IT Stories: My Life: Information Technology

INTRODUCTION

It explores information communication technology (ICT), design techniques, information management technology, problem solving and troubleshooting, and much more and is ideal for those looking for a career in IT as well as people who wish to enhance limited IT skills.After completing this course you will understand how information systems are used to help an organisation meet their goals. You will know the types of data used in information systems and the structure, formats and conventions of data. You will know the different techniques and procedures that are used to produce information.You will gain a good knowledge of techniques to solve problems such as top-down analytical, bottom-up synthetic and iterative approaches.You will also learn techiques such as creating structure charts, flow charts, IPO charts and storyboarding that can be beneficial when finding a solution to a problem. You will be more aware of an organisation's structures and goals. You will learn all about the capabilities and characteristics of hardware including storage units, operating systems, and much more. This course will help you to solve problems and identify different types of information systems. It will help you to understand how to secure your data using single key encryption, public key encryption and stegnography effectively. You will learn how to control access to data using authentication and identification methods, password procedures and backup methods. You will be more aware of biometrics and its limitations.

CONTENT

1. Use of Technology in Business: Today businesses can save money by using technology to perform certain tasks. When you compare the amount of money spent on hiring an individual to perform a certain task and to guarantee delivery on time, it is totally expensive. When it comes to technology a small business can scale out and deliver more with less human resource.

2. The Use of technology in communication: Unlike in the past when communication was limited to letter writing and waiting for those postal services to deliver your message. Today technology has made the field of communications so easy. Now you can draft a business message and email it or fax in a second without any delays, the recipient will get the message an they will reply you instantly.

3. Use of technology in human relationships: As the world develops, people are getting more carried away with their work and carries. Today a lot is demanded so every one is busy to have time to find a relationship. So technology has also filled this part. With technology you can connect and meet new people while at work using social network technology. You can also use technology to find a new date without living your work. Now days people use mobile phone apps to meet and connect with new and old friends. Social networks like Facebook.com , Tagged.com have played a big role in connecting both old and new relationships.

However, virtual relationships are not as strong as physical relationships, so I advice you to take off time and meet these people you network with virtually and get to know each other better. On the other note, people who over participate in virtual relationships, end up with no friends in real life and they develop a diseases called cyber-sickness and loneliness.

4. Use of technology in education: Today, technology has made a very big change in the education world. With the invention of technological gadgets and mobile apps which helps students learn easily. Now days you can access a full library via a mobile app on any smart phone or ipad. Before inventing this technology, students had to go to physical libraries to get the information they need. some of these library Apps include

Apps for Education:

The Library App – It brings the library in your hands.

My Library: With this app , you can catalog your books by scanning the ISBN with your ipad camera and it helps students get access to free eBooks.

Book Crawler: This app will solve the book cataloging problem for students, and it also has a location awareness which will help a student see what others around them are reading.

Library Books: This App can track multiple library cards and let you know when you’ve got a book coming due.

The list is endless, but this is good example to show you that technology has made education simple.

5. Use of technology in purchasing: Technology has also made the buying and selling of good so flexible. With the introduction e-payment systems like Paypal.com and Square Wallet App , users can easily purchase any thing online without living the comfort of their homes.

For you to use paypal , you will have to sign up with the site for free, then connect your debit card details so that money is transferred from your physical bank account to your electronic PayPal account. So when you go to a store like Amazon.com , you can use your PayPal electronic credit to buy anything on AMAZON.COM . This has made purchasing of items so easy.

6. The Use of technology in agriculture: With the invention of Mobile App for farmers, they can use an App like ”FamGraze” to work faster and be more accurate while in the field and off the field. For example, ”FamGraze” app will help a farmer manage their grass more effectively by suggesting the cheapest feed for their livestock. This app will calculate the amount of grass your animals have in the field. You will need no paper or any spreadsheets to do all this. Saving you more time while in the field.

Then we also have the ” Horse Ration App ” , with this app the farmer accurately calculates the amount of feed t give their horse and avoid the obesity in their animals and health problems which can be cause by less or over feeding.

Then comes the use of technology in manufacturing fertilizers and tools for farmers, all this cuts down on the time and increases productivity. Get these two farmers Apps here

Also technology has changed the agricultural industry by replacing human labor with machines that are operated or controlled by people or other machines. In the agricultural industry , productivity is a key factor. If production is high the farmer will make more profits so technology has helped farmers replace the old ways of farming with machines that can do the job in time right from the day of planting to the day of harvesting. Lets take a simple example. An animal-drawn plow replaced the dig-ging stick. Then later , that plow was replaced by the horse drawn moldboard plow. Currently, we have the large tractors that pull complex tilling machines. But, even these machines are being replaced by no-till or minimum-till farming practices, which reduce the amount of work it takes to prepare the soil for planting.

7. Use of technology in banking: Now electronic banking moving money has become so simple. The invention of VISA ELECTRON has made it simple to move with more money with out having any fears of getting robbed on the way. You can buy any thing with a Visa Electron card, so in this case you don’t have to move with cash.

Banks use the Visa neutral network software to spot fraud and determine which of their customers might default or go bankrupt. This neutral network is very good at spotting patterns, so if your profile looks like that of people who have defaulted, the bank will take action and save you from getting robbed.

8. Use of technology to control and harness natural forces: Natural forces affect and disrupt human life and daily economic activates. For example; Floods wash away farmland and homes, they carry out fertile top soil and disrupt the growth of crops. Also fires burn buildings, crops and forests which affect human life. However, technology has enabled humans build large dams which can harbor excess water and use that water to generate power. Also fire is tamed to heat our homes and process industrial materials. Wind is being used to generate electricity. We have converted solar energy to power which is being used in homes and businesses. All this is a result of using technology to control natural forces.

9: Use of technology in transportation: Transportation is one of the basic areas of technological activity. Both businesses and individuals have benefited from the new technologies in the travel industry. Time is money , so we must have first and efficient means of transport. Try to imagine life without well developed transportation systems. I think of transportation in the same light as food, clothing and shelter. It has become a basic need , because we use advanced transport means like cars , trains , airplanes to go to work , to transport goods , to go shopping, to visit friends and families and so much more. However, the transportation technology has been changing since 1800 to the recent years. Lets take a good example in the picture below.

COURSE

BS Information Technology

BSIT is a relatively difficult course. It requires a lot of abstract thinking, logical and critical thinking which are not innate for most people. Normally, the BSIT program takes 4 years to complete. Schools who apply the trimester system require less time to complete this course.

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) program prepares students to be IT professionals who are able to perform installation, operation, development, maintenance and administration of computer applications. The goal of the program is to gear up students as "information technologists" who can assist individuals and organizations in solving problems using information technology (IT) techniques.

The BSIT program equips students with the basic ability to conceptualize, design and implement software applications. It also provides experience in the development of office support (word processing, spreadsheet, database and accounting), intranet and internet and specialized professional software (multi-media, website development and eCommerce). It also offers background in mathematical and computing principles.

Knowledge in computers is is not a prerequisite for this course. However , there are skills that you need to possess or develop to be able to succeed in this course:

Analytical skills – identify and assess inefficiencies and problems in software and hardware processes

Logical and critical thinking skills – ability to solve problems systematically and understand the logical connection between ideas

Technical skills – the ability to comfurtably work with computers, networks and software without the anxiety some people feel when dealing with "technical" stuff.