Education in the information age

It is only recently that computers have come into both primary and secondary schools. About 10 years ago primary schools were lucky to have one computer, this was because they were very expensive to buy and so any computers they had were ones that parents donated to the school. This is a similar case with secondary schools; however, they are a little more fortunate than primary schools as they are begging to introduce ICT rooms with enough computers in it for a class to use. With technology developing more computers are being purchased for primary and secondary schools to use. If a student wanted to learn about ICT to enhance their knowledge about technology and the way in which computers work they would have to take ICT as a separate subject, this is still the case nowadays. It is common that students have better keyboard skill than the teachers. It used to be a problem where teachers felt de-skilled to use ICT and for some this is still the case. Someone like an ICT teacher is more likely to know more about computers then an everyday classroom teacher.

ICT is no longer a discreet subject in school. Students are expected to use ICT in all your subjects. It is common to use ICT for research tasks, presentations, planning and electronically typing out an essay and communicating with other students and teachers via email.

Personal Experience
When I went to primary school I only had about 3 computers in the whole school to use and they were very old and slow so I didn’t use them very often. I came to secondary school in 2008 and was amazed by the amount of computers there was here, however about 5 years before hand there were hardly any. Since being at my current secondary school I have noticed that over the years more computer rooms have been introduced and there is more than 1 computer per 2 students now which is a massive benefit for students as they can access computers whenever they want to.

Computer Networking
Most schools computers are networked. Having networked computers in school is vital for any educational establishment; this means students can share their work and software with each other as well as their teachers. Also by having networked computers it makes work easier to mark for the teachers and for students to receive instant feedback.

Parents find it very difficult to keep up with the changes which occur in schools systems, there are some excellent open source software programmes such as office which is compatible. Also if you’re over the age of 16 you can get a student discount of software. Software compatibility comes with both advantages and disadvantages.

Transporting data through a data pen can become very convenient instead of carrying piles of exercise books around with you all day. A data pen allows you to have access to your work.

Advantages:

-Most teachers would expect that students have access to their own computes in order to do homework and research of their own.

-It’s a good way of backing up work; you can access it off another computer.

-It’s efficient for students and teachers.

-It’s more likely you will better software at home as it’s easier and cheaper to upgrade one computer opposed to hundreds.

Disadvantages

-Most teachers expect students to have access to their own computer, if you live in a large family and only have one computer it’s unlikely that you will get to use it very often to do your work. This can be seen as the digital divide as some other students are fortunate enough to have their own computer or laptop.

-This is not an equal access to the curriculum if some students cannot afford to have their own computer or laptop; this causes some students to have a unfair disadvantage when it comes to handing in homework or preparation for an exam.

-Software compatibility is difficult to keep up with for parents.

-A data pen is something that is losable because it is so small. Any security lost or stolen data can mean that a lot of work can go missing or be lost in the system.
-Another disadvantage is children do a lot of copy and pasting this is because they don’t understand the concept of plagiarism, this causes a lot of problems to do with cheating as children think there isn’t anything wrong with copy and pasting someone else’s work.

Personal Experiences

As a part of doing ICT Applied for AS we have to create our own online blog so our teacher can mark us on what work we have done, he does this through his system that is networked so he can give us feedback quickly, this is also done through the network.

SIMS Network

Student Information Management System also known as the SIMS network has helped progress the way schools work. You can now monitor a range of different things through the SIMS network, such as; attendance, behaviour, academic achievements, personal details, school photo and a student’s timetable. This system is a lot more efficient as you’re able to find the details you need quickly and easily. All information is stored in one place and is more convenient for staff to manage.

Advantages:

- You can have all the data in one place.

- You can keep a record of everything easily.

- It is more environmentally friendly than having lots of pieces of paper around.

- It’s a lot quicker to use than recording data on paper.

Disadvantages:

- If the system is down then the whole school will suffer as teachers will not be able to take a register, this could be dangerous in the case of a fire. - You have to pay to install it.

- Records can be deleted which causes a lot of problems.

Computers in the classroom

Most classrooms today use computers and interactive whiteboards to teach their students, with this new enhanced technology you can use a range of resources to teach the children what they need to know. An interactive whiteboard allows the class to learn as a group and to all participate in the work. Nowadays it is unlikely for teachers to get textbooks out for their students because the majority of the information you in the textbooks you can find online. Some textbooks such as, Kerboodle can now be viewed online through computers, the teacher can project the image on the screen to the interactive whiteboard so all students can see it. It is very common for teachers to use e-books to teach their class.

Advantages:

-More environmentally friendly.

