Introduction

 

What are ICT?

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is a broader term for Information Technology (IT), which refers to all communication technologies, including the internet, wireless networks, cell phones, computers, software, middleware, video-conferencing, social networking, and other media applications and services enabling users to access, retrieve, store, transmit, and manipulate information in a digital form.

Why ICT are important?

ICT has become an integral part of everyday life for many people. It increases its importance in people's lives and it is expected that this trend will continue, to the extent that ICT literacy will become a functional requirement for people's work, social, and personal lives.

The use of ICT in education add value in teaching and learning, by enhancing the effectiveness of learning, or by adding a dimension to learning that was not previously available. ICT may also be a significant motivational factor in students 'learning, and can support students' engagement with collaborative learning.

What are the characteristics of ICT?

Acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, transmission or reception of data or information, access to information in real time, easy availability of updated data., connection of geographically dispersed regions and wide range of communication media.

3 benefits and 3 disadvantages of ICT.

BENEFITS.

1. Communication - Speed /time: money can be saved because it is much faster to move information. With the help of ICT it has become faster and more efficient.

2.Globalization - Videoconferencing saves money on flights and accommodation. ICT has not only brought countries and people closer together, but has allowed the world economy to become a single interdependent system for contacting a company or a family member.

3. Bridging the cultural divide - Increased access to technology has helped bridge the cultural divide by helping people from different cultures communicate with each other and enabling the exchange of opinions and ideas, thereby increasing awareness and reducing prejudice.

DISADVENTAGES.

1. Overlapping cultures - While ICTs have made the world a global village, they have also contributed to one culture consuming another weaker one. For example, it is now claimed that teenagers in the United States influence the way most young people around the world act, dress and behave.

2. Privacy - While information technology has made communication faster, easier and more convenient, it has also brought with it privacy issues. From cell phone signal interception to email hacking, people are now concerned about their once private information becoming public.     

3. Reliability of information - Anyone with access to a computer and an Internet connection can create a blog or post something on a website, so just because something is on the web does not mean it is reliable. An example of this is the open source encyclopedia, Wikipedia, although it is considered a good source of information it is not recognized by academic institutions as a reliable reference. 

Describe some limitations of ICT.

The deficient Internet access in computer centers and the lack of Internet access points in classrooms is a limitation for ICT in education. Furthermore, in many areas of the country, computer infrastructures are insufficient in the centers (few computers, only computer rooms, no multipurpose rooms...), together with slow connections in general (due to infrastructure problems or cost) and the existence of many areas (rural...) without connection.

Sources:

Technology News (2019, July 10). Importance of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) In Our Daily Life - Intelligize Digital India. Intelligize Digital India. https://intelligizedigital.com/importance-of-information-and-communications-technology-ict-in-our-daily-life/

Impacto de las TIC en Educación: Funciones y Limitaciones. (2011, July 22) Competenciasdelastelecomunicaciones;competenciasdelastelecomunicaciones.