Crime & Crime Prevention

 

The rise of technology has brought different types of crimes and new crimes. These are theft, fraud and violence against person. Hoever, technology has also brought ways to identify and prevent crimes.

Different Types of Technology Crime:

•  Internet theft such as scam and spam. Emails could lure people to websites that ask personal information such as names and credit card numbers. This could lead to identity theft which can use your identity to steal your money.
•  Internet fraud is a fraud scheme that takes place over the internet. This includes financial theft and identity theft.

Some of the new crimes include:

Text crime such as spam texting is the sending of unsolicited ads to cellphones and pagers via text messaging.  Spam texting has developed because of the strong popularity use of mobile phones. The article below shows how spam texting is dealt by authorities to stop people from doing it.

 

Phishing is also one of the new crimes.  This is the act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft and also used for financial theft.

How technology has changed how crime is committed and how it is detected?

• One way that the technology has changed how the crime is committed is it becomes quieter. Earlier technology crimes are visible for the reason that it is seen as genius. However the new technology crimes now are less visible and quieter. For example, in the past the crimes such as theft are harder to prevent and identify but now authorities can identify and prevent them by using tools such as CCTV. Therefore criminals are now conducting technology crimes quietly to avoid getting caught.
• On the other hand, technology has also changed how crime is detected. For example, in the past police didn't have tracking devices and surveillance systems to detect crimes and find criminals. Now they have the tools like gps for tracking and cctv to monitor people and prevent crimes.
• Crimes now are also detected through social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The article below explains how a thief was caught in the act and identified with the help of a picture posted on facebook.

• Technology can also influence the decision of court on how to manage crimes. The internet can now also be used in identifying and tracking people. These changes are shown with the articles below about how radio programmes can affect the decision of jury and how a website can help identify and trace people.

• New crimes such as cryber attacks are increasing, this is because cyber criminals are becoming the new money making. Many people are victims of cyber attacks and it is hard to prevent them. The article below explains how cyber-attacks are conducted.

• Criminals also use the internet to find and follow victims and then rob them. The article below shows how internet helps robbery and how did the authorities punish them.

Crime Prevention and Detection

DNA is now used for solving crimes. For example, DNA profiling can identify people, and in terms of crimes, it can be used to identify suspects.
CSI is also a strong tool for preventing crimes and detecting criminals. It is processing the crime scene and helps to understand how the crime is happened and identify suspects. It also gathers or looks at evidence than can be helpful in detecting criminals.
There are also now cyber detectives who can detect cyber crimes. Cyber Detection softwares are also now available to install to peoples computer to prevent cyber crime attacks like hacking, online theft and spam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment & Leisure

How has the Entertainment and Leisure industry changed?

Access to Original Entertainment

Technology has massively influenced the entertainment and leisure world.

·         It has changed the way radio, film and television are broadcasted. This is because of the introduction of digital television, digital radio, digital films and digital games.

·         The digital recording has helped the professionals and beginners to record videos or sounds easily. They are also able to broadcast or upload their works online or broadcast it on radio and television.

·         Videos and Films have also changed because of technology. They are now available in different formats from DVD to HD-DVD and to Blu Ray. They can also be viewed online in different film viewing services.

·         Satellite and Freeview Television have also improved. People are now allowed to record television programmes easy and simple without the use of video recorder. There are now HD televisions and some companies are now offering 3D televisions. The television companies are also offering red button where users can click it if they want to watch a live coverage programmes or special TV offers.

Pirated Entertainment

·         The advantage of paying a supplier such as Apple for a legal music is it avoids people from breaking the law of downloading illegal music. It is also cheap and people can buy how many songs they like from an album without the need of buying the whole of it Another advantage is it supports the artists that people like.

·         The disadvantage of buying a pirated DVD from a market stall is it is illegal. It does not also guarantee that you will be able to get a high quality DVD.

·         The disadvantage of getting a pirate download of the latest Hollywood blockbuster before its UK release is it is illegal. It is also not a good quality and people might be affected of computer virus for downloading.

·         The main disadvantage of visiting an illicit music download site is the virus it spreads online that affect people’s computers or laptops.

