Thursday, April 29, 2010

Information literacy

Information has taken over the current generation. As had been the case during the agricultural era when land was power and the industrial era when industrial skills and factories was power, to date information and knowledge is power. There are questions however on what is information literacy? Of what value is it? While computer age and computer ethics are also part of this information age.
Information literacy is as the ability to recognise an arising need for information, knowing where to locate the information, being able to analyse it, and applying it. With the growing information sources which have grown to include the traditional oral sources, which information was obtained through face to face or telephone conversations. To the much broad written which went from wall paintings notes, books, news papers letters, the list is countless as long as there is contact between some mark leaving object and a mark stowing object. To date a new generation has arisen, the digital generation which involves computers. One’s ability to use either all of these sources or some at times of information necessity is information literacy.
Information literacy is of great value in the present day world. Unlike the old ages where physical strength even with little information was an important tool in life, the situation has changed people are less worried about being physically big but are now exercising their minds to be mentally, information and knowledge wise, big. All life systems of life today have computerised from the industries to the education sector the health sector, governance, even our social lives were there have mobile phones, PCs at home and a lot computerised gadgets we use. Against this back ground the need for information in order to survive in the present day digital world is important.
The computer has become the machine of the day. A society controlled by computers has been created were all life supporting systems have gone digital. The in every country where there are people there is a computer. Computers have varied in sizes and uses as illustrated above, but the most important characteristic of a computer is that it offers a world networking system known as the World Wide Web (Web). This amazing net work system makes the digital generation the leader in the information age. It makes available information from all over the world and from all sectors of life. It also creates a platform for communication through e-mail services and social websites such as face book, twitter and Skype. The advantage of this system is that its fast and reliable but it is also subject to various abuses.
There are ethics of using the Web system. A s in any other community there are rules, ethics “are moral guidelines that govern the use of computers and information systems.” (shelly and Vermaat. 2010).the ethics are as follows.
• Unauthorised use of computers and networks
• Software theft (piracy). The exchange of software with ought registered owner’ permition.
• Information accuracy. Some people post inaccurate information on the internet causing some problems of misleading.
• Intellectual property rights. Original work’ copyright is reserved to the owner.
• Green computing. Reducing the electricity and environmental impacts when using a computer.
• Information privacy. It refers to the right of individuals and organisation to deny access to outsiders.

1 comment:

  1. True there should be ethics governing the use of computers..

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