Unit 4 - Use of Internet and Office Technologies

Describe the Uses of the Internet and other Office Technologies Administrative Services Outcome 4 © Inspiring Education 2006

Learning Outcomes The IT Revolution The Importance of Information The Internet Getting Started The World Wide Web E-Mail Instant Messaging Discussion Groups and Mailing Lists Uses of the Internet Legislation © Inspiring Education 2006

The IT Revolution! Information Technology has completely changed the way in which we live and work. It is so easy for us to communicate with others – we can now have instant communications with other people thousands of miles away! Not only have communications improved, but it has also become a lot easier to find information. This is a very important point for businesses because without information they cannot survive. Indeed it is true to say that: © Inspiring Education 2006 INFORMATION IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF AN ORGANISATION

The Importance of Information Every organisation needs information in order to make good decisions otherwise they may fail. Each day, within an organisation, information is received, processed and sent. Below are examples of the flow of information within the different departments of an organisation: The Sales Representative finds out exactly what it is the customers want. The Finance Manager reports to Senior Management on how well the organisation is performing financially. The Buyer in the Purchases Department discovers who the best supplier is. The Recruitment Officer in the Human Resources Department receives application forms from potential candidates. © Inspiring Education 2006

The Internet The Internet is often referred to as the World Wide Web. The WWW connects computers throughout the world so that individuals can communicate and share information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Millions of people worldwide now use the Internet for one reason or another: For business reasons – communicating with customers. For personal use – shopping on-line. For research purposes – pupil trying to complete a history project. For general information – finding out what the weather will be tomorrow. © Inspiring Education 2006

The Internet – Getting Started! In order to use the Internet you need to have specific hardware and software: A COMPUTER is needed in order to start using the Internet. A MODEM is then attached to the computer. This device is used to connect the computer to the phone network. Once the modem is installed, a TELEPHONE LINE is needed. In order to use the Internet you need to be given permission! This is given from an INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER ( ISP ). Examples of ISPs are BT; Blueyonder; AOL; Freeserve etc. The ISP is responsible for connecting you to the WWW and as a result you are required to pay a registration fee. Also, you will be expected to pay monthly instalments for using their services. Finally, you will need to purchase COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE . This enables you to dial up and surf the Net. Examples of this are Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. © Inspiring Education 2006

The Internet – Features The Internet is a massive resource! It allows you to communicate worldwide, find out information on any topic from natural history to current affairs! What, therefore, are the features of the Internet and how can you get the most out of it? © Inspiring Education 2006 The World Wide Web E-Mail Instant Messaging Discussion Groups THE INTERNET Mailing Lists

The World Wide Web (WWW) The WWW consists of millions of web pages. Within each web page text, graphics, pictures, sounds, movies and animation can be found. In order to access a web page a web address must be entered. Another term for a web address is a URL : a Uniform Resource Locator. Every web address starts with the following: http://www ._________________ This tells the Internet that you are logging on to find something within the WWW. There are many features of the WWW which enable the user to access the information he/she is looking for and to do so quickly. © Inspiring Education 2006

Features of the WWW © Inspiring Education 2006 SEARCH ENGINE This feature enables users to find information. Key words are entered into a search box which then asks the search engine to find web pages with those words in it. A number of web pages will then appear for the user to choose. Examples of search engines are Google; Ask Jeeves; Excite etc. WEBSITE This is a collection of related web pages. For example the Scottish Tourist Board has a website with web pages on accommodation, travel, special offers, special attractions etc. E-COMMERCE Enables users to buy products or services on-line. FAVOURITES Enables users to bookmark their favourite sites and those they are likely to use on a regular basis.