·         The widespread illicit downloading can discourage the funding of new talent. This is because illegally downloading a song does not support the artist who owns it therefore this affects the funding of new talent.

Creating a website that allows people to illegally watch free movies can lead to legal disputes. A Sheffield Hallam University student faced copyrights offences in US courts for making a website that illegally allows people to watch tv programmes for free online. This shows that technology not only improved the entertainment and leisure indsutry but it also brings negative impacts.

 

Impact of games players

ICT has also a big impact in home games. Technology has made computer games so popular. Based on the New Scientist article, $3.8 thousand millions of games were sold in 1995 and increased to $7 thousand millions by 2003.

·         Computer games are so popular now because of the different wide range of games introduced. There are different games genres that are available to any age groups. They are fun to play and some are challenging which most people find fascinating.

·         Some researchers argue that violent computer games make some players more violent. A study from Brock University in Canada found that those teenagers who play violent games over a long period may become more likely to react aggressively to unintentional provocations.

·         Computer games may make people isolated especially when they play games that are addictive and also games that require time.

·         If players play too much of networked computer games, they may be more likely to be less social and spend their time playing. Some people find enough satisfaction by only playing computer games more than meeting their friends.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2214346/Violent-video-games-make-teens-aggressive-girls-affected-boys.html

SMS

SMS stands for short message service and is also called texting or text messaging. SMS messages or ‘texts’ are usually sent from one mobile phone to another, but can also be sent from some home phones. It is a quick and convenient way of sending a short message to someone.

How does SMS work?

Cell phones are always sending and receiving information through signals even when the phone isn't in use. The signals are sent and received from a cell phone tower or control channel. In order for the phone calls and messages to come through, the control channel needs to know which phone belongs to which phone number. Depending on the location of the cell phone, it will communicate with different towers as the user moves around the city, state, country and even the world. If the phone is unable to communicate with a tower, then it will not receive a signal and can't be used.

The control channel maps the path for SMS, or text messages. When a message is sent, it first must go through the nearby tower and then the SMS center. The SMSC receives the message and sends it to the appropriate tower closest to the location of the cell phone and then to the destination. SMS formats the message in a way that it is able to travel to and from the town, and still be received by the cell phone. SMS also sends data associated with the message, such as the length of the message, destination, format and time stamp.
The messages are sent using the Short Messaging Service, which limits each message to no more than 160 characters (including letters, spaces, and symbols).


How SMS changed and influenced the world?

Neil Papworth sent the first SMS message in 1992. Years later, sending short messages via mobile became a focus for telecoms companies in the UK. Vodafone launched text messaging in 1994 and this gained instant popularity. By January 2001, texts sent in a month hit a billion in the UK and last year, 150 trillion messages were sent.

SMS is widely used in businesss industry as it helps deliver good customer service. For example, it allows businesess to reach their customers and notify them with their new products or new offers. This is an easy and quick way to send information to their customers without the nees of calling them or the need to talk to them face to face.

The growth of text messaging has also affected the ability to write and speak in English. This has produced various ways of spelling of words like 'feb' for February and 'ur' for the word your. Text messaging or the use of mobile phones in general is strictly prohibited during school exams and lessons. This is because mobile phones can be used for cheating.

Text messaging is now the most popular way of communication. The traditional phone call and face to face communication have declined. However text messaging is under threat from applications such as Viber, WhatsApp, Line, Tango and many more that offer free text messaging, free phone call and free video call that can only be used with internet.



Source:
www.bbc.co.uk/webwise
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones/9718336/Text-messaging-at-20-how-SMS-changed-the-world.html
http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_6501816_text-ability-write-speak-english_.html

Copyright and Social Media

ICT and Legislation
Task 1B

ICT and Legislation

Task 1A

E-Commerce & Social Networking

E-Commerce or electronic commerce, maintains business relationships and sells information, services and commodities by means of computer telecommunications networks.
 
 
How can a Company develop an on-line presence to survive in the future?
 
Facebook is one of the biggest device for business marketing. But businesses can only work if they use facebook the right way.
 
So what should companies do if they use facebook to introduce their brands?

• A great way to expose a company's brand to a wide audience is through pages, groups or events.
• A great way to engage with existing and potential customers is by sharing industry news/content, updating users on new offers from your business, sharing business videos, etc.
• A great way to get feedback on your business is by allowing users to post comments, use discussion boards, etc.

