The two benefits of using ICT are that people can watch the latest film on their DVD players and they can play games with other people from different countries.
If they have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences people might face are that they will not be able to play game with anyone from a different country. They won’t be able to watch DVD’s at home. They will have to pay money to go in cinemas.
Working Styles and Employment Opportunities
E-Mail
The positive effects are that the people can contact with e-mail to their friends who live in different countries.
“Many more people can be contacted out of the office, via mobile phones and e-mail”.
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are that the people might not have access to the internet so they won’t be able to e-mail. Or if they do have access to the internet they might not know how to use the e-mail. There could be a virus on the e-mail or the internet. Thy might not have a computer.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the people need it to e-mail work or information. People need it to produce good quality information and presentations.
The two benefits of using ICT are that they can e-mail people who are away from them. They can show their work over the internet to their colleagues or manager and they can make designs using the web.
If people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences they might face are that they will not be able to e-mail their friends and families. People and colleagues won’t be able to e-mail their work and designs.
Mobile Technology (Mobiles, Laptops, PDA’s)
The positive effects are that colleagues can use a mobile in emergencies as well as just to chat. This allows you to contact your company, business, stock or any other conservable part of your digital workplace. People can work from anywhere in the country with their Laptops and also they can contact their colleague if they have the internet on the laptop.
The negative effects are it costs money to buy the Laptop, Mobiles and PDA’s. There are more phone bills as people will be wasting their time on the phone. The colleagues might not have a mobile, laptop or PDA.
“It is illegal to speak on a mobile phone while driving. Special in-car phones are available that do not require you to hold anything in your hand.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The two needs which are use of ICT are that people need their mobiles to contact someone in case of emergency. They need a laptop so that they can catch up with work if in a different place.
The two benefits of using ICT are that the people can contact anyone any where at any time and they can catch up with work wherever they are.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences they might face are that they won’t be able to stay up to date with their work and they won’t be able to contact anyone if they have an accident or any other sort of emergency.
Training
The positive effects are that the people can get good quality training and it’s very easy. They will be able to do it accurately with no mistakes.
“However many organisations use specialist software and hardware. In these situations staff will need specialist training, often carried out by the software developers.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are it costs money, they get low quality training and it’s not that easy. It costs money to buy the equipment so it becomes hard.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the people need to get good quality training and it needs to be easy. They can catch up with any important work which is part of their training.
The two benefits of using ICT are that the people can get help easily and their training will be easier.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences they might face are that they won’t be able to get good quality training. It won’t be easy as it would have been with ICT.
Types of Jobs
The positive effects are that the people can use the internet to search for any jobs on offer. People can also find out the different wages for different jobs. They can find a suitable job which suits them over the internet. They can use e-mail to find out more information about the jobs.
“ICT has automated many of the jobs that people use to do manually. This has affected all sectors of employment.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are that it costs too much for the equipment. They might not have a computer. They might not know how to use the equipment. They might not know how to get e-mail connection.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the people need to find a suitable job for them selves. They need to research on different types of jobs available. Some people need to e-mail to find out more information.
The two benefits of using ICT are that the people can get a job over the internet and if they are having problems with their work they can contact their Trade Union over the internet.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences they might face are that they won’t be able to look for a job over the internet. They won’t be able to contact Their Trade Union over the internet if they are having problems with their work. They won’t know what types of jobs are available.
Business
Advertising and Marketing
The positive effects are that the sellers can use the internet to advertise and sell stuff. For example e-bay and Amazon.
“Over recent years the role of ICT in advertising and marketing has grown substantially. The top sectors for online advertisement spending in 2001 in the USA were:
- Retail ($533.3 million)
- Media and advertising ($450.5 million)
- Yahoo held on to its position as the top property for online advertising revenue with more than $344 million for the year. Although this was slightly down, due to the terrorists attacks, compared to the year 2000.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are that the pop ups keep coming up and it gets annoying.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the sellers need to advertise their good quality stuff over the internet and they need to make good money.
The two benefits of using ICT are that the sellers can get good money for selling goods and it is easy to do it over the internet.
If the sellers have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences they might face are that they won’t be able to advertise over the internet and they will not be able to make good money.
Buying from Home
The positive effects are that the buyers can look at the prices for each item they want to buy. They can look for discounts and they can find a pacific item in a pacific category.
“The internet has developed from a network of computers used to share educational files around the world, into the biggest shopping centre imaginable. All major high street shops now have websites; most of them allow customers to view and purchase items online.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are that they might rip you off on some items. The items could be not what they look.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the buyers need to do shopping from home due to disabilities and to get good quality items.
