MODULE 6

The Information Age

Objectives

1. Trace the development of the information age from the pre-mechanical

age up to the evolution of social media.
2. Describe the main generations of digital computing from use of vacuum
tubes up to artificial intelligence.
3. Discuss an insight into student’s perceptions of cyberbullying
4. Analyze the ways in which the people can develop and sustain a
civilized online environment or personal relationship.
5. Enumerate the following Netiquettes to develop and maintain online
experiences.

A. Development of the Information age

The internet, computers, and cellphones have now become

fundamental components of peoples' daily lives because they allow for instant
access to and sharing of information. We are currently living in the Information
Age, commonly referred to as the Computer, Digital, or New Media Age. The
Information Age is the current era considered to be a time in which
information has become a commodity that is swiftly and widely disseminated
and freely available, particularly via the use of computer technology,
according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

The Information Age is defined by highly developed technology

capabilities and a focus on the internet and data exchange. From the
Renaissance, when authors started writing realistic novels rather than merely
religious tales, to the Industrial Revolution, when significant changes occurred
in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology, people's
way of life underwent a significant transformation. Digital technologies have
revolutionized every element of people's lives throughout this time, including
their professional and educational processes as well as their social and
recreational activities. Now, anyone can get information by pressing a button.
They are able to accomplish practically anything online, including talking,
booking, paying, working, teaching or learning, and even buying food. The
social, economic, and cultural conditions, science, research, and industries,
including but not limited to healthcare, education, finance, entertainment,
transportation, and media and communications, have all been significantly
impacted by these technological breakthroughs.
History

A Mathematical Theory of Communication by Claude E. Shannon, a

researcher and mathematician known as the "Father of Information Theory,"
proposed that information can be digitized or quantitatively encoded as a
series of ones and zeroes. Although the Information Age is closely linked to
the introduction of personal computers, many computer historians traced its
origins to this study. It demonstrated how all forms of informational media,
including television, radio waves, and telephone signals, could be
communicated flawlessly utilizing this one framework.
The rapid development of upgraded equipment, fiber optic connections,
faster microprocessors, speedier communication and information processing,
the World Wide Web, email, and mobile technologies were all made possible
by the digitization of information. Businesses across various industries have
focused their attention on how to capitalize on the Information Age as
information is increasingly described in digital form.

Information Technology

Since the dawn of time, there has always been information technology
(IT). To develop, people needed to interact with one another and converse.
Since the Sumerians in Mesopotamia established writing in 3000 BC, a
system for storing, retrieving, modifying, and sharing information has existed.
The use of any computers, storage, networking, and other physical
equipment, infrastructure, and procedures to create, process, store, secure,
and exchange all types of electronic data is considered information
technology in the modern sense. Instead of being employed for personal or
leisure purposes, IT is typically used in the context of business activities.
The Harvard Business Review coined the phrase "information technology"
to distinguish between specially constructed devices made to carry out a
narrow range of jobs and general-purpose computing devices that could be
configured to carry out a variety of tasks. Computing capability increased while
device costs and energy usage decreased as the IT sector developed starting
in the middle of the 20th century, a cycle that still occurs today as new
technologies are developed.

Evolution of Information Technology:

1) Premechanical Age (between 3000BC and 1450AD)

The premechanical age is the earliest age characterized by
using of language or simple picture drawings known as petroglyths
usually carved in rock. Early alphabets were developed such as the
Phoenician alphabet.
 Courtesy of https://www.williamhortonphotography.com

Petroglyph

The evolution of pens and paper was influenced by the popularity of

alphabets. Wet clay was initially used only for markings, but later, paper was
made from the papyrus plant. People became aware of the value of
organizing and permanently keeping information as it grew. The first written
books were stored in libraries. The first numbering systems were created
during this time period, and Egyptian scrolls and book-like binding of paper
were common means to record information. In 100 AD, the first 1–9 system
was established, and in 875 AD, the number 0 was formed and added. The
development of the calculator, which was first known as the abacus, came
next. This was the information processor's very first indication.

Mechanical (between 1450 and 1840)

Development of new technologies emerged and invented like
the slide rule, an analog computer used for multiplying and dividing.
Blaise Pascal invented the Pascaline, a very popular mechanical
computer. Charles Babbage developed the difference engine which
tabulated polynomial equations using the method of finite differences.
 Courtesy of https://www.britannica.com. Difference Engine

2) Electromechanical (1840 -1940)

The period marked the beginning of telecommunication.
Inventions and innovations continued. The telegraph was created in the
early 1800s. Morse code was created by Samuel Morse in 1835. The
telephone was created by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. The first
radio was developed by Guglielmo Marconi in 1894. These emerging
technologies led to bigger advances in the information technology field.

Courtesy of sites.harvard.edu Harvard Mark 1

The first large-scale automatic digital computer in the United

States was the Mark 1 created by Harvard University around 1940.
This computer was 8ft high, 50ft long, 2ft wide, and weighed 5 tons. It
was programmed using punch cards.

3) Electronic (1940 – present)

The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was
the first high-speed, digital computer capable of being reprogrammed to
solve a full range of computing problems. This computer was designed
to be used by the U.S. Army for artillery firing tables. This machine was
even bigger than the Mark 1 taking up 680 square feet and weighing 30
tons. It mainly used vacuum tubes to do its calculations.
 Courtesy of pinterest.com ENIAC

B. Main Generations of Digital Computing

There are five main generations of digital computing.

1. The first generation (1942 -1955) used vacuum tubes. This period
marked the beginning of commercial computer age
via UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer), the first
commercially available computer. It was developed by two
scientists Mauchly and Echert at the Census Department of
United States in 1947. Examples of first generation computers
are ENIVAC and UNIVAC-1.
2. The second generation (1955 -1964) used transistors. The
scientists at Bell laboratories developed transistor in 1947.
These scientists include John Barden, William Brattain and
William Shockley. The size of the computers was decreased by
replacing vacuum tubes with transistors. The examples of
second generation computers are IBM 7094 series, IBM 1400
series and CDC 164 etc.
3. The third generation (1964 – 1975) used the integrated circuits
(IC). Jack Kilby developed the concept of integrated circuit in
1958. It was an important invention in the computer field. The
first IC was invented and used in 1961. The size of an IC is
about ¼ square inch. A single IC chip may contain thousands of
transistors. The computer became smaller in size, faster, more
reliable and less expensive. The examples of third generation
computers are IBM 370, IBM System/360, UNIVAC
1108 and UNIVAC AC 9000.
4. The fourth generation (1975 – present) computers started with
the invention of Microprocessor. The Microprocessor contains
thousands of ICs. Ted Hoff produced the first microprocessor in
1971 for Intel. It was known as Intel 4004. The technology of
integrated circuits improved rapidly. The LSI (Large Scale
Integration) circuit and VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration)
circuit was designed. It greatly reduced the size of computer.
The size of modern Microprocessors is usually one square inch.
 It can contain millions of electronic circuits. The examples of
fourth generation computers are Apple Macintosh &IBM PC.

Courtesy of oldcomputers.net

Apple 2

5. Computers of the fifth generation (present and future) are built

using the Artificial Intelligence (AI) method. They can mimic
human logic and comprehend spoken language. With the aid of
several sensor kinds, they can react to their surroundings. The
processing power of computers is something that scientists are
always attempting to improve. With the aid of cutting-edge
programming and technologies, they are attempting to construct
a computer with true intelligence. A fifth generation computer is
like the supercomputer IBM Watson. In order to function as a
"question answering" computer to the best of its ability, it
combines artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytical
software. The supercomputer bears Thomas J. Watson's name,
who founded IBM. 80 teraflops (or trillion floating point
operations per second) are the processing speed of the Watson
supercomputer. Watson accesses 90 servers with a total data
bank of more than 200 million pages of information, which it
processes in accordance with six million logic rules in order to
replicate (or exceed) the capacity of a high-functioning human to
respond to queries. The system and its information are
contained in a room big enough to house ten refrigerators.
 Courtesy of Hexus.net Courtesy of livemint.com
Today’s PC IBM Watson

Inventions do not generally happen by accident or in a random order. Chris

Woodford, a British Science writer and consultant explained that science and
technology progress in a very logical way, with each new discovery leading on
from the last.

C. Social Media and the Information Age

Computer

If there is one important development in the Information Age, it is the invention

of computer. A computer is a machine or device that performs processes,
calculations and operations based on instructions provided by a software or
hardware program. It is designed to execute applications and provides a
variety of solutions by combining integrated hardware and software
components.

Types of Computer

Since the advent of the first computer different types and sizes of computers
are offering different services. Computers can be as big as occupying a large
building and as small as a laptop or a microcontroller in mobile and embedded
systems.The byte-notes.com enumerates the four basic types of computers:
1) Supercomputer -
The most powerful computers in terms of performance and data
processing are the Supercomputers. These are specialized and task
specific computers used by large organizations. These computers are
used for research and exploration purposes, like NASA uses
supercomputers for launching space shuttles, controlling them and for
space exploration purpose. The supercomputers are very expensive
and very large in size. It can be accommodated in large air-conditioned
rooms; some super computers can span an entire building.

