Tutorial One

Information technology is defined by the New Zealand pocket oxford dictionary (second edition) as a "branch of technology concerned with the movement and storage of information, especially using computers, telecommunications, etc" (Deverson, 1997)

Information technology is constantly used by many people around the world. We rely on it to keep in touch with friends and family as well as for entertainment and work purposes.

Growing up in a generation that has had significant exposure to technology from a young age I feel fairly confident about using many technological devices such as cell phones and computers.

In my fieldwork experiences I have seen IT used in Occupational Therapy practice by storing patient notes in computers, the therapists using cell phones to contact each other and store dates in, I also saw gaming consoles being used for clients therapy as it is a meaningful activity for many people and it can improve hand function/ coordination etc..

Ethical implications that arise from capturing, sharing and transferring of information via IT devices are copyright issues or 'stealing other people's work' It is easy for people who are not the original authors to claim content as their own or as somebody elses which takes away the rights of the author or creater (Wikipedia)
Also images/ information that identifies people when released to the puplic without the permission of the individual is a big ethical issue often seen.

"Computer Ethics is set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers. Some common issues of computer ethics include intellectual property rights (such as copyrighted electronic content), privacy concerns, and how computers affect society" (TechTerms, 2010)

"Intellectual property (IP) is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which property rights are recognised" (Wikipedia)

"social justice is concerned with equal justice, not just in the courts, but in all aspects of society. This concept demands that people have equal rights and opportunities" (Ellis-Christensen, 2010)

"Informed consent is a legal procedure to ensure that a patient or client knows all of the risks and costs involved in a treatment. The elements of informed consents include informing the client of the nature of the treatment, possible alternative treatments, and the potential risks and benefits of the treatment. In order for informed consent to be considered valid, the client must be competent and the consent should be given voluntarily" (Cherry)

It is important to have a great understanding of IT and the ethical issues involved because it will help us abide by the law and protect relationships with others. It also makes your work more professional if you stick to the law and keep your work ethical.

References

Cherry, K. (n.d.). What is informed consent? Retrieved April 2010, 2010, from About.com: http://psychology.about.com/od/iindex/g/def_informedcon.htm


Deverson, T. (1997). The New Zealand pocket oxford dictionary. Oxford university press.


Ellis-Christensen, T. (2010). Retrieved April 23rd, 2010, from Wise Geek: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-social-justice.htm


TechTerms. (2010). Retrieved April 23rd, 2010, from http://www.techterms.com/definition/computerethics


Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23rd, 2010, from Copyright : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright


Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23rd, 2010, from Intellectual property: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright