INTRODUCTION TO ICT

AI or Artificial Intelligence – is an intelligent machine that is programmed to mimic a human

action.
IT or Information Technology – deals with the entire information domain and various sub-
specialties
ICT or Information and Communication Technology – refers to technologies that
provide users an access to information through telecommunications.
◽Internet ◽Wireless networks ◽Communication devices

◽Computer hardware and software ◽Satellite systems

IT vs. ICT
Information Technology -It deals with the entire information domain, which involves the
hardware, software, peripherals ,and various sub-specialties including networking, communications
and software engineering.
An item belongs to the IT umbrella when it is used for:
»STORING »PROTECTING » RETRIEVING » PROCESSING of electronic data
Information Communication Teachnology - It is mostly used as academically – referring
to the branch of IT associated to digital devices that are used to communicate or interact with
digital information.
COMPONENTS OF ICT
1. Data – These are raw facts, figures, and statistics that are encoded so that it can be
processed by the system to provide information.
2. Hardware - These are the physical components of a computer required to input and process
data.
Examples of Hardwares:
►Communication devices - facilitate communication by using specific media.
►Input devices - are devices that can be used by the user to give instructions to the
computer. Keyboards, mouse, joysticks, microphones, and touch screens are all input devices.
►Output devices - refer to equipment that the computer uses to communicate information to
the user. Monitors, speakers, printers, plotters, and head mounted displays (HMDs) are examples of
output devices.
►Processor - refers to a component of computer that processes data, specifically CPUs.
►Storage - refers to all the hardware that are capable of holding information, either
temporarily or permanently such as hard disks.
3. Information - It is the result of processing data. This is the output from the system.
4. People or Users - These are the individuals that supply and enter the data through various
methods. They make the decisions that affect the output that will be supplied by the system.
5. Procedures - These are the actions and steps that must be taken to ensure that the system
executes the tasks that it is expected to do.
6. Software - These are the computer programs that provide the step-by-step instructions
which must be done to finish a task.
EVOLUTION OF ICT
1. Pre- mechanical Age (3000 B.C. to 1450 A.D.) -
The earliest age of ICT. This is regarded as the time period between 3000 B.C. and 1450 A.D., in
which human started communicating with the use of language or simple picture drawings
Petroglyphs - simple picture drawings which were usually carved on rocks.
Phoenician Alphabet -an Early alphabets, were then developed.
Pens and papers were invented as a result of alphabets becoming more popular and more
information being written down.
Papyrus plant - where paper was created out
This time period was also the one in which the first numbering system became prominent.
A nine-digit numbering system was invented between 100 and 200 A.D. by Hindus in India.
Around 875 A.D.the concept of zero (o) was developed.
Calculator - was the very first form of an information processor. Abacus. - most prominent model
of that era
2. Mechanical age (1450 A.D to 1840 A.D.) - is where the connections between the
current technology and its ancestors can be seen. Technologies, such as the Slide Rule, were
invented in this era due to the outburst of interest. It is an analog computer used for multiplying and
dividing.
Pascaline- a very popular mechanical computer, was invented by Blaise Pascal
Difference Engine- a digital device which tabulated polynomial equations using method of finite
differences, was developed by Charles Babbage.
3. Electromechanical age (1840 A.D to 1940 A.D.) -
The first magnetic Telegraph was invented in 1832
Morse code was created in 1835 by Samuel Morse.
The Telephone was patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.
The first Radio was developed by Guglielmo Marconi in 1894.
Mark 1 - the name given to the first large-scale automatic digital computer created by Harvard
University around 1940. It was 8-ft high, 50-ft long, 2-ft wide, and weighed 5 tons.
It was programmed using punch cards.
4. Electronic age (1940 to present) - Is the current era in which modern people live in.
The ENIAC was the first high-speed digital computer capable of being reprogrammed to solve
computing problems. This was designed by the U.S. Army for artillery firing tables. This machines
even bigger than Mark 1, taking up 680 square feet and weighing 30 tons. It mainly used vacuum
tubes to do its calculations.
ACRONYMS: UNIVAC – Universal Automatic Computer
ENIAC- Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer
EDVAC- Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Calculator
EDSAC- Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator
GENERATIONS OF COMPUTERS
1. First Generation: Vacuum Tubes (1940- 1956)
Vacuum tubes were used by the first computer systems for circuitry along with magnetic drums
for memory, and they used up enough space that was enough to occupy entire rooms.
Machine Language - the lowest-level of programming language that can be understood by
computers to perform operations and was relied on by first generation computers to solve one
problem at a time.
Punched cards and paper tape were used as the basis for input while printouts were used to
display output.
The most prominent examples of first-generation computing devices are the UNIVAC and ENIAC
computers.
2. Second Generation: Transistors (1956- 1963) - vacuum tubes were replaced by