What companies should NOT do when they use facebook?

• Use it as a direct marketing channel. Users don’t want to get a heavy “sell” message. You can lose fans if you market too heavily.
• Use it as a replacement for your website.
• Use it as a place to only redirect traffic to your website. Most effective Pages have a variety of content.
• Use it as another email list.

What should companies do and include when creating a facebook page?

• Add basic information to the “Info” tab, such as web site address and contact information and description of your business.
• Tell all your friends. Grow your fan base with friends first.
• Post at least once weekly. Get in the habit of posting to keep users engaged.
• Advertise your page!

Snoox is a new social media website that is based on recommendations from friends rather than strangers. It is used by some companies as a marketing instrument to promote and advertise their products and also to attract more customers. 92% of the world's consumers say they trust word-of-mouth and recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of advertising. Snoox might be a good idea to use for advertising. However there are problems of using Snoox, for example not all friends of one users are willing to use Snoox. Not everyone has the same taste so they might recommend different things to their friends. Therefore this website may or may not potentially help companies particularly small companies to attract a big audience.



 

 

 

 

Communication: Social Networking

Social Networking is the use of dedicated websites and applications to communicate informally with other users, or to find people with similar interests to oneself. The first social netwrok website has established in 1995. Social network has grown with the development of Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and more.

Facebook now has a billion of active users every month. Mark Zuckerberg is the founder of this big social network site. This is the biggest social network site in the world. Latestt statistics shows 600 million users access Facebook through mobile phone. VKontakte which has 300 million users is a rival of facebook in Russia. On the other hand, China has RenRen to beat with 30 million members. Twitter like Sina Weibo are also big social network websites which have 300 million users.

Facebook is now used as media, political, business and religious tool to reach people. As a result, facebook is now also seen as a surveilance gadget. For example, police can use facebook to track people who are involved in crimes. In business term, many big and small businesses use facebook as an online marketing tool.

Twitter has also grown, it enables users to post or send and read text-based messages with only maximum of 140 characters. This service rapidly gained popularity worldwide, with over 500 million active users as of 2012 and over 340 million daily tweets. Like facebook, twitter also acts as a business, political, media and religious tool to reach people.

The big problem for these social netwroking sites is the fake accounts or fake users. These are internet users who pretend to be someone or something they are not. It was revealed that 83 million of facebook users do not actually exist. Most of these fake facebook accounts generate 'likes' using malware to falsely boost a brand's figures. Some of the face accounts are also used for passing spam messages and fooling other users.

Life in the Information Age - Education

Life in the Information Age - Education

The education has changed because of ICT. There is now online education, online exams, Virtual Learning Environments or Moodle, education softwares and electronic education equipments such as electronic whiteboards.

ICT has made it easier to access education. Internet is also offers easy access to unlimited libraries of information. However the there are also disadvantages of this in education. For example some schools cannot afford all the best software and equipment. There are so many educational media that make it difficult to ensure any form of standardised quality of experience for students.

Another issue that concerns the impact of ICT in education is many learners use the internet as the main source of information. Some students copy information from the worl wide web without quoting the source of information and this causes them to charge of plagiarisms. Another problems is that many information providers are finding means of charging for their information that had previously been free. It is also easy to publish on the internet and therefore it is easy to publish inaccurate, biased and fake informations on  the web.

So how can we assess that the information online is real and not fake?

Task: Finding reliable, valid information

One of the possible signs that a website gives false information is when it gives information that is impossible to believe. Some of the untrusted websites only give information that offer amusement and try to fool the readers. When a website gives nonsense information then it is a sign that it is not real.

List of famous hoax sites:

http://www.thedogisland.com/
http://www.bigredhair.com/boilerplate/index.html
http://www.landoverbaptist.org/
http://www.gatt.org/
http://www.wingmakers.com/
http://www.lingweenie.net/feorran/feorran.html
http://www.thedailyrash.com/

iPhone

The iPhone is a line of smartphones designed and marketed by Apple Inc.
It runs Apple's iOS mobile operating system, originally named "iPhone OS".

