IT MADE US TO WORRY

Information technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware." IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information.

Today, the term information technology has ballooned to encompass many aspects of computing and technology, and the term has become very recognizable. The information technology umbrella can be quite large, covering many fields. IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, database and software design, as well as the management and administration of entire systems.

When computer and communications technologies are combined, the result is information technology, or "infotech". Information Technology (IT) is a general term that describes any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store, communicate, and/or disseminate information. Presumably, when speaking of Information Technology (IT) as a whole, it is noted that the use of computers and information are associated.

The term Information Technology (IT) was coined by Jim Domsic of Michigan in November 1981.[citation needed] Domsic created the term to modernize the outdated phrase "data processing". Domsic at the time worked as a computer manager for an automotive related industry.In recent years ABET and the ACM have collaborated to form accreditation and curriculum standards for degrees in Information Technology as a distinct field of study separate from both Computer Science and Information Systems. SIGITE is the ACM working group for defining these standards.

Although reports of an "information explosion" date back to at least the era of Vannevar Bush, the increasing abundance of information at the start of the new millennium seems daunting.3 Lyman and Varian’s 2003 study estimated that new stored information grew at a rate of approximately 30 percent annually between 1999 and 2002.4 Most new information is stored in digital form, and an increasing percentage of analog materials are being migrated from analog to digital. No wonder educators, librarians, researchers, futurists, and business and government leaders worry about our citizens’ abilities to effectively deal with this expanding—and mostly digital—volume of information.

Use of the Internet is just one example of the influx of information technology into our daily lives. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, in December 2003 fully 63 percent of adult Americans and three-quarters of those aged 12 to 17 reported using the Internet.5 Characteristic activities differ among various categories of users but typically include e-mail, information seeking, and electronic commerce.


Problems with Reaching IT Fluency Goals

In their book Higher Education in the Digital Age, Duderstadt, Atkins, and Van Houweling asserted that although information technology has affected nearly every segment of society—from corporations to governments—higher education provides a stark contrast: "To date, the university stands apart, almost unique in its determination to moor itself to past traditions and practices, to insist on performing its core teaching activities much as it has in the past."18 The lecture method is literally unchanged from its introduction centuries ago, and many technology innovations remain in limited use.

The available data to a large degree support their contentions regarding the use of IT within academe. The Green study, for example, reported relatively low use of computer-based classrooms/labs (32.1 percent of classes), course management tools for online course resources (33.6 percent), and Web pages for class materials (37.4 percent of classes).19 With an average of 82 percent of campuses providing access to a CMS, this suggests a tremendous underutilization of an expensive campus investment. More encouraging signs include the incorporation of e-mail (in 71.8 percent of classes) and Internet resources (in 52.9 percent of classes). Given that e-mail is the most popular use of the Internet, followed closely by information seeking, these findings simply tend to parallel larger societal trends, however.20

A smaller-scale qualitative study at the University of Washington (UW) provides an additional perspective to consider in assessing the state of IT in at least one higher education learning environment.21 Through multidisciplinary focus groups of approximately 100 faculty and students, UW’s Program for Educational Transformation Through Technology expanded on a 2001 survey of faculty educational technology practices. Students emphasized their expectations for the integration of technology into their education and expressed concern that these expectations were not being met. Specific technologies considered important by students included course Web sites (perhaps mandatory for all classes); effective (emphasis added) faculty use of PowerPoint; discussion boards; e-mail as the primary mode of communication with faculty; and Web-based research resources. Other technologies and instructional methods valued by students included instant messaging, Microsoft Excel, the use of video clips to reinforce lecture material, and hands-on, self-paced, progressive learning opportunities.

Faculty in this study also considered PowerPoint, discussion boards, and Web-based research important. More striking, however, were the faculty concerns about overcoming the barriers to implementation of these technologies into their curricula. Perceived barriers included their own lack of skill, equipment, and time. Further, the wide range of skill levels among faculty was viewed as hindering communication with departmental colleagues; many individuals simply did not feel comfortable with the culture of educational technology. Faculty perceptions reported in this study are particularly interesting in view of the strong emphasis at UW on faculty technology support through various components of its UWired initiative.

IT funding continues to be a serious campus challenge according to both the "Fifth Annual EDUCAUSE Survey on IT Issues" and the Green study. However, "assisting faculty in integrating technology into instruction" was considered to be the single most important IT challenge (out of 10 options) over the next several years according to Green respondents (21.4 percent).22 "Faculty development, support, and training" were similarly ranked 5 and 6, respectively, out of 10 of the top IT issues in the EDUCAUSE survey.23 Given the competition from such areas as funding, security, administrative systems, and network maintenance, the placement of a relatively "soft" issue among the top 10 by EDUCAUSE respondents signals an acknowledgement of its importance in a time of burgeoning costs, technical complications, and rising expectations for technical infrastructure.

Outsourcing of work to low cost developing nations is growing rapidly even after constant challenges it faces from government and lawmakers of developed countries.
Last 6 years have seen India become the Outsourcing hub of the world and trend seem to be continuing for few years to come. The latest estimates released by National Association of Software and Services companies (Nasscom), projects revenues at $40 billion for this fiscal year. The report also says that, software and services sector should achieve $60bn in export revenue by 2009/2010. Having one of the youngest and largest English speaking well educated populations in the world is just a couple of reasons (of many) on why India is the front runner in this knowledge Industry.

However, some researches like the one prepared by IDC predict that China may overtake India in IT offshoring as early as 2011. Ofcourse, I do not buy that. Not because I am an Indian, but I sincerely think China does not have what it takes to overtake India in IT sector in next 4 years as put forth by the IDC Global Delivery Index.
Here is an excerpt from the IDC report.

Honestly speaking, Mumbai and Bangalore are not the cities that should be even considered now, as these places are completely saturated, but Tier I and II cities in India are having the biggest potential for growth. Cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, Cochin, Mysore, Chandigarh, Patna, Nagpur, and many more are the cities that need to be included in the Global Delivery Index. I bet they will rank much higher on this index than any of the other Asia-Pacific cities. Even if you consider the difference in cost of setting up delivery center in Between Bangalore and Pune/Ahmedabad, it would be less than a half. If you talk to most HR experts, they will tell you that you can find good people resources easily in Tier II cities as compared to Mumbai and Bangalore.