GEC ELEC 1 –
LIVING IN THE IT
ERA
Introduction to Information and
Communication Technology
Introduction to
Information and
Communication
Technology
Information and Communication
Technology
Information and communication technologies (ICT)
is defined as a diverse set of technological tools and
resources used to transmit, store, create, share or
exchange information.
These technological tools and resources include
computers, the Internet (websites, blogs and emails), live
broadcasting technologies (radio, television and
webcasting), recorded broadcasting technologies
(podcasting, audio and video players, and storage
devices) and telephony (fixed or mobile, satellite,
visio/video-conferencing, etc.).
Information and Communication
Technology
Uses of ICT in our daily lives
• Communication
• Job Opportunities
• Education
• Socializing
Information and Communication
Technology
Uses of ICT in our daily lives
Communication
ICT plays a significant role in communication today,
replacing traditional methods such as sending letters via
post mail. With the use of cellular phones and various
digital platforms, people can easily connect with loved
ones from far away.
Information and Communication
Technology
Uses of ICT in our daily lives
Job Opportunities
In the employment sector, having ICT skills is crucial
for efficient operation of organizations. It allows
employees to focus on areas of their job role that require
soft skills, as ICT systems take care of the routine tasks.
Information and Communication
Technology
Uses of ICT in our daily lives
Education
Effective integration of Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) in curriculum by
digitally literate teachers can significantly impact student
learning. ICT tools such as communication, creation,
dissemination, storage, and information management are
widely used in schools.
Information and Communication
Technology
Uses of ICT in our daily lives
Socializing
The widespread adoption of social media has
brought significant changes to the world, affecting how
people find partners, access news, and organize for
political change. Social media and the internet offer
numerous benefits to young people, including the ability
to maintain social connections and access vast amounts
of information, leading to improved self-confidence and
social skills.
Information and Communication
Technology
Impact of ICT in the Society
ICT has greatly improved connectivity and access to
information, enhancing efficiency and innovation.
However, it also brings challenges like privacy issues,
cybercrime, and digital divides, which can increase
inequality and affect mental health. Balancing these
benefits and drawbacks is essential for positive societal
impact.
Information and Communication
Technology
Positive Impact of ICT
• Access to Information
• Improved Access to Education
• New tools and Opportunities
• Communication
• Information Management
• Security
• Distance Learning
Information and Communication
Technology
Positive Impact of ICT
• Access to Information
The growth of the Internet has led to increased
access to information and services, resulting in better
and often more affordable communications such as VoIP
phone and instant messaging
Information and Communication
Technology
Positive Impact of ICT
• Improved access to education
ICT has improved access to education through
distance learning and online tutorials, providing new
ways of learning through interactive multimedia and
virtual reality.
Information and Communication
Technology
Positive Impact of ICT
• New tools and Opportunities
The advancement of ICT has provided access to new
tools that were previously unavailable, such as digital
cameras, photo-editing software, high-quality printers,
and screen magnification or screen reading software,
which has made it possible for partially sighted or blind
individuals to work with ordinary text rather than relying
solely on Braille.
Information and Communication
Technology
Positive Impact of ICT
• Communication
ICT can lead to cost savings by using various forms
of digital communication instead of traditional methods,
such as using VoIP instead of a regular phone, email or
messaging instead of postal mail, and video conferencing
instead of traveling to meetings.
Information and Communication
Technology
Positive Impact of ICT
• Information Management
This refers to the benefits of information
management provided by ICT. Data mining enables
companies to extract useful information from large
amounts of data, such as customer information, to
produce targeted advertising. Improved stock control
leads to less waste and better cash flow.
Information and Communication
Technology
Positive Impact of ICT
• Security
The use of ICT can solve or reduce some security
problems. For example, encryption methods can protect
data from unauthorized access both while it is stored and
while it is being transmitted electronically.
Information and Communication
Technology
Positive Impact of ICT
• Distance Learning
Distance learning and online tutorials allow students
to access teaching materials from all over the world.
Information and Communication
Technology
Negative Impact of ICT
• Job Loss
• Reduced Personal Interaction
• Reduced Physical Activity
• Cost
• Competition
Information and Communication
Technology
Negative Impact of ICT
• Job Loss
The use of automation is resulting in the
replacement of manual labor, including the use of robots
in assembly lines, and job export to countries with lower
operating costs.
Information and Communication
Technology
Negative Impact of ICT
• Reduced personal interaction
Social interaction is important for most people's
well-being, and the absence of opportunities to meet and
converse with others can lead to feelings of isolation and
unhappiness.
• Reduced physical activity
A lack of social interaction can result in health
issues like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
Information and Communication
Technology
Negative Impact of ICT
• Cost
Implementing and maintaining ICT systems can be
costly due to the expense of purchasing hardware and
software, as well as the need for specialized staff to
operate them.
