Lesson 1: What is Information

Communication Technology (ICT) ?

 What is Information
Communication Technology
(ICT)?
- Information and communication technologies (ICT) is
defined as a diverse set of technological tools and
resources used to transmit, store, create, share or
exchange information.

- Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is a

broader term for Information Technology (IT), which refers to
all communication technologies, including the internet,
wireless networks, cell phones, computers, software,
middleware, video-conferencing, social networking, and
other media applications and services enabling users to
access, retrieve, store, transmit, and manipulate information
in a digital form.
 GOALS &
OBJECTIVES
ICT in education improves
engagement and knowledge
retention: When ICT is integrated into
lessons, students become more
engaged in their work. This is
because technology provides
different opportunities to make it
more fun and enjoyable in terms of
teaching the same things in different
ways.
 Glossary of ICT terminology

This Glossary of ICT terminology, compiled by Graham Davies and Fred Riley,
contains a list of technical terminology and terms specific to ICT and language
learning and teaching. It also serves as an index to topics covered at the ICT4LT
website. Anything underlined in blue will link you to further information, either
within this Glossary, within the ICT4LT website, or anywhere on the Web as a
whole. We welcome suggestions for additions to the Glossary: Feedback and blog
Computer Hope: Dictionary and glossary of ICT terms/

FLV.com: A glossary of terms relating mainly to audio and video formats, with
links to a range of conversion tools.

FOLDOC: Free OnLine Dictionary Of Computing. A searchable dictionary of ICT

terms.

Glossary of Internet Terms: A comprehensive list of Internet terminology

compiled by Matisse Enzer.

Google is a great source if you are looking for definitions of unknown terms.
Simply enter define: in the Google search box, followed by the term, e.g.
define:OCR. See also Section 4, Module 1.5, headed Search engines: How to
find materials on the Web.
Wikipedia: A collaboratively written general encyclopaedia that is constantly
updated. It contains many useful entries on technical terminology:
http://www.wikipedia.org. Here's a useful tip: If you find an article on
Wikipedia in English and then click on one of the language options in the
left-hand column of the page, you are linked immediately to an article on
the same topic in that language. See the entry in this Glossary under Wiki.
Absolute Link: A term used by Web authors. In an HTML document a
Relative Link indicates the location of a file relative to the document,
whereas an absolute link specifies the full URL. For example, the relative
link of this Glossary to the ICT4LT homepage is ../en/en_glossary.htm
whereas it's absolute link is http://www.ict4lt.org/en/en_glossary.htm. It's
generally better for Web authors to link to files within the same website
using relative links rather than absolute links, as this makes site and file
maintenance easier. See Section 5.4, Module 3.3, headed Shared resources.
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP): An AUP is a set of rules that define the ways
in which ICT facilities can and cannot be used in a business or educational
institution, including a description of the possible sanctions that can be
applied if a user breaks the rules. Two of the most important topics
covered by an AUP are (i) e-safety and (ii) awareness of and compliance
with copyright. See Section 12.6, Module 1.5, headed E-safety, and
General guidelines on copyright for further information about these
topics.
Access: The name of a Database program forming part of the Microsoft Office
suite of programs.

Accessibility: The fundamental issue regarding accessibility is that everyone should

have access to the services provided by ICT, e.g. computer programs, Email and
the World Wide Web, regardless of any visual, auditory, or other physical
impairment they might have. Assistive Technology may be employed to increase
access to such services, e.g. Text To Speech (TTS) screen readers, screen
magnifiers, speech recognition systems, hearing assistance devices, etc. Designers
of computer programs and websites need to take account of accessibility when
choosing colours, fonts and font sizes, etc: see Font.
Action Maze: A type of computer program used in Computer Assisted
Language Learning. See Maze for a more detailed explanation.

Active Matrix: A term used to describe the newer type of computer

Display Screen that makes use of Thin Film Transistor (TFT)
technology: see TFT. Active matrix screens have excellent colour
resolution and can display motion accurately and rapidly. See
Resolution.
Additive Colour: A term used mainly by graphic designers. Additive colour is
produced by the addition of light from a luminescent primary source. A light
bulb appears white because it emits light in all colours of the visible spectrum,
which combine to produce white light. All the colours in the light spectrum add
up to make white light. Computer monitors use three additive colours, Red,
Green and Blue (RGB), which are combined in different ways to produce
millions of other colours. See CMY, RGB, Subtractive Colour.

