Introduction to A-Level ICT 22 Mar, 2020

Information and communication

INTRODUCTION TO technology (ICT)
A-LEVEL • ICT refers to the variety of technologies
used to create, process, transmit, store and
retrieve information.
INFORMATION • These technologies include: radio,
television, cellular phones, computers and
COMMUNICATION networks, software, satellite systems, as
well as the a combination of audio-visual
TECHNOLOGY technologies like videoconferencing etc.

Disadvantages of earlier ICT

Earlier ICT technologies
• They were slow in processing or
• Drums & smoke Morse cord transmission of data.
• Messengers Telegraph
• Horns type writers • They had low storage capacity of data.
• Paper Print • They were not reliable in data.
• Photographs transmission to high level of inefficiency.
• Audio Recordings • They had relatively small area coverage.
• Film stripes • There was a limited variety of technologies
• Radio which limited access to information.
• Televisions • Messages could be misinterpreted.
• Landline telephones

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Introduction to A-Level ICT 22 Mar, 2020

Modern ICT technologies

• Satellites
• Cellular phones/mobile technologies • Virtual reality
• Fax machines
• E-commerce
• Compact disk/DVDs/Blu rays
• Computers, smartphones, IPad, tablets • Video
• E-mail • Global positioning systems
• SMS and MMS • Cloud computing
• Internet • Social media
• Data warehouses or data bases
• Video conferencing • Etc.
• Computer and communication networks

Virtual Reality (VR) parachute trainer Advantages/Positive effects of

modern ICT
 improved corporate image of institutions
using computers because they are
perceived to be well organized and
efficient.
 Highly skilled jobs are being created like

programming, systems analysis. Software

The quadrupedal military
robot Cheetah engineering, etc.
 increased access to information using the

available computer resources such as the

Internet and CDs

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Introduction to A-Level ICT 22 Mar, 2020

 More employment opportunities are created

in different fields e.g. computer technical
work and selling computers.
 Faster and cheaper communication among

people e.g. through the use of e-mail, chat

rooms, social networks, internet telephone,
etc.
 There is better entertainment and leisure

through computer games, downloads,

making and playback of music and videos.
etc.

 Easy and relatively cheap storage of huge

 improved science research by use of amounts of data for future use because
computers to record and analyse data. Modern computers have very large storage
 Higher creativity by users because capacity.
computer applications offer very many  There is improvement in technologies
professional ways of doing a given task. applied in different fields by combining
 Increased Efficiency and productivity of
existing technologies with ICT. e.g. using
workers due to use of computers because embedded computers.
they process large amount of data  Increased investment opportunities in
accurately in a short time. providing communication and Internet
services, e.g. telephone networks.

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Introduction to A-Level ICT 22 Mar, 2020

Disadvantages of ICT

 Reduced costs of production through less  Many ICT related crimes such as forgeries
demanding ICTs. and illegal fund transfers.
 Improved and sustained quality goods  Moral degeneration through access to
and services. pornographic materials from the Internet.
 Businesses provide better services to their  Loss of employment because computer use
clients. replaces human labour

Addicted!

Headache?

cybercrime

Time waster?

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 Digital divide; a development gap between

 Computer Virus threats which makes data people with effective access to digital
stored on computers very insecure because information technology and those without
of possible data loss. which results in a development gap.
 The public is Bombarded with too much
 Loss of man-hours as some workers go for

unproductive computer based leisure at the information- good and bad. Causing
expense of their work. information overload (“infoxication or
infobesity”) which is confusing and delays
 Addiction to computer games, surfing and
decision making.
social networks such as Facebook.

What is the effect of this to the environment?

 Environmental pollution due to e-waste of

the discarded computer parts that contain
contaminants such as lead, cadmium, and
beryllium.
 Erosion of individual privacy as more data

about people is stored on databases and can

be accessed any time.

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Introduction to A-Level ICT 22 Mar, 2020

 Unemployment as less skilled people get

 Over use of computers lead to health
retrenched and their roles taken over by
more effective ITs. problems like eye strain and text neck etc.
 Initial, maintenance and on-line IT costs are

highly segregative.
 Data misuse

The Health risks associated with

Eyes? Repetitive strain injury
continued computer usage

 Repetitive strain injury. (RSI). These cause

muscle pains in the upper body parts such
as the neck, shoulder, wrists and fingers.
 RSI is usually due to;

Laziness? 1. using computers without regular breaks,

2. using poorly designed tools,

3. poor seating posture,

4. holding the same posture for a long time.

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Introduction to A-Level ICT 22 Mar, 2020

Other health issues include:

 Techno-stress due to continuous noise made
 Back pain and neck pain due to poor sitting
by computer system and funs, etc. posture
 Contracting Germs from dirty keyboards
 Headaches
and mouse.  Ear problems due to over use of headsets
 Eye strain due to staring at the computer for
too long especially in a poorly lit
environment

How to prevent or minimise ICT

related health risks
 Work at intervals to avoid prolonged usage
of computers.  Work from a well-lit room.
 Use appropriate furniture that allows the  Regularly clean the keyboard and mouse

user to sit upright and eyes level with the with a damp cloth with a detergent.
monitor and keyboard level with the elbow.
 Use ergonomic devices that conform to

international safety standards.

