Information technology

Technology - is a complex scientific and engineering knowledge, implemented in the methods of work, sets of material, technical, energy, labor inputs, how they connect to create a product or service that meet certain requirements. Therefore, technology is inextricably linked to the mechanization of production or non-productive, especially the management process. Management technology is based on the use of computers and telecommunications equipment. According to definition, information technology is a complex of interrelated scientific, technological and engineering disciplines to explore the efficient organization of human labor, employment information processing and storage; computer equipment and methods of organization and interaction with people and production equipment, and their practical applications, as well as related with all the attendant social, economic and cultural problems. Information technologies require a complex preparation, large initial costs and high-tech equipment. Their introduction should begin with the creation of software, information flow in systems training.    The information technology refers to the process that uses the combination of means and methods for collecting, processing and transmission of data (primary data) for information about the quality of the new state of the object, process or phenomenon (information product).

If as a sign of information technology to choose the tools with which information processing (tools of technology)are held, we can distinguish the following stages of its development:

Stage 1 (until the second half of XIX century.) - "Manual" information technology, tools which were: pen, ink, book. Communication was carried out manually by sending letters through the mail, packages, telegrams. The main purpose of technology was to provide information in the required form. Stage 2 (end of XIX century.) - "Mechanical" technology, equipped with more sophisticated means of mail delivery, tools which were: a typewriter, telephone, voice recorder. The main purpose of technology - presentation of information in the right form, more convenient means.

The third stage (40 - 60-ies of XX century.) - "Electric" technology, tools which were: mainframes and related software, electric typewriters, copy machines, portable recorders. The main objective of information technology begins to move from the presentation of information on the formation of its content. 4-th stage (from early 70's.) - "E" technology, the basic tools are large computers and being create on their basis of automated control systems (DCS) and information retrieval systems, equipped with a wide range of basic and specialized software complexes. The gravity center of technology is even more shifted to the formation of meaningful information for environmental management of different spheres of public life, especially the organization of analytical work. 5-th stage (mid 80's.) - "Computer" ("new") technology, basic equipment which is a personal computer with a wide range of standard software products for various purposes. At this stage the process of personalizing the AMS, which is manifested in the creation of decision support systems by certain specialists. Similar systems have built-in elements of the analysis and artificial intelligence for different levels of management, are implemented on a personal computer and use telecommunications. In connection with the transition to microprocessor base are significant changes and technical means of domestic, cultural and other appointments. 6-stage - "network technology" (it is sometimes considered as a part of computer technology) just installed. They begin to be widely used in various fields of global and local computer networks. It’s predicted in the near future a rapid growth, due to the popularity of its founder - the global computer network Internet. In recent years, the term "information technology" is frequently represented as a synonymous with "computer technology", as all information technology is now one way or another connected with use of a computer. However, the term "information technology" is much broader and includes "computer technology" as a component. At the same time, information technologies, based on the use of modern computer and network resources, form the term "Modern Information Technologies".

U.B. Robert conceives means of modern information and communication technologies as the software, and hardware, as well as devices that operate on the basis of microprocessors, computer engineering, modern facilities and systems of broadcasting information, information exchange, providing operations on collection, production, stockpiling, storage, processing, transmission of information and access to information resources of computer networks (including global). Means of modern information and communication technologies include: computers, personal computer, sets of terminal equipment for all classes of computers, local area networks, input / output of information, means of entering and manipulating text and graphical information, the means of archival storage of large information volumes and other peripheral equipment of modern computers; devices for converting data from a graphic or sound format for digital data and vice versa; means and equipment for handling audio-visual information (based on multimedia technologies and "virtual reality"); systems of artificial intelligence; computer graphics systems, software (programming languages, translators, compilers, operating systems, application packages, etc.) and others, modern means of communication, providing information as customer interaction at the local level (eg, within the one or more organizations) and global (World Wide medium).