Address Book: Usually supplied as part of your Email software. An address

book in this sense is used to keep a record of all the email addresses of people
whom you may wish to contact by email.
ADSL: Abbreviation for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A high-
speed digital telephone connection that operates over an existing
copper telephone line, allowing the same line to be used for voice
calls. ADSL lines offer transmission speed that are usually in the range
2Mbps to 8Mbps, and are used mainly for Internet access. The term
asymmetric is used because the data flows more quickly from the
telephone exchange to the user than from the user to the exchange -
because most Web users are more interested in receiving data quickly
from websites rather than uploading it to websites. The term
symmetric is used for connections where the data flows at the same
speed in both directions, which is essential for accessing websites
where there is a high degree of interactivity. See Broadband, ISDN,
Kbps, Leased Line, Mbps.
Adventure Game: Adventure games date back to the early days of
mainframe computing. The early adventure games consisted entirely of
written text, but modern adventure games incorporate elaborate
graphics, sound and video sequences. The dividing line between an
adventure game and a Simulation is rather fuzzy. In both sorts of
programs there are a number of obstacles to overcome, and the player
has to indulge in mind-stretching lateral thinking in order to overcome
them. Adventure games are often set in a fantasy world, e.g. Myst or
Riven, but some are more down-to-earth and can play an important role
in language teaching and learning, e.g. Who is Oscar Lake? See Section
3.4.9, Module 2.2, headed A simulation on CD-ROM. See Maze, MOO,
MUD, MUVE.
Adware is software that may have been installed on your
computer by a remote computer, i.e. via the Web. Many free
utilities that you download from the Internet will install hidden
software that sends details of the websites you visit and other
information from your computer (which can include your email
address) to advertisers so they can target you with popup ads
and spam.
AI: Abbreviation for Artificial Intelligence.

AJAX: Acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. AJAX is a Web programming tool (or
rather a set of tools) that makes it possible to create interactive Web applications that work
in much the same way as computer applications on your computer's hard disc, i.e. more
responsive, more spontaneous, so that when you click on something on the Web page there
is very little time delay - as in your word-processor, for example. While you are browsing a
Web page AJAX is working behind the scenes. AJAX allows your browser to fetch data from
the Web and use it to update a fragment of the page without refreshing the whole page so
that you don't have to wait for the whole Web page to refresh or reload each time you click
on a button or initiate an action in some other way. This increases the Web page's
interactivity, speed, functionality, and usability. Google Maps is a typical example of a Web
application incorporating AJAX. Scroll around the map and watch it update itself with
relatively little time delay. AJAX is a programming tool that is used extensively in what are
known as Web 2.0 applications.
ALTE: Abbreviation for Association of Language Testers
in Europe.
Alt Key: The Alt keys can be found on either side of the
space bar on a computer keyboard. They are
commonly used in conjunction with a set of numbers
to enable foreign characters to be typed. See ASCII,
ANSI. See Section 5, Module 1.3, headed Typing foreign
characters.

Analogue: The basic meaning of analogue is

"something that corresponds to something else". For
example, in the context of equipment used for
recording and playing back sound, analogue refers to
the way in which the sound is recorded and
reproduced.
Anchor: A term used in connection with HTML, the
coding system used for creating Web pages. An
anchor is the target of a Hyperlink, i.e. a point in a
Web document to which you jump when you click on
a hyperlink.

Animation: The display of a sequence of images in a

computer program or on a Web page to give the
impression of movement.
Anti-virus Software: See Virus.

Apache: The most popular Web Server software on the World Wide Web.
Apache runs mainly on Unix systems, although there is also a Microsoft
Windows version. The Apache Project website is at http://www.apache.org

API: Abbreviation for Application Programming Interface. API is a so-called

protocol of communication that enables different computer programs to
communicate with one another. A good API makes it easier to develop a
program by providing all the building blocks that the programmer needs.
Although APIs are designed for programmers, they are also good for
program users insofar as they guarantee that all programs using a common
API will have similar interfaces. This makes it easier for users to learn new
programs.
App: Abbreviation for Application.

