The Information

Technology
Lesson 6
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
• Define what Information technology is.
• Identify the computer and its parts.
• Enumerate the moral challenges currently faced by information technology.
• Differentiate the relationship of IT on some of the Domain of the society.
• Discuss wide-ranging effects of IT across numerous domains of society.
What is Information Technology?
• Information Technology (IT) is a general term that describes
any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store,
communicate, and/or disseminate information.
• IT merges computing with high-speed communication links
carrying data, sound, and video.
• Examples of these are Telephones, Televisions,
Appliances, Handheld devices, and Computers. There are
two different parts of Information Technology namely:
Computer Technology
• Programmable, multi-use machine that accepts data (raw
facts and figures) and processes, or manipulates it into
information we can use.
• Also called telecommunications technology, consists of
electromagnetic devices and systems for communicating
over long distances
Common Applications of Information Technology
Education
• E-mail
• Course Management Software
• Distance Learning
• Blended Learning
• Avatars
Common Applications of Information Technology
Financial Matters
• Online Banking
• Virtual Money
• Micro-Credits
• Micro-Payments
Common Applications of Information Technology
Health and Medicine
• Health monitoring and diagnosis
• Medical treatment and patient care
• Pharmaceutical research and development
• Clinic performance optimization
Common Applications of Information Technology
Government and Politics
• Voter Connections
• Electronic Polling
• Three Step Balloting
• Online Public Complaints
The Computer
• A computer is an electronic device that manipulates
information, or data.
• It has the ability to store, retrieve, and process data. You
may already know that you can use a computer to type
documents, send email, play games, and browse the Web.
• You can also use it to edit or create spreadsheets,
presentations, and even videos. The Computer consists of
the following:
Hardware and Software
Hardware
• These are all the tangible, physical computer parts. In
simpler terms, it is any part of the computer that has a
physical structure, such as the keyboard or mouse. It
also includes all of the computer's internal parts.
Hardware and Software
Software
• is any set of instructions that tells the hardware what to
do and how to do it. Examples of software include web
browsers, games, and word processors
What are the different types of computers?
• When most people hear the word computer, they think of
a personal computer such as a desktop or laptop.
• However, computers come in many shapes and sizes,
and they perform many different functions in our daily
lives.
• When you withdraw cash from an ATM, scan groceries at
the store, or use a calculator, you're using a type of
computer.
Desktop computers
• Many people use desktop computers at work, home, and
school.
• Desktop computers are designed to be placed on a desk,
and they're typically made up of a few different parts,
including the computer case, monitor, keyboard, and
mouse.
Laptop computers
• The second type of computer you may be familiar with is
a laptop computer, commonly called a laptop.
• Laptops are battery-powered computers that are more
portable than desktops, allowing you to use them almost
anywhere.
Tablet computers
• Tablet computers—or tablets—are handheld computers
that are even more portable than laptops. Instead of a
keyboard and mouse, tablets use a touch sensitive
screen for typing and navigation. The iPad is an example
of a tablet.
Servers
• A server is a computer that serves up information to other
computers on a network.
• For example, whenever you use the Internet, you're
looking at something that's stored on a server. Many
businesses also use local file servers to store and share
files internally
Other types of computers
• Smartphones: Many cell phones can do a lot of things computers can do,
including browsing the Internet and playing games. They are often called
smartphones.
• Wearables: Wearable technology is a general term for a group of devices—
including fitness trackers and smartwatches—that are designed to be worn
throughout the day. These devices are often called wearables for short
• Game consoles: A game console is a specialized type of computer that is
used for playing video games on your TV.
• TVs: Many TVs now include applications—or apps—that let you access
various types of online content. For example, you can stream video from the
Internet directly onto your TV.
Basic Concepts of a Computer
• Data enters the computer through one or more input
devices.
• The computer then processes the data and transmits the
resulting data to output devices.
• Output devices can be human interfaces such as a
screen or another electronic device such as a storage
device or computer network. The system unit consists of
the following components:
Basic Concepts of a Computer
• Motherboard - a computer "backbone" responsible for communication between
components and transmission of information.
• Central Processing Unit (CPU) – functions as command execution, data
transmission, computer function control.
• Random Access Memory (RAM) - a memory container for programs that are