-The whole class can get involved which makes lessons more fun to be in.

-It makes things easier in some cases, for example, explaining something visually to the class.

Disadvantages:
-Some people may not see it if their sitting far away at the back of the classroom.
-It makes things very difficult for the teacher if the computer or interactive whiteboard isn’t working.
-Some students find it easier to learn through a textbook.

Personal Experience

I prefer working out of textbook rather than copying notes from the interactive whiteboard. In most of my classes I sit near the back so sometimes it can be really difficult for me to read what is being projected on the board. I also don’t have the best eyesight so sometimes the screen can be very blurry which often leads in to me getting really bad migraines. However, I do think that the interactive whiteboards make lessons a lot more fun as the whole class can get involved.

Employment

Employment is crucial in life in order to uphold a pleasant lifestyle, however being employed comes with both pros and cons. Employment has dramatically changed over the last 30-40 years due to new technology becoming more advanced.

An example of how much technology has advanced is this, about 35 years ago people who had an office job would store all there data and other important files in filing cabinets, and nowadays everything is stored on spreadsheets on a hard drive. A paperless office is a work environment in which the use of paper is eliminated or greatly reduced. This is done by converting documents and other papers on to a computer. Supporters claim that "going paperless" can save money, boost productivity, save space, make documentation and information sharing easier, keep personal information more secure, and help the environment.

Similarly a few decades ago in an old styled office there would be an old fashioned fax machine or a telephone line which you would have to use to communicate to people; in the current 21st century we wouldn’t even know how to use a fax machine we would email, text or phone people if we need to get hold of them. Before the use of e-mailing we would have to use a fax machine or hand write a letter, because letters were being hand written there was no need for photocopiers or printers. E-mailing was the next step to enhancing technology further. In the current 21st century we have a wide variety of different technology, these include: PDA, Tablets, Laptops, Computers, Smart phones etc.

Technology such as CCTV is often installed in the workplace to make sure that if any criminal offence happens in that place there will be recorded evidence of it. Cameras can focus onto the PC monitors as well as yourself and the room in which you work in. Modern day technology is not only used in offices, a large amount of technology is used in schools as a part of teaching. In almost every school you go and look at you will always see interactive whiteboards, computers and sometimes depending on how equipped the school is tablets or laptops. As part of the 21st century with all the new types of technology there has been a new course that has been introduced into the syllabus at school, this is called ICT which stands for information technology. ICT is designed to educate children on the use of computers as when they leave school and get a job pretty much any job they chose they will need to know how to use a computer.

Employment is something which a vast majority of people experience; this can be anything from doing work experience at school to having a full time job. There are many job descriptions which now involve people having performed roles of the use of computer skills.
Digital Revolution
The Digital Revolution mentions to the progression of technology from analog electronic and mechanical devices to the digital technology available today. The digital revolution era started to during the 1980s and is ongoing.
The Digital Revolution also marks the beginning of the Information Era.

Advantages
-Having a wider variety of technology is saves time and resources. It is a lot quicker to type a document up rather than to hand write it.
-New technology such as smart phones, tablets, laptops etc allows you to work whenever and wherever. You will often find when business people are on the train to London in the morning they are working.
-Technology allows us to contact people instantly through phoning or emailing them; this is simple and efficient as you can find out the answer of what you’re looking for straight away.
-Technology helps to save the environment as less paper is being used.

-You can find out practically any information you’re looking for through the internet, this enhances your intellectual development.

-You can get the internet from pretty much wherever you are through your phone using 3G or 4G, this allows you to search for what you’re looking for from anywhere as long as you have signal on your phone.

-Mobile phones are one of the most popular uses of technology, they are good because they allow you to call, text or email whoever you want and the majority of the time you will receive an immediate response.

Disadvantages

-Because of all the types of technology you can always be contacted even when it’s your day off from work, this can become very annoying especially when you’re trying to spend time with your family.

-It is easy to get distracted because there are so many web pages online you can easily search up something to waste time or if you’re bored.

-People who have an e-mail account often receive a lot of junk mail, this blocks up your hard drive which means you can only send a limited amount of emails to other people. To get rid of this problem you would have to delete all received, sent and junk emails.

-If you bring your own laptop/tablet to work it has the possibility of getting a virus.

-Lots of people are loosing their jobs because new technology is expanding.

-The message you tried to print is protected with the Information Rights Management.

The sender didn't give you the rights necessary to print the message.

-With technology expanding it’s causing global warming to increase.

