Tutorial 1 - Information Technology and Ethical Issues.

The focus of my first ever proper blog post is to define Information Technology. I found a definition online that is located below and after that I have given my own definition of what Information Technology is to me. Processing of data via computer: the use of technologies from computing, electronics, and telecommunications to process and distribute information in digital and other forms Encarta online dictionary. Retrieved from http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861692452/information_technology.html To me this means information technology is any information that is processed/ distributed using computers, cell phones or any other electronic devices. Things such as information on the internet to an e-mail or text message received. These all require an electronic device to happen and allow information to be distributed.

In this section of my first blog I will look at the definition above I have provided and relate it to how this form of technology is prevalent in society. This form of technology has become prevalent in society to such an extent that without it we would nearly fail as a community. Whenever there is some form of error or technology fails everybody panics and has no idea what to do. It has become so common place in everyday life that we take this technology stuff for granted. Nearly everybody in society nowadays uses some form of information technology in their daily lives. Technology is going to continue to grow within society and here is a blog that shows us in which ways it will grow techindaily.blogspot.com

The list of IT devices or systems that I feel comfortable and confident to use are as follows: Devices: cellular phone, telephone(cordless/hardwired), computer(laptop/desktop), PlayStation, IPod, Radio/Stereo, USB stick, camera, Xbox. Systems: Internet, Intranet, E-mail, PlayStation games, blue tooth, computer software.

While I was on my four week placement in the Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation ward I learnt a lot. This next part is about the use of IT in relation to Occupational Therapy. The ways that IT is being used in Occupational Therapy practice are that while out in the community there is a need for the Occupational Therapist to have a cell phone. This allows the OT to keep in contact with other OTs and people she works with. They may also have a laptop with them to use to take notes or look something up while out in the community. But they always have a computer present on their desks to use for research, typing information and e-mailing people. There is an Intranet system which they could use to find specific information on the hospital database. Are these systems/tools appropriate for what they are being used for. Do they keep client confidentiality at bay? These are some questions using IT will raise. I can see that IT will become a tool of practice for occupational therapy as it will help make things easier physically and mentally. Assessments may be done on a computer programme and people may be able to lead their normal lives thanks to IT. The main reason for IT is to make everyday life a lot easier and being occupational therapists we can use this to our advantage.

What ethical implications arise from the capturing,  sharing and transferring of information via IT devices (e.g. mobile phones) or systems (e.g. internet) There are many ethical implications that arise from IT in terms of capturing, sharing and transferring of information. Look at a cell phone, the user can easily take a photo/ video/recording without any consent from anyone and transfer this information onto many other people or even the internet for anybody to view. On the internet people write/post photos that they think only a few people can see but this is wrong as with Facebook a lot of people think what they have posted is confidential. This is not the case as people can easily go look at what people have posted if they know what they are doing. In most forms of IT confidentiality is at risk of being lost.

A definition of Intellectual Property Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce Wikipedia: Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property To me this means that Intellectual Property is the ideas/research other people have carried out. I make reference to this information by referencing their work in the work that I complete. I am acknowledging that I didn’t come up with the information on my own.

Social Justice Fair and proper administration of laws conforming to the natural law that all persons, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, possessions, race, religion etc, are to be treated equally and without prejudice Business Dictionary: Retrieved From: www.businessdictionary.com/definition/social-justice.html In relation to OT this means that everybody that we work with is to be treated the same no matter what the conditions are. Everybody is equal.

A definition of Informed Consent Informed consent is a phrase often used in law to indicate that the consent a person gives meets certain minimum standards. Wikipedia: Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent Informed consent is about having permission from someone in a way that shows they understand and accept what will be done knowing the risks. Being an OT this is a very important thing as the people we work with have rights and we have to respect that. Unless clients give us consent we are unable to share any information they have given us without their informed consent.