• Competition
While increased competition is often considered
favorable, it may present difficulties for certain
organizations.
Information and Communication
Technology
What is a
Computer?
Information and Communication
Technology
Definition of Computer
Computer is an electronic device that manipulates
information, or data. It has the ability to store, retrieve,
and process data.
Computer is a machine that manipulates data according
to a list of instructions (program).
Information and Communication
Technology
Three principal characteristics of computer:
1. It responds to a specific set of instructions in a well-
defined manner.
2. It can execute a pre-recorded list of instructions.
3. It can quickly store and retrieve large amounts of
data.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Earliest Computers originally calculations were
computed by humans, whose job title was computer.
The first use of the word "computer" was recorded
in 1613, referring to a person who carried out
calculations, or computations, and the word continued to
be used in that sense until the middle of the 20th
century.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Tally sticks
A tally stick was an ancient
memory aid device to
record and document
numbers, quantities, or
even messages.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Abacus
An abacus is a mechanical
device used to aid an
individual in performing
mathematical calculations.
• The abacus was
invented in Babylonia in
2400 B.C.
• It used to perform
basic arithmetic operations.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Napier’s Bones
• Invented by John Napier
in 1614.
• Allowed the operator to
multiply, divide and
calculate square and cube
roots by moving the rods
around and placing them in
specially constructed
boards.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Slide Rule
Invented by William
Oughtred in 1622.
• Is based on Napier's ideas
about logarithms.
• Used primarily for –
multiplication – division –
roots – logarithms –
Trigonometry
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Pascaline
• Invented by Blaise Pascal
in 1642.
• It was its limitation to
addition and subtraction.
• It is too expensive.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Stepped Reckoner
• Invented by Gottfried
Wilhelm Leibniz in 1672.
• The machine that can
add, subtract, multiply and
divide automatically.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Jacquard Loom
• The Jacquard loom is a
mechanical loom, invented
by Joseph-Marie Jacquard in
1881.
• It is an automatic loom
controlled by punched
cards.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Arithmometer
• A mechanical calculator
invented by Thomas de
Colmar in 1820,
• The first reliable, useful
and commercially successful
calculating machine.
• The machine could
perform the four basic
mathematic functions.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Difference Engine and
Analytical Engine
• It an automatic,
mechanical calculator
designed to tabulate
polynomial functions.
• Invented by Charles
Babbage in 1822 and 1834
• It is the first mechanical
computer.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
First Computer
Programmer
• In 1840, Augusta Ada
Byron suggests to Babbage
that he use the binary
system.
• She writes programs for
the Analytical Engine.
• also known as Ada
Lovelace
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Scheutzian Calculation
Engine
• Invented by Per Georg
Scheutz in 1843.
• Based on Charles
Babbage's difference
engine.
• The first printing
calculator.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Tabulating Machine
• Invented by Herman
Hollerith in 1890.
• To assist in summarizing
information and
accounting.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Harvard Mark 1
• Also known as IBM
Automatic Sequence
Controlled Calculator
(ASCC).
• Invented by Howard H.
Aiken in 1943
• The first electro-
mechanical computer.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Z1
• The first programmable
computer.
• Created by Konrad Zuse in
Germany from 1936 to 1938.
• To program the Z1 required
that the user insert punch
tape into a punch tape
reader and all output was
also generated through
punch tape.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
Atanasoff-Berry
Computer (ABC)
• It was the first electronic
digital computing device.
• Invented by Professor
John Atanasoff and
graduate student Clifford
Berry at Iowa State
University between 1939
and 1942.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
ENIAC
• ENIAC stands for
Electronic Numerical
Integrator and Computer.
• It was the first electronic
general-purpose computer.
• Completed in 1946.
• Developed by John Presper
Eckert and John Mauchly.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
UNIVAC 1
• The UNIVAC I (Universal
Automatic Computer 1)
was the first commercial
computer.
• Designed by John Presper
Eckert and John Mauchly.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
EDVAC
• EDVAC stands for Electronic
Discrete Variable
Automatic Computer
• The First Stored Program
Computer
• Designed by Von Neumann
in 1952.
• It has a memory to hold both
a stored program as well as
data.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
The First Portable
Computer
• Osborne 1 – the first
portable computer.
• Released in 1981 by the
Osborne Computer
Corporation.
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computer: Basic Computing Periods
The First Computer
Company
• The first computer
company was the
Electronic Controls
Company.
• Founded in 1949 by John
Presper Eckert and John
Mauchly.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
• Premechanical
• Mechanical
• Electromechanical
• Electronic
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Premechanical
• The premechanical age is the earliest age of information
technology. It can be defined as the time between
3000B.C. and 1450A.D.