Personal Experiences
I am currently in employment as I have a part time job. I work at the Spa Hotel and we do have a vast range of technology there that we have to use, for example, when my shift is about to start I have to ‘clock in’ this means I have to put my hand on a scanner which reads my fingerprints and clocks me in; I also have to do this when my shift ends. Another type of technology we use is radios so whenever we are needed someone contacts us through radio; this makes it quicker and easier to contact people and makes the hotel run smoothly.

Online Entertainment

Online entertainment has become more popular during the 21st century. Online entertainment is a good resource to have as you can watch things when you want to watch them, you don’t need a set time to watch whatever you wish to view. Nowadays it is very common that you can view online entertainment through a variety of different devices; examples of which would be: PS3, Wii, Xbox, PC, mac, mobiles, tablets and many more.

Online Downloading

There are many online entertainment sites which allow you to download films, songs, TV programmes etc. One type of an online entertainment downloading site is Netflix. Netflix is a site which allows you to download any film or TV programme that is streamed instantly over the internet. First time customers receive an offer which allows you to have a one month free trial in order to see if you like using Netflix or not. After the trail period is over customers who decide to carry on using Netflix must pay £5.99 per month. Netflix is also a very popular online entertainment site as it allows you to cancel the contract anytime.

Another type of an online entertainment site which allows people to view TV series and films online is lovefilm.com which is an Amazon company. Similar to Netflix, LOVEFILM allows new customers a 30 day trial period before making them pay £5.99 a month for ‘LOVEFILM instant’, £7.99 for ‘LOVEFILM by post’ or £9.99 a month for ‘LOVEFILM instant and post’.

Advantages

-Watching movies or TV series on a mobile device is very convenient. Netflix’s application is free to download.

-There are thousands of things to watch on Netflix and LOVEFILM so it’s unlikely you won’t find anything to watch that you dislike.

-It’s a cheap way of entertainment.

-You can view these types of online entertainment through a variety of different devices, for example, if you’re on the train going to work you can watch on your phone, Ipad, Ipod, tablet etc a TV programme or short film whilst waiting.

Disadvantages

-The films are fairly old, they rarely get updated.

-Online streaming is very bad.

-You have to pay for postage when you want the film to be delivered to your home.
-There aren’t always all the episodes to a TV series.

-Waiting around for the DVD to turn up can be frustrating if you want to watch it there and then.

Personal Experience

I don’t have Netflix of LOVEFILM because I buy the majority of my movies from filmflex on Virgin Media. However, I have heard that Netflix and LOVEFILM are very good website’s to choose films from and that’s why many people use these companies. I also think that the pricing for both companies are very reasonable and affordable, this is probably also what makes people hire films from these companies.

iTunes

iTunes was first released on the 8th January 2001. iTunes is a media player and media library device developed by Apple Inc. It is used to play, download, and organize music and videos on people’s personal computers. You can also download music and videos from iTunes onto your Iphone, Ipod or Ipad as they are all part of the Apple company. The iTunes player keeps all your music, films and TV programmes all in one place. iTunes is a very popular site because it saves you going through stacks of CDs when you can just import them iTunes and quickly browse your entire collection. Likewise iTunes have created a genius which makes a great mix of songs that go great together. iTunes is regularly updated with all the new releases, you can buy a single song from an album or you can buy the entire album. Prices range from £0.99 for one song to £10.99 for the whole album. This is very popular with customers as it is rare that you like every song on an album, this way by selecting your favourite songs it is cheaper and more suited to your needs.

Advantages
-It’s easier and quicker for people to buy songs when doing it through iTunes.
-You can buy pretty much any song you’re looking for through iTunes as they have thousands of different songs.
-You can buy episodes of certain programmes.
-It’s more eco-friendly as people don’t have to burn the songs onto CD’s.
-You don’t have to buy the entire album you can chose what songs you like the best and buy only them ones. This saves people a great deal of money.

Disadvantages
-It’s easier for people to pirate the music.
-iTunes makes CD making factories such as HMV, blockbuster etc redundant, this causes a great deal of people to lose their jobs etc.
-Sometimes buying albums and TV programmes can be expensive.
-The only way to access iTunes is through the internet.
-iTunes can also be very slow sometimes as there are a lot of people using it and downloading things.

