GEE-3 LIVING IN THE IT ERA
WEEK 1
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: AN OVERVIEW
The term technology presently includes advancements in communication and
how information is handled, thus enabling governments, organizations, industries,
and ordinary individuals to improve on their decision-making, business processes,
and everyday living.
The term information and communications technology or ICT was defined in a study
conducted by Zuppo (2012) as “related to technologies that facilitate the transfer of
information and various types of electronically mediated communication”.
Baumeister and Leary (1995) “ belongingness hypothesis” states that people have a
basic psychological need to feel closely connected to others, and that caring,
affectionate bonds from close relationships are a major part of human behavior.
This need can be fulfilled through the different modes of communication:
-face to face -letters
-online -phone calls
-voice messages -text messages
THE ICT HIERARCHY BY COLRAIN ZUPPO
IT versus ICT
ICT is often used in a more general sense, and is described as using computers and
other digital technologies to assist individual or institutions in handling or using
information. ICT is technology that supports activities involving information such as
gathering, processing, storing, and presenting data.
IT or information technology, pertains to the industry that involves computers,
software, networking, and other IT infrastructure to help relay or manage information
important in modern-day living as seen primarily in large companies or corporations.
Simply put, IT is a subset of ICT as the technology used in the field of IT aids in the
use of ICT (Wang, 2016).
Breakdown of ICT
ICT is made up of three words, namely information, communications, and
technology.
INFORMATION
-refers to the knowledge obtained from reading, investigation, study, or
research.
-regarded as processed data
COMMUNICATION
-is an act of transmitting messages. It is a process in which information is
exchanged between individuals through verbal and non-verbal means.
TECHNOLOGY
-has evolved in many ways that improve people’s daily activities.
-has made communication much easier and faster through telephones, fax
machines, mobile devices, and the internet.
QUESTIONS:
1. When do we use the term ICT and how does it differ from IT?