LESSON 1

in
INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY

Prepared by:
Ma. Ymelda C. Batalla, MIT
Faculty
At the end of the lesson, the learner will be
able to:
• Define the different technology concepts;
• Describe the professional code ethics; and
• List some ethical issues and support ethical practices of IT
users.
What is SCIENCE?
What is SCIENCE?
According to the Dictionary, "Science" is a
noun, which refers to the intellectual and
practical activity encompassing the systematic
study of the structure and behavior of the
physical and natural world through observation
and experiment.
What is TECHNOLOGY?
What is TECHNOLOGY?
 According to the Dictionary, "Technology" is a noun.
 It refers to the application of scientific knowledge for
practical purposes.
 It refers to machinery and equipment developed from the
application of scientific knowledge.
 Technology, as defined, is an art, skill, or ability used to
create and develop products as well as to acquire
knowledge.
What is INNOVATION?
What is INNOVATION?
 According to the Dictionary, "INNOVATION" is a noun.
 It refers to a new method, and idea product.
 It refers to new imaginations in form of device or
method.
 Innovation is often also viewed as the application of
better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated
needs, or existing market needs.
Research and Development
Research and Development
Research and development (R&D) is a
process intended to create NEW or IMPROVED
technology that can provide a competitive
advantage at the business, industry, or national
level. While the rewards can be very high, the
process of technological innovation (of which
R&D is the first phase) is complex and risky.
What is CULTURE?
 What is CULTURE?
 Culture is the belief, customs, arts, etc. of a
particular group or society.
 Culture vary from place to place.
 Example: Styles of clothes change because of the
weather or because of the religion in certain areas.
 Types of Culture:
 Material culture a component of culture that consists of
the physical or tangible creations.
 Nonmaterial culture a component of culture that
consists of the intangible human creations of society.
 Characteristics of Cultures:
 Culture is Social
 Culture is learned behavior
 Culture is transmitted
 Culture gratifying
 Culture varies from society to society
 Culture is continuous and cumulative
 Culture is dynamic
 Elements of Cultures:
 Language
 Norms
 Prescriptive
 Proscriptive

