INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a range of technologies that advance communications. It enables communications processes such as broadcast media, networking components, and audiovisual processing and transmission systems allowing people and organizations to interact in the digital world.

Web Generations

This technology comes from the innovations made from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. Web 1.0 is the first generation of the Internet that Tim Berners-Lee pioneered in 1990 by writing fundamental technologies that became the foundation of the world wide web and the first webpage browser. Web 2.0 is the shift that happened in how the internet is used in the past 15-20 years. Making it possible for user- generated content to be viewed by people around the world in an instant.

​Furthermore, Web 2.0 has been driven by innovations such as internet access and social networks that enable the dominance of applications that expanded online interactivity and utility.




Web 3.0 represents the next phase of this evolution of the Internet and could be as disruptive as Web 2.0 as it is built on the concepts of decentralization which aim for data to be stored in multiple locations simultaneously and not on a single server like how the Web 2.0 does, openness as being open-source software, and greater user utility using machine learning to enable computers to produce faster and more relevant results.

Convergent Technologies

This refers to where two or more independent technologies combine to form a new device. A smartphone is a great example where several independent technologies such as a telephone, camera, multimedia player, and navigation tool are integrated into a single device.

Convergent technologies have three key characteristics. First, they can perform multiple features to serve a blended purpose. Second, they can collect and use data in various formats and let machine learning techniques provide an enhanced user experience. And third, they are interconnected with other devices to offer universal access to users.

Social Use

The developments in ICT have made it possible to connect with people around the world instantly through social media. These are online services and tools used for publishing, sharing, and discussing information. This includes social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), forums (Reddit), community blogs (WordPress), and video-hosting sites (YouTube, Twitch) all aiming to provide faster and more interactive communication online

Assistive Technology

It is any device, application, or equipment that supports people with disabilities to learn, communicate, and function with ease and comfort according to their condition. Applications such as ChromeVox which is a screen reader extension on Google Chrome and Capti which is used to easily listen to books online, listen to the news, and convert DOC and PDF files to speech are examples of this technology.

 

Other examples include speech-to-text, transcription, and subtitles features to help people with hearing problems and magnifier applications for people with eyesight problems.

 

The current state of ICT further brings society in understanding its benefits and how it can empower in achieving various social changes.