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For my
first blog posting I will be focussing on Information Technology and Ethical
Issues.
Information
and Communication Technology is described by About.com (2012) as an “entire
industry” However, Information technology is commonly seen as storing,
processing, protecting transmitting and retrieving information, all through
computers and software. For me, Information Technology takes me back to my
year 11 year of high school where the Computer Skills class from year 10
changed to this huge world of organising information technologically which I
had never seen or heard of before, two aspects I strongly remember were using
databases mainly for storing peoples information such as name, age, address
and payment details. Another was spread sheets which were used mainly for
payment details as well as including graphs and recording a business’s
financial data.
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Information
Technology as described above is prevalent in various aspects of our society.
Most, if not all businesses or companies that work with people should have
some sort of database for recording clients’ information in relation to
contact details, past investments or purchases and other necessary information.
This
is a YouTube clip labelled “Future Vision of Information Technology and our
Lifestyle.” I am not entirely sure how realistic this is but I thought it
looked pretty cool. One of the comments below the video reads “I
believe the advanced technology will improve the "economic"
aspects of life for many people around the world, as well as the healthcare
systems. However, societies also need to be well-prepared to address a lot of
other social problems that will come along as a result of advanced
technology, and also the potential use of this technology to easily kill
people etc.” Some social problems that may come due to these technological
advances could include the fact that only those who can afford these
futuristic technological devices will be the ones using it, and those in
other socio-economic levels around the world will most likely remain in their
poor state. Tutor2U states the
following points
·
A
good way to think about ICT is to consider all the uses of digital technology
that already exist to help individuals, businesses and organisations use
information.
·
ICT covers any product that
will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information
electronically in a digital form. For example, personal computers, digital television,
email, robots.
·
So
ICT is concerned with the storage, retrieval, manipulation, transmission or receipt of
digital data. Importantly, it is also concerned with the way these different
uses can work with each other.
These
points give examples of what use Information Technology as well as
Communications have in our everyday lives.
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As far as
Information Technology goes in my life, I am happy to use some sort of
Information Technology given it’s designed for a reasonable use, not
something too far-fetched or idiotic. I use IT to engage in some purposeful
occupation, for example, a spread sheet or a table to keep track of
information important to me. My limit to my use of IT is invisible, I am
willing to give things a try, and figure out whichever option may work best
for me.
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As far as
my first placements are concerned, IT was not a huge factor. Most if not all
information about clients was stored on paper and in files, however, other areas
of Occupational Therapy that I have not yet experienced may well be able to
make great use of IT.
“Occupational
Therapists need to embrace the use of mainstream technology in their quest to
ensure that therapy remains current and meaningful to their clients.
Technology can be useful to improve both functional independence and
occupational performance.” Verdonck & Ryan (2008)
Science Direct.com (2006) states that “There is evidence
to suggest that health professionals are reluctant to accept and utilise
information and communication technologies (ICT) and concern is growing
within health informatics research that this is contributing to the lag in
adoption and utilisation of ICT across the health sector.”
I can
envisage IT use within Occupational therapy becoming important to a certain
extent. Perhaps it will be a good tool to use in order to enhance current
treatment, as shown in the following image from Verdonck & Ryan (2008)
where various sites are used for improving occupational Performance.
If our goal
as Occupational Therapists is to enable occupation, the understanding and use
of IT will help us in our practise and daily lives to a certain extent. I do
not believe it will make a huge difference to the world of Occupational
therapy, and treating clients; however that is only due to the experiences
that I have had. I do agree that in areas of Occupational Therapy (other than
an A.T&R ward) may need to use IT in order to improve systems or to get
the full potential out of the therapy. Various online sites may be used to
buy equipment, gather data needed, communicate with others in the same
position as the client or perhaps even using a reminder on a mobile phone as
a treatment intervention. Verdonck & Ryan (2008)
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Ethical
implications such as confidentiality could easily arise from information
being captured, transferred and shared through IT devices within the
Occupational Therapy scheme. Nobody knows who may see what is put online or
sent in an email as there are continuously viruses floating around the
internet.
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References
About.com.
(2012). Information Technology –
Definition and History. Retrieved
From : http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/careersintechnology/p/ITDefinition.m
ScienceDirect.com. (2006). ICT and OTs: A model of
information and communication
technology acceptance and utilisation by occupational therapists. Retrieved From: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S138650560600150X
Tutor2U.
(2012). What is ICT? Retrieved From: http://tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_what_is_ict.htm
Verdonck,
V-C., & Ryan, S. (2006). Mainstream Technology as an Occupational Therapy Tool: Technophobe or Technogeek? British Journal
of Occupational Therapy 71(6) Retrieved From: http://moodle.op.ac.nz/file.php/440/Resources/Course_Content_2011 eading_2011/Week_One_Readings.pdf
YouTube.
(2011). Future Vision of
Information Technology & Our Life Style. Retrieved From: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URaiVEY9QZU
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