THE INFORMATION AGE

LESSON 1
LESSONS
OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

•define Information Age
•discuss the history of Information Age; and
•understand the factors that need to be considered in checking website sources.
 INTRODUCTION

Highly modernized, automated, data-driven, and technologically

advanced-these best describe our society nowadays, as evidenced by
how information could be transferred or shared quickly. The different
areas of society have been influenced tremendously such as
communication, economics, industry, health, and the environment.
Despite our gains due to the growing development of information
technology, the rapid upgrade of information also has disadvantages.
This lesson will discuss the history and impact of technological
advancements to society.
 Life is accompanied by endless transmission of information that
takes place within and outside the human body. According to
Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, information is
"knowledge communicated or obtained concerning a specific fact or
circumstance. Hence, information is a very important tool for
survival quarter of the 20th century when information became
effortlessly accessible.
 The Information Age is defined as a period starting in the last
through publications and through the management of information
by computers and computer networks" (Vocabulary.com, n.d.).

 Themeans of conveying symbolic information (e.g., writing, math,

other codes) among humans has evolved with increasing speed. The
Information Age is also called the Digital Age and the New Media
Age because it was associated with the development of computers.
 According to James R. Messenger who proposed the Theory of
Information Age in 1982, "the Information Age is a true new age
based upon the interconnection of computers via
telecommunications, with these information systems operating on
both a real-time and as-needed basis. Furthermore, the primary
factors driving this new age forward are convenience and user-
friendliness which, in turn, will create user dependence."
HISTORY
The table below traces the history and emergence of the
information age (united states american history, n.D.).
 Table 1. Timeline of the Information Age

Year Event

3000 BC Sumerian writing system used pictographs to represent words

2900 BC Beginnings of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing

1300 BC Tortoise shell and oracle bone writing were used

500 BC Papyrus roll was used

220 BC Chinese small seal writing was developed

100 AD Book (parchment codex)

105 AD Woodblock printing and paper was invented by the Chinese

1455 Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press using movable

metal type
1755 Samuel Johnson's dictionary standardized English spelling
 Year Event

1802 • The Library of Congress was established

• Invention of the carbon arc lamp
1824 Research on persistence of vision published

1830s • First viable design for a digital computer

• Augusta Lady Byron writes the world's first computer
program
1837 Invention of the telegraph in Great Britain and the United
States
1861 Motion pictures were projected onto a screen

1876 Dewey Decimal system was introduced

1877 Eadweard Muybridge demonstrated high-speed photography

1899 First magnetic recordings were released

1902 Motion picture special effects were used

 Year Event

1906 Lee DeForest invented the electronic amplifying tube (triode)

1923 Television camera tube was invented by Zvorkyn

1926 First practical sound movie

1939 Regularly scheduled television broadcasting began in the US

1940s Beginnings of information science as a discipline

1945 Vannevar Bush foresaw the invention of hypertext

1946 ENIAC computer was developed

1948 Birth of field-of-information theory proposed by Claude E.

Shannon
1957 Planar transistor was developed by Jean Hoerni

1958 First integrated circuit

 Year Event

1960s Library of Congress developed LC MARC (machine- readable

code)
1969 UNIX operating system was developed, which could handle
multitasking
1971 Intel introduced the first microprocessor chip

1972 Optical laserdisc was developed by Philips and MCA

1974 MCA and Philips agreed on a standard videodisc encoding

format
 Year Event

1975 Altair Microcomputer Kit was released: first personal computer

for the public
1977 RadioShack introduced the first complete personal computer

1984 Apple Macintosh computer was introduced

Mid 1980s Artificial intelligence was separated from information science

1987 Hypercard was developed by Bill Atkinson recipe box metaphor

1991 Four hundred fifty complete works of literature on one CD-

ROM was released
January RSA (encryption and network security software) Internet
1997 security code cracked for a 48-bit number
 Figure 7. Evolution of Man and Information

