INFORMATION AND COMMNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Introduction: 

The emergence of ICT is one of the wonderful gifts of modern science and technology which has brought tremendous changes in library and information science. Application of information and communication technology (ICT) to library and information work has revolutionized the traditional concept of libraries from a “Storehouse of books to an intellectual information center” connoting the concept of an electronic library. It has opened up a new chapter in library communication and facilitated global access to information crossing the geographical limitations.

ICT is being increasingly used in library and information services for acquisition, processing, and dissemination of information. Libraries have been using ICT based services to satisfy the diverse information needs of the users. The use of ICT has become increasingly important in special libraries as it is switching over to ICT based resources and services at an accelerated pace. The use of computers for library operation avoids respectively jobs and saves a considerable amount of time, resources and labor. It also speeds up technical processing and information services.

The impact of ICT is enormous and global in its magnitude, pervasiveness and usefulness because of its most distinguishing features of a dramatic decrease in cost, size and tremendous increase in processing speed, storage and communication capabilities. ICT has a profound effect on the progress and development of human civilization. The tools used in ICT include computer programs, databases, communication networks, analysis and design methods programming languages, artificial intelligence, knowledge bases, etc. ICT has long-standing influence in almost all areas of human activity

Concept of Information and Communication Technology : 

'Information and Communication Technology’ (ICT) first appeared in the mid-1980s and was defined as “All kinds of electronic systems used for broadcasting telecommunications and mediated communications”, with examples including personal computers, video games, cell phones, internet, and electronic payment systems and computer S/W etc. The ICT is made of computer and communication technology. The computer technology is the tool for storing and processing information in digital form while communication technology helps us to transfer and disseminate digital information.

Additionally ICT means a variety of technological applications in the process and communication of information. The word ICT is a combination of two words information, communication & technology. Information means knowledge and technology means the use of computer & communication. The term ICT can be defined as “the integration of computing, networking, and information processing technologies and their applications”

Thus, ICT means a combination of computer applications’ and communication technology for gathering, processing, storing and disseminating of Information.

Information Communication Technology is a common term referring to the technologies used for collecting, storing, editing and communicating information in various formats. ICT means the use of computer-based technology and the Internet to make information and communication services available in a wide range of users. ICT Isa Hardware and Software that enable society to create, collect, consolidate and communicate information in a multimedia format and for various purposes. The term ICT includes any communication device or application, encompassing, radio, TV, cellular phones, computers and network, hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and application associated with them. ICT is playing a vital role in the current and future development of society and nation. ICT has affected all spheres of life and also the library. Information and communication technology (ICT) is a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate and to create, disseminate, store and manage information.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are often associated with the most sophisticated and expensive computer-based technologies. ICTs are basically information-handling tools- a varied set of goods, applications and services that are used to produce, store, process, distribute and exchange information. ICT-Information and Communication Technology is a varied collection technological gear and resources which are made use of to communicate. They make use of to generate, distribute, collect & administer information. According to Anyakoha (1991), information technology is “the use of manmade tools for the collection, generation, communication, recording, re-management and exploitation of information. It includes those applications and commodities, by which information is transferred, recorded, edited, stored, manipulated or disseminated”. ICT is a mean that has changed many aspects of the way we live.

ICT includes the computer hardware, software, application of telecommunication technologies, projection devices, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), digital cameras, Compact Disks (CDs), Digital Video Disks (DVDs), cell phones, satellites, and fiber optics. Digital Technologies is not a single technology. It is combinations of two or more technologies in that system. Some of this new ICT & digital technologies are as follows:

• Multimedia PCs, Lap Top, Notebook

– Combination of Internet connectivity with PCs and laptops

• Digital camera / video

– connected with PCs and laptop

•  LAN & WAN

– Internet and Intranet

• WWW (World Wide Web)

– Internet

– Online Databases

– Video conferences

– E-mail, discussion lists and newsgroup and chat

– Digital Libraries

– E-books / E-journals/ E-databases

• Floppies, CDs and DVDs

– Offline databases

• Cell Phones

– With Internet connection, digital camera and moving pictures

• E-books / E-journals/ E-databases 
• 
  
• Computer-mediated conferences

– Video conferencing

– Telemedicine

• Virtual reality
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• Telecommunication satellites
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• Interactive TV and Radio

Importance of Information and Communication Technology :

 

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has an important role in the world since we are now in the information age era. With ICT, the company can make the business easier to happen with the client, supplier, and distributor. It is also very important in our daily lives. The lack of appropriate information at the right time will result in low productivity, low-quality research works, and waste of time to pursue information and even to do research which others had done or in other countries. Nowadays ICT cannot be separated from our daily needs.

ICT has a great impact on our daily lives. For example, we can read our local newspaper using the online newspaper. Another example is we still can get connected with our family, relatives, or colleges even if we are abroad by using electronic mail, yahoo messenger, call conference, or video conference.

Digital computer and networking have changed our economy concept to an economy with no boundary in time and space because of ICT. It brings a lot of advantages for economic development enabling millions of transactions to happen in an easy and fast way.

ICT is one of the economic development pillars to gain a national competitive advantage. It can improve the quality of human life because it can be used as a learning and education media, the mass communication media in promoting and campaigning practical and important issues, such as the health and social area. It provides wider knowledge and can help in gaining and accessing information.

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 adds 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.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is our society’s efforts to teach its current and emerging citizens valuable knowledge and skills around computing and communications devices, software that operates them, applications that run on them, and systems that are built with them.

We are living in a constantly evolving digital world. ICT has an impact on almost every aspect of our lives – from working to socializing, learning to playing. The digital age has transformed the way young people communicate, network, seek help, access information, and learn. We must recognize that young people are now an online population and access is through a variety of means such as computers, TV, and mobile phones.

It is in this graduation that educational technology and e-learning are taught in or out of the classroom since educational technology is used by learners and educators in homes, schools, businesses, and other settings.