According to the experts managing the education for the implementation of modern information technologies is required: 1. To create a technological environment, hardware and software, telecommunications systems, ensuring the normal functioning of the production sphere; 2. To provide the industrial-technological base for production in the international division of labor in the national competitiveness of information technology and resources; 3. To ensure priority development of advanced manufacturing information and knowledge; 4. To prepare a skilled work force;

5. To implement a comprehensive implementation of information technologies in the sphere of production, management, education, science, culture, transport, energy, etc. Foreign educational institutions are developing new activities to create conditions for the transition to modern information technology. In their view, the quickest way to enable our country in the world education system is the establishment of educational institutions in Kazakhstan, the conditions for the global Internet, which are considered to be a model of communication in the global information society.

Ministry of Education of Kazakhstan sees the following ways of entering the national education system into the global educational environment: 1. Improvement of basic training schools and students of higher and secondary education in computer science and modern information technologies; 2. Retraining of teachers in the field of modern information technologies; 3. Informatization process of training and education; 4. Equipping the education system by technical means of information; 5. Creation of a modern national information environment and integration in educational institutions;

6. Establishment on the basis of modern information technologies Unified Distance Education in Kazakhstan;

7. Kazakhstani participation in international programs related to the introduction of modern information technologies in education.

1. Read the text and answer the questions:

1. What are the characteristics of the modern period of development?

2. Depict the features of the global social process.

3. What does the informatization of society provide?

4. What does the term “technology” mean?

5. What stages can you distinguish in the development of information technologies?

2. Consult a dictionary, find out diverse meanings of the following words and word-combinations and practice their pronunciation:

Informatization, dominant, microprocessors, availability, visualization, methodology, harnessing goals, high-tech equipments, peripheral equipment, converting data, virtual reality.

3.Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading texts. Put: YES. NO, NOT GIVEN

4. Complete the summary below. Choose your answers from the box. You may use any of the words more than once

The modern period of society development is characterized by a strong ... on his computer technologies, which ........ all spheres of human activity, provide a flow of information in society, forming a global information space. An ... and important part of these processes is the computerization of education. At present, Kazakhstan is becoming a new education system based on the ... in the world of information and educational space. This process is accompanied by significant changes in educational theory and practice of the educational process related to ... in the content of learning technologies, which should be in close connection with modern technical ..., and promote the harmonious joining the child in the Information Society. Computer technology is not intended to provide additional "crust of" learning as an integral part of a ... educational process, greatly ... its effectiveness. Computers have made a ... entry into education in the past decade, they have brought significant benefits both to teachers and students.

Although some ... and skepticism exits, the use of computer in classroom instruction is gaining immense popularity today. Using computers in language classrooms, as in all other classrooms, is by no means universally agreed upon practice. Multimedia language learning programs provide texts, sound, images and ... drills. With the help of computer software and the Internet, learners can now study languages anywhere and anytime -- in classrooms, labs, at home or even on the go. This is particularly true for web-enabled learning.

Language teachers are also taking advantage of the modern high tech.

In this ... the diverse ways of computer technology usage in English language teaching are delineated.

List of words

Manual, uncertainty, enhance, holistic, interactive, occurrence, capabilities, influence, adjustments, integral, penetrate into, triumphal.