Uses of Supercomputers:

 Space Exploration
o Supercomputers are used to study the origin of the universe,
the dark-matters. For these studies scientist use IBM’s
powerful supercomputer “Roadrunner” at National Laboratory
Los Alamos.
 Earthquake Studies
o Supercomputers are used to study the Earthquakes
phenomenon. Besides that supercomputers are used for
natural resources exploration, like natural gas, petroleum,
coal, etc.
 Weather Forecasting
o Supercomputers are used for weather forecasting, and to
study the nature and extent of Hurricanes, Rainfalls,
windstorms, etc.
 Nuclear Weapons Testing
o Supercomputers are used to run weapon simulation that can
test the Range, accuracy & impact of Nuclear weapons.

2) Mainframe Computer-
Mainframes are not as powerful as supercomputers, but many large
firms & government organizations use this type of computer to run their
business operations. Because of size, the mainfram computers can be
accommodated in large air-conditioned rooms. They can process and
store large amount of data. Banks, big educational institutions and
insurance companies use mainframe computers to store data about
their customers, students & insurance policy holders.

3) Minicomputer –
Minicomputers are used by small businesses & firms. They are also
called “Midrange Computers”. These are small machines and can be
accommodated on a disk with not as processing and data storage
capabilities as super-computers & Mainframes. These computers are
not designed for a single user. Individual departments of a large
company or organizations use Mini-computers for specific purposes.
For example, a production department can use Mini-computers for
monitoring certain production process.
 4) Microcomputer –
Desktop computers, personal computers (PCs), laptops, personal
digital assistant (PDA), tablets, and smartphones are all types of
microcomputers. The micro-computers are widely used and the fastest
growing computers. These computers are the cheapest among the
other three types of computers. They are specially designed for general
usage like entertainment, education and work purposes. Well known
manufacturers of Micro-computer are Dell, Apple, Samsung, Sony, and
Toshiba.

Influences of the Past on Information Age:

The Information Age has been tremendously influenced by the past.

Even though the technologies from the Renaissance were too advanced for
their time, the fundamental concept was applied to construct modern
inventions. Literature was also altered by the Renaissance. Books about
religion and religious heroes were the only ones written at first. People started
writing realistic works throughout the Renaissance, as opposed to only
religious tales. The way that people view themselves has evolved. What
people could accomplish for themselves became more important than what
they could do for God. Humanism is the term for this way of thought.

Through the contributions of notable scientists like Galileo, Copernicus,

and Sir Isaac Newton, the Scientific Revolution altered the course of modern
history. They opened the door for the creation of contemporary tools and
advancements.
Major developments in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and
technology were brought about by the Industrial Revolution. The social,
economic, and cultural landscape of the world has been significantly impacted
by this time period.

Internet Technology

The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network, or ARPANET, was

established in 1960 and served as the first functional prototype of the Internet.
America provided the initial funding. Multiple computers could communicate
on a single network thanks to packet switching, which was employed by the
Department of Defense's ARPANET. After academics Robert Kahn and
Vinton Cerf created Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol, or
TCP/IP, a communications paradigm that established guidelines for how data
might be sent between various networks, technology continued to advance in
the 1970s. Ray Tomlinson developed the networked email system for the
ARPANET in 1971, which is now known as electronic mail or email.

The idea of practically immediate communication between devices

within an organization quickly gained popularity because it was so useful and
practical. TCP/IP was accepted by ARPANET in 1983, allowing researchers
to put together the "network of networks" that would eventually become the
modern Internet. America Online (AOL), Echomail, Hotmail, and Yahoo
changed the Internet and email scene throughout the ensuing years. The
World Wide Web, created in 1990 by computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee,
gave the online world a more identifiable shape. The web, though frequently
mistaken for the Internet itself, is just the most popular way to access material
online in the form of websites and hyperlinks.

The web helped popularize the Internet among the public, and served
as a crucial step in developing the vast trove of information that most of us
now access on a daily basis.

Social Media

Social media is defined as the various online communication channels

that people use to build networks, communities, and collectives in order to
share information, ideas, messages, and other content, such as videos.
These channels include Facebook, Myspace, Viber, Skype, AOL, Yahoo
Messenger, bulletin board forum systems, and game-based social networking
sites. It has integrated completely into peoples' lives. They use it to
communicate with loved ones, stay up to date on the news, and—perhaps
most importantly—to amuse themselves.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has become a big issue in many nations, including the