Personal Experience
I have an iTunes account and I think it’s really good. I regularly check the iTunes website to look who is in the charts and what songs are popular etc. Although I have an iTunes account I hardly use it because I have another app on my phone where I can download any music I want for free. I do this because I often download new songs every few days, if I brought all my songs from iTunes I would be spending a vast amount of money on music. Lots of my friends have iTunes and they all think it’s a really good way of downloading entertainment because its quick and easy to do.

eBooks
The first eBook to be created was called the Index Thomisticus which was a heavily annotated electronic index to the works of Thomas Aquinas in 1940. eBooks are an electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer or handheld device. On eBooks you can buy or download any book you’re looking for this saves people a lot of time and money. Amazon have recently been said to have been the best sellers of the Kindle eBooks. Prices for eBooks range between £99-£199 the more expensive eBooks being the new Kindle Fire HDX. The average price to download a book onto an eBook is normally around £2.99, this is far cheaper than buying a paperback book in a bookshop. Amazon is very well known for their reasonable prices of books, it is common that students buy their textbooks on sites such as Amazon because they are a great deal cheaper than buying them from a bookshop such as Waterstones.

Advantages

-eBooks promote reading.

-eBooks are good for the environment because they remove the need for filling up landfills with old books.

- eBooks save transportation costs and the pollution associated with shipping books across the country and the world.

-eBooks are mobile.
-eBooks are easily updateable, for correcting errors and adding information.

-eBooks are quick and easy to use.

Disadvantages

-The best types of eBooks can be expensive.

-Some programmes are not always compatible with computers or other devices.

-eBooks can cause eyestrain.

-It has been said that eBooks can be hacked.

-eBooks cause bookshops such as Waterstones etc to be closed down as people aren’t buying from them.

Personal Experiences

I don’t own an eBook but my Nan has the new Kindle Fire HDX and she loves using it which is a shock as she isn’t familiar with technology and often finds it difficult to operate; however, she finds it very easy and quick to use. My personal opinion is that eBooks are better than buying paper books from a bookshop because it’s better for the environment and a quick, simple and effective way of reading.

E-Government

The government always have a responsibility to keep in touch and talk to people in the UK. E- Government stands for electronic government which involves digital links between the government and citizens; for example, wide area networks, the Internet, and mobile computing that have the potential to make relationships better between citizens, businesses, and other arms of government. These types of different types of technologies can help in a variety of different ways such as helping the government deliver services to citizens to improve relations between business and industry, citizen’s being able to access certain information, or more efficient government management. This results in there being less exploitation, greater convenience, revenue growth, and cost reductions. Citizens also make it clear that it doesn’t always have to be the government who communicate with us but we (citizens) can help to communicate to them (government). Citizens communicate to the government in a transactional manner. Citizens can find a variety of different information from going online to see how much tax/ insurance is on certain houses and cars. We can also find out information depending in which area you are situated in such as information on crime rates, school performance etc. Citizens can also, book driving tests, apply for driving tests, claim benefits, get health advice, check travel advice, and get information about employees’ rights all through communication between citizens and the government.

Advantages

- For anyone who wants to contact the government it saves them time and money. - The society is moving towards having more e-government online, it make it more accessible for people.
- Anyone can access different types of e-government
- It’s quick and easy to access as long as you have access to the internet.
Disadvantages

- Because most e-government services are technology based it’s easy to have problems with the service you need, this could causes a lot of difficulty.

- It’s based more on a younger generation for example, senior citizens, who would not have much experience using the computer probably wouldn’t understand how to access e-government services.

- People need to be able to access the internet for e-government services which are on offer therefore if you do not have any access to the internet you are unable to find out the information you need.

Personal experiences

Because I am only 16 I haven’t had any personal experiences with e-government, however when I turn 17 I will because I will be able to apply for driving lessons and my driver’s licence through the government. Also because I am still living at home with my parents I don’t have to pay any council tax to the government.

Education

Nowadays there are many online services which allow students to access help for educational purposes. Educational online services are used to help students with their learning; the internet offers a variety of different educational online services which give children the help that they need in order to find learning easier. The internet uses programmes such as: Youtube, BBC Bitesize, MyMaths, SAM learning, VLE system, Blogging, Online forums and online exams to help with educational online services.

Videos- Youtube
It is common that many teachers play their students clips of videos from sites such as ‘Youtube’. Back in the day teachers would play video clips or movies that they wanted to show students through old TV’s and use video players because this was the only way of showing the children clips etc. However, technology has dramatically improved since and nowadays teachers would use DVD players or the interactive whiteboard to show students scenes from a movie or any other educational clips that need to be shown. Youtube is a very good video site because you can virtually watch anything you need on there; this can be anything from a movie clip to a song that could help you remember something. Youtube now offers a special version of the programme for schools to help educate, engage and inspire children to learn more.

Advantages
- Youtube can be accessed anywhere as long as you have access to the internet.

