INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY-MACE 2016/BM Page 1 of 19 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATINS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) Introduction What is ICT? ICT stands for Information and Communications Technology. Two technologies make up ICT, and these are: – Information Technology – Communications Technology What is Information Technology? • IT is a combination of facilities for collecting, storing, retrieving and processing of information. • IT can be manual or electronic. • The major component of electronic information technology is the computer. • Electronic information technology has many advantages as compared to manual information systems. What is Communications Technology? • Communications Technology is a collection of facilities for transmission and reception of information. • Communications Technology can be manual or electronic. • The major components of electronic Communications Technology are computers and telecommunications facilities. What is technology? • Technology refers to the collection of tools that make it easier to use, create, manage and exchange information. • Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important”. (Bill Gates, 2010) 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. Having looked at ICT, now let us look at the meaning of ICTs. ICTs are diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information. The evolution of modern ICTs started over 100 years ago, first with the telegraph, then telephones, radios, television, early computers, large and bulky mainframe computers, and, finally, the development of the personal computer in the early 1980s.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY-MACE 2016/BM
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATINS TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
Introduction
What is ICT?
ICT stands for Information and Communications Technology.
Two technologies make up ICT, and these are:
– Information Technology
– Communications Technology
What is Information Technology?
• IT is a combination of facilities for collecting, storing, retrieving and processing of information.
• IT can be manual or electronic.
• The major component of electronic information technology is the computer.
• Electronic information technology has many advantages as compared to manual information systems.
What is Communications Technology?
• Communications Technology is a collection of facilities for transmission and reception of information.
• Communications Technology can be manual or electronic.
• The major components of electronic Communications Technology are computers and telecommunications facilities.
What is technology?
• Technology refers to the collection of tools that make it easier to use, create, manage and exchange information.
• Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important”. (Bill Gates, 2010)
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.
Having looked at ICT, now let us look at the meaning of ICTs.
ICTs are diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information.
The evolution of modern ICTs started over 100 years ago, first with the telegraph, then telephones, radios, television, early computers, large and bulky mainframe computers, and, finally, the development of the personal computer in the early 1980s.
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The enormous popularity of the Internet, in particular the World Wide Web, has resulted in a computer that is more than a simple computational device. In fact, the computer has changed into a device used for communication, media creation, learning, and so much more. Recent advancements in ICT merge the various forms of communications (the telephone, television, and computers) into effective, interactive, mobile devices.
Even though the merging of these technologies into mobile devices continues to evolve, the first decade of the 21st century was known as the age of convergence. This age of convergence will continue to evolve in new, exciting, and yet to be determined ways as we live, teach, learn, and work in the second decade of this century. This merging of technologies is possible because significantly faster processors and high-speed wireless networks have been able to capitalize on the advancements made in the areas of digital graphics, video, animation, audio, and online media.
Today’s personal computers and mobile devices take advantage of a computer’s individual power, digital media capabilities, and the ability to be interconnected with others in networked environments, also known as social networking. As a result, multimedia technology systems have become increasingly more powerful and better able to handle information rich in visual and aural content.
Now let us understand the type of gadgets used in ICT.
TYPES OF GADGETS USED IN INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY.
There are many types of gadgets used in ICT. These gadgets are used for many different tasks. We have highlighted a few of the below.
ICT gadgets/ devices or digital media is defined in a variety of ways; however, for the purposes of this module,
digital media is defined as those technologies that allow users to create new forms of interaction, expression,
communication, and entertainment in a digital format. The term digital media has been coined to reflect the evolution
of multimedia computing into multisensory communications. The goal of multimedia, and now digital media, is to
reproduce as closely as possible the reliability and effectiveness found in face to-face communications, and then
emulate that in virtual and online environments, such as social networking, using computers, mobile devices, and
other technologies.
Types of ICT Gadgets
A good way to think about ICT gadgets is to consider all the uses of digital technology that already exist to help
individuals, businesses and organisations use information. ICT covers any product that will store, retrieve,
manipulate, transmit or receive information electronically in a digital form. For example, personal computers, mobile
computers and devices, game consoles and servers, super computers and embedded computers, digital television,
Radio, email and robots.
Personal Computers
A personal computer, or PC, is a computer that has the capability to perform input, processing, output, and storage
activities. A personal computer contains a processor, memory, and one or more input, output, and storage devices.
Many people associate the term personal computer, or PC, with computers that use Microsoft Windows, which is a
popular operating system used on many of today’s computers. All personal computers, how-ever, do not use
Windows. For example, Apple computers use a different operating system, Mac OS, but they still are a type of
personal computer
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Figure 1 Personal Computer
Laptop computer
A mobile computer is a personal computer that you can carry from place to place. One popular type of mobile
computer is the notebook computer. Other popular types include tablet computers and net books. A mobile device is
a computing device small enough to hold in your hand and usually does not have disk drives.
A notebook computer, also called a laptop computer, is a portable, personal computer small enough to fit on your lap.
Today’s notebook computers are thin and lightweight, yet they can be as powerful as the average desktop computer
Figure 2 Laptop
The tablet computer, or simply tablet, is typically smaller than a notebook computer that you interact with by touching
the screen with your finger. If preferred, you can use a wireless keyboard and other accessories with a tablet. The
iPad is one example of a tablet computer. The tablet computers usually store programs and data permanently in
memory chips inside the system unit or in small storage media such as flash memory cards. Most tablet computers
are Internet-enabled, meaning they can connect to the Internet wirelessly. Often, you can connect a mobile device to
a personal computer to exchange information between the computer and the mobile device, which is a process called
syncing.