Humanity's evolution is intertwined with the evolution of

information and its dissemination. Initially private, information
became shared and managed in diverse ways, outpacing our
ability to cope. The information explosion of the 1960s-70s led
to "Information Anxiety" (Wurman), culminating in information
becoming a dominant force in business by the 1990s. Today,
information is a ubiquitous, mass-produced commodity,
leading to widespread information overload.
Despite varying perspectives on the Information
Age's evolution, information remains a crucial
tool for improving lives. The Information Age's
progress is undeniable and will continue to
surpass current expectations.
In his article “Truths of the Information Age” (n.d.),
Robert Harris detailed some facts on the
Information Age:
1. Information
must be recognized. There is a need for information to stand out and
be recognized in the increasing clutter.
2. Neveris equated with truer. We forgot the truth than any fact or value can
endure.
3. Selectionis a viewpoint. Choose multiple sources for your information if you
want to receive a more balanced view of reality.
4. The media sells what the culture buys. In other words, information is driven by
cultural priorities.
5. Theearly word often defines the term. The first media channel to expose an
issue gets the perm, context, terms, and attitudes surrounding it.
6. Youare what you eat and so is your brain. Do not draw conclusions
unless all ideas and information are presented to you.
7. Anything in great demand will be counterfeited. The demand for
incredible knowledge, scandals, and secrets is ever-present; hence,
many events are fabricated by tabloids, publicists, or other agents of
information fraud.
8. Ideasare seen as controversial. It is almost certainly impossible to
make any assertion that will not find some supporters and some
detractors.
9. Undead information never truly dies down. Rumors, lies,
disinformation, and gossips walks ever on. They persist and continue to
circulate.10. Media presence creates the story. People behave much
differently from the way they would if being filmed when the media are
present, especially film news or television media.
10. Media presence creates the story. People behave much differently
from the way they would if being filmed when the media are present,
especially film news or television media.
11.The medium selects the message. Television is mainly pictorial,
partially aural, and slightly textual, so visual stories are emphasized:
fires, chases, and disasters.
12.The whole truth is a pursuit. The information that reaches us is usually
selected, verbally changed, filtered, slanted, and sometimes
fabricated. What is neglected is often even more important than what
is included.
COMPUTER
Computers are among the most important
contributions of advances in the Information Age to
society. A computer is an electronic device that stores
and processes data (information). It runs on a program
that contains the exact, step-by-step directions to solve
a problem (UShistory. org, 2017).
TYPES OF COMPUTER

Computers are associated with numerous terms and

descriptions. Most people suggest the dimensions, intended use,
or the computer's power. While the term "computer" can apply to
virtually any device that has a microprocessor in it, most people
think of a computer as a device that receives input from the user
through a mouse (hand-guided directions tool) or keyboard,
processes it in some fashion, and presents the result on a screen.
PERSONAL COMPUTER (PC)

It is a single-user instrument. PCs were

first known as microcomputers since they
were a complete computer but built on a
smaller scale than the enormous systems
operated by most businesses.
DESKTOP COMPUTER
It is described as a PC that is not designed
for portability. The assumption with a desktop is
that it will be set up in a permanent spot. A
workstation is simply a desktop computer that
has a more powerful processor, additional
memory, and enhanced capabilities for
performing special group of tasks, such as 3D
graphics or game development. Most desktops
offer more storage, power, and versatility than
their portable versions (UShistory.org, 2017).
 LAPTOPS
These are portable computers that
integrate the essentials of a desktop
computer in a battery-powered package,
which are somewhat larger than a typical
hardcover book. They are commonly
called notebooks.
PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANTS (PDAs)

These are tightly integrated computers

that usually have no keyboards but rely
on a touch screen for user input. PDAS
are typically smaller than a paperback,
lightweight, and battery- powered
(UShistory.org, 2017).
SERVER
It refers to a computer that has been
improved to provide network services to
other computers. Servers usually boast
powerful processors, tons of memory,
and large hard drives (UShistory.org,
2017).
MAINFRAMES
These are huge computer systems that can fill
an entire room. They are used especially by
large firms to describe the large, expensive
machines that process millions of transactions
every day. The term "mainframe" has been
replaced by enterprise server. Although some
supercomputers are single computer systems,
most comprise multiple, high-performance,
parallel computers working as a single system
(UShistory.org, 2017).
WEARABLE COMPUTERS
They involve materials that are usually
integrated into cell phones, watches, and
other small objects or places. They
perform common computer applications
such as databases, email, multimedia,
and schedules (UShistory.org, 2017).
The World Wide Web, or Internet, originated from Claude
Shannon's information theory and evolved through
interconnected computer networks, initially facing limitations
in speed and rate. Its development involved faster
microprocessors and fiber-optic cables, leading to the
creation of search engines like Google, which now handles
millions of daily queries, and new communication methods
like email.
The Internet's rapid development led to instant
communication, creating new opportunities and
influential figures but also a technological divide,
as not everyone had access. The unregulated
nature of the internet also led to increased issues
like pornography and cyberbullying.
APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTERS IN SCIENCE
AND RESEARCH
One of the significant applications of computers for science
and research is evident in the field of bioinformatics.