- You can download Youtube as an App on to an Iphone, Ipod etc.

- You can watch nearly any clip you’re looking for.

- People can rate the video and give their opinion.

Disadvantages

- Disturbing images can come up when you’re watching something on Youtube, some viewers may find these offensive.

-Sometimes the school doesn’t allow students to access to Youtube so it can be difficult when trying to look for something if the site is blocked.

-Sometimes technology can mess up and it can stop teachers watching clips that they want to students if they said ‘content is unable to play’.

-It is common that they projectors play up and stop people from seeing anything that are being projected on the board.

Personal Experience

My personal experience of using video sites such as Youtube has been positive. I would often be shown clips on Youtube by teachers that would help me understand things better; it was also through a song on Youtube where I learnt about the greenhouse effect. However, it is annoying that I can’t access Youtube at school because I need to use it frequently. A video site called ‘IMDB’ is also very useful for when I’m doing my film studies work because it allows me to watch certain clips from films that I need.

BBC Bitesize/MyMaths/ SAM learning

BBC Bitesize, MyMaths and SAM learning are al examples of educational online services. BBC Bitesize is one of the most popular ways for online revision; it has become very successful over the years. Children from as young as KS1 can use Bitesize to help them with something they’re finding difficult or for revision purposes. BBC Bitesize offers a Scottish version as they have a different syllabus to children learning in the England. Bitesize is for all ages up to GCSE years, they also offer higher sections for people who are more advanced at a certain subject. The higher tier section gives more detailed information than people who are doing foundation. MyMaths is another educational online service. MyMaths is a site where each school has their own username and password that they enter and it helps students who are struggling with maths. Online homework tasks can also be set through MyMaths; there is a choice to do the higher tier or foundation tier. SAM learning is another educational online service which gets students to compete with others to see who can get the highest score in a task which they have been set. SAM learning makes you enter a centre ID, for example, SGCCS (St Gregory’s Catholic Comprehensive School), a username which is your DOB followed by your initials and your password is the same as your username, this helps SAM learning identify who you are.

Advantages

-You can always access these sites at school.

-They’re very easy to use and full of things that will help you with your learning.

-They cover information for people as young as the age of 6 to people as old as 16-17.

-Lots of helpful facts and figures that will help people learn.

-You can always access these sites as long as you have wifi connection around you.

Disadvantages

-Sometimes very complex words are used therefore children find it hard to understand what something means.

-Some students don’t know their usernames or passwords for sites such as MyMaths.
-SAM learning often crashes therefore students are not able to always go on that site.
Personal Experainces
I often use educational online services to help me with revision. I would use BBC Bitesize a lot to revise for subjects such as science and geography. Also educational online services such as MyMaths was very helpful for me because it would show me clearly how to work something out if I didn’t understand it. I used to frequently get MyMaths set for homework and it was very quick and easy to access. SAM learning also helped me maily with my spanish because there would be a passage of text in spanish and I would have to fill in the missing words, this helped me remember specific keywords. I enjoyed using all these sites because they were easy to access from home and school and they’re simple and effective to use in order to help me with revision etc.

Blogging/ Online Forums

Examples of online forum sites are websites such as Wiki Answers, Yahoo answers, ask.com and there are many more. Examples of educational online blogging sites are; edublogawards, blogger, http://mywebspace.quinnipiac.edu/PHastings/bac.htm, http://classblogmeister.com/ and there are also many more. Educational Blogging is blogging by students, teachers, administrators and anyone else that focus’s on educational needs. Educational online forums are used for people to discuss and share their ideas or to answer questions that other members of the public may have about certain subjects.

Advantages

-It helps people collect information or answer questions that need to be answered.

-It’s a way of finding out something you want to know easier if other peeople have the answer.

-It’s a good way to meet new people and dicuss what your interested in or if you need help on the same subject.

Disadvantages

-Some people may write inappropriate things on online forums or blogging websites.

-Online bullying can happen through blogs or online forums.

-Sometimes people don’t have the write answer or they give you the wrong one on purpose.

-Everyone will normally give slightly different answers each time so its hard to know who to believe.

Online Experiences

I don’t really use online forum or blogging sites but I think they’re helpful for people that need to find out certain information, however they can sometimes be dangerous to use as you can get some strange people that go and use online forums.

Real- Time Information

Real Time Flight Tracker You can find many different types of real time within the internet which show real time information. ‘Flight Tracker 24’ is a programme where you can see all the planes that are in the world’s airspace at this very moment in time. This website is extremely helpful for people because it lets you see where each plane has come from and what destination it is heading to, it also informs you on how much flight time is left. Some planes show up in an orange colour, this means they could be delayed up to 5 minutes and onwards.

