WHAT IS INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY?
Information and communications technology (ICT) refers to all the technology used to handle telecommunications, broadcast media, intelligent building management systems, audiovisual processing and transmission systems, and network-based control and monitoring functions.Although ICT is often considered an extended synonym for information technology (IT), its scope is more broad.
ICT has more recently been used to describe the convergence of several technologies and the use of common transmission lines carrying very diverse data and communication types and formats.
Converging technologies that exemplify ICT include the merging of audiovisual, telephone and computer networks through a common cabling system. Internet service providers (ISP) commonly provide internet, phone and television services to homes and businesses through a single optical cable. The elimination of the telephone networks has provided huge economic incentives to implement this convergence, which eliminates many of the costs associated with cabling, signal distribution, user installation, servicing and maintenance costs.
CONTENT
IT (Information Technology) has brought about significant improvements in Business operations and in the entire human life as whole.- Talking about Globalization, IT has not only brought the world closer together, but it has allowed the world's economy to become a single interdependent system. This means that we can not only share information quickly and efficiently, but we can also bring down barriers of linguistic and geographic boundaries. The world has developed into a global village due to the help of information technology allowing countries like who are not only separated by distance but also by language to shares ideas and information with each other.
- In communication, IT has helped to make communication cheaper, quicker, and more efficient. We can now communicate with anyone around the globe by simply text messaging them or sending them an email for an almost instantaneous response. The internet has also opened up face to face direct communication from different parts of the world thanks to the helps of video conferencing.
- IT has also brought about Cost Effectiveness by helping to computerize business processes thus streamlining business to make them extremely cost effective money making machines. This in turn increases productivity which ultimately gives rise to profits that means better pay and less strenuous working conditions.
- IT has also helped to bridge the cultural gap by helping people from different cultures to communicate with one another, and allow for the exchange of views and ideas, thus increasing awareness and reducing prejudice.
- IT has also made it possible for businesses to be open 24 x7 all over the globe. This means that a business can be open anytime anywhere, making purchases from different countries easier and more convenient. It also means that you can have your goods delivered right to your doorstep with having to move a single muscle.
- Lastly, IT has helped in the creation of new and interesting jobs like Computer programming, Systems analyzing, Hardware and Software developing and Web designing.
- In terms of Functionality and Flexibility, internally IT can help improve infrastructure performance thus increasing functionality and the range of options that can be pursued. Externally, it can help create an efficient, flexible online/offline platform for doing business with customers, suppliers and partners.
- In commerce, IT can internally help improve internal operating efficiency and quality. Externally, it can help streamline and integrate channels to market, create new channels and integrate multiple online/offline channels.
- IT can also help improve the performance of knowledge workers and enhance organizational learning. Externally, it can improve the performance of knowledge workers in customer, supplier and partner organizations; add information value to existing products and services; create new information-based products and services.
- IT can also help attract and retain top talent; increase satisfaction, engagement and loyalty; create a culture of involvement, motivation, trust and shared purpose. Externally, can help attract and retain high quality customers, suppliers, partners and investors; increase external stakeholders' satisfaction, engagement and loyalty.
BENEFITS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
1. Accurate and speedy processing of information:
Whether it is government organizations, private business houses, institutions or even individuals, Information Technology has multiplied their abilities to process all sorts of information accurately and with lightening fast speed. The use of spread sheets, database programs, word processors and many other tools help in ease of work without compromising on reliability. A handful of software engineers can now design economically viable systems that can serve millions of businesses all over the world.
2. Globalization:
Information technology has removed the physical barriers between nations and connected them through their shared ideas and opportunities. The advent of social media has made interactions easy and the use of Facebook, Twitter and all other social networking sites has drawn culturally different people to communicate with one another. People on the social media are now becoming ‘global’ citizens!
3. Effective communication:
Information technology has definitely made communication cheaper, quicker and far more superior than ever before. Sending e-mails, video calling through Skype, sending text messages through various online apps allows people sitting miles away to connect with each other instantaneously. Businesses are reaping maximum benefit from this and employees distributed over a wide area can now remain connected through internal chat rooms or open source applications.
4. Entertainment:
The widespread use of internet on laptops, smartphones, iPods, and other devices has given us unlimited access to various entertainment platforms. Gone are the days when people had to wait for the Friday night show or special telecast on the television! You can now download and purchase music, movies, TV shows and games easily and more conveniently.
5. Communicating news:
Wireless communication has revolutionized the ways in which we communicate news broadcast. And, whether it is latest updates from Ghana, or New York, it is all being effectively communicated with the rest of the world. Today, it takes less than a few seconds for a new story to propagate from one part of the world to the other.
6. Advancement of economies:
Since information technology has made businesses more efficient, the overall buying and selling activities are no longer restricted by time and distances. Companies from different parts of the world can now interconnect with each other conveniently. Today, every local as well as international has its presence online and caters to a much larger audience beyond its borders.
7. Information technology and the health sector:
The use of information technology has helped in improved patient care all over. Patients using the internet can now communicate with expert physicians from their home via virtual healthcare application systems. Also, tele-medicines, electronic health records and health grids have resulted in a greater impact on delivering efficient and quality health care to people across the globe.
8. Information Technology and education:
The application of information technology in education has significantly changed the traditional process of teaching and learning. Gone are the days of classrooms with blackboards. Today all educational institutions are imparting knowledge by using various modern gadgets. Students with access to the internet have a whole world of research material at their disposal, which helps them grasp concepts efficiently and without wasting any time.
9. Creation of new jobs:
The rising demand of IT professionals across businesses is creating new opportunities every day. Several emerging economies all over the world are now setting new records by strengthening their competence in this field. A greater number of people are showing interest in jobs like computer programming, system analysis, testing, software and hardware development and web application design.
10. Remote accessibility:
Advancements in information technology systems provide access to your company’s electronic network from many other places other than the office itself. You can now work from home, or even from the road. This sure increases one’s productivity and work keeps coming in even when one is not physically present in office. Mobility is now so commonplace that most people don’t even notice it!
COURSE:
Bachelor of Science in Computer Technology
Students in BS degree programs in computer technology explore operating systems, networking, security protocols and hardware. Some degree programs allow students to choose a concentration, like internet technology and multimedia, database development, or digital security. Graduates may be prepared for entry-level positions and professional certification.
Along with general education classes, students complete introductory and advanced coursework in computer technology. Along with probability and statistics, some possible course topics include:
Computer network security
Circuit analysis
Operating systems
Database development
Data structures
Computer science
