Question

Complete the following activity by entering at least 2 advantages (positive effects) and 2 disadvantages (negative effects) of using computers for research. If someone else before you states what you were going to say, then state the person’s name, and explain the other person’s point in more detail, why you agree with them, and provide an example to further explain the point.

Group Exercise: What Are Positive & Negative Effects of IT?

Positive Effects of IT on Society

Negative Effects of IT on Society

Group Exercise: List Advantages/Disadvantages of Using Computers for Research

Examples:

Advantage: Students are provided with large amounts of information quickly.

Disadvantages: Information overload, easy for the student to be overwhelmed with the amount of information available.

Answer 1

Solution:

Group Exercise 1:

Positive Effects of IT on Society:

• Increases Production And Saves Time

Businesses today more than ever use technology to automate tasks. A good example is a bakery which uses electronic temperature sensors. Any temperature changes can be detected and reported. This temperature system saves the bakery time, and it also results in consistent higher quality products.

• Improves Data Storage, File Management, And Data Reporting/ Analysis

Businesses use cloud hosting services to store and backup business data. This saves resources ,time and money at the same time. With services like Dropbox.com, business owners can access their data anytime anywhere. Additionally, databases today allow for greater correlation of information, analysis of this data relationship can encourage better and more informed decision making, resulting in potential growth.

• Improves Communication

With the help of communication technology tools like phones, video conferencing, electronic mail or instant messenger just to mention a few, movement of information within an organization or business has become instantaneous. Employees can easily move data across departments without having any interruptions. Tools like electronic mail, e-fax, mobile phones and text messaging enhance the movement of information data among employees, customers, and business partners or suppliers, this allows for greater interconnectivity throughout internal and external structures.

Negative Effects of IT on Society:

• Implementation Expenses

Small businesses sometimes struggle to afford and maintain expensive core technology, so they end up losing their clients to a company which has the capital and resources necessary to compete in the industry.

• Job Elimination

Technology has replaced many positions humans used to occupy. Software is now doing complete accounting, so trained accountants have fewer opportunities, robots can cut the lawn or clean the pools, no need for a handyman.

• Security Breaches

Since businesses store their data on remote cloud servers which can be accessed online with a username and password, they risk potentially losing that data to hackers or viruses.

Group Exercise 2:

Advantages of Using Computers for Research:

• Communication

Building knowledge through research requires communication between experts to identify new areas requiring research and debating results. Before computers, this was accomplished through papers and workshops. Now, the world's experts can communicate via email or webchats. Information can be spread by virtual conferences. Knowledge from marginalized groups, such as African scholars, is now more visible.

• Mobility

Researchers can take computers anywhere, making it easier to conduct field research and collect data. New areas of research in remote areas or at a community level are opened up by the mobility of computers. Social media sites have become a new medium for interaction and information.

• Information Storage

Computers store vast amounts of information. You can quickly and efficiently organize and search information, making for easier retrieval than paper storage. You can store your raw data in multiple formats. Some researchers conduct their research online, often through the use of surveys.

Disadvantages of Using Computers for Research:

• No standards:

There are no standards, that is, no process to check information accurately. Most information in the Internet does not go through a review process. Anyone can publish on the web, without passing the content through an editor. Pages might be written by an expert on the topic, or even a child, or a disgruntled contributor. Therefore, getting information from book or from various other printed sources in the library can guarantee that it is of high standard and peer reviewed.

• Virus threat:

In this regard, Virus is a program that interrupts the normal functioning of the computer systems. Computers that are attached to internet are more likely to be attacked by virus. In due course, this attack could result to hard disk crashing, thereby causing a big disaster on the computer.

• Not arranged according to system and no index format:

Information on the Internet is not organised; for example too many web pages for any single directory services and fees are often charged for access to specialised information.

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