E-Mail E-Mail is an electronic method of communicating. Information can be communicated from one computer to another anywhere in the world! There are many features of e-mail which makes it a very effective method of communicating: © Inspiring Education 2006 ATTACHMENTS Files can be attached to an e-mail and sent anywhere in the world. This means that large documents can be sent to friends, colleagues, customers etc and can be viewed and edited. Attachments can be word documents; pictures; music files etc. ADDRESS BOOK Contact names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers etc can all be stored. DISTRIBUTION LIST This enables one e-mail address to be set up for a group of people – this saves the user keying in a lot of addressees every time a message is to be sent. For example, for your Intermediate 2 class, an e-mail address could be set up called “Int 2 Admin” and every member of the class would have their e-mail address added to that distribution! Excellent way to save time. PRIORITIES E-Mails can be marked as urgent which enables each user to identify which messages need to be dealt with first.

What are the Advantages of using E-Mail? There are many advantages of using e-mail as a method of communicating: It is very USER-FRIENDLY . There are toolbars and menus which make it easy for the user to use all the facilities e-mail offers. It is also very straightforward to set up an e-mail account. The use of icons on all the buttons (for example, send message with the envelope) enables the user to very quickly become confident in using this method of communication. It is a very CHEAP method of communication compared to using the telephone or indeed the postal service. Imagine if you had a large 100 page report to send to your colleague in Australia – this would cost an awful lot of money at the Post Office due to its weight. With e-mail you could send the report as an attachment! It is a very FAST method of communicating – indeed once the “SEND” button has been clicked, the message arrives in the other person’s inbox almost immediately! It improves DECISION-MAKING . It is a very convenient method of communication as messages can be transmitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means that decision making can be improved as there is no delay in information being passed on and processed. © Inspiring Education 2006 It is a very SECURE method if communicating as each individual has a unique user name and password to access the e-mail.

What are the Disadvantages of using E-Mail? There are many disadvantages of using e-mail as a method of communicating: VIRUSES can enter the Internet and e-mail accounts can be completely ruined as a result of opening a corrupt file! This means that all the user’s address book and e-mails may be wiped out. This is very costly and can take an awful long time to fix. Unfortunately, many people MISUSE their e-mail accounts within organisations. They use it for personal use and can communicate messages which have a very inappropriate nature. As a result of this, some employees have been sacked. CONFIDENTIAL information may be accessed by “hackers” who have managed to find out the e-mail addresses of certain users or indeed if the e-mail has been sent to the wrong address by mistake! It can be classed as a very IN-EFFECTIVE method of communication because it prevents people talking face-to-face! It is often believed that e-mail has resulted in a less formal working environment whereby communications can very easily become misunderstood. © Inspiring Education 2006

Instant Messaging © Inspiring Education 2006 Instant messaging enables people to communicate with one another by e-mail as if they were actually talking face-to-face – it takes place in “real” time. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES The communication is live which means that a conversation can take place. The conversation can be between 2 individuals or a group of individuals. Decisions can be made instantaneously as there is an immediate response between those communicating. Some individuals abuse this system and pretend to be people they are not. This is a very serious situation which is why access to instant messaging (chat rooms) should be monitored at all times. Information communicated can be easily misunderstood due to the language used – an example of this is “text” language used: gr8t isn’t it?!! Instant messaging can distract employees from their work as the message window is constantly on the computer screen and can flash or make noises each time a message is sent.

Discussion Groups © Inspiring Education 2006 Discussion groups allow groups of individuals to discuss a specific topic. Users can log on to a web site and type in questions and comments which can be read by others. This conversation is not live. It’s very similar to your school having a bulletin read out during morning registration – teachers and pupils place notices on the bulletin which are read out on a daily basis. Users will often be provided a password to access the discussion group. Mailing Lists Mailing lists are created so that users can be contacted on a regular basis via e-mail. Users subscribe to these lists so that if there are any changes or updates then they are informed immediately. Examples of mailing lists are: DISCUSSION Lists – instead of being logged on to the discussion group updates are sent via e-mail. E-NEWSLETTER Lists – file is sent via e-mail for users to be updated on certain issues. ANNOUNCEMENT List – often used to communicate new products on offer.

