PINES CITY COLLEGES

GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LIVING IN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ERA

COMPUTER
A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of programs (software) that
can accept data (input), manipulate data (process) into meaningful information (output) and
stores data and information for safekeeping or later reuse.
From this definition, there are several things that can be noticed:
⚫ Computer is an electronic device. Without electricity computer will not work; ⚫ There is a need
for input which is either programs and/or data. Programs are the instructions that tell the computer
what to do. Data is a collection of raw facts, figures and symbols, such as numbers, words, images,
video and sound;
⚫ Data is converted into information. Information is data that is organized, meaningful, and useful;
and
⚫ Data and information can be stored and retrieved.
Computers can perform four general operations, which comprise the information processing cycle
namely: INPUT, PROCESS, OUTPUT, STORE

INPUT

OUTPUT Figure 1. The information Processing

ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE VERSUS HUMAN

COMPUTING - input and output

WINS - information and processing and

memory

- Complex movement
- Vision
- Language
CLOSELY MATCHED
- Structured problem solving

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 - Creativity
- Emotion and Empathy
- Planning and Executive
BRAIN STILL WINS
Function
- Consciousness

Definition of Information technology (IT) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Information technology encompasses all of the technology that we use to collect, process,
protect and share information. It refers to hardware, software (computer programs), and computer
networks.
Information and Communication Technology includes all technical means that are used for
handling information and facilitating communication, including computers, network hardware,
communication lines and all necessary software. In other words, ICT is comprised of information
technology, telephony, electronic media, and all types of process and transfer of audio and video
signals, and all control managing functions based on network technologies. ICT is the foundation of
economy and a driving force of social changes in the 21st century. Distance is no longer an issue
when it comes to accessing information; for example, working-from-home, distance learning,
e-banking, and e-government are now possible from any place with an Internet connection and a
computing device.

Component of ICT
Information technology is comprised of six components namely hardware, software, procedures,
telecommunications or internet access, data and people as illustrated in the figure.

Figure 2:
Components of ICT

1. Computer Hardware
This is the physical technology that works with information. Hardware can be as small as a smart
phone that fits in a pocket or as large as a supercomputer that fills a building. Hardware also
includes the peripheral devices that work with computers, such as keyboards, external disk drives,
and routers.
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With the rise of the internet of things, in which anything from home appliances to cars to clothes will
be able to receive and transmit data, sensors that interact with computers are permeating the
human environment.
2. Computer Software
The hardware needs to know what to do, and that is the role of software. Software can be
divided into two types: system software and application software. The primary piece of system
software is the operating system, such as Windows or IOS, which manages the hardware’s
operation. Application software is designed for specific tasks, such as handling a spreadsheet,
creating a document, or designing a Web pages.
3. Telecommunications
This component connects the hardware together to form a network. Connections can be
through wires, such as Ethernet cables or fiber optics, or wireless, such as Wi-Fi. A network can be
designed to tie together computers in a specific area, such as an office or a school, through a local
area network (LAN). if computers are more dispersed, the network is called a wide area network
(WAN). the internet itself can be considered a network of networks.
4. Databases and data warehouses
This component is where the “material” that the other components work with resides. A
database is a place where data is collected and from which it can be retrieved by querying is
using one or more specific criteria. A data warehouse contains all of the data in whatever form
that an organization needs. Databases and data warehouses have assumed even greater
importance in information systems with the emergence of “big data”, a term for the truly massive
amounts of data that can be collected and analyzed.
5. Procedures
The procedures they follow so that the knowledge in the huge databases and data
warehouses can be turned into learning that can interpret what has happened in the past and
guide future action.
6. People
The final, and possibly most important, component of information systems is the human element:
the people that are needed to run the system

Functions of ICT
Senn (2008) enumerated six information-handling functions of ICT:
1. Capture- the process of compiling detailed records of activities.
Examples:
◆ Whenever a book is checked out of the library, the name or identification number of the
borrower and the title or call number of the book is captured.
◆ A monitor records the pulse, heart rate, and a blood pressure of a hospital patient. 2.
Processing - the process of converting, analyzing and synthesizing all forms of data or information.
Data processing is the process of handling data and transforming them into information while
information processing is the transformation of any information into a different type of information.
Examples:
◆ Example of data processing is calculating the balance in a checkbook by taking the starting
balance for the month, adding all deposits and subtracting all checks written (that is the
data) and determining the current balance.
◆ Example of information processing is an animated presentation displayed on a computer
screenwhich make used information from within the computer accompanied by music,
voice, or other types of sound.
3. Generation- the process of organizing information into a useful form whether as numbers, text,
sound, or visual image.
Example:
◆ Recorded musical notes are “played” as sounds with rhythm and pauses
(that is a music)
4. Storage - the process of retaining information for future use.
5. Retrieval - the process by which a computer locates and copies stored data or information for
further processing or for transmission to another user.
 6. Transmission - the process of distributing information over a communication network.

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Now that you know the fundamentals of ICT, reflect on the principle given by
Senn (2008):
ICT’s great usefulness is as an aid in solving problems, unlocking creativity, and making people
more effective than they would be if they didn’t apply ICT to their activities;

RESOURCES
For further readings, you may refer to the following How to teach a
machine to think like a human.
https://proportal.com/features/how-to-teach-machine-to-think-like-a-human
/ https://www.investopedia.com/terms/artificial-intelligence-ai.asp/
https://www.britannnica.com/list/5-components-of-information-systems

References:
Senn, J.A. Information Technology. 3rd Ed. USA: Pearson Prentice Hall
Caoilli-Tayian, Ronina, R. and Eleazar, Mia V. (2019). Living in the Information Technology Era.
Philippines:C&E Publishing, Inc.
3G.E-learning LLC (2018). Living in the IT Era. USA: 3G.E-Learning LLC Concepts of
Information and Communication Technology.
http://www.itdesk.info/en/concepts-of-information-and-communicationtechnology
/ Prepared by:

Rowena T. Acacio

Janice S. Patacsil
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