The two benefits of using ICT are that the buyers can get discounts from certain items and it’s quick and easy.
If the buyers have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences they might face are that they won’t be able to do shopping from home and they won’t be able to get discounts on certain items or offers.
Call Centres & Customer enquiries
The positive effects are that the customer enquiries enable you to ask any questions you have and if you would like to find out more information about anything. The call centres enable you to call in if you have any problems with your phone or anything else.
“A number of large companies have there own call centres- offices with a team of staff answering telephone quires. Many are now starting to ‘outsource’ this to other companies. Smaller business can not always afford to employ staff to carry out this duty, so they also have to outsource if they want to deal with a high volume of calls.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are that they might not be able to provide you the exact information.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the customers need to find out information for certain things and they need to find out the exact information.
The two benefits of using ICT are that customers can get the information they need with their phones rather than going out to companies to find out the information or any enquiries they want to discuss.
If the customers have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences the customers might face are that they won’t be able to discuss any enquiries that they have and they won’t be able to make any calls even if they are important.
Data collection and use in business
The positive effects are that the data specialists can use the vast data stores of governments, the internet and other sources to gather relevant information. The data specialists can also develop a customised database according to the customer’s requirements. The in formation contained in this database may include:
- Registered name of company
- Key executive names
- Business address/ registered addresses
- Nature of business activities
- Number of employees
- Financial figures such as sales turnover, net profit and other key indicators
- Industry trends
- Market outlook
-
Competitor analysis
- Overseas information.
“Market researches obtain information by asking people questions.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are that gathering business information can be a difficult and challenging task. Businesses need information to help in their market research or for marketing purposes. This task is often contracted out to a separate company which specialises in this area.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the customers need to make major decisions and they need to find the correct information and then they can verify it.
The two benefits of using ICT are that customers can then use this information to make decisions about new products or services. They may also use it as a basis for carrying out further research.
If the customers have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences the customers might face are that they won’t be able to access their details and they won’t be able to make any decisions.
Community Activities
Public internet Access
The positive effects are that ICT has benefited business and education; it has also made a difference to the way the support systems of public services function. The internet access enables people to not only access the internet, but also send and receive e-mail, giving people ability to communicate with friends and families world wide in a cost effective manner.
“The UK government has promoted and helped fund public access to the internet, through the use of libraries and post offices with internet terminals.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are that public could be wasting too much time on irrelevant websites. The public could be using chat rooms for the wrong reasons. The public might not always get the relevant information which they want.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the public need to find out their serious issues through the message boards or the chat rooms. The public also needs to use the internet to look for the information they need.
The two benefits of using ICT are that public can find the information they need and they can contact anyone form a different place by using the internet.
If the public have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences that they might face are that they won’t be able to get the information they need and they will feel left out if they can’t contact their friends or families.
Public Services and Transport
The positive effects are that the public can view extracts from the displays, check opening times, and get directions on how to get there and arrange the necessary tickets, all carried out online. The public transport and private travel organisations also list their services on the internet, allowing the public to browse through availability and times and to arranger their itinerary and then make a booking. All without having to leave their own home to do so.
“Mobile phones make it easy to report an accident, while the emergency services use GPS to locate the scene of the accident.”
Applied ICT (Double Award)
The negative effects are that public could be misusing the services for irrelevant work. The transport could be late to the event that you called it for. The services the public may need might not always be available.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the public need the transport for emergencies and they need services for their uses.
The two benefits of using ICT are that public can get the transport when ever they need it and the public services will provided it when ever they need it.
If the public have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences that they might face are that they won’t be able to get the transport and the services they need when ever they need it.
Online discussions and Government
The positive effects are that the internet has enabled people to have online discussions with anyone they want. MSN chat has enabled people to chat with their identity. So the people who are having a chat on MSN they know who they are chatting to.
" Local governments have their own websites, where online discussions maybe held.”
Applied ICT (Double Award
The negative effects are that the people maybe having rude and irrelevant conversations online. People may be wasting too much time on line.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the people need to discuss important information online and they need to discuss what ever they feel is relevant to the topic they are discussing.
The two benefits of using ICT are that people can discuss what they want and they can listen to what other people have to say.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences that they might face are that they won’t be able to discuss what they want and they won’t be able to hear what other people have to say. They will feel isolated and the wont be able to have online discussions with their friends or their families.
Global Positioning Systems
The positive effects are that the GPS (Global Positioning Systems) has benefited many sport technology such as sailing and car rallying. Many portable navigation systems are now fitted in many cars. There are also portable devices for use by walkers and other outdoor pursuit’s enthusiasts and many mobile phones can be accurately located to enable WAP systems to be used as positioning systems. This technology can also be very helpful to the emergency services.
