Gce Applied Ict

GCE APPLIED ICT

UNIT 1

The Information Age

Please read through this document as it forms a part of the course and homework. Go through it carefully and understand each section. There are three sections and we expect you to complete Section 1 over the Summer break. However if you want to do more there are a further 2 sections to get you started. Remember YOU MUST keep a BIBLIOGRAPHY for each section and if you any images you must save the actual image file in a folder (you will be able to use this later). If you find and relevant video please keep the links.

Start by creating a folder and naming it Unit 1. Create another folder inside this and name it Images. Save everything in the correct folder.

GCE A’ ICT, Unit 1: The Information Age

The following extract has been taken from the Edexcel AS/A GCE in Applied ICT

(Single) Specification.

What you need to learn:

1.1 The Information Age

This is the Information Age! Rapidly advancing computing power is resulting in ever-increasing volumes of information being created and stored. Much of this information can be accessed, copied and modified by anyone, anytime, anywhere. You, as an individual, can create and store information that can be accessed by anyone across the globe.

An increasingly wide range of digital technologies is affecting the way we lead our lives. You will need to be aware of key technologies used to convey information in various ways.

Unit 1 of the GCE A/S A’ ICT qualification is a research unit, which requires you to complete detailed research about life in the information age. The unit is broken into three main sections:

· Online services;

· Life in the Information Age;

· The Digital Divide

Section 1 Online Services

In the form of a word-processed document, you will give a description and evaluation of at least five different types of online service, drawn together to give a picture of the current scope and limitations of the Internet as a whole.

Online services:

1. Communication, e.g. email, instant messaging, newsgroups, online conferencing, blogs;

2. Real time information, e.g. train timetables, news services, traffic reports, and weather;

3. Commerce, e.g. shopping, banking, auctions;

4. Government, e.g. online tax returns, e-voting, applications for services/grants, revenue collection;

5. Business, e.g. videoconferencing, collaborative working, business networks;

6. Entertainment, e.g. multi-user games, radio players;

7. Download services, e.g. music, film, upgrades, software;

8. Archiving, e.g. ‘x drives’.

Break down your investigation of each service into the following headings:

• Introduction to the General section, e.g. communication;

• Introduction to the chosen option, e.g. email;

• How does it work? In a simple description (not too technical);

• Target audience;

• Advantages and disadvantages;

• Usage figures;

• Comparison between providers - for example: if you chose email, you could compare between Hotmail and Yahoo.

• Non-Internet alternatives;

• Sub-section conclusion;

• Section conclusion.

Important note: this work must include screenshots. These will be saved as digital images and inserted into your document. At a later point, you will be able to use these digital images in your e-portfolio.

You must keep a bibliography for each section that you researched

Online Service 1: <(You have to do 5 online services and for each service give at least 2 examples e.g. Communication>

General Introduction to Service: <Title>

Introduction to Focus Point: <i.e. Online Conferencing>

How service works

Target Audience

Benefits & Drawbacks

Usage Figures (Stats)

Comparisons

Non-Internet Alternatives

Conclusion to Service

Bibliography (Reference List)

Section 2 Life in the Information Age

(Only do this if you want to) Below are the notes and after that is the actual task pg 10

• ICT has made life today very different from life yesterday and tomorrow will look different too

• In the first part of this unit you looked at a range of Internet services

• Used the internet to conduct research

Now you must look more widely at ICT and examine how it affects people in their

Personal life – activities they do on their own outside of work e.g. online banking/shopping/education/training, etc

• Social life – activities where they interact with others e.g. communication (mobile phone, email, skype, messenger)

• Professional life – activities undertaken in their working life e.g, email, video conferencing

You must use a much wider range of information sources to find your information, e.g. newspapers, interviews, textbooks, video clips, etc

The section

• You must use a wide range of sources to present and discuss different aspects of life nowadays that have changed because of ICT

• Your descriptions must give a clear and balanced picture of the aspects you have chosen to talk about and life in general in the Information Age.