 Bioinformatics is the application of information technology

to store, organize, and analyze vast amount of biological
data which is available in the form of sequences and
structures of proteins-the building blocks of organisms and
nucleic acids-the information carrier (Madan, n.d.).
 Early
interest in bioinformatics was established because of a
need to create databases of biological sequences.
 Thehuman brain cannot store all the genetic sequences of
organisms and this huge amount of data can only be stored,
analyzed, and be used efficiently with the use of computers.
While the initial databases of protein sequences were
maintained at individual laboratories, the development of a
consolidated formal database.
 While the initial databases of protein sequences were
maintained at individual laboratories, the development of a
consolidated formal database. known as SWISS-PROT
protein sequence database, was initiated in 1986.
It now has about 70,000 protein sequences from more
than 5.000 model organisms, a small fraction of all known
organisms. The enormous variety of divergent data resources
is now available for study and research by both academic
institutions and industries.
 The sequence information generated by the human
genome research, initiated in 1988, has now been stored as a
primary information source for future applications in medicine. The
available data is so huge that if compiled in books, the data would
run into 200 volumes of 1,000 pages each and reading alone
(ignoring understanding factor) would require 26 years working
around the clock. For a population of about five billion human
beings with two individuals differing in three million bases, the
genomic sequence difference database would have about
15,000,000 billion entries.
 The present challenge to handle such huge volume of data is
to improve database design, develop software for database access,
and manipulation and device data-entry procedures to compensate
for the varied computer procedures and systems used in different
laboratories. The much-celebrated complete human genome
sequence which was formally announced on the 26th of June 2000
involved more than 500 x 1018 (500 million trillion) calculations
during the process of assembling the sequences alone. This can be
considered as the biggest exercise in the history of computational
biology (Madan, n.d.).
 Moreover, from the pharmaceutical industry's point of view.
bioinformatics is the key to rational drug discovery.
 It reduces the number of trials in the screening of drug compounds and
in identifying potential drug targets for a particular disease using high-
power computing workstations and software like Insight.

This profound application of bioinformatics in genome sequence has

led to a new area in pharmacology-Pharmacogenomics, where
potential targets for drug development are hypothesized from the
genome sequences. Molecular modeling, which requires a lot of
calculations, has become faster due to the advances in computer
processors and its architecture (Madan, n.d.).
HOW TO CHECK THE RELIABILITY OF WEB
SOURCES
 The Internet contain a vast collection of highly valuable information but it may also
contain unreliable, biased information that mislead people.

 The following guidelines can help us check the reliability of web sources that we gather.
1. Who is the author of the article/site?
Look for an "About" or "More About the Author" link at the top, bottom, or sidebar of the webpage. Some pages will have
a corporate author rather than a single person as an author. If no information about the author(s) of the page is
provided, be suspicious.
 Does the author provide his or her credentials?
 What type of expertise does he or she have on the subject he or she is writing about? Does he or she indicate what
his or her education is?
 What type of experience does he or she have? Should you trust his or her knowledge of the subject?

Try searching on the Internet for information about the author.