Apple has become more famous when iPhone is introduced in 2007 and the company's loyal customers have increased. The company has also introduced more generations of iPhone like iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and now the sixth generation is iPhone 5.


Behind the success of iPhone are the different issues that Apple has to deal:

* The workers of Foxconn which is the manufacturer of iPhone in Taiwan started a strike. Foxconn's close links with Apple have been a headache for the California-based company and its chief executive, Tim Cook, visited an iPhone factory in Zhengzhou to try to shore up the damage from the public relations disaster. This sort of press reporting is bad because it could damage Apple’s brand name. This sort press reporting is bad for Apple because it affects the image of their brand and they may lose customers.

* The new iPhone has turned Apple being rotten to directions. There were some of the gaffes exposed on the tech giant’s own mapping app, which replaced Google Maps as part of the iOS6 operating system. Some towns including Stratford-upon-Avon have disappeared completely. An Apple spokeswoman admitted over night that the Maps app needs work. "We launched this new map service knowing that it is a major initiative and we are just getting started with it," said Trudy Muller. "We are continuously improving it, and as Maps is a cloud-based solution, the more people use it, the better it will get." This kind of reporting is bad for Apple because the new iPhone upsets many customers and as an increasing of competition in the electronics industry especially smartphones, Apple’s loyal customers may withdraw themselves from being loyal to them and start to buy from other smartphone companies.

*  Apple is also in the middle of law battle with its rival Samsung. Samsung has added Apple's latest handset to a US patent lawsuit claiming the iPhone 5 infringes eight of its technologies. These two companies have been battling for patent wars. Apple has claimed that the Samsung’s Galaxy device maker copied the look and iOS system software found on Apple’s tablets and handsets. Although several of Apple's claims have been rejected, it recently scored a major victory when a California-based jury ruled Samsung should pay it over $1bn (£620m) in damages. Copyright is the biggest issue inside of the technology world. Apple has been fighting and solving issues regarding copyrights through legal disputes and other legal processes in order to protect iPhone and other of their products.



Source: www.independent.co.uk
             www.telegraph.co.uk
             http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19800342

Employment Opportunities

Alongside the growth of ICT is the rise of new jobs and also the decrease and changes of some old jobs. There are three vital related aspects to the changes of types of jobs people do, how they do them and where. These are automation, globalisation and flexibility.

People have been replaced by machines in some areas of jobs. In the UK and overseas, some factories in the manufacturing industry have been replaced by factories employing CNC (Computer Numerical Control), automated machines and robotics. Banks have also take advantage of the ICT by establishing an automated clearing system for cheques and other payments. Bank tellers or counter assistants have been replaced by ATMs (Automated Teller Machines). Numerous administrative jobs in banks could be replaced by computers.

Some of the new jobs that brought by ICT are:

• IT Teacher
• IT Technician
• Computer Engineers
• Web Designer
• Programmers

Jobs that have changed:

• Bloggers
• Accounts
• Banking
• Film Makers
• Music Makers

Jobs that have disappeared:

• Shorthand typists
• Ticket collectors on stations
• Gas light lighters
• Chimney sweeps
• Thatchers

Activity 2 Analysing the 'good old days'

Tasks:

• The two different office applications that could be used by the small business to improve the paper-based systems employed in the 1970s are word processing and presentation software.
• The advantaged of using office software such as word processing are it is easy to do work using it and quick to finish office works like letters and memos. On the other hand, the advantages of using presentation software are also easy to do work on it and quick for making reports.
• The demand for shorthand typists has dimished enormously because of the advent of these office software packages. However, there is still an active and strong demand for secretaries.
• Many new jobs have been created because of ICT and the most obvious ones are IT jobs, internet and e-commerce work.

Communication: Mobile Phone

Evolution of Mobile Phone

1983 - Motorola DynaTAC 8000x
1996 - Nokia 8110
1999 - Nokia 3210
2003 - Nokia 1110
         - BlackBerry 7230
2004 - Motorola RAZR V3
2008 - Apple iPhone 3G
2012 - Samsung Galazxy S III
         - Apple iPhone5 4G

In the past 20 to 10 years mobile phones are only for text and call. Mobile phones have now become more useful than before. It can add now some useful applications that are helpful in our everyday life.