Tutorial 5

Provide a brief summary of the services offered by YouTube.  YouTube is a video sharing website where it allows the user to upload, share and view videos. These videos can be anything user generated to movie clips, t.v clips, music videos, amateur blogging and short original videos. Registered users are able to upload an unlimited amount of videos and unregistered users are allowed to watch as many videos as they want. Videos that are seen as slightly offensive are restricted to registered users over the age of 18.

Introduce a chosen topic of interest drawn from your fieldwork experience, an OT practice area or a personal occupation.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncqQBoxPz3Y This here is a video in which the artist is an occupational therapy student and has made a rap about what Occupational Therapy is. A lot of OTs know that it can be annoying and hard to explain what exactly an OT does when asked. This rap is a good way of summing up what their role is in an entertaining way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AMmtM6N5T4 Here is a video showing what people do think Occupational Therapy is. It is always a good thing to what people actually think OT is and how little many of them do know. By knowing this it makes us OTs be aware of what people think and realise that often we will have to explain ourselves before completing work with clients. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkw77r-KIuc Here is a video that has OTs at work and talking about what exactly they are doing to help their clients. On the other hand we have a client talking about their positive experiences with OTs and how they have helped them with their lives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89z9jIzq5wk Here is a video that sums up what occupational therapy is in a broader way. It shows some aspects of an occupational therapists normal day and the kinds of intervention/interviews that they carry out. This video is a good way to look at OT in a much more in-depth way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F52xTuD8PsQ&feature=related this video gives us an idea of the sorts of activities that occupational therapists look at and how they help people. It also shows a few ways in which occupational therapists can help people in their activities of daily living. (ADLs)

Tutorial Two

List some of the ways that digital images are stored transferred and manipulated using information technology. Hardware used in Digital imaging. Video cameras, live preview digital cameras, laptops, hand held’s and camera phones. Software I'm familiar for digital imaging. Photoshop, Flickr and photo impact. Digital Imaging there are many ways that digital imaging can be used. One of these ways is through Flickr. Flickr allows people to upload photos they have taken and create slideshows and edit them. Flickr allows people to comment on your photos and give there opinion. Go this link to see what Flickr can do. http://www.flickr.com/tour/ Facebook is another way in which we can share our digital images via the internet. This site allows people to upload their photos to their profiles and share them with their friends and family online. People are able to be tagged in photos and this allows them to have these photos on their page so they can share the memories of the photo as well. Facebook is a social networking site that can be accessed here. www.facebook.com YouTube can also be used as a way to use digital imaging to portray information. People can make slideshows of images and they can add their own comments to it or music of their choice. Youtube allows anybody on the internet to access the site and enter a specific search where a list of relevant videos come up. The videos can often have just images in them. Here is a video about digital imaging from Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBH3dPYfsLc

“A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature” The way that this is related to digital cameras. A lot of companies that produce digital cameras only release a new camera as a way of making more money. They do this by saying this is a newer and improved version of a particular camera. When they have probably only changed the look and maybe one or two aspects of it. The pluses of a digital camera in relation to the traditional film based: You can look at the photos that you have just taken and decide if you want them or not. You can delete unwanted photos to make more space for new photos. You can buy large memory storage for the cameras to hold large amounts of photos on them. Before getting the photos printed off you are able to choose which photos you want to print and which ones you don’t. The batteries are more likely to be rechargeable. The negatives of digital cameras in relation to traditional film based cameras. They are far more expensive. A lot more can go wrong with them.

Given the prevalence of image capturing and distribution using IT, what ethical issues may arise with their use? There are many ethical issues which arise from taking photos and putting them on the internet. Anybody can take a photo whenever they want without asking for permission these days especially with cell phones and digital cameras. Some people may not want their photo taken without knowing what is going to happen to it. When a photo is put on the internet it is alway risky because a lot of people are able to access the photo and use it for their own things without the creators or the people in the photos permission.  Once on the internet many people may use the photo without any permission at all.

Briefly discuss some of the ways that digital images could, or are, being used in occupational therapy practice Occupational therapy uses photos when looking at doing a home modification. They will take photos of the room that they are going to change to prevent them from constantly going back to the house for reference.