Life in the Information Age

1. Life in the Information Age ©RSH

2. Main Areas • Working styles • Communication • Education • Entertainment and leisure • Banking and shopping • Decision-making • Employment opportunities • Crime and crime prevention • Civil rights • Legislation ©RSH

3. Working Styles • ICT has had a tremendous impact on • The way in which everyday tasks are carried out • The way in which data is processed, information is transmitted and knowledge applied • The physical environment of the workplace and the jobs that people do ©RSH

4. Working Styles • ICT has had a tremendous impact on • The way in which everyday tasks are carried out • Communications • Ordering • Getting information • Planning • Writing • Production (robots, DTP) ©RSH

5. Working Styles • ICT has had a tremendous impact on • The way in which data is processed, information is transmitted and knowledge applied • Loyalty cards / Doctors records etc. ©RSH

6. Working Styles • ICT has had a tremendous impact on • The physical environment of the workplace and the jobs that people do • Office layout (with workstations etc) • What workers do • Where they are based (don’t need to be on site) • Interaction with others (email, video links) • Training (initial and subsequent) ©RSH

7. Communications • ICT has affected the way and the means of communications • Email, chat, text messages. • Emphasis on speed, interactivity, collaboration • Look at the collaboration features in Word • Attachments • Type of information e.g. NHS patient records, consultation etc. ©RSH

8. Education • Children have to use ICT early and gain skills as they progress through school. • Use ICT in most subjects • Such as and for what purpose • Schools have access to the Internet • So what ? • Styles of teaching • Whiteboards, interactive, teach yourself etc. • Learning beyond the school • University, vocational, evening classes etc. ©RSH

9. Entertainment and Leisure • Communications, playing games and interactive pursuits • Planning leisure activities • Researching holidays, pricing airline tickets, checking routes, timetables, concerts etc. • Via internet and mobile phone • Satellite TV? ©RSH

10. Banking and Shopping • Older technology has been around for ages • ATM, barcode scanners etc. • Newer opportunities such as • Online banking, ordering, payments • Over the phone transactions and services • Mortgages, Setting up accounts, payments, orders • Automatic stock control and processing systems • Loyalty schemes • eBay ©RSH

11. Decision Making • More automated • software automatically analyses sales and produces forecasts and statistics. • Can use software to • model situations (spreadsheets – “what if”) • make computer simulations (car design) • test product design (CAD) • Make personal decisions such as • Mortgage, finances, researching ©RSH

12. Employment Opportunities • Benefits and drawbacks (e.g. Banking) • More efficient service, greater flexibility, more choice, convenience • Less personal, job losses, must have ICT skills to operate your account, smaller branches closed. • New opportunities that didn’t exist before • Web designers, software engineers, technicians etc. ©RSH

13. Crime and Crime Prevention • Protection • Data Protection Act • Computer Misuse Act • Dangers • Free Speech (extreme views – racial, political, criminal) • Controversial sites • Harmful Sites • Terrorism (mobile phones, internet etc) • Fraud • Internet Grooming etc. ©RSH

14. Assessment • Provide a description of how ICT is affecting at least five different aspects of people’s lives and identify some benefits and drawbacks. ©RSH