Different ways how mobile phones have changed our lives and the way we communicate.
There are 5 billion mobile phone connections in the world, there is also emerging number of tablet computers and other on-the-go connectivity gadgets, and because of this mobile technology has altered the way we live.

• With the help of mobile phones, communicating with other people no matter how far they are has became easier. There is no need to send or receive a letter from a post or the need to see someone just to say something because call and text can easily do these.
• Mobile phone has also offered entertainment with its video and games applications, the users can entertain themselves using these.
• All-in-One. A phone. A map. A compass. A camera. A video recorder. A video-gaming device. A portable music player. A laptop. A GPS device. A flashlight. Today's mobile phones are multi-functional. One device that performs a wide range of roles.

When do you use mobile phones?

Purpose of using mobile phone:
To make and receive a phone call and text messages to other people. Use the applications added for everyday use such as weather and news, internet access, maps, e-mails and many more. Also can be used as an entertainment like games and videos.

How and where to use mobile phone?
Mobile phone is useful in the event of emergencies. It can be used anywhere but not in airplanes.


Source: metro newspaper
             http://www.cnn.co.uk/2011/10/07/tech/mobile/smartphones-change-lives/index.html

Communication: Instant Messaging

Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people that enables them to have a virtual conversation. This involves talking to someone in real time by typing and receiving messages. It is ussually more private than chat rooms, allowing group of people to converse in real time without being snooped on by anyone they don't specifically allow into conversation.


VoIP ( Voice Over Internet Protocol)
 VoIP is a protocol that enables transmission of speech over the internet or other IP packet-switched networks.This is similar to IM on a computer, but sound rather than text is sent. It is similar to taking a phone call. VoIP technology is being rapidly deployed and is now a core part of all new telephone systems. It is the future of telephony, now offering capability, flexibility, quality and resilience that are a far cry from the limitations of earlier systems.
-Skype and Google Talk are examples of VoIP.


Advantages/features of Using VoIP:

• Generally phone service via VoIP is free or costs are less than equivalent service from traditional sources.
• VoIP offers various facilities which may be more difficult to achieve using traditional phone networks. You can receive incoming calls to your VoIP phone regardless of where you are connected to the network. Therefore you can take your VoIP phone wherever you wish and you can receive incoming calls if you are connected to internet.
• The ability to transmit more than one telephone call over a single broadband connection.
• VoIP allows users to travel anywhere in the world and still make and receive phone calls.
  Subscribers of phone-line replacement services can make and receive local phone calls regardless of their location.
• Users of Instant Messenger based VoIP services such as those offered by google talk, yahoo and msn messenger can also travel anywhere in the world and make and receive phone calls.

Sources: www.voip.co.uk
               www.voip-outsourcing.com

Online Marketing

Online marketing or Internet marketing is referred to as the marketing or generally promotion of products or services over the Internet. This is a growing business mainly because more and more people use the internet everyday. Popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo have been able to capitalise on this new wave of advertising.



Many companies use the internet to promote and advertise their products because it is cheaper and easier for the customer to access. However there are more catalogues which are still being printed. Some of these are clothing catalogues from:
-Very
-Littlewoods
-K&Co
-Isme


The companies that replaced their catalogues with online versions are IKEA, Tesco, Asda and more.

• One of the advantages of this trend for a company is it helps to reduce offline marketing expenses such as costs of catalogues, rental fees and also it helps to recruit less staff since customers can help themselves just by visiting the company's website.
• Another advantage is it helps the company to widen the range of their customers. This is because online marketing helps them to promote and advertise their products internationally.
• Online marketing also helps to promote new products easily.

However there are disadvantages of using online marketing:

• One of the advantages is there is no replacement for good old fashioned customer service. Online marketer lacks customer service and inquiry response programmes.
• Some customers are not aware the level of security to companies' websites and the customers may not want to purchase online using their credit cards.

This trend of using online marketing is growing and therefore this creates competition. Online marketing may or may not effectively benefit them.


Source: www.businessdictionary.com
             www.allthingsweb.co.uk

Weather

Weather forecast for the next five days in Bedford.

