Why do we need to study technology/ies?

A practical question needs to be answered practically. Simple, I need to study technology because it is the field of study that I chose since I'm an Information Technology student, it is just understandable that I MUST study this. :)

Kidding aside, when we speak of technology, it is EVERYTHING AROUND ME. It is the thing that wakes me up in the morning, the thing that aids me in making my breakfast. It also helps me to have a sleep at night. Everything around me is technology. Why do I have to study this? It's just that I have to learn something from the THING that helps me go through everyday.

SAD1 - Assign 5

We were asked to know if the life cycle implemented by the university was really meant for the university and if it satisfies our needs. To start, System Life Cycle as known in the web, is a part of Software Engineering process, in which it is an examination of a system or proposed system that addresses all phases of its existence to include system design and development, production and/or construction, distribution, operation, maintenance and support, retirement, phase-out and disposal. The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system development project, from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application.

The life cycle of an embedded system varies dramatically, from processors embedded in disposable consumer goods to applications requiring maintenance and support for decades. Designing an embedded system often requires taking into account the complete product life cycle, from initial product concept, through its operational period, and into replacement with newer equipment. While the design phase is covered by other topics, areas of specific concern to a life cycle perspective are: an accurate life cycle economic model to guide engineering tradeoffs, taking into account requirements for logistics and support over the product operational period, and issues specific to refurbishing/retiring/discarding the system at end-of-life. While the term "life cycle" has different meanings to different technical communities, the central idea is to expand the traditional engineering emphasis on the "design cycle" to encompass optimizing utility, profits, and tradeoffs across the entire lifetime of the embedded system being designed.

The road to an institution’s establishing a niche of its own in the educational firmament is long and arduous. If the University of Southeastern Philippines wishes to gain a posi¬tion of leadership in the world of learning, we need to deploy our physical, human and financial resources in a manner which meets the needs of the future. New initiatives need to be adopted fast to provide the necessary impetus to propel USEP towards achieving its vision—that of becoming a premier university in the ASEAN Region. Having emerged and developed from a merger of small institutions of varied academic orientations twenty-nine years ago into a comprehensive regional university; it should have no time to waste. Rather than suffer obsolescence in a fast chang¬ing world that characterizes the globalization era, USEP should now reposition itself for the knowledge-based economy and sur¬mount the challenges of new knowledge evolutions. Globaliza¬tion as well as the knowledge economy has posed a new chal¬lenge for USEP not only to provide findings which can enhance the nation’s progress but also to produce graduates who are relevant, flexible, efficient and dynamic and of respectable char¬acter. Moreover, the knowledge economy demands for workers with knowledge that can be available only through lifelong learn¬ing. Hence, USEP commits itself to developing the potential of human resources to its optimum. To bring about change, the University embarked on planned change—conscious, deliberate and collaborative ac¬tions to change our self-system, social system or cultural system utilizing an understanding and utilization of its human resourc¬es.

Underlying assumptions adopted by the USEP community to manage change are: a USEP system committed to a man¬agement strategy for growth rationalized by its unique strate¬gic direction of each of the five campuses and highlighting their comparative advantage in the market; an enhanced capacity of each campus to contribute to the total system’s sustainability; a pervading culture that promotes performance, accountability and balanced with a just and humane incentive and reward sys¬tem; a data based planning system that balances internal and external growth opportunities with an internal capacity to self-organize and regulate for growth; and, a system of leadership that enables and influences the collaborative culture and growth of all campuses within the USEP system as said by the University President.

The President is actually having a 15-year plan that is to provide the University with a roadmap to reposition itself toward becoming more competitive and respon¬sive to the needs of its stakeholders. Essentially, this would mean USEP achieving academic excellence in the future and the leader in research, development and extension in Southern Philippines and the rest of the country.

As seen everywhere in the university, its VISION is to become a premier university in the ASEAN Region; the USEP shall be a center of excellence and development, responsive and adaptive to fast- changing environments. USEP shall also be known as the leading university in the country that fosters innovation and applies knowledge to create value towards social, economic, and technological developments. Its MISSION, is provide quality education for students to grow in knowledge, promote their well-rounded development, and make them globally competitive in the world of work; Engage in high impact research, not only for knowledge’s sake, but also for its practical benefits to society; and, Promote entrepreneurship and industry collaboration.

Honestly, I can’t think of anything with regards in the life cycle used in the University. Some may say that the university truly follows their so called “life cycle” yet it is not visible if you’d ask me. Though the University does follow their 15-year strategic plan but still I think it just doesn’t stop there. Since students are part of this, we should also be aware of what’s going on which means the administration must try to communicate with the students as to how their plan was going. If it satisfies our needs? I really cannot tell.