Advantages

- You can find out how far away from the airport your friends or family member are, this gives you a rough estimate on what time to leave to go and collect them.

- You can see what plane you are looking for, how far it has gone up in the air and what destination it is going to.

- You can discover new airlines and countries you possibly haven’t heard of before.

Limitations

- Not all planes you click on give you information on where they have come from and where they are going to.

Personal Experience

I haven’t ever used ‘Flight Tracker 24’ but I think it sounds very useful for people who are going to collect loved ones from the airport as they know roughly what time to leave so there not having to wait around the airport for hours. My friend has used it before and she told me that it wasn’t very useful because the plane she was looking for there wasn’t any information that showed up for it.

Webcam
Another fantastic feature that is available for all those who have access to the internet is a live webcam. This is where you can get a live feed from a variety of different countries and states. To the right hand side shows you an example of a live feed that is happening in America, it shows you the date and the exact time it is over in that specific state.
Advantages - If there is a certain event which is happening in a specific state or country you can find a webcam which is linked to that place to see what is going on.
- If a friend or a member of family has gone travelling abroad then you could have the option of doing a live webcam feed with them if your missing them or want to see them.
Disadvantages
- Some people may not like the world watching what they’re doing all the time.
- Some actions that people do may be offensive to some people.
- Some people could possibly find the idea of live webcamming strange.
Personal Experiences
I use Skype a lot which is like a live web cam streaming with someone. My dad often goes away on business to America so I hardly see him therefore it is good having Skype where I can video call him to still see him every day. However, sometimes when I use web cam it isn’t a very clear picture because the connection isn’t very strong therefore it makes it very annoying when you’re trying to video call someone and the screen keeps freezing or if they’re really fuzzy.

Parcel Tracking
Parcel tracking is another good real time information source. Parcel tracking is a service where customers who have purchased something and is waiting to receive it in the post can search for their parcel they have brought by entering a specific order code into the search bar, this will then inform you whether your parcel has either been dispatched or delivered.
Advantages

- You can find out how long your parcel will take to be delivered to you and where about it is.

- If you brought something off of Ebay etc you can see if the seller has actually sent the parcel off to you by looking and seeing if it has been dispatched yet.

Disadvantages

- If someone finds out your order code they can abuse the right of having this certain feature.

- If you forget or lose your order code you have no other way of tracking your parcel.

Personal Experience

I think parcel tracking has both scopes and limitations. I think parcel tracking is good because when I purchased something form New look or Topshop it is very handy to know where my order is. I have had a negative experience of parcel tracking, I have purchased something from Ebay before and the seller marked it as dispatched and didn’t add a tracking number therefore when I went to look for my order I couldn’t see where it was. My delivery came two weeks after it was meant to come.

News Feeds

News feeds is another good feature of real time information. Here is where people can get the latest news and information on what is happening in the world. This is a good feature for people who don’t have time to watch the news on TV or to sit down and read the paper as they could possibly be very busy. Another good thing about news feeds is that they are updated every minute of the day making is easier and more efficient to keep up to date with the latest information.

Advantages

- It’s easier to find out information.

- You can see what is happening in the world at that exact moment.

Disadvantages

- News feeds may not work; this could possibly mean that someone could end up hacking you.

- It may cost lots of money to watch news feeds on your phone as they use up a lot of your internet, this could cost up to a lot of money if you don’t have much internet usage.

Personal Experience

I don’t watch online news feeds but I have heard there a very good way of keeping up to date on what is happening in the world. The only negative experience I have heard of is when they can sometimes crash and go all fuzzy and not work. They also waste a lot of internet usage so you go over your phone contract or run out of credit.

Online Services

Online Services

Online services have dramatically changed over the years. Social networking sites such as Bebo and MSN no longer exist because new networking sites such as; Facebook, Twitter and Skype have taken over. Not only are there online services that are social networking sites, you can also access online services such as train and bus timetables online. School websites and VLE links which include online revision sites etc can also be found on the internet as an online service. Not only these services you find online but you can find out information such as traffic reports, weather reports, news services, banking online, auctions and many more online services.

Social Networking

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are used by millions of people every day. Twitter is a good online service because you can see when high street shops release new stock or even when celebrities tweet and tell you where they are or where they have brought something from etc. Some companies have a page where you are able to leave positive or negative feedback, most of these pages come with a box where you write up to 140 characters. It has been stated that Twitter is more carefully monitored than Facebook therefore causing less issues to do with cyber bulling. You can find the link for Twitter and Facebook below: https://twitter.com/ www.facebook.co.uk.