“A less common use of these worldwide services has been the ability to use systems such as the Global Positioning Systems (GPS).”
Applied ICT (Double Award
The negative effects are that the price has been too expensive for public use. Not all ICT facilities could be available for public.
The two needs which are use of ICT are that the people need portable navigations so they know where they are going. They also need outdoor facilities such as a mobile phone to keep in touch in-case of emergency.
The two benefits of using ICT are that people know where they are going with a portable navigation system and a mobile phone enables you to contact someone if there is an emergency.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences that they might face are that they won’t know where they are going without the portable navigation system. If they don’t have a mobile phone they won’t be able to contact anyone if they are in an emergency.
Special/Particular Needs
Hearing Impairment
The positive effects are that the people with poor hearing can use hearing aids which are electronic amplifiers. The hearing aids also have a T switch for converting the signals from an induction loop system to amplified audio, enabling the user to hear a transmitted signal. Induction loops and infrared systems replace the sound path between the sound source and the listener with either an inductive (magnetic) or infrared signals that is not affected by acoustics or other sounds.
“An induction loop system amplifies sound for the hard of hearing.”
Applied ICT (Double Award
The negative effects are that if in a noisy environment, a person with impaired hearing, wearing a hearing aid, can find it almost impossible to hear the speaker clearly. The equipment can be too expensive.
The two needs which are use of ICT for the people who have a poor hearing are that they need an induction loop to hear. They also need a T switch for converting the signal from an induction loop system to amplified audio, enabling to hear a transmitted signal.
The two benefits of using ICT are that people who have a poor hearing can hear better with an induction loop. The T switch enables them to hear a transmitted signal.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences that they might face are that the people who have poor hearing wont be able to have an induction loop so they won’t be able to have a good hearing.
Speech Synthesisers
The positive effects are that people can now use a new program which is called Speech Synthesisers. Speech Synthesisers is a program which converts text to speech and which produces its voice using a sound card. It must comply with standards as used by SSIL and MSSAPI.
With the price of CPUs and memory falling and with the increased capabilities of sound cards (such as being able to play several waves sounds at once), Software synthesisers are easily obtainable.
“One other advantage of software synthesisers is that their text to speech capabilities and voices can be enhanced relatively easily. This is because it is easier to update software than it is to redesign a chip.”
Applied ICT (Double Award
The negative effects are that many sound cards can still only play one wave sound at once and since the software synthesiser requires this channel to produce its voice, other sounds or recordings cannot be played at the same time as text is being spoken.
The two needs which are use of ICT for the people are that they need to have their text spoken so it can be easy for them. They also need to get the Speech Synthesiser software program.
The two benefits of using ICT are that people can have their text converted in speech and it will be easy and quick.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences that they might face are that the people won’t be able to have their text converted into speech.
Automatic Homes
The positive effects are that a person can turn lights, radio and TV on and off, answer or initiate phone calls, and unlock a door with out moving. Any aspect of the environment can be controlled depending upon the systems complexity. The user can set up manual or automatic operation of electrical appliances.
“One of the most common systems of computer control can be found in environmental control – central heating and air conditioning are the two main systems, but there are others.”
Applied ICT (Double Award
The negative effects are that when deciding to install and use an environmental control system, there are different levels of complexity to be considered, and each level has an associated price increase. People will be able to do things without moving so they will get lazy.
The two needs which are use of ICT for the people are that they need to have rest and they need to have a security alarm which needs to be connected to the police station in case of burglary.
The two benefits of using ICT are that people can have a rest if they are really tired. They can do stuff while they are sitting down.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences that they might face are that the people won’t be able to do stuff things whilst sitting down. They will get jealous if someone else they know has got this facility.
On-line Learning Groups
The positive effects are that wheelchair users are able to work from home. Other people with any sort of disability can also learn or work from home. People with disabilities are offered access to the internet and a range of special equipment.
“All centres are designed to accommodate people with special needs and some have full disabled access.”
Applied ICT (Double Award
The negative effects are that the equipment could be too expensive to buy. Facilities for disabled people or people with special needs may not always be available. The work could get stressing.
The two needs which are use of ICT for people are that they need to learn after they leave college or university. People need to get good quality education.
The two benefits of using ICT are that people can get good quality education. They can get facilities if they are disabled.
If the people have no connection to any sort of ICT then the consequences that they might face are that the people won’t be able to get good education and they won’t be able to get any facilities if they are disabled.