ICT Foundation
Senior 1 · ICT
ICT Foundation
Lesson 2 of 4
16 min
Let's begin
Long ago, a drum beaten on a hill could call a whole village to a meeting. Today a head teacher sends one SMS and hundreds of parents read it within minutes. Both are communication, and both depend on technology: the drum is a simple technology, the phone network a very advanced one. Before studying ICT, you need to understand these two ideas.
Communication is sharing information, ideas or feelings from one person (or device) to another so that they are understood.
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sender (source) | The person or device that starts the communication and creates the message. |
| Message | The information, idea or feeling being shared. |
| Channel (medium) | The path the message travels along: air for speech, paper for a letter, the mobile network for an SMS. |
| Receiver | The person or device the message is meant for. |
| Feedback | The receiver's response, which shows the sender that the message arrived and was understood. |
| Noise | Anything that interferes with the message, such as a loud generator, a weak network signal or unclear handwriting. |
Mugisha sends his mother an SMS: "Class ends at 16:00 today. Please pick me up." She replies "OK, I'll be there."
| Way | How | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal (spoken) | Using spoken words | Face-to-face talk, a phone call, a radio programme |
| Written | Using written words | A letter, an SMS, an email, a notice on the board |
| Non-verbal | Without words, through the body | Nodding, waving, a smile, a thumbs-up |
| Visual | Using pictures and symbols | Road signs, a chart, a map, a video |
Some communication happens at the same time (a phone call or a video call: both people are present). Some happens at different times (an email or a letter: the receiver reads it later).
Technology is the use of knowledge to make tools, machines and methods that solve problems or make work easier. The word also means the tools themselves, including software. A hoe is technology; so is a tractor, and so is a mobile money app.
| Type | Used for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Information technology | Storing and processing data | Computers, calculators, flash drives |
| Communication technology | Sending messages over distance | Telephones, radio, television, the internet |
| Medical technology | Keeping people healthy | Digital thermometers, X-ray machines, vaccines |
| Agricultural technology | Growing food and raising animals | Irrigation pumps, tractors, improved seeds |
| Transport technology | Moving people and goods | Bicycles, motorbikes, buses, aircraft, drones |
| Energy technology | Producing power | Solar panels, hydroelectric dams, methane from Lake Kivu |
Technologies can also be simple (worked by hand, like a hoe or a drum) or advanced (using electricity and electronics, like a smartphone). When information technology and communication technology are joined together, we get ICT, the subject of the next lesson.
Tip
S-M-C-R-F, and N gets in the way: Sender, Message, Channel, Receiver, Feedback, with Noise disturbing the message.
A radio broadcast has no instant feedback: listeners cannot reply through the radio itself.
A radio presenter announces the time of this month's umuganda. Name the sender, channel and receiver. Is there feedback?
Solution: Sender: the presenter (or the radio station). Channel: radio waves. Receivers: the listeners. There is no immediate feedback, because listeners cannot answer through their radio. (They could phone the station, but that is a separate communication.)
Classify each as verbal, written, non-verbal or visual: (a) a teacher raises a hand for silence; (b) a map of the school; (c) an announcement over the loudspeaker; (d) an email to parents.
Solution: (a) non-verbal; (b) visual; (c) verbal; (d) written.
During a video call, the picture keeps freezing and Keza cannot hear her aunt. Which element of communication is causing the problem?
Solution: Noise: a weak internet connection is interfering with the message on the channel.
Give the type of technology: (a) a solar panel on a health centre roof; (b) a motorbike taxi; (c) a laptop.
Solution: (a) energy technology; (b) transport technology; (c) information technology.
Remember
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