• Early humans used petroglyphs during the
premechanical period. Petroglyphs are rock engravings
or carvings created by pecking, incising, or carving into
rock surfaces.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Premechanical
Petroglyph
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Premechanical
• As alphabets became more popular and more people
were writing information down, pens and paper began
to be developed.
• It started off as just marks in wet clay, but later paper
was created out of papyrus plant.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Premechanical
Papyrus plant paper
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Premechanical
• Also, during this period were the first numbering
systems. Around 100A.D. was when the first 1-9
system was created by people from India. However, it
wasn’t until 875A.D. (775 years later) that the number 0
was invented.
• A calculator was the very first sign of an information
processor. The popular model of that time was the
abacus.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Mechanical
• The mechanical age is when we first start to see
connections between our current technology and its
ancestors during 1450 – 1840.
• During this time, the interest in automating and
speeding up numerical calculations grew.
• This period concentrated on the development of machines
that will enhance calculation speed.
• The highlight of this period is the advent of the Mechanical
Calculator called Pascaline.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electromechanical
• The electromechanical age can be defined as the time
between 1840 and 1940. These are the beginnings of
telecommunication.
• The telegraph was created in the early 1800s. Morse
code was created by Samuel Morse in 1835. The
telephone (one of the most popular forms of
communication ever) was created by Alexander Graham
Bell in 1876.
• The first radio developed by Guglielmo Marconi in 1894.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electromechanical
Telegraph First Radio
Telephone
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electromechanical
• The first large-scale automatic digital computer in the
United States was the Mark 1 created by Harvard
University around 1940.
• It was programmed using punch cards.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electromechanical
Harvard Mark 1
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electronic
• . It can be defined as the time between 1940 and right
now.
• The ENIAC was the first high-speed, digital computer
capable of being reprogrammed to solve a full range of
computing problems.
• This computer was designed to be used by the U.S.
Army for artillery firing tables.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electronic
• There are 4 main sections of digital computing.
• The first was the era of vacuum tubes and punch
cards like the ENIAC and Mark 1.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electronic
• There are 4 main sections of digital computing.
• The second generation replaced vacuum tubes with
transistors, punch cards were replaced with magnetic
tape, and rotating magnetic drums were replaced by
magnetic cores for internal storage.
• Also during this time high-level programming languages
were created such as FORTRAN and COBOL.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electronic
• There are 4 main sections of digital computing.
• The third generation replaced transistors with
integrated circuits, magnetic tape was used throughout
all computers, and magnetic core turned into metal
oxide semiconductors.
• An actual operating system showed up around this time
along with the advanced programming language
BASIC.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electronic
• There are 4 main sections of digital computing.
• The fourth and latest generation brought in CPUs
(central processing units) which contained memory,
logic, and control circuits all on a single chip.
• The personal computer was developed (Apple II). The
graphical user interface (GUI) was developed.
Information and Communication
Technology
Basic Computing Periods - Ages
Electromechanical
Apple 2
Information and Communication
Technology
History of Computers: Generations of Computer
• First generation – 1946 to 1958
• Second generation – 1959 to 1964
• Third generation – 1965 to 1970
• Fourth generation – 1971 to Today
• Fifth generation – Today to future
Information and Communication
Technology
Generations of Computer
The First Generation
• The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and
magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous,
taking up entire rooms.
• First generation computers relied on machine language,
the lowest-level programming language understood by
computers, to perform operations, and they could only
solve one problem at a time.
• Input was based on punched cards and paper tape,
and output was displayed on printouts.
Information and Communication
Technology
Generations of Computer
The First Generation
• Examples: – ENIAC – EDSAC – UNIVAC I, UNIVAC II,
UNIVAC 1101
Information and Communication
Technology
Generations of Computer
The Second Generation
• Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the
second generation of computers. One transistor
replaced the equivalent of 40 vacuum tubes.
• It allows the computers to become smaller.
• Second-generation computers moved from cryptic
binary machine language to symbolic, or assembly,
languages, which allowed programmers to specify
instructions in words.
Information and Communication
Technology
Generations of Computer
The Second Generation
• Examples: UNIVAC III, RCA 501, Philco Transact S-2000,
NCR 300 series, IBM 7030 Stretch, IBM 7070, 7080,
7090 series
Information and Communication
Technology
Generations of Computer
The Third Generation
• The development of the integrated circuit was the
hallmark of the third generation of computers.
• Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon
chips, called semiconductors, which drastically
increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Information and Communication
Technology
Generations of Computer
The Fourth Generation
• The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of
computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were
built onto a single silicon chip.
• Computers form networks, which eventually led to the
development of the Internet.
Information and Communication
Technology
Generations of Computer
The Fifth Generation
• Based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Still in development.
The use of parallel processing and superconductors is
helping to make artificial intelligence a reality.
Thank you!
