USING INFORMATION

Introduction

We are said to live in an age where information and knowledge are so important that society can be divided up into two groups.  These are the ‘information rich’ group and the ‘information poor’. 

If you are information rich you have access to many TV and radio channels, books, newspapers and journals, and of course computers and the World Wide Web. 

Those who are information poor tend to not have access to the Web and probably find it difficult to access relevant books and journals.

Even in general conversations a discussion about a TV programme shown on satellite TV will be lost on people who only have 4 or 5 terrestrial channels. If you are following this course you will probably be information rich.

We are going to examine the nature and uses of information by looking at:

• the differences between data and information 
• organisational information systems
• information management software
• the implications of information and communications.