currently running and data that is being processed.
• Hard Disk Drive (HDD) - used for permanent data storage. The data is stored on
magnetic platters; electromagnetic heads are used for reading and recording
data.
• Solid State Drive (SSD)
• Floppy Disk Drive (FDD)
Basic Concepts of a Computer
• Optical Disks - CD, DVD
• Graphics Processing Units (GPU) - processes and
displaying image on the monitor. It consists of a graphics
processor and its own working RAM memory.
• Ports – it contains the Parallel Port, Serial Port, Universal
Serial Bus (USB).
Input and output devices
Input Devices
• Keyboard
• Scanner
• Touchpad
• Mouse
• Trackball
• Joystick
• Microphone
• Stylus
• Camera (Web, Digital)
Input and output devices
Output Devices
• Monitor
• Projector
• Printer
• Plotter
• Speakers
• Earphones
Common devices and media for storing and
transferring data:
• hard disk
• USB flash drive
• diskette and ZIP diskette
• CD and DVD discs
• memory cards
• internal hard disk
• external hard disk
• network disk drive
• online storage device
Software
• a computer program which, as opposed to hardware, is
an intangible part of the computer, written to perform a
single or multiple task on computer using the built-in
hardware.
Software types:
Operating Systems (OS) - the basic program on your
computer that is automatically loaded when computer is
started up:
• Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora…)
• Microsoft Windows (XP, Vista, 7...)
• Mac OS X (Cheetah, Panther, Snow…)
Software types:
Application Software – some types of software that can be
used on an installed operating system:
• Office programs - OpenOffice.org, LibreOffice, Microsoft
Office.
• Antivirus Program – Avira, Sophos, Kaspersky etc.
• Web Browser - Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Opera, Safari
Software types:
E-accessibility options:
• voice recognition software,
• screen reader,
• magnifying tool,
• on-screen keyboard
Data Vs. Information
There is a subtle difference between data and information.
Data are the facts or details from which information is
derived. Individual pieces of data are rarely useful alone.
For data to become information, data needs to be put into
context.
 Key Difference
• Data is a raw and unorganized fact that is required to be processed to make it
meaningful whereas Information is a set of data that is processed in a meaningful
way according to the given requirement.
• Data does not have any specific purpose whereas Information carries a meaning
that has been assigned by interpreting data.
• Data alone has no significance while Information is significant by itself.
• Data never depends on Information while Information is dependent on Data.
• Data measured in bits and bytes, on the other hand, Information is measured in
meaningful units like time, quantity, etc.
• Data can be structured, tabular data, graph, data tree whereas Information is
language, ideas, and thoughts based on the given data.
Key Difference
 Data vs. Information - Differences in Meaning
• Data are simply facts or figures — bits of information, but not
information itself. When data are processed, interpreted,
organized, structured or presented so as to make them
meaningful or useful, they are called information. Information
provides context for data.
 Data vs. Information - Differences in Meaning
• For example, a list of dates — data — is meaningless without the
information that makes the dates relevant (dates of holiday).
"Data" and "information" are intricately tied together, whether one
is recognizing them as two separate words or using them
interchangeably, as is common today. Whether they are used
interchangeably depends somewhat on the usage of "data" — its
context and grammar.
 Misleading Data
• Because data needs to be interpreted and analyzed, it is quite
possible — indeed, very probable — that it will be interpreted
incorrectly. When this leads to erroneous conclusions, it is said
that the data are misleading.
 Moral Challenges of IT
• Information Technology (IT) has a central role in commerce, industry, government,
medicine, education, entertainment and society at large.

• But like any other technologies, IT also has problematic implications, and some
negative impacts on our society. It poses and creates some problems related to ethics,
and contains in general three main types of ethical issues: personal privacy, access
right, and harmful actions.

• Many attempts of such illegal access to United States government and military
computers by computer hackers have been widely reported. Without implementation of
proper computer security policies and strategies, network connections on the Internet
can’t be made secure from illegal accesses.
 Moral Challenges of IT
• Many attempts of such illegal access to United States government and military
computers by computer hackers have been widely reported. Without implementation
of proper computer security policies and strategies, network connections on the
Internet can’t be made secure from illegal accesses.

• Harmful actions include intentional destruction or modification of files and programs

leading to serious loss of resources or unnecessary expenditure of human resources
such as the time and effort required to purge systems from "computer viruses”.

• Another issue is Plagiarism, where the work of others is copied, but the author
presents it as his or her own work.