Advantages

- You can see the latest news from celebrities.

- Find out interesting facts about the world.

- You can read funny Tweets about people or celebrities.

- It is monitored more carefully than any other social networking site.

Disadvantages

- Some tweets may be rude or offensive for some Twitter users.

- There is no age limit for Twitter which means anyone can use it.

- As soon as you send a Tweet anyone can see it or re-tweet it.

- Some tweets may seem very informal to others making personalities seem diverse.

Online Revision sites

There are also online services such as the VLE system where teachers can post work online if you miss the lesson etc. There are also online revision sites such as BBC Bitesize which is now used by most schools as a revision tool. There are also other online revision resources that are available on the internet which include study tips such as past paper questions, key words or facts and helpful pictures. There is also an online group chat where on each section for an exam board you can ask other people for help as some people may know more about a certain topic than others.

Bibliography

http://frogserver/index.phtml?d=96247 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize http://getrevising.co.uk/

Advantages

- There is help when you need it and you can pretty much find what you want on the internet.

- It helps making revision easier.

- It could make it easier for you to remember information for your exam.

Disadvantages

- Some information may be false, either purposely or it has just been a mistake. Websites such as Wikipedia are well known for withholding false facts or information.

- You could possibly learn information which isn’t on your correct exam. For example, you could have a sample of questions and you have to choose which the right one to answer is, if you have learnt the wrong information for the wrong question you may fail the exam.

- Certain people may try and contact you and ask for personal information.

Every day Helpful Information

Thirdly the next online service which is available is bus and train timetables these can be found on the Arriva website for buses or the South East rail service website. Technology changes fairly often and there are many ways of seeing bus or train time information. The most recent way of finding out travel information is through Apps that have been formed where you can download the timetable of the service you require on to your Ipod or Iphone. Also on bus timetables there is sometimes a barcode which you can scan using your Ipod or mobile phone, when you scan the code it will tell you how far away your bus is and how long it will take to get to you.

Bibliography http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/ http://www.arrivabus.co.uk.

Advantages

- The app can be very accurate and precise.

- It saves you having to wait for the bus for a long period of time.

- It tells you specific times of when the bus or train should arrive.

Disadvantages

- The majority of the time buses or trains can be early or late so normally you need to arrive a couple of minutes before hand to ensure you don’t miss your form of transport.

- You don’t know whether the form of transport you have been waiting for has already gone or if it’s just very delayed.

General Information

Other online services that help keep you informed on information are services such as: shopping websites, banking, traffic reports, weather reports and news reports. Down below you can see that most of these websites are run by the BBC, practically all of these websites can be found on the App store so you can view the BBC news page on the go.

Bibliography

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ http://bbc.co.uk/news/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/ http://www.natwest.com/personal.ashx

Advantages

- All of these websites can be found on the Apple App store and are free of charge; this means you can view most of the links above on the go.

- These have made websites easier to use and understand for the public.

Disadvantages

- You can’t always connect to the internet easily.

- Sometimes Apps crash therefore meaning you are unable to view the App or piece of information you want as you have to delete it and re-download it again.

E-Petitions

E-petitions are now used in the UK. E-petitions are a way to influence the government and parliament in the UK. If votes get over 100, 00 signatures it will be considered for debate at the House of Commons. Bibliography http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/

Advantages

- That you get to decide on what you want to change in the UK.

- It gets considered by the Houses of Parliament if the public can get over 100, 00 votes.

Disadvantages

The E-petition isn’t actually compulsory therefore there are no limitations, it just informs the general public.

Online Banking

Online Banking
The first online banking society was named ‘EGG’, here was where you could add or transfer money to ‘Money Manager’ by sending a secure message to the ‘EGG’ banking society. Online banking is extremely popular nowadays, however online banking comes with both scopes and limitations. Online banking is used every day by people when they want to either check their balance, transfer money over to another account or just or just to get instant feedback and a quick service. Banks have to guarantee that they can keep your money safe and secure at all times. To access your online bank account you have to enter your username and a specific code that is assigned to you through entering your pin code on a card machine. This is where your banking society gives you your code to enter your online banking account; this is then followed by a number of security questions.

Advantages

- You can check your account whenever you want.

- You can pay other people to transfer your money over to other accounts.

- Direct debits.

