GEC 10 Living in the IT Era Introduction PDF

**INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY** **Overview** The quickening pace of evolution in technology is very evident in this era. It seems that it is progressing faster than ever. From year to year, the evolution of technology is one of staggering promise and opportunity\--as w...

**INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY** **Overview** The quickening pace of evolution in technology is very evident in this era. It seems that it is progressing faster than ever. From year to year, the evolution of technology is one of staggering promise and opportunity\--as well as uncertainty. Basically, technology has been around before, and as long as there are people, information technology will be there also because there were always ways of communicating through technology available at that point in time. The future may be unknown, but digital advancement continues to reshape our world in ways that encourage people to form new habits, find new ways to work together, and become better human beings. And, in most cases, these changes translate into a range of opportunities and disruptions across every industry. Humans have always been quick to adapt technologies for better and faster communication. **Lesson 1: Information and Communication Technology** **History of ICT** ICT, or information and communications technology (or technologies), is the [**i**n]frastructure and components that enable modern computing. Although there is no single, universal definition of ICT, the term is generally accepted to mean all devices, networking components, applications and systems that combined allow people and organizations (i.e., businesses, nonprofit agencies, governments and criminal enterprises) to interact in the digital world. **Uses of ICT In Our Daily Lives** **Communication** We all know that ICT take a major role for us by means of communicating, way back in the past our parents use to make letter and send it via post mail. But now with the help of ICT it is easier to communicate with our love ones. We can use cellular phones that design for communicating with other people even they are miles away far from you. Nowadays people are in touch with the help of *ICT*. Through chatting, E-mail, voice mail and social networking people *communicate* with each other. It is the cheapest means of *communication*. ICT allows students to monitor and manage their own learning, think critically and creatively, solve simulated real-worldproblems, workcollaboratively,engageinethicaldecision-making, and adopt a global perspective towards issues and ideas. It also provides students from remote areas access to expert teachers and learning resources, and gives administrators and policy makers the data and expertise they need to work more efficiently. **Job Opportunities** In the employment sector, ICT enables organizations to **operate more efficiently**, so employing staff with ICT skills is vital to the smooth running of any business. Being able to use ICT systems effectively allows employees more time to concentrate on areas of their job role that require [soft skills.] For example, many pharmacies use robot technology to assist with picking prescribed drugs. This allows highly trained pharmaceutical staff to focus on jobs requiring human intelligence and interaction, such as dispensing and checking medication. Nowadays, employers expect their staff to have basic ICT skills. This expectation even applies to job roles where ICT skills may not have been an essential requirement in the past. Nowadays, finding a job is different, you can just use your smart phone, laptop, desktop or any gadgets that is available in the comfort of your home. **Education** Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can impact student learning when teachers are digitally literate and understand how to integrate it into curriculum. Schools use a diverse set of ICT tools to communicate, create, disseminate, store, and manage information.(6) In some contexts, ICT has also become integral to the teaching-learning interaction, through such approaches as replacing chalkboards with interactive digital whiteboards, using students' own smartphones or other devices for learning during class time, and the "flipped classroom" model where students watch lectures at home on the computer and use classroom time for more interactive exercises. When teachers are digitally literate and trained to use ICT, these approaches can lead to higherorderthinking skills,provide creative and individualized options forstudents to express their understandings, and leave students better prepared to deal with ongoing technological change in society and the workplace. **Socializing** Social media has changed the world. The rapid and vast adoption of these technologies is changing how we [find partners], how we [access information from the news,] and how we [organize to demand political change.] The internet and social media provide young people with a range of benefits, and opportunities to empower themselves in a variety of ways. Young people can maintain social connections and support networks that otherwise wouldn\'t be possible and can access more information than ever before. The communities and social interactions young people form online can be invaluable for bolstering and developing young people\'s self-confidence and social skills. As the ICT has become ubiquitous, faster and increasingly accessible to non-technical communities, social networking and collaborative services have grown rapidly enabling people to communicate and share interest in many more ways, sites like Facebook, Twitter LinkedIn You tube, Flicker, second life delicious blogs wiki's and many more let people of all ages rapidly share their interest of the movement without others everywhere. But Facebook seems to be the leading areas of where people communicate and share their opinions. What a change! "Nothing is permanent, but change" (As Heraditus in the 4thcentury BC). Internet can be seen as the international networks of interconnection of computer networks, the main purpose for the institution of internet are quest for information i.e. browsing, electronic mail, knew groups fill transfer and access and use of other computer. Socialization can be seen as a process by which a child adapts a behavior to be an effective member of the society, which can only be achieved through learning or education. **Impact of ICT in The Society** **Positive impacts of Information and Communication Technology** - Access to information: Increase in access to information and services that has accompanied the growth of the Internet. Some of the positive aspects of this increased access are better, and often cheaper, communications, such as VoIP phone and Instant Messaging. - Improved access to education, e.g. distance learning and online tutorials. New ways of learning, e.g. interactive multi-media and virtual reality. - New tools, new opportunities: ICT gives access to new tools that did not previously exist: digital cameras, photo-editing software and high quality printers, screen magnification or screen reading software enables partially sighted or blind people to work with ordinary text rather than Braille. - Communication: Cost savings by using e.g. VoIP instead of normal telephone, email / messaging instead of post, video conferencing instead of traveling to meetings, e-commerce web sites instead of sales catalogues. Access to larger, even worldwide, markets. - Information management: Data mining of customer information to produce lists for targeted advertising. Improved stock control, resulting in less wastage, better cash flow, etc. - Security: ICT solves or reduces some security problems, e.g. Encryption methods can keep data safe from unauthorized people, both while it is being stored or while it is being sent electronically. **Negative impacts of Information and Communication Technology** - Competition:thisisusuallythoughtofasbeingagoodthing,butforsomeorganizationsbeing exposed to greater competition can be a problem. If the organization is competing for customers, donations, or other means of funding nationally or even internationally, they may lose out to other organizations that can offer the same service for less money. **Reference:** - Polytechnic University of the Philippines (2021). Living in the IT Era. Instructional Material for Students. **Assessment**