Scan the text № 1: Technology

Main article: Educational technology

Technology is an increasingly influential factor in education. Computers and mobile phones are used in developed countries both to complement established education practices and develop new ways of learning such as online education (a type of distance education). This gives students the opportunity to choose what they are interested in learning. The proliferation of computers also means the increase of programming and blogging. Technology offers powerful learning tools that demand new skills and understandings of students, including Multimedia, and provides new ways to engage students, such as Virtual learning environments. One such tool are virtual manipulatives, which are an "interactive, Web-based visual representation of a dynamic object that presents opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge" (Moyer, Bolyard, & Spikell, 2002). In short, virtual manipulatives are dynamic visual/pictorial replicas of physical mathematical manipulatives, which have long been used to demonstrate and teach various mathematical concepts. Virtual manipulatives can be easily accessed on the Internet as stand-alone applets, allowing for easy access and use in a variety of educational settings. Emerging research into the effectiveness of virtual manipulatives as a teaching tool have yielded promising results, suggesting comparable, and in many cases superior overall concept-teaching effectiveness compared to standard teaching methods. Technology is being used more not only in administrative duties in education but also in the instruction of students. The use of technologies such as PowerPoint and interactive whiteboard is capturing the attention of students in the classroom. Technology is also being used in the assessment of students. One example is the Audience Response System (ARS), which allows immediate feedback tests and classroom discussions.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are a “diverse set of tools and resources used to communicate, create, disseminate, store, and manage information.” These technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephony. There is increasing interest in how computers and the Internet can improve education at all levels, in both formal and non-formal settings.^[18] Older ICT technologies, such as radio and television, have for over forty years been used for open and distance learning, although print remains the cheapest, most accessible and therefore most dominant delivery mechanism in both developed and developing countries.^[19] In addition to classroom application and growth of e-learning opportunities for knowledge attainment, educators involved in student affairs programming have recognized the increasing importance of computer usage with data generation for and about students. Motivation and retention counselors, along with faculty and administrators, can impact the potential academic success of students by provision of technology based experiences in the University setting.^[20]

The use of computers and the Internet is in its infancy in developing countries, if these are used at all, due to limited infrastructure and the attendant high costs of access. Usually, various technologies are used in combination rather than as the sole delivery mechanism. For example, the Kothmale Community Radio Internet uses both radio broadcasts and computer and Internet technologies to facilitate the sharing of information and provide educational opportunities in a rural community in Sri Lanka. The Open University of the United Kingdom (UKOU), established in 1969 as the first educational institution in the world wholly dedicated to open and distance learning, still relies heavily on print-based materials supplemented by radio, television and, in recent years, online programming. Similarly, the Indira Gandhi National Open University in India combines the use of print, recorded audio and video, broadcast radio and television, and audio conferencing technologies.^[23]

The term "computer-assisted learning" (CAL) has been increasingly used to describe the use of technology in teaching.

Scan the text № 2: Computers

When Charles Babbage, a professor of Mathematics at Cambridge university, invented the first calculating machine in 1812 he couldn't even imagine the consequences of this discovery. Nearly everything we do in the world is assisted or even controlled by computers, the complicated descendants of his simple machine. Computers are used more and more often in the world today, for the simple reason that they are far more efficient than human beings. They have much better memory and they can store much information. No man alive can do 500000 sums in one second, but a computer can. In fact, computers can do many of the things we do, but faster and better. They can predict weather, and even play chess, write poetry or compose music. Just as television has extended human sight across the barriers of time and distance, so the computers extend the power of the human mind across the existing barriers.

Computers in medicine

Computers are one of great importance in modern hospital. The chief use of computers is the storing and sorting the medical knowledge which has been acquired in the last 50 years. No doctor can possible keep up with all discoveries. The only solution of the problem is store medical knowledge in a computer. Today there are medical computer centers were all existing knowledge of symptoms of various diseases and of their treatment is stored. Doctors feed data on symptoms in the computer and get the necessary information on correct diagnostics and treatment.

Computers that can be taught . Ordinary computer can use only the data stored in the hard disk. Now scientists have designed machines, that are capable of learning from their experience and remembering what they have learned. Such a machine is capable of recognizing objects without human help or control. But of course, they can make many mistakes.

Computers at the school

Information science with the ideas and message of processing and storing information is of great importance today. That's why computer technology must be taught in secondary school. The new subject “basic information science”, and “computing machines” was introduced for the senior pupils at schools. Contact with the machine increases the interest in learning, makes them more serious about studying new subject. School computers are used not only to study information science, but also for examination purposes. Young people who finish the school must be trained to operate computers.