 Beliefs
 Cognitive Elements
 Elements of Cultures: (continuation)
 Symbols
 Values
 Customs
 Folkways
 Technology Shapes Culture
Over the last 50 years, the business technology landscape has changed
beyond recognition. Here are five ways that technology has altered the
way we work.
 Mobility
 The Cloud
 AR/VR Innovation
 Customer Data
 Social Impact
About ETHICS of IT
Questions about Ethics of IT
Specific questions include the following:
 What are the moral responsibilities of computer
professionals?
 Who is to blame when computer software failure
causes harm?
 Is computer hacking immoral?
 Is it immoral to make unauthorized copies of software?
Questions about Ethics of IT
Questions related to public policy:
 What constitutes just policy with respect to freedom of
speech, association, and the exercise of other civil
liberties over computer networks?
 What determines the extent and limits of property rights
over computer software and electronic information?
 What policies adequately protect a right to privacy?
About Ethics of IT
Every society develops a set of rules that define the limits of
generally accepted behavior. Individual rules fit together to form
the moral code by which a society lives, and these rules are often
expressed in statements about how people should behave.
In society, ethics is a set of beliefs about what is right and
wrong. Many widely accepted norms govern ethical behavior.
The significance of ethics and human values has been
understated in recent years.
IT breakthroughs have a wide range of consequences.
What is ETHICS?
 Ethics is defined as the moral principles that govern a person's
behavior or the conducting of an activity. - Dictionary
 It is a set of beliefs about right and wrong behavior within a
society.
 It is the branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles.
 “a set of beliefs about what is and is not acceptable behavior”.
Terms related ETHICS
 Virtues is the addictions that lead people to do
what is acceptable.
 Vices are the habits of unacceptable behavior.
 Virtues and Vices define a personal value
system – it is a scheme of moral values of a
person.
Terms related ETHICS (continuation)
 Morality refers to social conventions about what is right and
wrong that are so widely shared that they form the foundation of
an established consensus.
 A virtue is a habit that encourages people to do what is
acceptable, whereas a vice is a habit that encourages people to
do what is unacceptable.
 A person who acts with integrity follows a personal set of
principles. One approach to acting with integrity—one of the
pillars of ethical behavior—is to treat everyone with the same
respect and consideration that you expect from others.
Terms related ETHICS (continuation)
 A person who acts with integrity follows a personal set of
principles. One approach to acting with integrity—one of
the pillars of ethical behavior—is to treat everyone with the
same respect and consideration that you expect from others.
 The law is a system of rules that tells us what we can and
cannot do. It is also a set of rules that govern what we are
and are not allowed to do. Law enforcement is the
responsibility of a group of institutions (the police, courts,
and law-making bodies)
Importance of Integrity
Integrity is a pillar of ethical behavior.
A Persons of integrity:
 Adherence to a personal code of principles
 Extend the same courtesy and consideration to everyone.
 Maintain consistent moral standards in all situations.
What is ETIQUETTE?
What is ETIQUETTE?
 Ethical and socially acceptable behavior regarding
professional practice or action among the members
of a profession in their dealings with each other.
 Expected behaviors and expectations for individual
actions within society, group or class.
 But etiquette isn’t recognized as one uniform set of
standards around the globe.
Profession and Professional
Profession and Professional
A profession is a calling that necessitates
specialized knowledge and, in many cases,
extensive academic training.
A "professional employee" is defined in the
United States Code of Federal Regulations as
someone who is engaged in the performance of
work:
Profession and Professional (continuation)
 requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or
learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized
intellectual instruction and study in an institution of higher learning;
 requiring the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment in its
performance;
 which is predominantly intellectual and varied in character; and
 which is of such character that the output produced or the result
accomplished by such work cannot be standardized in relation to a
given period of time.”
Professional Code of Ethics
A professional code of ethics outlines the fundamental
principles and core values of a specific occupational group's
work. A code of ethics governs how many professions
conduct themselves.
 Public trust and respect—Public trust is based on the
expectation that a professional will act ethically.
 Evaluation benchmark—A code of ethics includes an
evaluation benchmark that a professional can use for self-
evaluation. The code can also be used by the professional's
peers for recognition or censure.
Professional Code of Ethics (continuation)
 Ethical decision making—Adherence to a
professional code of ethics means that practitioners
use a common set of core values and beliefs as a
guideline for ethical decision making.
 High standards of practice and ethical behavior
—Adherence to a code of ethics reminds
professionals of the responsibilities and duties that
they may be tempted to compromise to meet the
pressures of day-to-day business.
IT Professionals and Certifications
IT professional is a term for a person that works in information
technology sector.
Certifications is the action or process of providing someone or
something with an official document attesting to a status or level of
achievement. - dictionary
According to the certifying organization, certification indicates that
a professional possesses a specific set of skills, knowledge, or
abilities. Choosing the best IT certification—or even whether to seek
one—depends on the individual's career goals, current skill level, and
access to training
IT Professionals Malpractice
Malpractice is a failure to act correctly or legally
when doing your job, often causing injury or loss. –
Cambridge Dictionary
Negligence is defined as failure to take proper care in
doing something. – Dictionary
It is also doing something that a reasonable person
would not do or not doing something that a reasonable
person would do.
IT Professionals Malpractice (continuation)
The obligation to protect people from unreasonable
harm or risk is referred to as the duty of care. Courts
determine whether parties owe a duty of care by
applying a reasonable person standard to determine
how an objective, cautious, and conscientious person
would have acted in the same circumstances. Similarly,
defendants with specific expertise or competence are
judged against a reasonable professional standard
Common Ethical Issues for IT Users
 Software Piracy in the workplace can sometimes be
traced back to IT professionals, who may either
allow it to happen or actively participate in it.
 Inappropriate Use of Computing Resources in the
company. Some employees use their computers to
visit popular Web sites unrelated to their jobs, chat
in chat rooms, view pornographic sites, and play
computer games.
Common Ethical Issues for IT Users (continuation)
 Inappropriate Sharing of Information of the
company. Every organization stores vast amounts
of data that can be classified as private or
confidential.
Supporting Ethical Practices of IT Users
 Establishing Guidelines for Use of Company
Software
 Defining and Limiting the Appropriate Use of IT
Resources
 Structuring Information Systems to Protect Data and
Information
 Installing and Maintaining a Corporate Firewall
References:
 3G E-Learning. (2020). Living in the IT Era, 2e.
 Reynolds, G. W. (2019). Ethics in Information
Technology. Cengage.
 Tayuan, R. C. and Eleazar M. V. (2019). Living in
the Information Technology Era. C & E
Thank you!