Wednesday, 7 November 2012

Thursday, 8 November 2012







Friday, 9 November 2012







Saturday, 10 November 2012







Sunday, 11 November 2012








Actual weather in Bedford

Wednesday, 7 November 2012
High 10°C
Low 5°C

Thursday, 8 November 2012
High 12°C
Low 8°C

Friday, 9 November 2012
High 11°C
Low 6°C

Saturday, 10 November 2012
High 9°C
Low 7°C

Sunday, 11 November 2012
High 10°C
Low 5°C


Evaluation:
The weather forecast provided by the BBC weather website is almost the same with the actual weather. The website also provides a description and sumary of the forecast for each day, a forecast video and it has also maps that illustrate the pattern of weather and how it changes over 24 hours a day.

On the other hand, the Met office site offers a better and clear forecast weather. It also provides warning overviews.


Source: www.bbc.co.uk/weather
             www.metoffive.gov.uk

E-Government

E-Government” refers to the use by government agencies of information technologies (such as Wide Area Networks, the Internet, and mobile computing) that have the ability to transform relations with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government. These technologies can serve a variety of different ends: better delivery of government services to citizens, improved interactions with business and industry, citizen empowerment through access to information, or more efficient government management.

Government Services Online (UK)

Online Services	Information Services	Online Reporting & Advice	Online Booking	Online Payment
Motoring	Motoring forms relating to driving tests, vehicle registration, vehicle taxation and more.	-Make a complaint -or a claim for compensation. -Report an unlicensed vehicle online.	Book MOT test, Theory test, Driving test
Money, tax and benefits		-Benefits Adviser -Report tax evasion
Government, citizens and rights	Information on how to order birth, adoption, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates.	Make a complaint about a trader or service provider
Property and housing	Information on how to apply housing benefit, how to find out how much rates to pay, about housing, planning and more.	Make a complaint about your water or sewerage services.		Pay rates

Source: www.nidirect.gov.uk

Using Mobile Phones in Public

Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Genuine emergencies do occur, and some calls truly cannot wait. People who have sick or elderly family members, parents expecting an important call from their child, and those in the midst of a crisis believe it's acceptable to leave their phones on in public.
2. People can easily call for help if there's an emergency. For example if there's an accident.






Cons:

1. In airplanes and hospitals, cell phones can interfere with the functioning of delicate instruments, a serious consideration.
2. Many people go to places such as libraries specifically to focus and do work. Others attend church or religious services for time to worship and reflect. People who use their mobile phones in such a setting distract others.
3. Using mobile phones while driving is dangerous.







source: www.ehow.com

4G

4G refers to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards.
It is built specifically to handle mobile internet and data more efficiently, allowing faster and more reliable mobile connectivity in a world where data usage is increasing 250% year on year.



How fast is it?

It is said to offer speeds of up to 20Mb per second, faster than many home broadband connections but way behind current home fibre optic offerings which provide speeds of upto 100Mb.

 

What affect will it have on Mobile Phone Usage?

• It will allow HD movies to be downloaded in minutes and TV streaming without buffering.
• It is fast and allows  users to maximise the use of online multimedia applications. Upload more pictures and  download more music.
• It enables users to video call, shop online and access social media, entertainment and information on the go more easily.
• All businesses that require connectivity, for example those that operate in entertainment, media and e-commerce, are set to benefit from faster and more reliable mobile data services, improving efficiency and productivity.

The benefits of 4G to the economy are also significant. Recent research into the potential of 4G in the UK economy by Capital Economics estimates that the UK's adoption of the new technology could unlock £5.5bn of direct private investment.


source: www.guidingtech.com
          www.bbc.co.uk

Online Education

Online Education or E-learning is the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. E-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual education opportunities and digital collaboration.

Types of Online Education:

1. Traditional online education - highly produced web courses
2. Rapid online education - quickly produced web courses

Explore learning objects and simulations:

Website: www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/
Making the Modern World learning module site gives powerful stories about science and invention from the eighteenth century to today.

 

Evaluation: This website does offer stories of invention history. It's easy to look for specific topics. The personal computers and information networks section in particular provides information about the development of computer and internet. The way it presented on the website is clear with related pictures that can be very helpful in understanding the information given.

