ICT studies made easy

A review of Ibrahim Bello’s An In-depth Description of Computer and Its Potentials, and Data Processing and ICT Compliance by STEPHEN GBADAMOSI.

THERE is no gainsaying the fact that Information and Communication Technology (ICT), is the future of development of any nation in the 21st century. Indeed, education in any field today requires an understanding of ICT. Despite the often reiterated importance of this branch of knowledge, however, many students believe it is a subject difficult to understand.

This is why the efforts of Ibrahim Bello, a lecturer at Crown Polytechnic, Odo, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State in his two books, An In-depth Description of Computer and Its Potentials and Data Processing and ICT Compliance are timely and useful for starters in ICT education.

Written in simple and concise language, the books identify terms commonly used in the teaching of computer education, data processing, ICT in general and give their definition in clear terms.

In the first book comprising eight chapters, the author traces the origin of computers and explains its stages of development. In most cases, diagrams and pictures are presented for more lucid understanding of the subject matter.

Also, in Data Processing and ICT Compliance, a four-chapter hand-book, the author identifies terms such as data, information, data processing, types of files, file organisation, information processing techniques, word processing, internet processing, teleprocessing, multi programme, data transmission, multi tasking, among others, and presents a lucid explanation.

The first chapter basically treats Data and Information; the second, Information Processing Techniques; three, Computer Classification; and the fourth deals with Data Collection Methods. Each of the chapters is further divided into sub-headings with explanation of relevant terminologies.

But for a few typographical errors, the books are fluid and the concepts they discuss are easy to understand.