In this blog I will be looking at what information technology is and potential ethical issues that may arise from Information Technology (IT).
IT is defined by TechTerms (2011) as anything related to computing technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the Internet, or the people that work with these technologies. Many companies now have IT departments for managing the computers, networks, and other technical areas of their businesses. IT jobs include computer programming, network administration, computer engineering, Web development, technical support, and many other related occupations. Since we live in the "information age," information technology has become a part of our everyday lives. That means the term "IT," already highly overused, is here to stay.
My understanding of this definition, is that IT relates to all computer/technology gadgets that we use (for example cellphones, computers, games such as Wii etc) and also relates to those people that work within the field with these gadgets.
Technology is everywhere. It would be very rare to find a workplace these days which doesn't have a basic computer, and most people have cellphones. This type of technology is designed to make our lives easier. Cell phones are a very convienient way of keeping in contact with others, as are social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Flickr etc. These social networking sites are very popular with people all over the world as they are a great way to keep in touch with others in different countries and allow people to see each others photos, videos, and posts of what they have been doing.
I, like most people around my age, have a wide range of technology that I use on a regular basis. This includes two cellphones (one telecom and one vodafone), a couple of different Ipods, television, home computer and personal laptop to name a few. I was given my first cellphone at the age of 13 from my parents who wanted to be able to contact me if I was out with friends or away on school trips etc. Even now, whenever I go out, I keep my cellphone close by so that I am always able to be contacted. This is for both safety and social reasons. I use my laptop to do the majority of my scool work and I believe it has made doing assignments alot easier for us young folk. Using a computer makes it so much easier to change word documents around, add bits in, take bits out and tweek pieces of work until they are of a good standard. This is not possible when doing work with pen and paper as you can not tidily change much once it's written down. However, as fabulous as computers are, I have also had many stressful nights when they decide not to turn on, or crash in the middle of an important essay, leaving my hoping that I hit save semi-recently. Another point of frustration is in the middle of an important phonecall my cellphone cuts out of reception, or my Ipod battery dies when in the middle of my favourite song. It is times like these where I curse technology and swear I will never use a technology again. Ever. But in reality, the benefits of using technology greatly outweighs the option of not using it, therefore I always go running back to technology.
There are various ways in which IT is being used in Occupational Therapy Practice. The internet is a popular tool which is being used for things described by Verdonck, M & Ryan, S (2008), such as self cares (online shopping, banking etc), leisure and occupational past-times (movies, music, etc), and productivity (buying and selling, travel bookings etc). This use of the internet gives clients much more freedom in a way which allows them to do regular household tasks without the stress of having to go to a supermarket or bank etc. Another great IT tool is the Wii hab - a relatively new and evolving field of medicine that incorporates interactive video game systems to treat or research neurological or orthopedic ailments (Wii-Hab, 2009). And it's fun! It provides young and old alike with a fun, interactive game which can focus on things as fitness or muscle endurance. I belive that IT is a great tool for OT's and we should definately make the most of it in practice. It can provide fun activities for rehab and can also make some activities alot easier for people.
There are a number of ethical implications that may arise when sharing information via IT devices. The biggest would have to be confidentiality. With the new trend of social networking sites, there are constantly photos/videos/information being shared with others that an individual might not want to be shared. On social networking sites there are options that you can choose to make sure your profile is private, which makes you feel more relaxed about knowing who is looking at your photos etc. However, if a friends profile is not set to private, and they have photos on their page of you, there's no telling who can access these. It is rather scary to think that a stranger may be able to recognize you on the street purely from photos they may have seen on a friends account.
Intellectual Property is defined as a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law. (Wikipedia, 2011). This basically means that if somebody was to create something, for example, a piece of art, the creator owns exclusive rights to that art. Think copyright, or trademarks.
Social Justice is concerened with equal justice, not just in the courts, but in all aspects of society. (Wisegeek, 2010). It promotes equal rights for all which is very important for OT's who are especially interested in getting equal rights for disabled people. Social Justice brings about a fairness and equality to society, which may be helped by IT when it comes to IT making people's lives easier. IT can provide different ways of people to do everyday things which means they are not missing out on important things in society.
Informed Consent is defined as consent given with full knowledge of the risks involved, probable consequences, and the alternatives. (BusinessDictionary, 2011). Informed Consent is a major issue in the technological world due to numerous issues with privacy & confidentiality. Things are posted online that individuals may not want made public. If using IT in Occupational Therapy Practice, the therapist needs to make sure that the client knows exactly what the activity involves, how the information will be used, and who will be able to access the information. The client will need to agree to any of this before information is made public.
References:
BusinessDictionary, (2011). What is Informed Consent? Retrieved March 30, 2011, from
http://www.businessdictionary.com/
TechTerms, (2011). Information Technology. Retrieved March 25th, 2011, from
http://www.techterms.com/
Verdonck, M. & Ryan, S. (2008). Mainstream Technology as an Occupational Therapy Tool
Technophobe or Technogeek? British Journal of OT. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check reference sheet
Wikipedia, (2011). Intellectual Property. Retrieved March 30, 2011, from
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/
Wii-Hab (2009). What is Wii-hab? Retrieved March 24, 2011, from http://www.wii-hab.com/
Wisegeek (2010). Social Justice. Retreived March 30, 2010, from http://www.wisegeek.com/
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