The Task

You must research HOW ICT is affecting FIVE different aspects of peoples lives from a choice of 10 aspects

• Working styles

• Communication

• Education

• Entertainment and leisure

• Banking and shopping

• Decision making

• Employment opportunities

• Crime and crime prevention

• Civil rights

• Legislation

The Task part 2

You must examine HOW ICT affects people in their Personal, Social and Professional lives, so make sure you choose enough of a range of aspects to allow you to do this.

• Weigh up the benefits and drawbacks

• Draw general conclusions on how ICT affects life today

Ideas to think about…!

• What is the aspect

• What has changed about it due to technology

• What technologies do we use (remember you aren’t just talking about the internet now)

• Why do we use them

• How do we use them

• Who uses them

• Who doesn't use them and why not

• What changes do you still foresee

Sources of Information

You MUST use at least % different types of information sources

• Newspapers or magazine articles (paper ones/text books

• Interviews/ collect peoples views, survey monkey

• Why not conduct a survey using survey monkey? But –remember to get a cross section of people, including those who don’t have access to the technology

• Personal experience's /Tvroadcasts

• Podcasts or radio broadcasts/videos/adverts/leaflets

Working styles

• Job descriptions/job roles/organisation

• Work/life balance

• Teleworking/mobility flexible working

• Document management

• Monitoring and surveillance

• Communications

• Personnel management

Communication

• Mobile/landline phones

• Email/instant messaging

• SMS/MMS

• Fax machines

• Video conferencing

• Social Networking

• Forums/Blogs/Voice over Internet Protocol

Education

• Curriculum subject

• Lifelong learning

• VLE’s/Video lecturing/Distance learning

• Retraining

• ICT as a curriculum subject

• Data projectors/IWB

• Software programs – usage

• Electronic registration

Decision making

• Data mining

• Information overload

• Resources available

• Simulation/ project management software

• Timetabling software

• Collaboration – google docs

Entertainment

• Games consoles/Computers

• Dvd players and recorders

• Computerised musical equipment

• Television

• Internet

• Film distribution

• Portable digital media players

Banking and shopping

• Internet shopping/Online/Telephone banking

• Self service tills

• EPOS/EFTPOS/ATM’s

• Stock databases

• Availability – 24/7

• Fraud/Phishing

Employment opportunities

• Web development/programming/networking

• Creating/extinction of new jobs

• Automation of jobs

• globalisation

Crime and prevention

• Electronic bank theft/email fraud/mobile phone

• Evidence collection/DNA databases

• Crime agencies/criminal records Bureau

• CCTV/Offender tagging/Car tracking

• Hacking/ Phishing/ID theft

• Time saving of use of ICT

• Crime scene investigation

Civil rights

• Protection against fraud

• Tracking systems/biometric password

• ID cards/Govt dept’s sharing data

• Website blocking/filtering

• Human rights

• Monitoring email and internet usage

Legislation

• Health and safety at work act 1974

• Data protection act 1984

• Copyright, designs and patents act 1988

• Computer misuse act 1990

• Health and saftey (display screen) 1992

• Regulations of investigatory powers act 2000

• Freedom of information act 2004

Conclusion 1

Now that you have research how ICT affects some of the different aspects of life you need to draw some conclusions that give a considered view of how it is affecting life overall

You should consider this from as many angles as possible – environmental, social, ethical, aesthetic, etc

Conclusions 2

• Try to give a picture of life in today's Information Age

• How much have we benefited from ICT

• What are the short term gains/losses and the the long term ones

• What have been the detrimental effects

– To us personally or professionally

– To society or the environment general

Conclusion 3

• What concerns do people have about the Impact of ICT on their lives

• What doest the future hold for us

• What would your advice be regards the development of new technologies for information and communication

Life in the Information Age, Aspect 1: <i.e. Education>

Introduction to Aspect: <Title>

Introduction to Focus Point: <i.e.>

Benefits of (Focus) Aspect:

<Ref. to personal life...>

<Ref. to social life...>

<Ref. to professional life...>

Drawbacks of (Focus) Aspect:

<Ref. to personal life...>

<Ref. to social life...>

<Ref. to professional life...>

Brief Conclusion to Aspect

Bibliography (Reference List)

(Delete: you must use at least 5 different types of sources)

Section 3 The Digital Divide

Issues to investigate

1. A definition: Find a good definition of the digital divide

 Can you find any images or charts to illustrate your definition?

