This first post will focus on information technology and the ethical issues that arise when dealing with information technology. I will provide a definition for the term information technology and then go on to interpret this definition in my own words. I will then address information technology in relation to enabling occupation within Occupational Therapy practice.
Information technology can be defined as "the development, implementation, and maintenance of computer hardware and software systems to organize and communicate information electronically"(Dictionary.com, 2012).
Different people may have very different views on what information technology is but for me it is a very broad term enabling us to produce, develop and store any information through the use of any technology. One of the most common examples of this for me would be my cellphone, it allows me to produce things such as photos and messages, develop these with options such as cropping, and then I am able to store these on my phone so that I can go back to them in the future if I wish to. Although this is only just one example of what information technology means to me, there are many more examples also.
In todays society information technology is very much a part of everyday life and there are many things that we would not be able to do without it. Over the years technology has grown a lot, from the days when you would have to pick up the phone and ring someone or write them a letter, where as now you can just email them on the computer or text them on a cell phone. Technology is forever evolving and is becoming more common in society as we are beginning to rely on it a lot more. I am relying on technology right now, to enable me to write this blog. It is due to technology becoming more accessible and portable that makes it such a big part of our life today. However some forms of information technology are not alway positive to use, an example of this for me would be facebook. There has been a lot of my valuable study time been waisted away on it over the years.
I find that I am quite comfortable and competent when using the technologies I need to in everyday life, as long as they are technologies that are simple enough to understand and use. An example of this in my experience would be email, I have two email accounts that I use and keep up with for means of contact and communication with other individuals. Also my phone, I have an iphone, which is much more advanced than my previous phone, so I had to learn how to use it and all of the extra things it could do. Even with my studies I am required to access our own internet site called Moodle, along with many data bases for researching for assignments. My laptop is one thing that I could not live without, I use it most days and it is how I am able to do all of my work for my course. These are all examples where I use IT to engage in purposeful and meaningful occupations, without the use of IT it would be very difficult for me to perform a lot of occupations throughout my day to day life. I would say that I depend on the use of technology, as do many others in the society we live in today.
Technology is becoming more and more common in the world of Occupational Therapy practice, one of the main forms of technology I observed being used on my placement were computers, these were a vital part of the hospital. Not only did they store and transfer patient information to and from another hospital, but they were there for research purposes, storing documents, and communication with other health professionals or staff members. One form of technology that is becoming more important in Occupational Therapy practice is assistive technology.
"Assistive technology helps children with disabilities to do things they cannot usually do, or to do them better.
It is sometimes called 'specialized equipment' or 'assistive equipment'. It can include technology devices, such as computer hardware and software, as well as vision equipment, specialized seating, tables and hearing devices." (Ministry of Health, 2012).
So not only is assistive technology used for allowing individuals to physically engage in various occupations but it can also allow them to participate in purposeful occupations such as communication and education. Occupational Therapists use assistive technology to help individuals achieve the engagement they need to (if possible) further develop in their life. Some of the forms of technology that are being used by Occupational Therapists include the iPad or Wii devices.
Bellow is a video about a 'language app' on the iPad that is allowing the individuals with autism to communicate with their teachers, parents etc., some for the first time. It shows you how much a simple app can do for someone, enabling them to engage in important occupations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btui-TjKxIU
Although many of us may think that information technology is all positive and can only improve the way we do things, there are some implications that come along with it. Some of these include the ethical implications such as privacy and consent issues. You need to be careful what you are going to be showing and check that the people in you pictures and information have your consent to use it. The next step up from this is where the law gets involved, this is when dealing with copy right. Copy right laws are very important to think about when copying or transferring any information from a source that is not your own. So yes, technology is mainly changing for the better, but you have to be careful as there will always be some sort of ethical issues and implications that come along with it.
References
Dictionary.com. (2012). Information technology definition. Retrieved on 8th March, 2o12 from: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/information+technology?s=t
Ministry of Education. (2012). About assistive technology. Retrieved on 19th April, 2012 from: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/SpecialEducation/ServicesAndSupport/AssistiveTechnology/AboutAssistiveTechnology.aspx
YouTube. (2012). Apps helping autistic children communicate. Retrieved on 19th April, 2012 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btui-TjKxIU