Figure 3 Tablet Computer
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A popular mobile devices are smart-phones and e-book readers; others include portable media players, and digital
cameras. Offering the convenience of one-handed operation, a Smartphone is an Internet-enabled phone that usually
provides personal information management functions such as a calendar, an appointment book, an address book, a
calculator, and a notepad. In addition to basic phone capabilities, a Smartphone allows you to send and receive e-
mail messages and access the Web-usually for an additional fee. Some Smartphones communicate wirelessly with
other devices or computers. Many also function as a portable media player and include built-in digital cameras so
that you can share photos or videos with others as soon as you capture the image. Many Smartphone also offer a
variety of application software such as word processing, spreadsheet, and games, and the capability of conducting
live video conferences. Many Smartphones have keypads that contain both numbers and letters so that you can use
the same keypad to dial phone numbers and enter messages. Others have a built-in mini keyboard on the front of the
phone or a keyboard that slides in and out from behind the phone. Some have touch screens, which you can use to
press icons on the screen to make selections or to enter text through an on-screen keyboard. Instead of calling
someone’s smart-phone or cell phone, users often send messages to others by pressing buttons on their phone’s
keypad, keys on the mini key-board, or icons on an on-screen keyboard. Types of messages users send with smart-
phones include text messages, instant messages, picture messages, and video messages
Figure 4 Smartphones
Game Consoles a game console is a computing device designed for single player or multiplayer video games.
Standard game consoles use a handheld controller as an input device: a television screen as an output device; and
hard disks, optical discs, and or memory cards for storage. Popular models include the Nintendo Wii, Sony
PlayStation, and Microsoft Xbox. These models utilize traditional handheld game devices. In addition to supporting
game play, many consoles allow users to listen to music, watch movies, and connect to the Internet. The Wii console
utilizes an interface that permits individuals to play games using normal kinetic motions rather than utilizing buttons
and toggle switches. In education, the Wii console could be useful in helping students develop psychomotor skills
and as a tool to energize students’ cognitive domain of learning through interactivity.
Figure 5 Game Console
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LCD projectors
Digital projectors are used in situations when a very large viewing area is required, for example during presentations,
for advertising, or in your home for watching movies.
A projector connects to a computer, a DVD player or a satellite receiver just like an ordinary monitor. The image is
produced inside the device and then projected out through a large lens, using a powerful light source.
Figure 6 LCD Projectors
A digital camera is an input device that records and stores photographic images in digital form. Many current models
are also able to capture sound or video, in addition to still images. These stored images can be uploaded to a
computer immediately or stored in the camera to be uploaded into a computer or printer later. Images may also be
archived on a photographic compact disc or external hard disk.
Figure 7 Digital Camera
Digital Television
The television is a telecommunication system for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound over a
KEYBOARD: Device used to enter data, text and commands
MOUSE: A pointing device used to select information and input commands.
CPU: The brain of computer which controls the operation the computer.
MONITOR
CPU
MOUSE
Keyboard
D
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INPUT PERIPHERALS OR DEVICES
Peripherals are devices that are connected to the computer box or Central Processing Unit (CPU).
TYPES OF PERIPHERALS
Input devices – these pass data into the computer system.
Output devices – these pass information out of the computer system
Backing storage devices – these store programs and data.
INPUT DEVICE
This is the hardware or device used to enter or transfer data into the computer system. It is categorized into Manual input devices & Automatic/Automated input devices.
MOUSE: Mouse: is an input device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on the display screen.
TRACKERBALL : Is an input device that looks like an upside down mouse. The pointer is moved by rotating the ball using a thumb or finger.
JOYSTICK: An input device that looks similar to a
control device that is used for playing games.
A joystick allows an individual to move an object in
a game such as navigating a plane in a flight
simulator.
Keypad is a small and special keyboard with fewer
keys or buttons used in special dedicated devices. it
consists of digits, symbols and/or alphabetical letters
which can be used to enter data. For example,
calculator, cell phone, remote control etc.
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MICROPHONE
Microphone: is an input device used to send audio
into the computer system. Is an input device that
allows a user to speak to the computer to enter data
and instructions into the computer system.
KEYBOARD
Keyboard : is an input device used mainly for typing text into the computer system. The keyboard has keys for letters
and numbers. The following are the main parts of a keyboard:
The function keys, The numeric keypad (number pad), navigation keys (arrow keys), QWERTY or Alphanumeric
Keys.
PARTS OF THE KEYBOARD
(i) Function keys (F1 to F12)
The Function keys found on the top row perform different functions or tasks depending on which program someone is
using. Example in a word processor (Ms Word) F7 key is used for spell checking, F1 is used for help etc
(ii) Numeric Keypad or Number pad
The numeric keypad, located on the right side of most keyboards, allows you to enter numbers quickly. Although not
available on laptops
(iii) Arrow keys or Navigation keys
The navigation keys, such as the four directional arrow keys allow you to move the cursor and position within a
document or webpage
(iv) Alphanumeric or QWERTY pad
This has keys for letters, numbers and special keys Ctrl (Control), Shift, Alt, Fn, Alt Gr, Caps lock, : ; %,&, $, @,” ?, #,