Applet: A small program written in the Java programming language and

embedded in a Web page. When you use your Browser to access a Web
page, an applet may run "inside" the Web page, as it were, to perform an
interactive animation, make a calculation or carry out another simple task.

Application: A computer program or a suite of computer programs that

performs a particular function for the user, such as a word-processor, e.g.
Microsoft Word, or a range of functions, such as Microsoft Windows or
Microsoft Office. Commonly abbreviated to app, especially in the context
of Web 2.0 and Mobile Assisted Learning (MALL) apps. See Computer
Program, Operating System, Windows, Word-processor.
Archive: Used to describe documents or files that are not immediately
needed but which should not be completely discarded. An archive may be
stored on an external Hard Disc, CD-ROM, DVD or other Storage Device.
Also used to describe stored messages that have been contributed to
discussion lists or blogs. Also used as a verb. See Blog, Discussion List.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): The ability of a computer to mimic human

attributes in finding a solution to a problem. Artificial Intelligence
techniques are applied in various ways in computer applications in the
language world, e.g. in Machine Translation (MT) programs and in
grammar and style checkers. See Module 3.5, Human Language
Technologies (HLT), especially Section 6, headed Human Language
Technologies and CALL, and Section 8 on Parser-based CALL. See ICALL
(Intelligent CALL).
Attachment: A term used in connection with Email. An attachment can
be a File of almost any kind - a document file, an image file, a sound file
or a video clip - that you can add, i.e. attach, to an email.

Attribute: A term used by Web authors. An attribute of an HTML tag

controls how that tag operates. For example, in the HTML fragment <img
src="../images/home01.gif" alt="English home page">, the required
attribute src defines the image file to be displayed, and the optional
attribute alt defines the text to be displayed when the Mouse moves
over the image. Attributes can only exist within tags. See HTML, Tag.
Backup or Back Up: Used as a verb, to back up means to copy a File or
Folder from your computer to another Storage Device, e.g. a CD-ROM, as
a precaution in case your Hard Drive fails or is infected by a Virus. A
backup, used as a noun, or a backup copy describes a copy that you have
made in this way. It is essential to back up new files and folders at regular
intervals.

Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be sent from one computer to
another through a particular connection in a certain amount of time, e.g.
via a computer to the Internet and vice versa. The more bandwidth
available, the faster you are able to access information. Bandwidth is
usually measured in kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second
(Mbps). See ADSL, Broadband, Kilobit, Megabit, Narrowband.
Blended Learning: This term normally refers to combining
Internet-based distance learning with face-to-face tuition but it
may also be used to describe combining offline ICT-based
materials with more traditional materials, such as books,
audiocassettes and videocassettes. See Distance Learning, E-
learning, Online Learning, Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
See Section 4, Module 2.3 under the heading Hybrid systems
and blended learning.
Bluetooth: Bluetooth is a technical industry standard for radio
technology which facilitates the transmission of signals over
short distances (up to around 10 metres) between telephones,
computers and other devices without the use of wires. For
example, a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone can communicate
with a Desktop Computer or Laptop Computer for the purpose
of synchronising data, such as an appointments diary.
Bookmark: A bookmark is a facility within a Browser that enables
you to keep a record of Web pages that you have visited and may
wish to visit again. Bookmarks are stored in a subdirectory of the
Windows directory on your computer. In Internet Explorer
bookmarks are known as Favorites (sic - spelt the American way),
which is also the name of the subdirectory in which they are stored.
Bookmarks are also used to mark positions in a Word document, i.e.
positions to which you can jump from other points in the document
by clicking on them with the Mouse.
 SUSTAI
Nthe concept of Networked
Think about
World Readiness (NWR) Readiness for the
Networked World is a website and an
educational resource developed by
Harvard University Center for
International Development. It describes
the determinants of a community's
Readiness for the Networked World. It
also offers a diagnostic tool that
systematically examines these factors in
order to assess a community's Readiness
PICTURES /
EXAMPLES
 TRANSFORM
At this point, whatever your discovery is, be
mindful that ICT or digital tools when used
properly can empower users to make positive
social change. To synthesize your learning in this
lesson, compare and contrast the features of
varied online platform, sites, and content and how
they help achieve specific needs and objectives or
address challenges in the classroom or in your
community.
Group 1:

Marcelo
Santos
Verde
Jumawan
Globa
Carlos