The Internet – Uses It has already been identified the extent to which the Internet has revolutionised the way in which we communicate. However there are other important uses that the Internet has offered the business world: © Inspiring Education 2006 E-Commerce Research THE INTERNET

The Internet – E-Commerce E-commerce means that products and services can be bought on-line. There are many advantages and disadvantages to the consumer: © Inspiring Education 2006 ADVANTAGES It is very easy for customers to shop on-line. It is often cheaper to buy goods on-line therefore customers save a lot of money. There is lots of competition which means that lower prices will be offered. It is very convenient – the customer has access to the “shop” 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Customers have vast amounts of information available to them about all the different goods that are on offer and which shop is offering the best discounts. This means that they are able to shop wisely and save lots of money. DISADVANTAGES Although the goods can be bought immediately it takes time for it to be delivered. Unfortunately there are some people who hack into the system and use other peoples’ credit cards to buy goods. At times e-commerce can be a very insecure method of payment.

The Internet – E-Commerce There are many advantages and disadvantages to the organisation: © Inspiring Education 2006 ADVANTAGES The organisation is able to reach out to a very wide customer base – customers from all over the world will be able to buy their goods. The organisation will be able to communicate effectively with all customers through their website and e-mail. Offering customers the choice to shop on-line speeds up the length of time it takes to process an order. Payment is very fast therefore the product can be delivered immediately. It is very cheap to set up e-commerce therefore the organisation is able to make greater profits because they are not spending money renting premises or printing off lots of flyers. DISADVANTAGES Some customers feel uneasy using the Internet to shop because of the security risks. Many people have had their credit card details taken and as a result a lot of money stolen. It can be very easy for personal information to be stolen. Some customers prefer to actually see the product they are going to buy. For example, if you were going to buy a new pair of jeans would you buy them without trying them on? There are added costs that the customer is expected to pay for example delivery charges. Depending on where you buy from it could end up being cheaper shopping in the high street. If you have a problem with your order it can be difficult to contact someone for help.

The Internet – Research The Internet enables users to search vast amounts of information. There are many advantages and disadvantages of using the Internet as a research tool: © Inspiring Education 2006 ADVANTAGES Information can be found very quickly. There are many sources of information therefore the user is able to identify the most useful. The information is up-to-date therefore it means that good decisions can be made. It is a cheap method of research. Information can be obtained from around the whole world! The Internet can be accessed at any time – compared to the library where you have to wait for opening time! DISADVANTAGES If you do not know the exact addresses of the web pages you are interested in, it can take a long time to find relevant information. The information may not always be accurate as the organisation may forget to up-date it. Viruses or faulty connections can result in the user being unable to access the Internet. Anyone can place information on the Internet and they can also take it away! If you find information one day that is relevant and go back the next it could be gone!! Very unreliable!

Electronic Methods of Communication It has already been discussed how the Internet has improved communications on a global scale. There are other types of IT which are also very effective methods of electronic communication: Networks Voicemail Fax Phones: Mobile and Video Electronic Diaries Videoconferencing © Inspiring Education 2006

Networks A network is a group of computers which are linked together. There are 2 main types of network: A Local Area Network (LAN) A Wide Area Network (WAN) Each network is controlled and powered by one main very large computer – this is called the SERVER. The Server manages all the files that are stored on each computer and makes sure that information can easily be passed between each computer. © Inspiring Education 2006

Networks – Advantages and Disadvantages Organisations save money running a network as opposed to having many individual computers. For example: Software is purchased for the network as opposed to buying it for individual computers. Resources can be shared eg telephone line to access the WWW; printers etc. An internal e-mail system can be created which means that only employees who belong to the organisation have access to the information. This would run on an Intranet . The server has a back-up facility which means that all files are backed-up on a regular basis. It is very easy to supervise the work that is being carried out on the network therefore management can make sure that employees are working productively. In order for the network to be managed properly requires specialised employees – this means that the organisation has to spend an awful lot of money hiring skilled employees and ensure that they are regularly trained. A network will never be fully secure – there is always the threat of hackers entering the system. An awful lot of investment needs to be given to securing the site using up-to-date software which is very expensive. If a virus enters the network all information could be lost or corrupted. It is very expensive to purchase the hardware and software required for running a network – both have to be up-dated on a regular basis. © Inspiring Education 2006 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Voicemail Have you ever been too busy to answer the phone? Voicemail is the perfect solution! Each user has a MAILBOX where unanswered calls are stored. You can automatically ask your phone to go straight to voicemail if you are in a meeting or on another call. This is an excellent device because it enables you to deal with the messages when it is a more convenient time. © Inspiring Education 2006

