Living In The I.T. Era, Module 1: Introduction to Information and Communication Technology

Prelim Examination Reviewer

Information Technology (IT)

It is the use of computers, storage, networking, and other physical devices, infrastructure, and processes to create, process, store, secure, and exchange all forms of electronic data.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

It refers to the study or business of developing and using technology to process information and aid communications.

Pre-mechanical Period

During this time, humans started communicating with one another using words and drawings carved in rocks. Then, they started to write symbols as substitutes for pictures to depict ideas, objects, and animals.

Papyrus Paper

It is produced from the plant Cyperus Papyrus. It replaced stone tablets and revolutionized the storing of information.

Abacus

It is a manually operated device similar to the modern calculator. It is considered the first device to process information and it came from China.

Mechanical Period

This period was marked by a growing interest in automating and accelerating numerical calculations. It focused on developing machines designed to perform computations more quickly and efficiently.

Pascaline

The advent of the mechanical calculator invented by the famous mathematician and inventor Blaise Pascal, along with Wilhelm Schickard.

Analytical Engine

The first programmable mechanical computer by Charles Babbage, who earned himself the title “Father of the Computers.”

Electromechanical Period

This period marked a revolution in communication, with electricity enabling faster and more reliable long-distance information exchange.

Telegraph

A device or system that transmits information over distances using coded signals.

Telephone

This device enabled voice transmission over long distances.

Electronic Period

This period focused on the advent of solid-state devices, or electronic devices.

Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC)

The first electronic and general-purpose computer that marked a revolutionary period in computing. It is a big machine that occupied 167 square meters.

Computer Components

These are the essential parts that make a computer function.

Hardware

The physical parts of a computer.

Software

The programs that run on the computer.

Input Devices

 Allow users to enter data on the computer.

Output Devices

Display results on the computer.

Storage Devices

Saves the computer’s data permanently.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The brain of the computer.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Temporary storage for processing the computer’s data and information.

Motherboard

Main circuit board connecting all components of the computer.

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

Provides power to the computer.

Universal Serial Bus

What does "USB" stand for?

General Purpose Computer

A versatile computer capable of performing a wide range of tasks. These include day-to-day activities such as word processing, internet browsing, and gaming.

Special Purpose Computer

This computer is designed for specific tasks or applications. ATMs, weather forecasting systems, medical devices like MRI scanners and ultrasound machines, and industrial robots for welding.

Embedded System

It is a combination of computer hardware and software designed for a specific function used in industrial machines, consumer electronics, and agricultural and processing industry devices.

Analog Computer

It is a computer that works with continuous data and measures physical quantities such as temperature, speed, or pressure. It excels in tasks that require real-time simulations or measurements

Digital Computer

It is a computer that processes discrete data using binary (0s and 1s), suitable for a wide range of tasks.

Hybrid Computer

This type of computer combines the speed of analog systems with the accuracy of digital systems. It processes both continuous and discrete data, making it ideal for applications requiring real-time tracking combined with precise digital computations.

Microcomputer

It is a computer that can be put on a desk or can be kept inside a briefcase.

Minicomputer

It is a mid-range computer that is intermediate in size, power, speed, and storage capacity. It is typically a multi-user system that supports multiple simultaneous users and runs multiple programs at the same time.

Mainframe computer

It is a large computer with a bigger storage capacity and can process data faster. It is used in financial institutions for transaction processing, research, and academics.

Supercomputer

It is a type of computer that can process large amounts of data and perform a great amount of computation very quickly. It is used for complex tasks such as weather forecasting, climate research, and scientific simulations.

Personal computer

It is a computer designed for individual use.

Digital Age or Information Age

It is a period in human history characterized by the shift from traditional industry to an information technology-based economy brought by industrialization during the Industrial Revolution.

Media

It refers to the means of communication that uses unique tools to interconnect people.

Message

Media is considered to be the _______ itself for those who create and own the rights of content.

Medium

It is the tool or tools used in sending a message from the source to the destination.

Messenger

It is the one who delivers the message.

Information Age

It is the era where people can access information and knowledge easily, marked by a very fast growth in communication and information technology.

Industrial Revolution

It brought advancements in manufacturing and transportation, laying the groundwork for further technological innovation.

Digital Age

It refers to the era where communication and information rely heavily on digital technologies, particularly the internet.

Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET)

The first public packet-switched computer network.

Convergence

Merging of old and new media.

Smartphone

It is a device for calls, browsing, social networking, news, and entertainment. Almost everybody has them!

Prosumer

The audience is both consumer and producer.

Digital Divide

Socioeconomic divide worsens between those with high-speed internet access and those without.

Information Overload

The audience struggles to filter credible sources from noise.

Data Privacy

Tech companies track user behavior for advertising and content targeting. Users are often unaware of how much personal data is being collected.

Algorithmic Bias

Al-driven recommendation systems may reinforce stereotypes or filter bubbles. Raises concerns about fair representation of groups and ideas.

Media Ownership & Control

Concentration of media in the hands of few corporations reduces diversity of perspectives.

Blockchain

It may improve transparency and copyright tracking.

Privacy

Collection, storage, and use of personal data without consent.

Security

Failure to protect data from unauthorized access and cyber threats.

Intellectual Property

Copyright infringement and plagiarism.

Digital Divide

Unequal access to ICT based on socioeconomic factors.

Cyberbullying

Using digital platforms to harass, threaten, or humiliate others.

Misinformation

Spreading false or misleading information online.

Environmental Impact

E-waste and energy consumption.