The Meaning of “Communication Technology”: The Technology-Context Scheme

Abstract

This chapter examines communication technology as a construct for theory building in communication. The simple identification of technology as the material artifact is rejected in favor of a two-dimensional framework centering on the relationship between technology and context. The implications of this framework are discussed for both current and future theory building. Special attention is given to implications for more recent constructionist theories, and an alternate definition of communication technology is presented.