Fax The FAX machine enables pictures, graphics, text etc to be sent anywhere in the world through a phone line! Fax machines can also have the facilities to be copiers, printers and answering machines. © Inspiring Education 2006 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES They are very cheap to buy. They are easy to use. Information can be sent very quickly anywhere in the world. Sending a fax is relatively cheap – it is the same price as making a phone call. Information can easily be lost. Confidential documents can be read by anyone who has access to the fax machine. There could be a paper jam in the fax machine which could result in information being lost or damaged. Toner cartridges need to be regularly replaced otherwise the print quality of the document could be poor resulting in the documents being hard to read. There could be a faulty connection which means that the information cannot be sent.

Phones: Mobile and Video A mobile phone means that you can be contacted at any time. Mobile phones are very common in today’s society – in fact most people don’t leave home in the morning without one! Video phones have been developed which enable “meetings” to take place over the phone – this is ideal for business people who are required to travel a lot in their job. © Inspiring Education 2006

Electronic Diaries Electronic diaries enable users to make appointments, view their daily, weekly, monthly schedules as well as their colleagues’. This is very useful as it enables meetings to be arranged very easily as it is clear to see who is available and when. Electronic diaries are a very effective planning aid: Regular appointments can be automatically displayed. Multiple diaries can be viewed. Reminders can be set to inform the user when a meeting is due to take place. Changes can be easily made and e-mailed to all concerned. © Inspiring Education 2006

Videoconferencing Videoconferencing enables groups of individuals to meet even although they are in different locations. Computers are linked together over a WAN and each group has a TV screen and recording devices to enable conversation to take place and be recorded. This is an excellent method of communication as it greatly reduces the travel and accommodation costs that would normally have to be paid. Although there can be some technical faults and time and language barriers have to be taken into consideration, videoconferencing is generally regarded as a very effective method of communication. © Inspiring Education 2006

Legislation Legislation has been put in place to ensure that information is protected and kept secure at all times. The following pieces of legislation will be considered: The Data Protection Act 1998. The Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988. The Computer Misuse Act 1990. © Inspiring Education 2006

The Data Protection Act 1998 The Data Protection Act is designed to control the way in which information is collected and stored. The DATA SUBJECT is the individual about whom information is being stored. The DATA USER is the organisation which is using the information. For example, in school you have a record of all your personal details: you are the data subject and the school is the data user. The Data Protection ensures that personal information which is stored is done so in an appropriate manner. It states that all personal data must be: Collected lawfully Held for only as long as is required Accurate and up-to-date Accessible to the individual concerned at all times Used for a specific purpose If there is any misuse of the data then the data user can be prosecuted. © Inspiring Education 2006

The Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988 The Copyright , Designs & Patents Act makes sure that there is no unauthorised copying of material that has been produced. Examples of items which are copyrighted are: Music CDs Textbooks CD-Rom software (look at the footer of this slide!) Newspapers If anyone would like to copy information they have to seek permission from the owner. It is easy to identify which materials have been copyrighted by identifying the copyright symbol: © © Inspiring Education 2006

The Computer Misuse Act 1990 The Computer Misuse Act is designed to make sure that there is no unauthorised access to computer systems. It also ensures that all computer users are acting in an appropriate manner and not accessing any information which is inappropriate. This Act ensures that all computer material is used appropriately and are not tampered with in any way. Misusing information stored on a computer is a very serious offence and one which carries heavy penalties. © Inspiring Education 2006

Unit 4 - Use of Internet and Office Technologies

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Unit 4 - Use of Internet and Office Technologies