What are the characteristics of culture, and does technology qualify as one?

I'm doing a class assignment on whether technology is a culture. I know what I think, but I figured I would supplement this by using technology to see what others think. Please share your thoughts and reasoning. I will not quote anything without permission.What are the characteristics of culture, and does technology qualify as one?
I definitely believe that technology counts as part of a culture. To see an example of how it factors in, you only need to look at the Amish. A strong cultural tie holding their people together is the fact that they have chosen as a group (a culture) to NOT use technology.



Similarly, you can look at how cultures change when technology changes. It would be easy to argue that the culture of America is clearly different now than it was in 1940, and part of that is the vast improvements and commonplace usage of technology since then. Of course, there are also many other factors, but that is one.What are the characteristics of culture, and does technology qualify as one?
Technology is certainly an aspect of culture - culture being learned and shared behaviors/patterns.



Including the actual tools/artifacts, you have the knowledge involved in the production and manufacture and implementation - the cultural ideas, or schemas.