Focus on GRAMMAR

Causative constructions

What is a causative construction? A construction in which:

a) somebody makes somebody else do something.

b) Therefore in the causative construction there are two verbs, one is the causative verb, the other is the main verb (and it occurs in itsuninflected form)

The tense of the embedded clause and of the main clause must always be the same with causative

verbs

1. a. Last night she made him go tomorrow

b. Last night she caused him to go tomorrow

c. Last night she had him go tomorrow

d. Last night she got him to go tomorrow

The same is true of perception verbs

a. Last night she heard him go {today, tomorrow}

b. Last night she watched him to go {today, tomorrow}

c. Last night she saw him go {today, tomorrow}

this is not true of other verb classes

Last night she persuaded him to go tomorrow

Last night she told him to go tomorrow

Last night she ordered him to go tomorrow

Last night she asked him to go tomorrow

In English there are several causative verbs with partially different behaviours: have, get, cause,

make.

Causative verbs can differ according to the type of complement they can take:

1. The bad weather caused the plane to crash

2. John made the water boil

3. The police had all the students locked up

4. The heavy downpour had all the demonstrators running for shelter

5. Mary got Peter to run errands for her

6. Mary had Peter run errands for her

7. Her son’s behaviour caused Mary great distress

8. Mary had her son in bed

Causatives with make/cause

Causatives with make/ cause can take animate or inanimate subjects of the embedded clause

1. She made me clean the floor

2. She caused me (to) clean the floor

3. The flood in New Orleans made people sell their dearest possessions to buy food

4. The flood in New Orleans caused people to sell their dearest possessions to buy food

5. The fact that John had washed his car made everybody admire it

6. The fact that John had washed his car made everybody admire it

7. The fact that John had washed his car caused everybody to admire it

8. John’s unfortunate decision made all hell break loose

9. John’s unfortunate decision caused all hell to break loose

10. The rain made the mushrooms come out

11. The rain caused the mushrooms to come out

12.The sky drew progressively darker, making, the stars appear one by one

13. The sky drew progressively darker, causing the stars to appear one by one

14. By letting the gun go off when I did, I quite inadvertently made the runners start the

race too soon

15. By letting the gun go off when I did, I quite inadvertently caused the runners to start

the race too soon

In both cases the event of the embedded clause is the result of the verb of the main clause

Make is a direct cause (often with volition), cause an indirect one (generally without

volition)

16. I’ll make you pay for this!

17. I’ll cause you to pay for this!

18. She didn’t just cause him to do it, she made him do it

19. She didn’t just make him do it, she caused him to do it

Make has the infinitival without to, cause the infinitival with to

20. The king’s remarks made all his advisers laugh

21. The king’s remarks caused all his advisers to laugh

Causatives with have

A causative with have denotes a state, not a process and can take different structures as its

complement

1. John had [all the students performing the same experiment at the same time]:

2. John had [all the students { puzzled], [ furious about the exam]}]

3. The police had [all the students locked up]

4. The police had [all the students {[ in a stadium], [ on trial]}]

If the causative with have has an infinitival without to, the subject of the embedded clause

must be an agent and agree in doing the action, this is called a volitional agent. Therefore

this construction can only be used if the agent is animate and willing to perform the action.

John had Mary trip on the stairs.

John had the water boil.

This is not the case if have does not take an infinitival without to or with other causative

verbs:

John made Mary trip on the stairs.

John made the water boil.

John had the water boiling in no time at all

“Have” cannot be used in ellipsis

Why on earth did they do that?

a) Because we made them

b) Because we caused them to

c) Because we got them to

d) Because we had them

Causatives with get

Get (like have) and contrary to make and cause can take different types of embedded

complements:

1. John got to the airport by car

2. John got a new car

3. John got ill

4. John got killed

5. John’s doctor got him walking again in no time at all:

6. John got the car repaired very quickly

When get takes an infinitival complement, it is with to, not without

a. John got all the students to perform the same experiment:

is this impossible without to? Not possible

Get has a resultative meaning not a stative meaning , it is like cause/make and unlike have

in this respect. In other words get means “cause to have”

Get has the same “volitional” effect found with have

John got Mary to trip on the stairs.

