ETECH 12: Trends in ICT

Convergence

This refers to the meeting of different elements to make up a whole.

Technological Convergence

A theoretical perspective where different technologies are unified in one technology, such as a smartphone.

Integrated Technology

Refers to different technologies linked to eachother, such as a desktop computer.

Social Media

A website, application, or online channel that enables web users to create, co- create, discuss, modify, and exchange user-generated content.

Social Networks

This type of social media allows the creation of a personal account that will connect with other people with the same interests or background for different purposes.

Bookmarking Sites

This type of social media allows users to store and manage links to various websites and resources.

Social News

This type of social media allows the users to post their own news articles, stories, videos, photographs, or links to other news sources.

Media Sharing

This type of social media allows users to upload and share media content like images, music and video.

Microblogging

This type of social media refers to online broadcast mediums that allow their users to post and exchange short contents.

Blogs

This allows users to post their content. It is author-generated content.

Forums

This contains question-and-answer discussion boards. It is user-generated content.

Mobile Technologies

• The rise of smartphones and high-speed internet through 5G and LTE networks.

• Different mobile operating systems (OS):

  • iOS – used in Apple devices.

  • Android – an open-source OS developed by Google.

  • BlackBerry OS – used in BlackBerry devices.

  • Windows Phone OS – a closed-source, proprietary OS developed by Microsoft.

  • Symbian – an early smartphone OS mainly used by Nokia.

  • Windows Mobile – developed by Microsoft for smartphones and Pocket PCs.

Assistive Media

These are devices that are adaptive, assistive, and rehabilitative for the elderly and for people with special needs.

Online Systems

This refers to the integrated and collaborative use of software, hardware, and the Internet to deliver their intended functions through an identified platform.

Online Functions

This refers to what the system can do for its users. This may include:

1. A tool for searching and researching vital information

2. Speed up transactions

3. Organize records that are generated in transactions

4. Manage the data involved in online transactions

5. Ease the tedious process in manual operations

Online Platforms

This refers to range of services and tools available on the internet to provide online functions. This may include:

1. Search engines

2. Social media

3. Mapping

4. Cloud computing

5. Presentations

6. File management

Vital Research Skills

1. Be familiar with search engines that you can use for your online search

2. Keep a record of websites, web pages, and online databases

3. Know the keywords or key phrases of the topic

4. Utilize commercial searching platforms like EBSCO and PROQUEST

5. Organize your searched data by well-labeled folders of documents

6. Create a backup of the files you researched and saved.

7. Give credit to your sources.