for regularly maintaining and upgrading these systems (Picciano,2011).

Hall (2008), a good relationship with a colleague, boss or employee to have a good working relationship if people have a good working relationship, they are on good terms, and can work effectively together.

Therefore discerning a Christian view of technology leads to (Genesis 1:28), that God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” God created the universe and established laws and norms for the world. These laws and norms have also been discovered for different aspects of computation. To a Christian scholar, the laws of computing are recognized as being part of God’s creation and ought to be explored. Through the creation story we are also introduced to the cultural mandate (Wolters, 1985).

At the time of creation, God gave us a job to be stewards of His world. God created the world with laws and resources that could be explored and put to good use to help fulfill this cultural mandate. Unfortunately, this mandate has sometimes been misused to justify exploiting and plundering the world and its resources. We are called to be faithful stewards of the world and care for it and all its creatures. It is the job of a Christian to investigate responsible ways to unfold the latent potential of technology in creation (Wolters, 1985).

Reference

Hall, Don (2008). The technology director’s guide to leadership: The power of great questions. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE): Washington, DC.

Picciano, Anthony G. (2011). Educational leadership and planning for technology (5^thed). Pearson Education, Inc.: Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Wolters, A. Creation Regained. Eerdmans, 1985.