"ICT is the catalyst that facilitates the Knowledge Revolution"
-Prof Shahi
Today's topic was on ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and how it affects the world. I find this topic particularly fascinating as ICT is so rapidly changing today, and it is has become our main form of communication. Everywhere we go, ICT is prevalent. On the Networked Readiness Index, Singapore ranked 8 out of 75 countries! Our telecomunication technologies has risen to such a great extent that the usage of internet technology is so common. Everywhere on the streets, you see people of all ages, typing, or should I say tapping on their mobile devices furiously. And why do I use the word tapping? Our ordinary mobile phones have evolved. No longer do we use the buttons, now most of them are touch-screen. From Reading 2, I found the phrase 'Technology is easy, People are hard' as encountered in the 1st seminar. I learnt that ICT can help achieve one of the MDG, but it is near impossible to expect those goals to be achieved by 2015, which is like only 4.25 years from now. Not realistic, but I certainly wish for it to come true in the near future. ICT is transforming our world into a borderless one, and if we make it sustainable, it can connect everyone from different parts of the world, and eliminate the differences and the divide. National boundaries will not be so vast anymore, with the expansion of ICT.
We watched a video, which was also from our readings of the week. Project Natal Milo Demo-it is about a new technology that allows us to communicate with a virtual boy called Milo. Milo shares and understands all the emotions we are experiencing. It is realy cool how technology has progressed, and I find it pretty freaky to a slight extent, like how Milo received the drawing that Claire gave him, through some instant scanning. Here's the video!
Out of all the ICTs, like Mass Media, Internet, Gaming, Wireless Technologies, Interactive Telecommunications, Information Systems, Cloud Computing and Knowledge Management, I find cloud computing quite interesting. I don't really have much prior knowledge on it, but after researching, it proves to be something really interesting. 'Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid.' according to Wikipedia. We then watched a video on the Web 3.0 about cloud computing, which provided much insights.
"Today's real borders are not between nations, but between powerful and powerless, free and fettered, privileged and humiliated." -Kofi Annan
I think that what Kofi Annan was referring to is the digital divide. The divide between those who have access to digital technology and those who do not. National boundaries are not the ones hindering our connection with the world. Instead, it is this divide that splits us up. Is is the same vicious cycle, the rich gets rich, while the poor gets poorer. In this case, those with original access to technology, gets even better and improved technology, while those developing countries with no access, remains with no access. They do not know about the iPod, iPhone, much less say the iPad.
We had 5 presenters today.
Tracy presented on ICT and its Impact on the Economy.
Xiong Wei presented on Wireless Technology.
Jonathan presented on Knowledge Management.
Raymond presented on User Interface.
Another Jonathan presented on Interpersonal Communcations.
These 5 presentations were really interesting and provided a great insight into these topics. User Interface is really cool actually, imagine if we could just utilise such technologies, the world will be such a convenient place. ICT really changes our lives, as Tracy compared for us, in the past, we progressed from letters to dial ups to smart phones and wireless technologies. Wireless technology is the main link that connects for example Singapore to the United States!
We had a short discussion about which is better, face-to-face interaction or communication via ICT. For me, I would definitely prefer face-to-face interaction as it is more personal and sincere. Through ICT, like instant messaging, online text or emails, miscommunications may arise if the words or emoticons are interpreted differently. However, I must admit that ICT has definitely made life much easier, in the sense that we can just send out a text message and do impromptu meetings, rather than having to dial up or walking over to arrange a meeting. I guess ICT has both its pros and cons-like all things do. I would like to hear more of my classmates' views on that, but due to time constraints, it was not possible. However, the short discussion was sufficient still.
I would rate this week's seminar 5 a 9/10 as I find this topic on ICT very interesting! I guess it is because of how it relates to us, like facebook skype etc. The new generation toys, in our world today.
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