THE

INFORMATION
AGE
LESSON 1
 LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the students should be
able to:

1. Define Information Age.

2. Discuss the history of Information Age.
3. Understand the factors that need to be
considered in checking website sources.
Introduction:

The Information Age, characterized by rapid

technological advancements and easy access to
information, has significantly impacted various
aspects of society. While it brings benefits, it
also poses challenges. This lesson explores the
history and impact of technological
advancements.
The Information Age, starting in the late 20th century, saw
information becoming easily accessible through computers and
networks. James R. Messenger proposed the Theory of
Information Age in 1982, emphasizing the interconnection of
computers and user dependence.
 “THE INFORMATION AGE IS TRUE NEW AGE BASED UPON THE
INTERCONNECTION OF COMPUTERS VIA TELECOMMUNICATION,
WITH THESE INFORMATION SYSTEM OPERATING ON BOTH A REAL-
TIME AND AS-NEEDED BASIS”
History: Timeline of Information Age
 3000 BC
-Sumerian writing system used
pictographs to represent words
 2900 BC
-Beginnings of Egyptian
hierlographic writing
 1300 BC
-Tortiose shell and oracle bone
writing were used
 500 BC
-Papyrus roll was used
 220 BC
-Chinese small seal writing was developed
 100 AD
-Book(parchment codex)
 105 AD
-Woodblock printing, and paper was invented by
Chinese
 1455
-Johannes Gutenberg
invented the printing press
using movable metal type
 1755
-Samuel Johnson’s dictionary
standardized English spelling
1802 - The Library of Congress
was established
1824 - Invention of the
carbon arc lamp
1830s - Research on
persistence of vision
was published
1837 - First viable design for
a digital computer
1861 - Augusta Lady Byron
writes the world's first
computer program
 1876 - Invention of the
telegraph in Great Britain
and the United States
1877 - Motion pictures were
projected onto a screen
1899 - Dewey Decimal system
was introduced
 1902 - Eadweard
Muybridge demonstrated
high-speed photography
 1906 - First magnetic
recordings were released
1923 - Motion picture special
effects were used
1926 - Lee DeForest invented
the electronic amplifying
"ube (triode)
1939 - Television camera
tube was invented by
Zvorkyn
1940s - First practical sound
movie and regularly
scheduled television
broadcasting began in the US
1945 - Beginnings of information
science as a discipline
 1946 - Vannevar Bush
foresaw the invention of
hypertext
1948 - ENIAC computer was
developed
 1957 - Birth of field-of-
information theory proposed
by Claude E. Shannon
1958 - Planar transistor was
developed by Jean Hoerni
1960s - First integrated
circuit
1969 - Library of Congress
developed LC MARC
(machine-readable code)
 1971 - UNIX operating
system was developed, which
could handle multitasking
1972 - Intel introduced the
first microprocessor chip
1974 - Optical laserdisc was
developed by Philips and
MCA
1975: Altair Microcomputer
Kit was released: the first
personal computer for the
public
 1984: Apple Macintosh
computer was introduced.
1987: Artificial intelligence
was separated from
information science.
 1991: Hypercard was
developed by Bill Atkinson,
using a recipe box metaphor.
January 1997: RSA (encryption and network
security software) Internet security code was
cracked for a 48-bit number.
As information grew exponentially,
challenges in managing and accessing it
emerged. Information Anxiety arose in
the 1980s, and by the 1990s,
information became a valuable
commodity. However, information
overload became a concern in the
present generation.
Types of Computers
1. Desktop Computers: Non-portable
PCs designed for permanent use.
2. Laptops: Portable computers
integrating desktop essentials.
3. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs):
Small, battery-powered computers with
touch screens.
4. Servers: Computers providing
network services to other computers.
5. Mainframes: Large, high-performance
computers used by large organizations.
6. Wearable Computers: Integrated into
small objects like cell phones and
watches.
The World Wide Web (Internet)
The Internet, developed in the 1970s, revolutionized
communication and data transmission. Fiber-optic
cables and faster microprocessors improved speed and
accessibility. Google, founded in 1998, became the
world's most popular search engine.
Applications of Computers
in Science and Research

Bioinformatics, applying information technology to

biological data, revolutionized research. Databases
like SWISS-PROT and tools like BLAST aided in
analyzing genetic sequences and drug discovery.
 Checking the Reliability of Web
Sources

Guidelines for assessing web source reliability include examining author credentials, publisher reputation, website purpose,
intended audience, and information quality.
 Examples of Useful and Reliable Web Sources:

1. Alzheimer's Foundation of America newsletter

2. Library of Congress historical digital collection
3. Great Books Online from Bartleby.com
4. Drug information websites like Medline Plus and
Drugs.com
5. History sites with primary documents
 By understanding the
Information Age's history and
evaluating web sources
critically, individuals can
navigate the digital landscape
effectively.