Transistors. Even though the Transistor was invented at Bell Labs in 1947, it did not see mainstream
utilization in computers until the late 1950s.
Punched cards were relied on for input while printouts were used for outputs.
High-level programming languages were also being developed by this time, such as early versions of
COBOL and FORTRAN
3. Third Generation: Integrated Circuit (1964- 1971) The generation were the
computers became more accesible to a mass audience.
The speed and efficiency of computers increased due to Transistors being created in smaller
versions, which were then placed on silicon chips called Semiconductors.
4. Fourth Generation: Microprocessors (1971- Present)- The Microprocessor
brought the fourth generation of computers thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a
single silicon chip. Unlike in the first generation of computers where they occupy an entire room, the
components of a computer-from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls
could now fit in the palm of the hand.
Intel 4004 chip- Intel’s microprocessor which was developed in 1971.
IBM introduced its first computer for the home user in 1981
Apple introduced the Macintosh in 1984
the Generation were internet was developed, GUIs, mouse, and handheld devices
Fifth Generation: Artificial Intelligence (Present and Beyond) - Fifth generation
computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some
applications, such as voice recognition, are being used today. The use of parallel processing and
superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality
The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input
and are capable of learning and self-organization. Using these technologies to competently create
machines which can process and respond to natural language, and the capability to learn and
regulate themselves is the significance of fifth generation computers. Examples: IBM’s Watson
which was featured in the show “jeopardy” Siri on iPhone, cortana on microoft windows 8 and
windows 10 computers. The google search engine also used AI to process user searchers.
LESSON 2: The World of ICT
Infrastructure – a framework that supports a system or organization
Telephony – an application of services for electronic transmission between distant parties.
Video conference – an interactive communication that allows people and companies to
communicate simultaneously
BENEFITS OF ICT
1. Additional Jobs and Employment
2. Convenience in Banking and Finance
3. Easier and faster business transactions
4. Health Awareness and Better Healthcare
5. Improved and advanced education
6. Increased safety and healthy
7. wider range of entertainment
CHALLENGES OF ICT
1. Additional Cost 2.. Hleath Problems
3. Invasion of Privacy 4. Less Interaction
5. Reliability of Information 6. Unemployment
Information Technology – focuses on hardware and how computers proceses data
Computer Science – focuses on programming and theories
Possible careers in the field of ICT:
1. Computer and information systems managers – they determine the
technological needs of a company and seek to meet those needs by recommending and
implementing computer hardware, software, and programs
2. Computer Support Specialists - They provide help to people and organizations by
using computer software or equipment. They play an important role in the daily upkeep of
their organization's networks by finding solutions to problems.
3. Database Analysts - These people are responsible for manipulating, organizing, and
understanding what is included in the collection of information(database). They also provide
maintenance to data storage and accessibility while designing physical databases.
 4. Digital Strategist - They addressed and identified the unfulfilled needs, goals,
opportunities, and challenges of every department and aspects of the business within the
organization.
5. Information Security Analysts - They design and implement security systems to
protect a company or organization's computer networks from cyberattacks and help set and
maintain security standards.
6. Mobilization Specialist - They manage the work stream or flow of a project starting
from receiving the projects, sharing the requisite inputs, developing a project plan, monitoring
the execution, and ensuring that the end product is delivered in a timely manner in line with
the expected quality parameters.
7. Privacy Coordinators - These are the people responsible for the organization's privacy
program such as the daily operations of the program, development, implementation and
maintenance of policies and procedures, as well as monitoring of program compliance,
investigation and tracking of incidents.
8. Software Engineer - They develop technologies such as networks, operating systems,
databases or applications and each area requires fluency in its own set of computer
languages and development environments.
9. Web Developers - They are the ones responsible for designing, coding, and modifying
websites - from layout to function- according to client's specification.
10. Web Marketing Managers - They are responsible for creating and implementing online
marketing strategies to increase sales and revenue for a company. They specifically deal with
media buying, social networking, and search engine optimization to maintain a client base and
seek new clients.
The Industry
Careers related to ICT cover a large number of areas - beginning from business consulting,
development and sales up to technical roles.
The scope of occupational pathways available in ICT continously grows as technology takes over the
aspects of daily life.
Job opportunities can be found by ICT professionals almost anywhere in the developed world.