 Regulate the light of the monitor.

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ICT(computer/digital) literacy Limitations to ICT literacy

• This is the ability of an individual to use ICT • High level of illiteracy; not being able to
technologies to create, access, manage, read and write
integrate, evaluate information. • High cost of ICT facilities
• High cost of using ICT devices, such as
servicing and airtime.
• High level of conservatism
• technology phobia
• Poverty among many.

Characteristics of Modern computers

Possible measures to increase ICT
literacy  They have High processing speed.
 They are Accurate in processing once given
• introduce ICT training in schools.
right instructions and data input.
• Establish ICT training institutions.
 Ability to store huge volume of data.
• Reduce cost of acquiring ICT equipment.
 Versatility- performing many tasks in
• Provide cheaper Internet access.
different fields.
• Provide training for trainers in using ICT.
 Diligence and consistence- they can perform
• Sensitising the public on the available ICTs
the same tasks over and over again without
and their benefits.
complaining.
 They are highly automated because they

work with minimal or no human aid.

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Common computer terminologies

and concepts include
 Computer literacy: knowing about and
 They have Artificial intelligence.
understanding computers and their uses
They can be programmed to assume
and the ability to use them to do tasks.
capabilities such as learning, reasoning,
 Personal computers (PC): PCs are Computers
adaptation, and self-correction.
designed to be used by a single user at a
time usually for general purposes. For
example desktop PC, a laptop, a netbook,
tablet PC , and smartphones
 computer network: more than one

computer connected together for purposes

of sharing information and communication

 Internet: international connection of  Computer software: the computer programs

computer networks for purposes of sharing defined as the step by step instructions a
information. computer must follow to do a task.
 Social networks: a dedicated website or  Input devices: computer components used
other application that enables users to to enter data into the computer for
communicate with each other by posting processing
information, comments, messages, images,  Output devices: computer parts used to
etc. present information to the computer user
 Computer hardware: the physical after processing.
components of a computer

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Introduction to A-Level ICT 22 Mar, 2020

Introduction to computer
systems
 Netiquette. (abbreviation of Internet
etiquette and network etiquette). These are A computer is an electronic device that
guidelines for courteous communication processes data into information using a set
while using the internet and other media. of instructions stored in its own memory.
 E.g. avoid flaming

 Avoid shouting

The computer has four basic functions:

Accepts data input
Processes data
Produces output
Stores data and information

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How computers work

 Computers are machines, therefore they do
not think.  It is electronic in nature because it consists
 They process information based on the data of a number of electronic circuits through
input and the instructions given. If incorrect which electrons flow.
data is fed into the computer, it gives
undesirable or misleading information
(Garbage in Garbage out (GIGO).

 Data appears as a chain of 0 and 1 in the

 Computer circuits use binary codes (they use computer system electric circuitry.
only two digits; 1 for On and 0 for Off(a  Each character stored in memory occupies 8
circuit switched on represents 1 and one BITs.
switch off represents 0).
 The computer stores data in memory.

 Each memory location is called a BIT (BIT for

Binary Digit).

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 8 bits make up one byte  Generally, files, storage devices, and

 About 1024 bytes make up 1 Kilobyte (1 KB) storage capacity are measure in bytes,
 1024 KBs make up 1 megabyte (I MB)
while file transfer rates are measured in bits
 1024 Megabytes make up 1 Gigabyte (1 GB)
e.g. A memory card may have a storage
capacity of 0f 250 Giga bytes while a
 1024 GBs make up 1 Terabyte (1 TB)
download may transfer at rate of 10 Mbps.
 1024 TB make up 1 Petabyte (1PB)
 Bits are also used to describe a processor

architecture such as a 32-bit or 64 bit

processor.

Example 1 Answer

How many bytes are contained in 88 bits?  There are 8 bits in 1 byte. Thus 88 bits
will contain 88/8 = 11 bytes.

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Solution

 How many KBs are in 1,240,056 bytes  Each KB occupies about 1024 bytes
 Therefore there are 1,240,056/1024 KBs

 = 1210.99219 KBs

Solution

 How many MBs does a file of 114,698 KBs  Each MB occupies about 1024 KBs
occupy?  Therefore the file occupies 114,698/1000 MBs

 = 114.698 MBs

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Answer

 How many MBs are in 149200 bytes?  There are 1024×1024 bytes (1048576) in 1
MB
 Therefore, 149200 bytes is made of

149200÷1048576 = 0.142288 MB

Answer

 Given that a certain song stored as a  1 GB = 1024 MB. Thus 4 GB is equal to 4×1024
music file occupies 4.3 MB, how many = 4096 MB.
music files of such size can fit onto 4  The given music files requires 4.3 MB. Thus
GB? 4096 MB can store 4096/4.3 = 952 music files

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