 

Use a Simulation:


Website: frog.edschool.virginia.edu/
This website teaches and gives information and tutorial of the on-line dissection of frogs. It guides learner through a frog dissection that a learner can use as practice before or instead of an actual dissection.

Evaluation: This website is easy to a access and it has also pictures in it. It fulfil its purpose becaus it allowws learners to practise dissecting a frog before doing the actual dissection.

Macromedia virtual classroom:

Website: www.adobe.com/learning
Macromedia is under Adobe and it also provides elearning. It's learning solutions purpose is to empower everyone from CMOs to developers to solve business problems, find new opportunities for growth, and be more successful in their careers.

 

Evaluation: This website fulfil it's purpose because it offers training or tutorials, webinars or seminars and online courses that enables people to get the most out of Adobe products especially the use of its Macromedia softwares. This also provides certification that gives people a clear and focused way to tell the world about their expertise and communicate their proficiency in leading products from Adobe. This is one example of an exciting technology of elearning and what this offers that a traditional learning cannot give is the fast and easy accessibility of sources needed for learning. For example, the video tutorials conducted by professionals allow learners to watch and replay them in their own free time and at home. Another one is the virtual training that allows users to learn at home or anywhere that makes them comfortable to learn as long as there's an internet and the softwares needed for the training.

A major disadvantage to e-learning is the self-discipline it requires. While being able to work at your own pace can be an advantage, it can also be a disadvantage. This is especially true for students who have difficulty with time management and procrastination. These students tend to be more successful with the structure of traditional learning. Another disadvantage to e-learning is the technology involved. Some people do not have ready access to a computer and Internet connection. And some who do have the required equipment feel ill-equipped to use it. Lack of interaction between teacher and student is another drawback to e-learning. Some students need the immediate feedback that interaction provides.

Learning Objects:

Flash viewlet and Quicktime movies are marketed by a number of companies to the educational market as 'learning objects'. Teachers or students package a number of them to create a unique learning package.
Flash viewlet assists students and staff when learning to use software applications; these can be greatly enhanced using well thought out text annotations that inform and instruct the viewer. However using flash viewlet is not easy and time consuming but once the educational animation produced it will be used for a longer period of time and can be used repeatedly. Quicktime movies on the other hand can provide educational videos for students.


Research Online Education:

(1 - highest rank, 5 - lowest rank)

1. BBC Bitesize
BBC Bitesize is a free online study support resource for school-aged students in the UK. It is very accessible as it provides easy way to navigate subjects. This is ranked as the highest because it has a wide range lists of school subjects and tackels different levels of education from Key Stage 1 up to GCSEs and to higher education subjects. There are also video clips, games and quizzes provided for a more exciting way to learn. It has also a message board where the learners can communicate with other learners.
2. LearningSpace (The Open University)
LearningSpace provides online study support resource for university students. This is ranked second because there are different subjects included with a fully detailed topics of each subjects but it does not give specific educational information for students on different school levels unlike BBC Bitesize. Research, audios, videos and pictures are also provided to help students for their studies.
3. Kineo
Kineo's mission is to support companies to improve performance through learning and technology.
They aim to bring fresh thinking to deliver creative solutions whether it is a learning portal or custom e-Learning. It provides, demos, training and case studies for their clients.
4. Sponge
Sponge is a UK e-learning company that helps major organisations train their staff by creating customised online courses. It provides organisations specific training. It allows users to watch demos, train online and gives more information with case studies
5. Learndirect
Learndirect provides courses online for English, Maths and IT subjects. It allows people to enrol and learn online at one of its centres, where they get face to face support from staffs. Learners can also join to its online community where they can talk with other learners, ask for help and make new friends too. This is ranked as the lowest because it does not really provide information, demos or tutorials that helps the learners to improve their studies without the need to go to Learndirect centres. This website only gives guidance about the courses.

Sources:
www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/
frog.edschool.virginia.edu/
www.adobe.com/learning
http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_4743220_advantages-disadvantages-elearning.html
http://archive.excellencegateway.org.uk/page.aspx?o=ferl.aclearn.resource.id7324
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
www.open.ac.uk
www.kineo.com
www.spongeuk.com
www.learndirect.co.uk