Information and Communication Technologies 27

							Information and Communication
         Technologies
            27-28-29
Information and Communication
         Technologies
People often use the terms information
and communication together. These
terms are related, but each means
something different. Let’s review two
words that you learned in an earlier
lesson. Data includes individual facts,
statistics (numerical data), and ideas.
These facts and ideas are not sorted or
arranged in any manner.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Information is data that has been sorted
and arranged. It consists of organized
facts and opinions people receive during
daily life. Changing data into information
is called data processing or information
processing. It involves gathering,
organizing, and reporting data so it is
useful to people. It is often done using
information technology.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
The classic communication system is
made up of an information source, an
encoder, a transmitter, a receiver, a
decoder, storage, retrieval, and an
information destination. Feedback may
be included in this process as well.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Noise, an unwanted signal that can
interfere with the communication
process, can interrupt the signal at any
point in the process. Data and
information can be stored to be retrieved
later. Storage devices include, CD-ROMs
or DVDs, hard drives, flash memory, and
memory chips.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
There are many ways to communicate
information, such as graphic and
electronic means. Graphic
communication systems involve the
design, development, and production of
visual images. Examples of graphic
systems include printing and
photochemical processes, while examples
of electronic systems are computers, DVD
players, digital audiotapes, and
telephones.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
This information can be expressed in
various forms: electrical information can
be formatted as digital (discrete bit) or
analog (continuously variable signals).
Multimedia combines information from a
number of formats (audio, video, and
data) and then transmits it. Television
studios and telephone companies
exemplify businesses that deal with
multimedia.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Messages are influenced by many factors,
such as timing, sequencing, and
processing. Because people today are
bombarded daily with numerous
messages, the usefulness of information
depends on such factors as relevancy,
timeliness, truth, completeness, and
cultural value.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
The knowledge and information that is
provided through information and
communication systems can help to
inform people, shape personal views and
concepts of reality, and entertain.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Information has become such a valued
commodity in today’s society, many
commercial companies are involved in
information and communication
technologies. You need to evaluate the
quality of information that is received
from these companies by comparing and
contrasting information sources and
examining the relevancy of the massage.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Graphic communication systems involve
visual messages, such as words and
pictures — newspapers, magazines, and
print media exemplify this type of
communication. Entertainment,
including television, movies, videotape,
music, and compact discs (CDs) is also a
growing area of communication.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Symbols, measurement, conventions,
icons, and graphic images are recognized
components in the language of
technology that are used to communicate
messages. You should communicate to
others using the language of technology.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Information and communication
technologies include the inputs,
processes, and outputs associated with
sending and receiving information. All of
the parts are necessary if information is
to be shared and understood by the
sender and receiver.
 Information and Communication
          Technologies
  Communication is designed to impact
  someone. The communication can meet
  one or more of three basic goals:
• Inform by providing information about
  people, events, or relationships. We
  read books, magazines, and newspapers
  to obtain information. Radio news
  programs, television news programs, and
  documentaries are designed to provide
  information.
 Information and Communication
          Technologies

• Persuade people to act in a certain way.
  Examples include the “Say No to Drugs,”
  “Buckle Up” and “Give a Hoot, Don’t
  Pollute” campaigns. Print and electronic
  advertisements, billboards, and signs are
  typical persuasive communication media.
 Information and Communication
          Technologies

• Entertain people as they participate in or
  observe events and performances.
  Television programs, movies, and novels
  are common entertainment-type
  communication.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
The three goals may be merged. Two
new words in our language arise from this
merging of goals. The first is
infotainment, which means providing
information in an entertaining way. You
may learn as you watch a quiz show on
television or play with video games and
computer simulations. Both of these are
enjoyable ways of gaining new and useful
information.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
The second term, edutainment, takes
communication one step beyond
infotainment. Edutainment is more than
allowing the information to be available
in an entertaining way. It creates a
situation in which people want to gain
the information. The television program
Sesame Street is a good example of
edutainment.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Data and information are of little use,
however, unless they are shared. This is
what communication does.
Communication is the act of exchanging
ideas, information, and opinions. It
involves a message someone wants
someone else or something to receive.
When we use technical equipment in
communicating, it is called
communication technology.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
People must process information before
they can communicate. You may know
something. The knowledge is in your
mind. It belongs to you. No one has
access to it. There are a number of ways
you can share your knowledge. You can
use your ability to speak and tell
someone what you know, or you can
write a paper containing the information
you have.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
A person can read the paper to learn what
you know. You can draw a picture
communicating the information. The
picture shows a person what you know.
You can take a photograph communicating
what you know, use a symbol, or develop a
sign representing the information. The use
of drawings, symbols, and measurements
promotes clear communication by offering
a general language with which to covey
ideas.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Technological knowledge and processes are
communicated using symbols,
measurement, conventions, icons, graphic
images, and languages that incorporate a
variety of visual, auditory, and tactile
stimuli.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
For example, the international symbols
developed for transportation systems have
helped to communicate critical information
to travelers: a circle with a slash
represents “No” or “Do not do.” Emerging
technologies often generate new symbols,
measurement systems, and terminology.
For example, ;-) is a symbol used in email
and on-line chat rooms to represent a
wink.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
The development of the personal computer
has spurred new terminology, such as
gigabyte (a unit of computer storage
capacity equal to one billion bytes) and
nanosecond (one billionth of a second).
Information and Communication
         Technologies
So far, we have discussed people directly
communicating with other people. This is
face-to-face communication. People show
pictures and symbols, or they use formal
language. These are common types of
communication, but they use little
technology. There are no technical means
used. Machines and equipment are not
involved in the communication. A
communication system is not present.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Communication technology uses
equipment and systems to send and receive
information. This technology
communicates information using graphic
and wave systems. Graphic comes from a
word meaning “to draw or write, as on
paper.” Wave refers to radio waves, a kind
of energy.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Graphic communication may be
communicated using drawings, pictures,
graphs, photographs, or words on flat
surfaces. These kinds of messages are
called graphic communication. In graphic
communication, paper or film carries the
message.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Wave communication systems depend on
an energy source called electromagnetic
radiation. Electromagnetic radiation is
energy moving through space in waves. It
travels at the speed of light — 186
thousand miles per second.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Sound waves are much slower that
electromagnetic waves. They travel at
different speeds in different media. In air,
they travel at about 750 mph at sea level.
They travel about four times faster in
water.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
People can use light, sound, or electrical
waves to send information. The
information is coded at the source. It is
then transmitted (sent) to the receiver.
There, the code must be changed back to
information. This type of communication is
often called electronic communication.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
For example, suppose your favorite sports
figures are interviewed. They speak into
microphones. Speech is changed into
pulses of electromagnetic energy. This
energy is transmitted from the radio
station’s broadcast tower. Your radio’s
antenna picks up some of these impulses of
energy.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Various stages of the radio change the
energy. Finally, the radio speaker changes
pulses back into audible sound. You hear
voices, but between the microphones and
the speaker, no one can hear or see the
message.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Communication technology is used for four
distinct types of communication:

   Human-to-human communication
   Human-to-machine communication
   Machine-to-human communication
   Machine-to-machine communication
Information and Communication
         Technologies
One way to look at communication is in
terms of the sender and receiver. We are
familiar with people communicating with
people. This type of communicating is the
most common. It works through our
electronic media and our printed products.
This type of communication is called
human-to-human communication.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Other types of communication also exist,
however. Have you ever reacted to a traffic
light, a warning light on the dashboard of your
car, a railroad crossing signal, or the bell that
indicates the end of a class period? If so, you
have participated in machine-to-human
communication. This type of communication
system is widely used to display machine
operating conditions.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Have you keyed material into a computer
or set the temperature on a thermostat? If
so, you have engaged in human-to-
machine communication. This type of
communication system starts, changes, or
ends a machine’s operations.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Finally, computer-controlled operations
use machine-to-machine communication.
Modern industry is becoming more
computer based. Humans enter programs
and data into the computer, and then the
computer directs and controls an
apparatus.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Examples of this type of communication
include a computer controlling a printer
and a thermostat controlling a heating or
cooling system. Typical examples of
computer-controlled operations are
computer-aided design (CAD), computer-
aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-
integrated manufacturing (CIM), and
robotics.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Much of communication technology was
developed to satisfy the need for mass
communication. People wanted to tell
their message to large numbers of other
people through printed media. One type of
communication system is playing an
increasing role in modern life. This system
is telecommunication, communication at a
distance.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
Telecommunication includes a number of
specific types of communication. Probably
the most widely used are radio, television,
and the telephone — more specifically the
cell phone.
Information and Communication
         Technologies
A new system of communication is rapidly
changing how people gather and use
information. It is based on a key invention,
the personal computer. This new type of
communication uses a network of
computers to share information. The
network is called the Internet. It allows
people to gather information using the
World Wide Web and exchange messages
using electronic mail.
Information and Communication
         Technologies

Communication and information
technologies are part of every person’s
life. We use graphic and electronic
communication media daily. This media
allows us to send or receive information.
Information and Communication
         Technologies

Information technology allows us to access
and use vast quantities of data.
Communication and information
technologies inform us or cause us to take
action. Without communication and
information technologies, we would know
little about the world around us. Our lives
are affected daily through these systems.