Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The stages or processes of information transfer are the following: creation, re-
cording, mass production, dissemination, bibliographic control, organization by dis-
cipline, diffusion, utilization, preservation, and discarding. This model for under-
standing information transfer is the model we use for examining the information
infrastructure.
Recent advancements in technology have provided new methods for the trans-
fer of information. For example, Snapchat combines visual and textual information
as well as highlights and layers information for easier comprehension, focusing
simultaneously on the sender and receiver of the message. Unlike a topic, which
appears flat and is designed for the reader to progress in linear fashion, the above
example illustrates nonlinearity and the dynamic interaction of information in vari-
ous formats enhanced by coloring and free-style design.
Thus, technology enables us to break through the barriers of distance and time
to work together, solving problems, and to learn, as we never have before. The
Internet enables instant transmission of information in a variety of formats to nu-
merous sites and people, enabling a level of participation impossible until this di-
gital age. Course software combined with blogs, Twitter and other social media,
and other forms of communication is another example of technology revolutioniz-
ing education. Information transfer is explored in more detail in chapters 4 and 5.
As a result of this new way of communicating and transmitting information, the
learning process has changed. In other words, the diffusion of information has
been speeded up, and the diffusion to mass audiences very quickly has trans-
formed education, from preschool through graduate education and beyond. An ex-
ample of this transformation is the introduction of course software into distance
education, whereby members of a class may span several states (or continents)
yet be connected via asynchronous exchanges of ideas on course discussion
groups and via synchronous communication through audio and video conferen-
cing. Training of sales staff by insurance companies and the continuing education
of attorneys have been changed to enable learning from experts located at sites
distant from the learners. Universities are offering courses to students thousands
of miles distant. Video conferencing, texting, and Twitter feeds enable a faculty
member and students to discuss readings and share experiences in real time.
The transmission of knowledge is a critical element in the evolution of a culture;
consequently, the infrastructure that enables transmission of that knowledge is a
key factor in supporting cultural growth. It is our observation that the information
and knowledge infrastructure—that is, the loosely coupled systems of creation,
dissemination, organization, diffusion, and utilization—has been ignored in discus-
sions of our contemporary society; instead, attention has been directed to the in-
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