Difference Between IT and Ict

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Difference between IT, ICT and ILT

Posted by Nobal Niraula ( ननवल ननररलल ) Sunday, January 14, 2007

In present days, most sectors like production, manufacturing, etc. have

been influenced by the computing power. If we listen radio, view television

or participate in discussions, we hear the words Information Technology

(IT), Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Information

and Learning Technology (ILT) most frequently. These words have become

like foundation-words for knowledge-based society. Unfortunately, many

of us don't know the differences between IT, ICT and ILT; especially

between IT and ICT. In this article, I try my best to make some distinction

among these words. Second, third and fourth paragraph describe IT, ICT

and ILT respectively.

We are using desktop computers for different purposes. For example,

teachers use computer to make power point slides to teach, accountant use

some accounting packages. We are familiar with the office packages for

creating documents e.g. Word file, Excel etc. In another words, in IT we

take stand-alone computer or laptop as a tool to perform our tasks.

Therefore, hardware in IT refer to the basic box and peripherals such as

scanners, printers, CD ROM, DVD drive, Pen Drive, and so on; software

includes some packages like word processors , spreadsheets, databases,

graphics and presentation package. So, one can say an expert in IT if s/he

is an expert in those items.

Now we say that we are in global village. Anyone can contact with any

person from any area of the world easily. This is possible because of the

interconnection between individual computers, mobiles, routers, laptops

etc. technically, the hosts. This networking provides the sharing of

information by means of website, e-mail, and instant messenger, and many

other services. This is because of ICT. So, ICT is defined as the

interconnection of stand-alone computers across and between institutions,

and is a general set of tools and skills that can be applied to a wide range of

organizations. Therefore, hardware include in ICT are: server machines,

interfaces, access networks, interconnecting medium (technically channels)

including wireless/wired etc. and software includes network services,

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protocols, server programs, client programs etc. Examples of ICT software

are: web-browser like Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Apache web server,

Windows Net meeting etc.

ILT is nothing but the application of IT and ICT to education. For example,

companies give trainings to their employees using IT/ICT to make more

efficient and effective man power. So, ILT includes both learners and the

teachers. Thus, in ILT we talk about psychological effects of students, their

online learning behavior, communication methods etc. and the pedagogical

methods, way of presenting the materials etc. Now, the internet is popular

tool for ILT.

In conclusion, IT, ICT and ILT are distinct but are related. Most of the

developed countries are now heavily depend on IT, ICT and ILT; however;

there is a big challenge for developing countries since people cannot afford

the hardware and software. Also, there are not sufficient pre-requisites for

example electricity, education which are crucial elements for e-society.

Function of supercomputers

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Icons Highlight Functions of Ohio

Supercomputer Center

Re-branding effort reflects Center’s growing roles, audiences COLUMBUS, Ohio – June 27, 2007 -- As the Ohio Supercomputer

Center prepares to enter its third decade of operation this summer, its employees have begun using a set of four blue blocks to define the center for an ever-widening set of audiences.

The small but nationally recognized center, located off Kinnear Road on the west campus of The Ohio State University, this week unveils a new corporate logo and branding guidelines. The logo features the full name of the organization and four blue blocks, each containing a white icon representing one of four distinct functions carried out within the organization: supercomputing, networking, research and education. “We wanted a symbol that is more illustrative of the work we do here,” said Stanley C. Ahalt, executive director of the center. “The use of the full name – Ohio Supercomputer Center – quickly gives the public a much better idea of the nature of our work than just the acronym OSC, which we have used previously.

“Also, the four functions graphically represented in the logo are aligned with and reinforce the center’s strategic plan. This allows staff,

customers, vendors and partner organizations to more easily

conceptualize how each project we work on fits into the organization’s framework.”

Created in 1987 by the Ohio Board of Regents, the Ohio Supercomputer Center provides a reliable, high-performance computing and networking

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infrastructure for Ohio education, research, industry and state

government. The center promotes and stimulates computational research and education, acting as a key enabler for the state’s aspirations in advanced technology information systems and advanced industries. “In re-branding our organization, we took into account that the center today is filling a much broader role as a catalyst for research and innovation across Ohio,” Ahalt explained. “It is important that we represent the center in a way that is absolutely clear and understandable for individuals across the many diverse groups with which we now collaborate.”

In addition to an inventory of supercomputers that has continuously evolved with the rapid advance of technology over the last two decades, much else has changed at the center. A unification of OSC and the Ohio Academic Resource Network (OARnet), which linked Ohio’s colleges and universities with a telecommunications network, resulted in the development of the networking arm of the center, now known as OSCnet. Also, the center created a robust research division, where scientists use the resources of the Ohio Supercomputer Center to conduct investigations into fields such as life sciences and homeland security.

A renewed focus on service to industry and job creation has resulted in initiatives such as Blue Collar Computing and the Ralph Regula School of Computational Science. Blue Collar Computing is an effort to supply supercomputing to small- and medium-sized industries that do not have the time, capital or expertise to invest in such specialized resources. The Ralph Regula School is a collaborative initiative of the center with several colleges and universities to instruct students in advanced computer modeling and simulation, which industries use to solve complex business, technical and academic research problems. And, in 2004, the Ohio Supercomputer Center launched OSCnet (formerly the Third Frontier Network), the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network dedicated to education, health care and economic development. OSCnet provides connectivity and computing resources to K-12 education, colleges and universities, hospitals, public broadcasting stations and local, state and federal research centers in the state.

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had developed separate branding for multiple projects at the Center,” said Ian MacConnell, OSC creative director. “Now, those projects will be paired with the appropriate functional icon and clearly reinforce the organization’s logo with our audiences, rather than present competing or conflicting messages.

“In developing the new design, we surveyed staff members, user groups and other individuals not familiar with the Ohio Supercomputer Center to get a clear picture of how people perceive the organization. This study started us through an intensive process that resulted in four icons: an array of microprocessors representing computing resources and support (supercomputing), a map of Ohio depicting the state’s broadband network (networking), a glowing light bulb recalling Thomas Edison and Ohio’s legacy of innovation (research) and the image of a student using distance learning to gain skills or earn a degree (education).”

Celebrating 20 years of service, the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) is a catalytic partner of Ohio universities and industries that provides a reliable high performance computing and high performance networking infrastructure for a diverse statewide/regional community including education, academic research, industry, and state government. Funded by the Ohio Board of Regents, OSC promotes and stimulates

computational research and education in order to act as a key enabler for the state's aspirations in advanced technology, information systems, and advanced industries. For additional information, visit http://www.osc.edu.

Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), 1224 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212 ph: 614.292.9248 fax: 614.292.7168

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OSC is an initiative of the Ohio Board of Regents • State of Ohio