Philippines, due to the rapid rise in internet and social media usage.
Cyberbullying is the practice of harassing, intimidating, or humiliating
someone through internet communication, frequently while remaining
anonymous.
According to Hinduja & Patchin (2010), cyberbullying occurs when
someone "repeatedly picks on another person through email or text message
or when someone posts something online about another person that they
don't like."
The term Cyberbullying is different from Cyberstalking as the former takes
place among minors, and it is subtler in nature (Seo, Tunningley, Warner, &
Buening, 2016). Though many schools offer some perfunctory lessons on
cyberbullying, most students only develop a surface-level understanding of
the issue, making them less likely to intervene or act when they witness or
experience it (Chapin, 2016). The fact that unaffected students do not
understand why someone would cyberbully another and the psychological
harm it can cause, despite the fact that those who have been affected by
cyberbullying are more likely to say so, presents schools with an excellent
opportunity to close the knowledge gap and stop further incidents through
cyberbullying education. The Philippines' Anti-Cybercrime Law, also known as
Republic Act No. 10175, was created and put into effect to safeguard those
who have been the targets of cyberbullying. Cyberstalking, cybersex, identity
theft, and online libel are just a few of the cyberbullying offenses that are
criminalized. For those found guilty of committing these violations, this statute
carries penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
Cyberstalking is the practice of following or harassing someone online or
through other electronic communication tools in an effort to instill fear or
discomfort. Cybersex is the practice of engaging in or soliciting sexual
activities through internet communication. Identity theft is the illegal
exploitation of another person's personal data for financial advantage. Online
libel is the posting of false information online.

Internet Etiquette (Netiquette)

To develop and maintain a conducive online experience, Internet etiquette,

also known as Netiquette, must be observed. Thesupruce.com enumerates
the following Netiquettes:

1. Be nice.
The first rule of internet etiquette is to be kind and courteous.
Remember that whatever you send from your keyboard or your phone is
still an extension of you, even though you're not with others in person.
Never flame or rant in public forum. Avoid gossiping and cyber bullying.
2. Learn Internet acronyms.
As communication on the Internet explodes, so does the use of
acronyms (i.e. BTW, TTYL, LOL, ROTFL, POV, B4N etc.)
Learn what they mean so you won’t misunderstand messages and
comments.
3. Keep messages and posts brief.
Most people use the Internet to save time, so honor that and keep
all messages as brief as possible
4. Don’t shout.
Avoid using all caps in any email or post. It comes across as
shouting, which is rude.

5. Use discretion.
Whether you are sending email, instant messaging, commenting
on Facebook, adding images to Snapchat, or posting a message to your
blog, you need to remember that anything you put on the Internet can be
there forever. Even if you remove the material, someone may have
made a screen shot, copied, or saved it. One rule of thumb many people
use is to never post anything you wouldn’t want your parents or boss to
see.
6. Protect personal information.
Since anything you post on the Internet is out there for all to see,
avoid adding anything personal. This includes your address, phone
number, social security number, and driver’s license information. You
don’t want to make things easy for identity thieves, burglars, and
predators.
7. Obey copyright laws.
Never copy someone else’s work and post it as your own. It is
against copyright law because it is considered stealing. It is always a
good idea to ask permission before quoting anyone, but that isn’t always
possible. To quote someone, keep the quote short, cite the source, and
put a link to the complete written work.
8. Protect children
If you allow children to access the Internet, make sure you know
what sites they visit and who their “friends” are.
9. Before you click “Send”,
It is always a good idea to reread anything you type before
clicking the “send” button. If you have time, step away for a few minutes
and come back to it with fresh eyes. For those times when you need to
post quickly, at least check your spelling, grammar, and tone of the
message. If it is late at night, and you are extremely tired, it’s probably
best to wait until the next morning. You can save most messages and
posts in draft mode.
10. Help others
If someone appears to be new to the internet, offer your
assistance. Share information on proper etiquette, send them a link to a
list of the most common acronyms and emoticons, and offer to answer
any questions until they get the hang of it. After you see that someone
has posted something inappropriate, let him or her know privately. Never
do anything to publicly embarrass anyone you know online.
11. Internet trolls
Keep in mind that there are internet trolls out there, looking for
their next victim. If you become the subject of their bad behavior, don't
respond. Most of the time, these people like to stir things up while hiding
behind their keyboards. When they don't get a reaction, they move on to
someone else.
However, if it continues and you feel as though you are being
threatened, contact the authorities. You need to make sure you protect
yourself and your family.
Name:________________Course:___________Date:_________________
SN:___________________ Time:_________________

Activity No. 6

Reflection Paper:

1. What observations have you made as a University of Batangas student

regarding how young people use social media in their daily lives?

2. How do you describe the impacts brought by social media in the following
sectors:

a. family
b. church
c. business/ industries
d. educational institution

3. How can we become responsible users of different social media platforms?

4. a. What knowledge do you have about cyberbullying?

b. Have you ever been threatened by an internet post, or do you know

someone who has?
c. List strategies or offer advice to others on how to stop or reduce instances
of cyberbullying.