Technology of Different Information Age

Information Age:

Information age refers to the developmental stages in man’s history. In the early years, man was conscious of             the necessity of tools,  until the need for counting began to arise. Man, as historians and scientists agree, has        gone through major developmental stages. It is essential to go through the ages and examine the major         developments that characterized them as a prelude to how Computers and Computing came into existence.

The ages are:

• Stone age
• Iron age(hoe and cutlass)
• Middle age(feather,pen and ink)
• Industrial age.(machine)
• Electronic age
• Computer and Information age
• Stone Age:

This is a broad pre-historic time period (Approximately 500,000 BC 10,000 BC) when humans widely used stones for tool making. During this period, man’s basic task was gathering food and hunting animals using tools made from natural rocks and stones, which were used for making fire, killing animals and enemies. Examples of stone age tools are flints which were used for cutting, basalt and sandstone which were used for grinding.

• Iron Age:

The Iron Age is a pre –history period (Approximately 3500years ago 1. E. 1500 BC) during which cutting tools and weapons were mainly made of Iron or steel. For  the first time, humans were able to exploit efficiently the temperature forests, villages were fortified, warfare was conducted on horseback and in horse-drawn chariots, and alphabetic writing based on the Phoenician script became widespread.

Artwork in the Iron Age communicated the cultural and societal influences of that time.

• Middle Age:

This is a period  in history which lasted for roughly a millennium, commonly dated from the 5^th century to the beginning of the 16^th Century. One of the most important developments in the “Middle Age” was the experimentation and developments in iron production. In the medieval history, development were made in the areas of agriculture tools, harnessing of time, use of iron, building construction, weaving and textiles industry. The plow is considered to be one of the most important but the oldest technology developed but was radically improved and was used with multiple- oxen teams.   

• Industrial Age:

This is the period of evolution of machines used in our societies today. During the period of industrial revolution which started in Britain and later spread to the other parts of the world, an economy based on manual labour was replaced by one dominated by industry and manufacture of machinery. It began with the mechanization of textiles industries, the development of iron- making techniques and the increased use of refined coal.

There was trade explosion, introduction of canals, improved roads and railways. The introduction of steam power and powered machinery underpinned the increase in production capacity and the development of all metal- machine tools which facilitated production of machines in other industries.

• Electronic Age:

This is the development of mechanical calculators, slide rules, paper and pencils which formed the world’s main tools for calculation in early 60’s. The first large electronic desktop calculators began to replace electronic mechanical machines.

Those models based on the newest electronic technology used thousands of transistors. The first electronic desktop calculators were noted for the abundant publication, consumption and manipulation of information especially by computers and computer networks. Examples of electronic age tools are electronic typewriters and electronic calculators.

• Computer and Information Age: 

This is also known as the computer age or digital age. It is characterized by the ability of individuals to transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge. This age has allowed rapid global communications and networking to shape modern society.

EVALUATION

1. List the developmental stages in man’s history.
2. What is information age?

A CHART SHOWING THE DESCRIPTIVE EXPLANATION OF INFORMATION AGE

GENERAL EVALUATION

1. State the different information ages.

2. State the tools used in each age.

READING ASSIGNMENT

Computer Studies for Junior Secondary Education Js1 by HiiT Plc. Page 1 – 6, Chapter 1.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. The ________age is a pre- history period during which human beings widely used stone for tool making. (a) stone     ( b) middle     ( c)  iron      (d)   industrial
2. The ______age was a period in late 18^th and early 19^th centuries.   (a) industrial (b) middle age

(c) stone (d) none of the above

• The emergence of machines was during the middle age (a) false (b) true (c) not sure
• Pen, feather and ink were used in  _____ age  (a) middle ( b) stone (c) industrial (d)electronic
• How many information ages do we have presently?   (a) 5   (b )3      (c) 3     d) 2

THEORY

Write short note on the following:

1. Stone age, iron age, middle age

2. Industrial age and electronic age