John got the water to boil.

Notice that even things can have a “volitional” interpretation

How did you get the washing machine to go?

Try as I might, I just couldn’t get the figures to add up

The washing machine refuses to start

That blasted rock refused to move!

Get takes an “indirect” causation, like cause, not a direct one like make

Causative do

Do was used extensively as a causative in OE and ME, as in "He did him die", but was recessive by the end of the ME period. Many linguists support the hypothesis that periphrastic do developed from causative do. In a sentence like "He dude writes sende" (as quoted in Kroch et al. 1985: 284) the subject of the sentence is open to an agentive interpretation. The causative meaning would read as "He caused somebody to send writes". From the semantic point of view the subject of the lower clause somebody could be dropped in the original sentence. Thus it is possible to reinterpret the subject of the higher clause he as the agent, as doing the action himself. Finally there is no difference anymore between the "causing" and the "doing" of the action. There exist a lot of ambiguous cases like this one, since it can be interpreted both as causative or as periphrastic.

Stein suggests on the grounds of his findings in the earliest colloquial texts analyzed in his study, the Paston letters (1422-1509), that it could be a Latin-induced structure with perfective meaning (1990: 17) and the interpretation as causative or non-causative depends on the pragmatic context in which the proposition occurs. The perfective semantics of the construction was not focused on who did the action but on what happened. He points out that work has naturally been done only on written texts which at the time had strong Latin influence. Denison (1985: 52) also assumes causative do to have entered late OE as a Latinization that did neither clash with the syntax nor with the semantics of OE don. A problem arises if one assumes that periphrastic do developed from causative do because naturally the two should be successive in time then. What is striking here is that there is no time lag in the appearance of the two cases. Denison asserts that causative and periphrastic uses "appear more or less simultaneously" (1985: 47).

Stein highlights in his study the pragmatic background of the causative use of do. In most examples from the Paston letters the pragmatic context is directive. Do in this context then has a causative meaning. The agent is dropped, as in the example above, and focus is not on the subject or agent but on the directive being fulfilled either by the addressee or in his or her responsibility. Stein assumes that this second person, directive context has been the most frequent use of the original causative do. Further he suggests that the most likely context was that of official writing which implies giving orders to individual persons. People usually received orders orally from a person in a socially higher rank, inclusively official and legal use. Probably people adopted this use but ignored the directive meaning and transferred it to the first and third person. There it developed its periphrastic form.

Exercise 1. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the usage of causative constructions. Explicate and comment your choice.

1. “It is clear that Arab leaders are prepared to listen to us and are prepared to have us play the role of peacemakers,” said a ministry spokesman.

2. The country will judge the President on the speed with which he can get the miners working again.

3. To have your phone tapped in Rome today has become a matter of prestige.

4. Washington is trying diplomatically to get Moscow to cancel the nuclear deal with Iran.

5. On arms, the President once again promised to try to get Parliament to ratify the nuclear weapons treaty.

6. So much will depend not merely on the taxes the President will propose or the sacrifices he will ask when he finally presents his energy program in the next few days, but on how he can appeal to the better instincts of the nation, and get the non-governmental organizations of the country to go with him.

7. In the past Labour party conferences passed progressive resolutions, only to have them completely ignored by the leadership of the Parliamentary Labour.

8. There was anxiety that one side or the other would be hustled into rash decisions without consultations either with the other or with its allies.

9. Congress can get the President to reconsider his position.

10. Senior government officers claim that they have their enemy squeezed into five or six major concentrations, most of them near the border in the South.

WEEK 7. Topic: Science and scientific researches in education

Grammar: Modal and auxiliary verbs

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