Tutorial 1: Information Technology and Ethical Issues.

Hallo, my name is Godhelp Nyashanu. I am a second year Bachelor of Occupational Therapy student at Otago Polytechnic,  based at the Hamilton Campus.

 The subject 'Participation in Occupation' is teaching me how to practically employ technology (computers and the internet) in the design of Intervention Plans for Occupational Therapy clients. It is a fact of life that computers and the world wide web (www) have taken over all aspects of life in this modern world. OTs have to be technogeeks in order to be effective out there. Some of the clients we will deal with after graduating will be geeks and if one is a Technophobe, one will become dysfunctional as a relevant OT in these times and looking into the future.

All modern (anything after year 2000) occupations in the developed and developing world have one or other link to computers and internet world wide web (www) activities. Whether one is at home watching TV, playing home video games (Nintendo Wi), cooking using a microwave oven, completing school/college/university assignments on a lap/desktop or PC, texting,tweeting,facebooking,driving an automatic, air-conditioned and highly computerized vehicle, one is always using computer technology and the internet.

I will use my blog to look at the way MUSIC plays a part in the occupational needs of various kinds of people across numerous nations and cultures of this world. I will endeavour to look at music as used for therapy (cognitive & motor; as in dance to music), for leisure and for teaching issues about life like its application in educational settings.

This was the introductory  session were I learnt all about setting up a blogg. I actually went on to set up the blogg and called it rototuna.blogspot.com/. In the following two weeks, I then managed to upload and download  a couple of photoes and videos onto my blogg and added musical sites that I am following that have a link to Occupational Therapy.




What is Information Technology/Information Communications Technology?
"Information Technology – A Definition:
We use the term information technology or IT to refer to an entire industry. In actuality, information technology is the use of computers and software to manage information. In some companies, this is referred to as Management Information Services (or MIS) or simply as Information Services (or IS). The information technology department of a large company would be responsible for storing information, protecting information, processing the information, transmitting the information as necessary, and later retrieving information as necessary."
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/careersintechnology/p/ITDefinition.htm

In my own words, I would define Information Technology as the use of electronic gadgets such as computers, ipods, and mobile phones to send, receive and store information.

Below is a video of that also helps explain what Information Technology is all about.

youtu.be/YgWnhS5WyfM


Below is a video that shows how prevalent IT is in our society today, starting with the clock radio that wakes all of us up everyday.

youtu.be/KjonO2cDyrM

The hardware/software products I feel comfortable using are mobile phones, laptop/PC, Digital Cameras, audio and visual recorders and various household appliances/products. All my limitations for using other products are the result of lack of knowledge, skill, opportunity and experience in using the other numerous IT products such as i-pods/pads.

IT has become very useful in OT practice in various forms such as when recommendations are made for deserving clients to be issued and use electric/electronic/computerised 'Assisstive Devices' such as wheelchairs, read/write/audio powered PCs/Laptops for survival, learning, and leisure.

Issues that exist around OTs adoption of IT systems and tools are those of the knowledge and skills needed to use whatever technology one has decided to use. The OT has to learn so they can teach the client, meaning that the OT will always be learning as technology is always developing into newer, better, faster and more efficient versions.

Below, an Occupational Therapist using advanced adapted IT equipment with a client.

youtu.be/A4Bf9Sv8JdE



"What is Intellectual Property?

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce.

IP is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and Copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs. Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and television programs. For an introduction to IP for non-specialists, refer to:" (http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/) retrieved 2 April 2011.


Social Justice is concerned with equal justice in all aspects of society, demanding that all people have equal rights and opportunities on an equal playing field. "All social values - liberty and opportunity, income and wealth, and the bases of self - respect are to be distributed equally unless an unequal distribution of any, or all, of these values is to everyone's advantage" Rawls,J. (1973). A theory of justice. Oxford: Oxford university press.


"Informed consent is a concept in the medical community which supports the idea that patients should be fully informed at all stages of medical treatment and medical trials" (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-informed-consent.htm) retrieved 2 April 2011. To me, it is agreeing verbally or otherwise to procedures and processes to be performed on your body with all relevant information supplied to inform this decision. An example of 'Informed Consent' would be when OTs ask clients if they are okay with having students around observing their sessions for educational purpoese.




REFERENCES

Everyday technology .(2011). Retrieved May 11, 2011,from youtu.be/KjonO2cDyrM

Information Technology-Definition and History.(2011). Retrieved May 11, 2011,from http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/careersintechnology/p/ITDefinition.htm

Information Technology Industry. (2011). Retrieved May 11, 2011,from youtu.be/YgWnhS5WyfM

Occupational Therapists using technology .(2011). Retrieved May 11, 2011,from youtu.be/A4Bf9Sv8JdE