✓What kinds of websites are associated with the author's name? Is he or she affiliated with any educational institution?
✓Do commercial sites come up? Do the websites associated with the author give you any clues to particular biases the
author might have?
2. Who published the site?
 Look at the domain name of the website that will tell you who is hosting the site. For instance,
the Lee College Library website is: http://www.lee.edu/ library. The domain name is "lee.edu."
This tells you that the library website is hosted by Lee College.
 Search the domain name at http://www.whois.sc/. The site provides information about the
owners of registered domain names. What is the organization's main purpose? Check the
organization's main website, if it has one. Is it educational? Commercial? Is it a reputable
organization?
 Do not ignore the suffix on the domain name (the three-letter part that comes after the "."). The
suffix is usually (but not always) descriptive of what type of entity hosts the website. Keep in
mind that it is possible for sites to obtain suffixes that are misleading. Here are some examples:
 .edu = educational
 .gov=government
3. What is the main purpose of the site? Why did the author write it
and why did the publisher post it?
• To sell a product?
• As a personal hobby?
• As public service?
• To further scholarship on a topic?
• To provide general information on a topic?
• To persuade you of a particular point of view?
4. Who is the intended audience?
 Scholars or the general public?
 Which age group is it written for?
 Is it aimed at people from a particular geographic area?
 Is it aimed at members of a particular profession or with specific
training?
5. What is the quality of information provided on the website?
 Timeliness: When was the website first published? Is it regularly updated?
Check for dates at the bottom of each page on the site.
 Does the author cite sources? Just as in print sources, web sources that
cite their sources are considered more reliable.
 What type of other sites does the website link to? Are they reputable
sites?
 What types of sites link to the website you are you are evaluating? Is the
website being cited by others?
 Examples of Useful and Reliable Web Sources
1. AFA e-Newsletter (Alzheimer's Foundation of America newsletter)
2. American Memory - the Library of Congress historical digital collection.
3. Bartleby.com Great Books Online -a collection of freee-books including fictions, nonfictions, references, and verses.
4. Chronicling America - search and view pages from American newspapers from 1880-1922.
5. Cyber Bullying - a free collection of e-books from ebrary plus additional reports and documents to help better understand,
prevent and take action against this growing concern.
6. Drug information websites:
• National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus
• Drugs.com
• PDRhealth
7. Global Gateway: World Culture & Resources (from the Library of Congress)
8. Google Books
9. Googlescholar.com
10. History sites with primary documents:
• AMDOCS: Documents for the study of American history
• Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy (Yale Law School)
• Internet Modern History Sourcebook:Colonial Latin America
• Teacher Oz's Kingdom of History
11. Illinois Digital Archives - the Illinois State Library working provides this collection of materials related to Illinois history
12. Internet Archive - a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.
13. Internet Archive for CARLI digitized resources
14. Internet Public Library
15. ipl2 a merger of Librarians' Internet Index and Internet Public Library. Special interest may include the "Literary Criticisms" page
which can be found after clicking on the "Special Collections" link.
16. Librarians' Internet Index
17. Making of America - a digital library of primary sources in American social history.
18. Maps from the University of Texas at Austin collection. Includes historical and thematic maps.
19. NationMaster - a massive central data source and a handy way to graphically compare nations. It is a vast compilation of data
from such sources as the CIA World Factbook, UN, and OECD.
20. Nursing sites:
• AHRQ (www.ahrq.gov)
• National Guidelines Clearinghouse
• (www.guideline.gov)
• PubMed (www.nlm.nih.gov)
21. Project Gutenberg - the first and largest single collection of free electronic books with currently over 20,000 e-books available.
22. Shmoop literature, US history, and poetry information written primarily by PhD and masters students from top universities like
Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, and Yale.
23. State Master - a unique statistical database which allows you to research and compare a multitude of different data on US states
using various primary sources such as the US Census Bureau, the FBI, and the National Center for Educational Statistics. It uses
visualization technology like pie charts, maps, graphs, and scatter plots to provide data.
24. Virtual Reference - selected web resources compiled by the Library of Congress.
GOOGLE SCHOLAR

GOOGLE BOOKS
 SHMOOP

INTERNET ARCHIEVE
SUMMARY
Nowadays, information could be shared or transferred quickly. People
are becoming more interested in sharing information about themselves.
Various aspects of our society are also being influenced by the
Information Age especially communication, economics, industry, health,
and the environment. The rapid upgrade of information poses both
positive and negative impacts to our society. Therefore, we need to
carefully check our motives before disseminating information and we
also need to verify information before believing them and using and
sharing them. We should share information that could help improve our
lives and others.
THANK YOU!