Definition of information and communication 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 broader.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” (Technopedia, 2012, para. 1). This definition of information technology and information communications technology is very broad and is used to define all of the different types of technology used today and even the transmission lines themselves. This show how diverse and what a wide range of it,
How information technology has become prevalent in our society:
IT has become very common in today’s society and most people use it in their everyday lives. Most people have mobile phones that they carry with them every day. Laptops are now replacing bulky computers with most New Zealand households having the internet that is used on a daily basis. People are using the internet to keep in touch with friends and family through email and social network accounts. IT is used in the everyday work and school environment, with computers, calculators’, I phones, I pads all being used to increase productivity and increase the effectiveness of learning. IT is all around is in our society it is used in working environments, schools, universities and our home environments. Although IT is very useful to make our lives easier many people can become dependent and lose touch with the natural environment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W26GFQo1ne0
What IT devices that I feel comfortable and confident using:
I’m not a big technology person but when I think about it I do use IT a lot in everyday life. I always have a mobile phone with me and use it to keep in contact with family and a friend although it’s just a basic phone as all i want to use it for is texting or phone calls. I am comfortable using basic IT that I am familiar with, but I do feel uncomfortable using IT I am not familiar with. Since I have started studying at a tertiary level it has expanded my use of IT as I am having use a laptop, the internet regularly and use technology in my assignments. I live on a farm at Raglan and until one month ago we didn’t have the internet but we had to get it so could use it do my study work. This is very uncommon as most people have the internet and are very surprised that we are just getting it. Although it has been very helpful as I can access the internet to do my course work. I have to listen to lectures, audios and do readings relating to my papers that are all accessed on the internet. So I use IT to engage in the purposeful occupation of studying, and i use my cell phone to communicate with my employer. I work in a retail store and I use the intranet to work the tills and manage the everyday systems to report to the head office. If the intranet goes down at the store I am unable to work the tills or run the store.
How information technology is used in Occupational therapy practice:
Occupational therapists use IT a lot to research information, to write and store patient notes and using phones to communicate with clients, their families and other work colleges. Although there is some issues that come with OT relying on IT too much for their work. It can cause Dislocation from their role, routine and become common place. Sometimes it can Create more work, and sometimes it feels like are things are not being made simpler. It can cause stress to therapists as there is always updated equipment and it is stressful to keep up, learn and cope with the new IT. Relying on IT can lead to dependence and there can be power failures, storage issues and there is always something newer and better than you already have. Although I can envisage IT becoming a potential tool of practice as some hospitals are now trying to implement that all notes are typed and stored on computers so there is no paper trail. A great understanding of IT will help us in our practice and daily lives because our goal is to enable occupation. To help people to do occupations we have to do in depth research, using the internet and find adaptive equipment/ technology to benefit the client. There is a lot of amazing IT devices that can help people who have illness, disability or injury to be able to participate in meaningful occupations that they are now not able to do. This requires the OT to have in depth knowledge about all the IT devices and equipment that can benefit their clients. It also requires the therapist to have knowledge of were to source the IT devices and equipment from.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Bf9Sv8JdE
Ethical considerations that arise from the capturing, sharing and transferring of information via IT devices:
Although IT is beneficial there are ethical implications that arise from capturing, sharing and transferring of information via it devices.
• Informed consent
• Greased data
• Storage and access
• Ergonomics and environmental adaptation
• Is there and easier or simpler way?
Greased data is can be a problem once personal information is digitized and entered into a computer on a network; the information becomes "greased data" that can easily slip across networks. Many people rely on IT to store and access information this can be an issue as many people are stopping paper trails altogether and just relying on computers. If something happens and the computers break then this could be a big problem and all the information can be lost. information technology there is today.
References:
Techopedia. (2012). Information
and communications technology. Retrieved from
http://www.techopedia.com/definition/24152/information-and-communications-technology-ict
