What is
It
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
• The term ICT, short for Information and Communication Technology refers to the
various technologies, tools and devices that are used to gather, create, edit,
display and store information that are communicated or exchanged with others
by means of electronics.
• Information and Communications Technology (ICT) - ICT is an umbrella term that
includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio,
television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software,
satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications
associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning.
• ICTs are often spoken of in a particular context, such as ICTs in education, health
care, or libraries.
• It may also be defined as, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT or
ICTs) are digital forms of communication including tools available on the
Internet, such as blogging and email, as well as computer software, such as
Microsoft PowerPoint and Word4.
The Internet
Internet, a system architecture that has revolutionized communications and
methods of commerce by allowing various computer networks around the world to
interconnect. Sometimes referred to as a “network of networks,” the Internet emerged
in the United States in the 1970s but did not become visible to the general public until
the early 1990s. By 2020, approximately 4.5 billion people, or more than half of the
world’s population, were estimated to have access to the Internet. (www.
Britannica.com)
The Internet is composed of millions of small computer networks all brought
together to form the vast “Inter-Network”. It has a powerful capability that can be used
for any purpose that depends on the information and it is accessible to every individual
who connects to their respective networks. It supports communication and allows
people to work collaboratively even indifferent locations. It supports access to digital
information through World Wide Web.
World Wide Web
A large part of the Internet is the World Wide Web (WWW). This is made up of
web sites that have one or more web pages. This is the part of the Internet that you
probably use most of the time. It is the system that enables you to access hypertext
documents and other files over the internet. The technology was proposed by Tim
Berners-Lee in 1989.
Evolution of the Web
WEB 1.0
• When the World Wide Web was invented, most web pages were static. • Static (also
known as flat page or stationary page) in the sense that the page is “as is” and cannot
be manipulated by the user. The content is also the same for all users. • This is
referred to as Web 1.0.
WEB 2.0
• Web 2.0 is the evolution of Web 1.0 by adding dynamic web pages. • Web 2.0 allows
users to interact with the page: instead of just reading a page, the user may be able to
comment or create a user account
• Examples of Web 2.0 include social networking sites, blogs, wikis, video sharing
sites, and web applications.
KEY FEATURES OF WEB 2.0
1. FolksonomyIt allows users to categorize and classify/arrange information
using freely chosen keywords (e.g., tagging).
2. Rich User Experience user’s input.
Content is dynamic and is responsive to
3. Long Tail Services are offered on demand rather than on a one-time purchase.
4. User Participation
Participation
5. Software as a Service
6. Mass WEB 3.0
The owner of the website is not the only them.
one who is able to put content. It is a diverse information sharing through
Users will subscribe to a software only universal web access.
when needed rather than purchasing
• The Semantic Web is a movement led by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
The W3C standard encourages web developers to include semantic content in their
web pages.
• The aim of Web 3.0 is to have machines (or servers) understand the user’s
preferences to be able to deliver web content specifically targeting the user in fast
manner
Trends in ICT
1. Online platform- The term “online platform” has been used to describe a range of
services available on the Internet including marketplaces, search engines, social
media, creative content outlets, app stores, communications services, payment
systems, services comprising the so-called “collaborative” or “gig” economy, and
much more. An online platform is defined as a digital service that facilitates
interactions between two or more distinct but interdependent sets of users (whether
firms or individuals) who interact through the service via the Internet.
2. Convergent Technologies - an extension of the term convergence, which means a
“coming together of two or more disparate disciplines or technologies. For example,
the so-called fax revolution was produced by a convergence of telecommunications
technology, optical scanning technology, and printing technology.” Convergent
Technologies also refers to an American computer company formed by a small
group of people who left Intel Corporation and Xerox PARC in 1979.
3. Social Media- Social media is a term used to describe a variety of Web-based
platforms, applications and technologies that enable people to socially interact with
one another, create, share or exchange information, ideas, and pictures/videos in
virtual communities and networks online. Also, it is described as websites and
applications dedicated to forums, microblogging, social networking, social
bookmarking, social curation, and wikis. Some examples of social media sites and
applications include Facebook, YouTube, Del.icio.us, Twitter, Digg, blogs and other
sites that have content based on user participation and user-generated content
(UGC).
SIX TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA
1. Social Networks These are sites that allow you to connect with other people
with the same interests or background. Ex. Facebook,
Google+
2. Bookmarking Sites manage links to various websites and
These are sites that allow you to store and resources. Ex. Pinterest
3. Social News These are sites that allow users to post their own news items or
links to other news sources. Ex. Reddit, Digg, Quora
4. Media Sharing These are sites that allow you to upload and share media
content like images, music, and video. Ex. Youtube,
Instagram, Flickr
5. Microblogging These are sites that focus on short updates from
the user. Ex. Twitter, Tumblr
6. Blogs and Forums content. Ex. Wordpress, Medium, Weebly,
These websites allow users to post their Blogger
4. Assistive Media- a component under Assistive technology (AT), which is a generic
term used to refer to a group of software or hardware devices by which people with
disabilities can access computers. Assistive Media is also a name of a company:
“the Internet's first audio solution for persons with print reading/access barriers.
The audio recordings of the literary works produced by Assistive Media are now
easily accessible, on-demand, to the ever growing number of persons with
disabilities who now use the Internet.”
Source: www.ldatschool.ca
5. Mobile Technologies - Mobile technology includes portable electronic devices (i.e.,
computers) that use a liquid crystal display to project digital images and are
manipulated by touching the screen using a stylus, or by entry of characters from a
digital keypad. Typically, mobile devices include tablets (e.g., iPad, LeapPad,
Android tablets), smartphones, and laptop computers. Several of these devices are
capable of using high-speed internet. Today, the latest model devices use 4G - LTE
Networking and 5G which is the fastest mobile network.
Source: www.addictivetips.com
6. Online Systems- are online versions of information systems, which is “the process
of and tools for storing, managing, using, and gathering of data and
communications in an organization. An example of information systems are tools
for sending out communications and storing files in a business.”
Congratulations for patiently reading all the
necessary information in this module. Now, it’s time for you
to complete the proceeding activities. Bear in mind that
patience is a virtue.
