17/09/2006©RSH Unit 1 The Information Age Advanced Applied ICT

17/09/2006©RSH Outline Aim –To give people living 100 years from now, an idea of the Information Age now. How –Research three key areas Online services Life in the information age The Digital Divide –Design, make and test an ebook. Then –Make an eportfolio consisting of your ebook, together with evidence of design, resources and testing.

17/09/2006©RSH Assessment Marks are awarded for –Content –Effectiveness of the ebook –Quality of the ebook The examination board will expect to see –Evidence of design –Use of appropriate software –Bibliography –Original material (text, image, etc.) –Proof of testing –Accurate and legible text Higher marks are awarded for –Content –Use of the more advanced features. –A range of multimedia components, both ready-made and original

17/09/2006©RSH Assessment (continued…) It is important to –Introduce each section –Use your own words –Provide non-linear means of navigation –Have a consistent design theme –Think about the quantity of text on a page –Use appropriate images (consider size, positioning) –Use screenshots –Use sound and video –Use ready-made multimedia components –Make your own multi-media components –Don’t use live links – they may not be around in 100 years

17/09/2006©RSH Good Practice The ebook forms part of an eportfolio. –You will need to include design notes, sketches, bibliography, list of source material etc. –Get into the habit of keeping these notes.

17/09/2006©RSH The Information Age The e-book will contain more detailed information but it is useful to give the future reader some background into the current Information Age

17/09/2006©RSH The Information Age Digital technology is having a profound effect on the way businesses and individuals operate. Information can be –Exchanged globally in milliseconds –Shared between millions of users simultaneously –Stored in small devices (USB sticks, iPods etc.) These opportunities exist because of new technologies. –The Internet –Multimedia –Broadband –Wireless –Digital and mobile technologies (TV, video, telephones) These technologies are always developing.

17/09/2006©RSH An introduction What is the Internet ? Who uses the Internet ? What makes the Internet useful and exciting to use ? You will need to give an overview of –The Internet –Multimedia –Broadband –Wireless –Digital and mobile technologies The e-book will contain more detailed information but it is useful to give the future reader some background into the current Information Age

17/09/2006©RSH The Internet The Internet is a network that links computers globally. To access the Internet, these factors need to be considered –Hardware(Computers, GPS etc..) –Software (Browsers) –Services (ISP These are some of ways of accessing the Internet –Broadband –ADSL –Cable –ISDN –T3

17/09/2006©RSH The Internet Connection speed and reliability need to be considered In some areas, upgraded services are being introduced while in other areas, widely accepted services are not available. Costs of services need to be considered –Speed –Usage –Permanent connection –Reliability Newer technologies don’t require a PC to connect with the Internet – phones –WAP, SMS phones –Games consoles –PDAs and organisers –Telephone booths / kiosks –Set-top boxes –Fridges ! –GPS

17/09/2006©RSH The Internet Software –Most operating systems have integrated Internet access software including Dial-up networking Browsers Services –Once connected via an ISP, the following services are available Web-browsing FTP Newsgroups Internet relay chat Web space Web hosting Help

17/09/2006©RSH Multimedia Multimedia tools are used to generate –Pictures and graphics –Moving images –Sounds Multimedia can enhance –Documents –Presentations –Web-pages –E-books Good multimedia products provide a rich environment in which the user interacts and experiences a range of multimedia products.

17/09/2006©RSH Broadband Broadband is a very high-speed connection to the Internet. There are a range of services at a different costs.

17/09/2006©RSH Wireless, digital and mobile technologies There is a wide range of wireless technologies –Local wireless Keyboards, mice using Infrared or radio technologies Bluetooth –Wireless networks WLAN-enabled devices can be connected at any time Laptops, e-zones –Mobile phone networks Increased services and speed has led to far greater flexibility. Now used for voice, text, video Live TV being trialled

17/09/2006©RSH Digital television and video DTV is replacing analogue TV. DTV has these advantages –Greater image resolution –Smaller bandwidth –Compatible with computers and the Internet –Interactive –Superior audio quality –More consistent reception DVD is replacing video tapes.

17/09/2006©RSH Your introduction Write a background into the Internet. Include brief descriptions of –The Internet –Multimedia –Broadband –Wireless, digital and mobile technologies –Digital TV and radio Write a background into the Internet. Include brief descriptions of –The Internet –Multimedia –Broadband –Wireless, digital and mobile technologies –Digital TV and radio

17/09/2006©RSH The opportunities of the information age

17/09/2006©RSH Presentation of information Organisations can create templates that can be used on a national or global basis. Multimedia tools allow the development of –More creative designs –More visual content –More interactivity These features are widely used in –Presentations (on-line and at conferences or meetings) –Websites

17/09/2006©RSH Sharing information quickly Information can be shared rapidly via the use of technologies such as – –Webcams –Video conferencing –Virtual communities Newsgroups Chat rooms Mobile phone technologies are developing all the time and now offer –Voice transmission –Text and picture transmission –News

17/09/2006©RSH Greater interactivity with others Effective and speedy interaction can be achieved via modern digital technologies –Internet, Intranet – –Etc. This allows far greater flexibility in where people work. Software allows much more ‘collaboration’. Geographical location may not be so important.

17/09/2006©RSH Business opportunities Large and small businesses are affected. Marks and Spencers, for example, may be losing money with their High Street operations but increasing their sales via the Internet. Small businesses can now have a global market. There are pros and cons –More profit –Fewer staff

17/09/2006©RSH Virtual communities These have been set up on the Internet to bring together people with shared interests –Hobbies –Opinion groups –Homework help

17/09/2006©RSH A self-service environment On-line banking On-line shopping On-line learning These sites can store your personal details and provide a personal service allowing you to carry out a transaction or download some information at the click of a button. Such features describe a self-sufficient system.

17/09/2006©RSH Your introduction Add to your background a brief discussion of the Opportunities of the information age. Some ideas to describe –The presentation of information –Sharing information quickly –Greater interaction with others and organisations –Business opportunities large and small –Virtual communities –Mobile technologies –A self-service, self-sufficient environment Add to your background a brief discussion of the Opportunities of the information age. Some ideas to describe –The presentation of information –Sharing information quickly –Greater interaction with others and organisations –Business opportunities large and small –Virtual communities –Mobile technologies –A self-service, self-sufficient environment

17/09/2006©RSH Issues and challenges

17/09/2006©RSH Challenges The need to be lifelong learners –Online access to learning resources, courses, training opportunities –Employees and individuals must adapt to changing technologies Privacy rights –The Data Protection Act 1998 Copyright and legislation –Copyright, Design and Patent Act Impacts on employment –ICT skills, training, costs The digital divide –Many people are excluded from the online world because of cost, fear of technology, location. –What problems will they face and what can be done about it.

17/09/2006©RSH Your introduction Add to your background a brief discussion of the Issues and challenges arising from the information age Some ideas –Lifelong learning –Privacy rights –Copyright and legislation –Impacts on employment –The digital divide Add to your background a brief discussion of the Issues and challenges arising from the information age Some ideas –Lifelong learning –Privacy rights –Copyright and legislation –Impacts on employment –The digital divide