Lecture 1-Introdn to I.T

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INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION

TECHNLOGY

The Information Age..

Lecture 1

3/2/2013 Asiimwe Charles 1


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Information Age

Objectives;

To understand the evolution of Information Age as a principle

tool of Information Technology.

To discuss the basic characteristics of Information age and

the significant development in I.T.

Explain the four primary components of information

technology.

Identify the five information-handling functions and the four

benefits of information technology.

Discuss the types of opportunities that information

technology offers to people.

Describe the responsibilities of people who use information

technology. 3/2/2013 Asiimwe Charles 2


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Information Age

The Information Age, also commonly knownas the Computer Age or Information Era, is

the period characterized by the ability of

individuals to transfer information freely,and to have instant access to informationthat would have been difficult or impossible to

find ...

When we say that we live in the informationage, we mean that we live in a time wheninformation is very important and easy to get.



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The Evolution of Information Age

Agricultural Age: The period up to the1800s, when the majority of workers werefarmers whose lives revolved aroundagriculture.

Industrial Age: The period from the 1800s to1957, when work processes were simplifiedthrough mechanization and automation.

Information Age: The period that began in

1957, in which the majority of workers areinvolved in the creation, distribution, andapplication of information.

Knowledge Workers: Workers involved in the

creation, distribution, and application ofinformation 3/2/2013 Asiimwe Charles 4


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The Evolution of Information Age

contd



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The characteristics of the Information

Age

An information-based society has risen.

Information Society: A society in which

more people work at handlinginformation

than at agriculture and manufacturingcombined.

Businesses depend on information

technology to get their work done.

Work processes are being transformed toincrease productivity & effectiveness.



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X-tics contd

Work Processes: The combination ofactivities that workers perform, the way they

perform those activities, and the tools they

use. Productivity: The relationship between the

results of an activity (output) and the

resources used to create those results

(inputs). Effectiveness: The extent to which desirable

results are achieved.



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Significant developments in I.T

Include; The telegraph by Samuel Morse in 1837

The telephone by Alexander Graham

Bell in 1876

Black and white TV in the 1940s The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC)

between 1937-1942

The personal digital computer in the

1970s

The world wide web (internet) in 1990s



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What is Information Technology?

Everyone is using Information Technologywhether knowingly or unknowingly. It is

growing rapidly and it covers not only

computers but also phones, T.Vs, digital

cameras and so on..

A broad definition of Information Technology;

a variety of means, which enable the captureor creation, processing, storage or

distribution of data, information and

knowledge.



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Information Technology

I .T. can also be seen as the collection of toolsthat make it easier to use, create, manage, andexchange information.

Technology = applying a systematictechnique or method to solve a problem.

Much of todays technology involves theuse of computers.

Technology can also be seen as How wecombine resources to solve a problem, fulfil

a need or satisfy a want.



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Information technology

Data: Raw facts, figures, and details.

Information:An organized, meaningful,

and useful interpretation of data.

Knowledge:An awareness andunderstanding of a set of information and

how that information can be put to the best

use.



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Information technology

Knowledge, in IT can also be defined the

possession of information or the ability to

quickly locate it

Knowledge according to Samuel Johnson,

is of two kinds: We can know a subject, or

We know where we can find information.



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Components of information

technology

ComputerTechnology

CommunicationsNetwork

People Applications


The means we spoke of in the broad

definition of information technology

consists of;


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Components of information

technology

Computers

An electronic device that can be instructed to

accept, process, store, and present data and

information.

Communications Networks

Communication: The sending and receiving ofdata and information over a communications

network.



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Components contd

Communications Network: A set of locations,or nodes, consisting of hardware, programs,

and information linked together as a system

that transmits and receives data and

information.

Data Communication: The transmission of data

and information through a communicationsmedium.



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Components contd

PeoplePeople are the computer's operators, or users

who actually use a computer or application toperform processes that yield end results.

Application Program

An application program is a program

designed to perform a specific functiondirectly for the user. Examples of applicationsinclude word processors, database programs, Web

browsers, development tools, drawing, paint, image

editing programs. 3/2/2013 Asiimwe Charles 16


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The Functions of InformationTechnology



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What exactly can IT do?

Capture: The process of compiling detailedrecords of activities.It is performed when youexpect the data will be useful later

Processing: The process of converting,analyzing, computing, and producing all

forms

of data or information. Data Processing

Information Processing

Image Processing 3/2/2013 Asiimwe Charles 18


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Functions contd

Generation: The process of organizinginformation into a useful form, whether as

numbers, text, sound, or visual image.

Storage and Retrieval: Storage is the

computer process of retaining information for

future use. Retrievalis the process by which

a computer locates and copies stored data orinformation for further processing or for

transmission to another user.



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Functions contd

Transmission: The computer process ofdistributing information over a

communications network.

Electronic Mail, or E-Mail

Voice Messaging, or Voice Mail



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Benefits of I.T



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The Opportunities of Information

Technology

Helping People

How can I be more effective? More productive?

More creative? And how can I help other

people?

Solving Problems

Problem: A perceived difference between an

existing condition and a desired condition.Problem Solving: The process of recognizing a

problem, identifying alternatives for solving it,

and successfully implementing the chosen

solution 3/2/2013 Asiimwe Charles 22


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Information Technology Is All Around Us,Improving Our Lives

Information Technology is everywhere Television

Education

Entertainment

Money and Investments

Agriculture

Health and Medicine

Manufacturing Sports

etc



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The Responsibilities of Using

Information Technology

To be informed: Users have to know how

computers and network can be applied In

different situations, and capability and

limitation of IT in those situations.

To Make Proper Use of IT: Users need to take

responsibility for employing IT in desirable andethical ways that help people and do not violate

on their privacy, rights or well being.



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Responsibilities contd

To Safeguard: Users must take responsibilityfor protecting data and information that are in

the computer or transmitted over a network

against intentional or accidental damage or

lose.


Lecture 1-Introdn to I.T

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Transcript of Lecture 1-Introdn to I.T