Session 5

In this session, we discussed about the Information and Communication Technology, or ICT. As this technology has developed, the modes of communication between people have changed drastically. ICT has several components, like mass media, internet, social networking, crowd sourcing, gaming etc.

Mass media is one to many communications. Interaction through mass media has developed a lot through the years. the earliest forms of mass media were drums, word of mouth, but now they constitute books, radios, television and so on. Mass media has gone from being a one way instruction to people to an interactive discussion with the people. Mass media has provided for greater feedback from people. However, mass media involves the risk that you open yourself to a universe of information, which has to be verified before it can be accepted.

We discussed about the internet and its advance. With the invention of the World Wide Web, it created a graphic interface. The original Internet was very passive; it was a one-way street. Then the interactive web developed. Prof discussed the concept of an invisible web, which will be omnipresent. We won't even be able to detect the presence of such a web. It will be a part of our everyday lives.

We were shown a video where the concept of the Web 3.0 was discussed. With the evolution of internet to Web 3.0, everything and everybody will be connected to each other. Semantic web is a kind of web that understands the taste of the users. As the web goes more into the omnipresent form, our life will become more productive.

We also discussed about social networking, and how it has built a connection among people all over the world. Similarly, crowd sourcing helps in reaching out to people simultaneously. It helps to look for answers to problems beyond our reach. Wikipedia is a kind of crowd sourcing, where in we depend on other people's concept and knowledge to determine things. 

Gaming is also something, which has a tremendous range of potential. Games help in education, helps to relieve stress, joysticks are used in surgeries and all.

Prof told us the benefits of Cloud computing. It is basically taking advantage of data which is outside your own device. The company does not have to invest in setting up an IT department. It is fast and cheap and efficient. With the current use of cloud computing, there is no need to have an IT department. It’s a very nice arrangement that gives you access to a wide range of facilities and networks at a very low cost.

The focus today is shifting from manual work, to more brain work. Earlier, people were paid for the work they did with their hands, but now higher incomes is awarded to people who are mostly involved in brain works.

 What i took away from this session is that we are in the very early days of information and communication technology.There is a wide scope for development. Productivity has increased only 5 times from the industrial revolution to the ICT/ knowledge revolution.

Because of the knowledge revolution, the importance of manual work is falling; the rate of unemployment in unskilled labor has increased greatly. People who are not willing to learn and grow and get jobs, training and knowledge of the new systems are essential. Skills development is very important.

In all, I would rate this session an 8 out of 10. It was highly informative, and a lot was learnt about what the future holds for us.