 List your source in your bibliography

2. A measurement: Find how big the divide is ‐

 Can you find any images or charts to illustrate your definition?

 List your source/s in your bibliography

FIND THE ANSWER TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS

How many ways can this divide be measured?

o How can you measure digital exclusion?

o Is it by measuring the percentage of people accessing the Internet in a certain area?

o Or the number of people who own a computer?

o Or is it the number of people who regularly use more advanced technology?

o What would be the most useful indicator to people concerned with narrowing the

divide in your local area/in the UK/in the world?

 Is it widening or narrowing?

o Optimists believe that the problems associated with digital exclusion will reduce

over time.

o Pessimists believe that the situation is not improving ‐ and is even getting worse.

o What does the evidence you find tell you about the situation?

3. A reason: Describe in detail at least THREE factors causing/contributing to the digital divide.

Support your descriptions with a range of carefully chosen examples:

 Global (i.e. worldwide)

 Local

CHOOSE THREE FACTORS FROM THIS LIST & FIND THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS

Technological:

 Is digital inclusion governed by the availability of broadband technologies? i.e. Does the

availability of technology (e.g. broadband) affect how many people ‐

o Have access to it?

o Use it?

o Do new technologies require more sophisticated systems that exclude certain groups of

people?

Economic:

 How much do monetary factors influence who has and who doesn't?

 Does the cost of new technologies prevent people from 'keeping up'?

 Does it matter how much available income the country/society/individual has?

Social:

 Does the lack of technology in a home make a person a social outcast?

 Does it make a difference what class / religion / age / gender / race / disability you are?

 What correlation can you find between age, or social class, and Internet use?

 Does my education/training influence how good I am at accepting new technologies?

Geographical:

 Is the terrain/country a factor?

 If I live in a mountainous area am I less likely to be technologically literate?

 If I live in the country am I excluded from the full benefits of ICT?

 Fear of technology: Do some people have a mental block when it comes to computers?

 Is this influenced by their age, culture or socio‐economic status?

 Or is it just too complicated for some?

Lack of motivation:

 What motivates people to access technology?

 Is it the demands of their job or educational course?

 Why is it that some people 'can't be bothered'?

4. The effects

 Why should we be bothered by this digital divide?

 So what if, some people don't have access to computers?

 Explain the impact of the divide.

USE STATISTICS AND ILLUSTRATIONS WHEREVER POSSIBLE

FIND THE ANSWER TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS

Economic / Social / Educational / Cultural

 Why do we need more people to access the technology?

 What benefits does it bring to the individual/to society/to the country?

 Where the levels of access are low, what is the effect on the economy?

 Are there psychological effects associated with the inability to access modern technology?

 Are there any drawbacks to reducing the gap?

5. The solution(s)

Describe in detail some of the measures being taken to bridge the gap.

FIND THE ANSWER TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS

 What are the different things being done?

 How are more people being helped to access the technology …?

o In your local community?

o In the UK?

o In the world?

Explain what the government is doing as well as local, regional, worldwide groups.

 Does it just need more funding ‐ or would more/better marketing change things?

 Does the technology need to be changed to make it simpler/easier to use?

 How can the costs be brought down to help those with insufficient funds?

 Will more training help?

Are they working?

 Which are the most successful strategies being used today?

o Locally?

o Globally?

 Are there barriers that prevent these measures from working?

o What else could be done?

o Where are the real success stories?

o What are the really sad cases?

Digital Divide – Some links to websites to get you started

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page - good site to start for an overview