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0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 2

HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

MODULE OVERVIEW

This module will introduce you the major roles of science and technology in the everyday life in a
historical perspective. As you proceed with the learning activities, you should be able to discover how different
social, cultural, economic, and political conditions affected science and technology and how science and
technology affected society as a whole. This module will focus on three historical periods: Ancient, Middle,
and Modern Period.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this Module, you should be able to:

1. explain the importance of studying the history of science and technology; and
2. explain how the scientific and technological inventions shaped and were shaped by various social context and
how these affect the society and environment.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

1. Before continuing on this Module, watch an 18- minute TEDxTalk by Hannu Rajaniemi entitled The
Big History of Modern Science using the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcWsjlGPPFQ.
Afterward, reflect on the following question: “Why is it important to study the history of Science and
Technology?”

ANTECEDENT DEFINED

Though it is important to study scientific and technological innovations that had important societal
impacts, there would not be enough time to study them all. What we would focus on are the historical
antecedents, which, according to Quinto, et al (2019), are “factors that paved the way for the presence of
advanced and sophisticated scientific and ethnological innovations today.” This relationship of different
historical antecedents of science and technology across time can be seen in Figure 2.1.

Figure 2.1: Historical antecedents of S&T across Time

To learn more about the importance of the study of these historical antecedents, read page 17 of your
STS textbook. After this, we may proceed to the different historical antecedents across time.

ANCIENT PERIOD

In the ancient times, people were concerned with transportation and navigation, communication and
record keeping, mass production, power and energy, security and protection, as well as health, observation,
and measurement, aesthetics, engineering, and architecture. A primary challenge they faced was the
conservation of life. The early people might have been successful in harnessing the rich resources that the
world could provide but their survival posed a great problem. Different illnesses and diseases, both natural
and man-made, hampered the full potential of a human being. Given this predicament, science and

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

technology played a major role in the discovery of cures, if not the prevention of illness. Moreover, in order to
integrate their needs for better transportation, establishment of structures for protection from human attacks
and natural disasters, and construction of bigger and stronger infrastructure. Furthermore, the people were
not contented on beautifying their infrastructures and surrounding but more on being able to prolong life with
the mass production of food and advancement of medical technology, as well as raising the quality of life.
The rise of ancient civilizations such as Sumerians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and
Chinese paved the way for advances in science and technology. Their contributions not only allowed these
ancient civilizations to flourish, but also paved the way for the developments of many other science and
technology innovations.

Some of the important historical antecedents of much more modern science and technology innovations
which were discovered in the ancient times include the ancient wheel, paper, shadoof, Antikythera
mechanism, and aeolipile. To learn more about these technologies, read page 18 – 19 of your STS textbook.
Make sure that when you read about these technological innovations, you are mindful of their impact to
modern times. However, it should be noted that many more scientific and technological innovations were
developed during ancient times.

MEDIEVAL / MIDDLE AGES

The Middle Ages, which occurred between the collapse of the Roman Empire in 5th century AD and the
colonial expansion of Western Europe in late 15th century AD, was an age of which started with wars,
migrations, and population rise and fall. These events led to new technologies needed in the fields of
weaponry, transportation and navigation, mass food and farm production, and health. This is also the period
of the emergence of scientific thinking and scientific method. Because of this, many of our technologies can
actually be traced back in this time period.

Read pages 20 – 22 of your STS textbook to learn about the technologies which emerged in this time
period. These include the heavy plough, gunpowder, paper money, mechanical clock and spinning wheel.
Just like in the ancient period, be mindful of their impacts to society and that they are not the only
technologies that are developed during this time.

MODERN AGES

According to Quinto, et al (2019), the Modern Ages was marked with a steady increase in population
that emphasizes the “importance of increasing the efficiency of transportation, communication, and
production”. During the Modern ages, more complicated problems were created that needed more solutions
and greater risks for many aspects of human life were needed to be addressed.

Read pages 22 – 25 of your STS textbook to learn more about important historical antecedents of
science and technology that started in the Modern Ages. These include, but are not limited to, compound
microscope, telescope, Jacquard loom, engine-powered airplane, and television.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

1. After reading pages 20 – 22 of your STS textbook, complete the following table:

Heavy plough Gunpowder Paper money Mechanical Spinning

clock wheel
Developer / inventor
Origin
Time of invention
Impact or contribution
to mankind
2. Prepare your answers sending it directly in the Learning Management System.

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

Poster Making with write-up (Group Activity)

1. For this activity, students will count off from one to three until everyone is assigned a number.
2. All students will be assigned a particular group of inventions depending on their random number
assignments: (1) Ancient Period, (2) Middle Ages, and (3) Modern Ages.
3. On a 15” by 20” illustration board, each group will draw, paint, or stick photographs of 2 inventions
from the assigned group of inventions based on the discussed topics.
4. Students assigned to the same group of inventions can come together and talk about a particular
theme they want to employ in designing their posters.
5. After agreeing on a particular theme, students should work as a group. At the back of the poster, each
group should place a 200-to-250-word write-up about the inventions that specifically address the
following questions:
a. What are the inventions?
b. What are the precursors of your chosen inventions? What tools existed prior to these or how did
people carry out activities before these inventions?
c. What were the social, political, cultural, or economic contexts in which the inventions were made?
d. What were the social, political, cultural, or economic impacts of your chosen inventions?
6. Each group will be given 30 minutes to prepare for their Learning Activity and 15 minutes for the
presentation of each group.

