Sunday 8 April 2012

Tutorial one: Information Technology and Ethical Issues

The focus for my first blog post is to introduce the concept information technology and some ethical considerations and issues that coincide with technology.

A definition from (Tech Terms. 2012). “I.T. It refers to anything related to computing technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the Internet, or the people that work with these technologies.” Information technology is a way of storing information, managing and processing it through technology. It is a way to communicate and information and store it.
Information technology is here to stay, it is all around us and used on a day to day basis. we use our cell phones as alarms to wake us up in the morning, we check our emails on our computers, iPhones for our daily schedules, cameras to capture moments, television to update on the news and happenings of the world and do so many other technologies that are used every day just to keep us informed, connected and communicating. Through this video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fugNmKtKV0M you can see how technology has changed the way we can educate future generations.

Devices that I am comfortable using on a day to day basis are my cell phone as it wakes me up in the morning keeps me communicating with others and tells me the time. I use my computer every day to check emails, load songs, pay bills, go on Moodle and blogs to complete my homework and studies; it educates me and helps me connect with family and friends all over the world through social networking sites. I use my iPod when I go running to listen to music and keep an eye on the time and I use my camera a lot to document memories and fun times that I have each day. I feel that I am comfortable using these technologies as I have grown up around them and they have always been there. I pick up on how to use new technologies quickly and this enables me to want to use new and improved technologies to help me learn, communicate and enhance daily living. Sometimes technologies don’t always work and this limits the way we can use them. We really rely on technology to the point if the internet is down I cannot complete my homework. Many of my meaningful occupations involve using technology. I love seeing my friends and I can keep in contact with the use of email, cell phone and networking sites. I also am studying so the internet and computer is used on a daily basis and without it, it would be very difficult to complete tasks, assignments and research.

Within my fieldwork experiences I have seen information technology used in a number of ways such as music and movement to encourage involvement and participation from those with physical and mental disabilities; it gives them a sense of belonging and purpose. Wii games and PlayStation was used as a reward system to play and engage in meaningful activities. The use of computers allows the support workers and parents and staff to keep a record of how the clients are doing the parents and caregivers can go on and see how the client was that day, what they achieved any other notes of interest.





IT can have its implications on Occupational therapists such as the OT needs to know how to use the technology and be able to decipher the possible implications and benefits. Technologies can stop working and can be very complex to figure out why they have done something when you wanted it to do something else.
I envision OT’s using IT in the future in the form of an I Pad, these would be able to help clients in many different ways such as someone who is suffering from fatigue could set up a prioritised schedule with the OT on the I Pad to remind themselves to do the most important tasks of the day first, it could also set off alarms reminding them to have a rest or other important things to remember like education, to take medication and OT appointments. This video shows how to effectively use the I Pad for important dates, notes and scheduling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NZUU2kOalA
I feel it is important for OTs to have an understanding of IT and how it can help our clients to enhance their daily lives and to enable occupation. For example the internet can help a person to become more independent, they may not have been able to leave the house but through the internet they can pay bills online, order groceries to be delivered and communicate with others. The internet can also provide online games, crafts and many more to further help the client to participate in meaningful occupations.
It is really important to consider the ethical considerations when using IT. When using pictures it is important to have consent from the persons in the picture to have the photo taken and put up onto the internet, also that it is reference if it is not an original. It is important to reference any information that you have taken and used that is not yours. It is vital to note that once it is posted onto the internet it is often difficult to take off and security can be hard to control what happens to that information. Confidentiality is something that must be considered, names, addresses and the like are not noted unless consent is approved.  

References:


YouTube. (2012). iPad Calendar, Contacts and Notes (MacMost Now 382). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NZUU2kOalA
 YouTube. (2012). We Like Using Technology Everyday! Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fugNmKtKV0M


Tech Terms. (2012). Techterms.com. Retrieved from http://www.techterms.com/definition/it

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