- Standing orders
- Your banking society can give you instant feedback and service.
- Many security questions are asked to make sure your account is secure and safe as possible.
Disadvantages
- If a Branch closes- people are made to lose their jobs because less staff is needed to run a bank online.
- There have been many cases of fraud; it’s hard to make websites 100% secure.
- Fail safes, guarantees for a credit card transaction.
- Banks have to guarantee that your money will be safe.
- Even if you do cancel your card you can still miss a lot of money in a short period of time.
- Identity theft- guarantees need to be there otherwise no-one would use it.
- The idea of money not being real made it hard for people to understand.

Online internet scams are beginning to increase around the UK and a larger amount of people are being fleced for lots of money purly because people have scammed them into giving their online banking details. In April 2009 Zhen Xing Yang and his girlfriend Xi Zhou were murdered because they were thought to have made money from an internet betting scam by selling false qualifications such as providing false visas. Internet scams can happen very easily so lots of websites advise you to look out for warning signs of internet scams to prevent it happening to you.

Personal Experiance
Although I don’t not have an online banking account my parents do and find it very easy and efficent to use. My family have always has fairly postive experiences with online banking because they have always been able to transfer money over to other accounts easily as well as being able to check their balance whenever they want which they find very helpful. Also the online banking society have always provided instant feedback for my parents when they have had questions about being interested in a loan so they could build an extension on my house. However, there was one time where the online banking system transferred a certain amount of money over to the wrong account making it very time concuming for my dad to sort out.

E- Commerce

E-Commerce is something which is used by many people who have internet access. E-commerce varies from online banking to online auction sites. There are both scopes and limitations to this variety of e-commerce going on within the online community.
Online Auctions

One type of e-commerce is online auctioning such as ‘Ebay’, this is where people can sell things to other people at fairly cheap prices. Ebay now sells products from local retail stores such as new look, Topshop and Jack Wills. Sometimes these products can even get sent as whole sales from jewellery to handbags.

Advanatges

-You are more likely to get a good price for your unused belongings, this is because ‘Ebay’ gives you the option to ‘bid’ on something or in some causes you can ‘buy it now’. This gives customers time to buy the product for the appropriate price or click on the ‘buy it now’ option if they prefer that price or just want to buy it before other people get the chance to win the auction.

-‘Ebay’ is also good because users are advised to leave feedback and reviews on the seller to see if people should buy from them. If users have higher rating than other users customers are more likely to buy a product from them as they know they are reliable.

Disadvantages

-Some users of ‘Ebay’ could be selling not appropriate products, however there can be photographic evidence of the product which speaks otherwise. Because of the high quality image of the photo this may lead the buyer to believe that the product is going to be better than they thought.

-Some sellers may misuse your right of privacy such as giving out information like your address, email address or even your phone number to other people. Sometimes people can even find out your PayPal account or credit card details. Customers could possibly get cheated out of a lot of money.

Personal Experiences

I have purchased and sold things on auctions sites such as Ebay. I sent an item of clothing to someone before and they claimed they didn’t receive it even though I had proof of P&P; it took Ebay a long time to resolve the situation which was very stressful and annoying. Similarly when I have purchased an item off Ebay before I haven’t received it and I never got a refund because the seller had proof of P&P therefore I lost out on a lot of money. Nevertheless, I do like to use Ebay because I can get things cheap from this online auction site and most of the time they do arrive on time. The pictures are normally of a good quality as well when purchasing an item from Ebay.

Online Shops

Most shops sell their products online as well as having a retail store which is centered in a town or shopping centre. Shop owners try to rejuvenate their shop by hosting an online retail store. Online shopping is the best way for customers to shop as they are in the comfort of their own home. Customers also like to shop online in case they want to look up the price of a specific product; if they like the price of the product then they can purchase the item in store so they don’t have to pay for post and packaging.

Advantages

-Online retail shops are more efficient for customers to purchase items and to have a look to see what reviews other people have wrote about a specific product. This information can be very helpful and informative to customers as it can help them come to a conclusion whether they want to buy the product or not.

-Another thing that is good with online shopping is that it saves the company money because they don’t need to pay as much staff if there store is online.
Disadvantages

-You don’t know the full extent of what the item of clothing is like.

- You never know if it will be the right size for you or not.

- You don’t know about the quality of the product.

- It could be a fake.

- You have to wait for the product to arrive.

Personal Experiences

I have had experiences from online shopping for both high-street stores as wells as stores which are only based online, for example- ‘Topshop’ and ‘Missguided’. The only disadvantage I have had from online shopping is that you have to pay extra for P&P which can be annoying sometimes and you sometimes have to wait a long time to receive the package. I sometimes prefer shopping in a store because you can get what you want then and there, you don’t have to wait around for it.