Poster Making Rubric

Component 4 3 2 1
Required The poster includes all All required All but 1 of the Several required
Elements required elements as elements are required elements are elements were
well as additional included on the included on the missing.
information. poster. poster.
Labels All items of importance Almost all items Many items of Labels are too small
on the poster are of importance on importance on the to view OR no
clearly labeled with the poster are poster are clearly important items were
labels that can be read clearly labeled labeled with labels labeled.
from at least 3 feet with labels that that can be read from
away. can be read from at least 3 feet away.
at least 3 feet
away.
Graphics - All graphics are related All graphics are All graphics relate to Graphics do not
Relevance to the topic and make related to the the topic. One or two relate to the topic OR
it easier to understand. topic and most borrowed graphics several borrowed
All borrowed graphics make it easier to have a source graphics do not have
have a source citation. understand. citation. a source citation.
Some borrowed
graphics have a
source citation.
Graphics - Graphics are all in Most graphics Most graphics are in Many graphics are
Clarity focus and the content are in focus and focus and the content not clear or are too
easily viewed and the content easily easily viewed and small.
identified from 2 m viewed and identified from 1 m
away. identified from 2 away
m away.
Attractivenes The poster is The poster is The poster is The poster is
s exceptionally attractive attractive in acceptably attractive distractingly messy or
in terms of design, terms of design, though it may be a bit very poorly designed.
layout, and neatness. layout, and messy. It is not attractive.
neatness.

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

Write-Up Rubric

Component 4 3 2 1
Response to Written response Written response Response to Response lacks
Question addresses all addresses at least questions is unclear or any comprehension
Writing questions clearly and two of questions vague. of the questions.
Prompts directly. clearly and No essay response
(content) directly. provided.
Quality and Response indicates Response Response lacks focus Response is
Clarity of depth and complexity indicates simplistic or demonstrates unfocused, illogical
Thought of thought in or repetitive confused or conflicting or incoherent.
(content) answering the thoughts in thinking. No essay response
questions. answering the provided.
questions.
Organization & Response is well Response is Response is fairly Response is
Development organized and organized and organized and disorganized and
of Ideas developed with developed with developed, presenting underdeveloped,
appropriate support to general supporting generalizations providing little or no
make meaning clear ideas provided without adequate relevant support.
(well-chosen (reasons/general support. No essay response
examples). examples). provided.
Grammar, Response is free from Response has 3 Response has 4-5 Response has 6 or
Usage, and any errors in or less errors in errors in grammar, more errors in
Mechanics grammar, usage, and grammar, usage, usage, and grammar, usage,
mechanics. and mechanics. mechanics. and mechanics.
No essay response
provided.
Oral Presented with no Presented with Presented with several Presented with
Presentation errors in a smooth, few errors in a errors in a clear voice. many errors.
clear voice. clear voice.

SUMMARY

The following learning points summarize what you have learned in this section:

● The development of science and technology is affected by social contexts and social contexts affect
the developments in science and technology. By looking at the conditions present in a certain
historical period, we can discern the needs of humankind and these needs drive the development of
science and technology.
● Certain scientific and technological innovations are considered as historical antecedents; that is, they
are precursors of other scientific innovations. They provide solutions to existing problems and are
important foundations for the development of future products and processes.
● The Ancient Period, Middle Ages, and Modern Ages are three historical periods marked with differing
contexts and thus developed different types of technologies.

REFERENCES

● Anderson, P.(2001). More is Different-One More Time. In Ong and Bhatt, R.N.Eds. More is Different:
Fifty Years of Condensed Matter Physics. (pp.1-8). USA: Princeton University Press. Retrieved from:
https://www.tkm.kit.edu/downloads/TKM1_2011_more_is_different_PWA.pdf
● Shuttleworth, M. (2008, April 15). Scientific Reductionism. Explorable.com. Retrieved from
https://explorable.com/scientific-reductionism
● Takiya, Toshio. (2020). A History of Science and Technology for Industrialization: Technology Fusion
of Orient and Occident. Research Gate.net. Retrieved from:
AHistoryofScienceandTechnologyforIndustrialization_20191204.pdf
● The Science Foundation. (2011,November 28).Stephen Colbert Interviews Neil deGrasse Tyson at
Montclair Kimberley Academy-January 29th 2010. Video file. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=ers2SPaTFTg
● TEDxTalks (2015, June 13). The Big History of Modern Science I Hannu Rajaniemi ITEDxDanubia.[.
Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=ZcWsjlGPPFQ

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Study Guide in GE 6: Science, Technology, and Society Module No. 2

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