The document discusses various topics related to informatics including information technology literacy, uses of IT for different purposes, an overview of IT concepts and changes in technology over time. It also addresses knowledge and skills needed for higher education including using the internet, academic writing, databases and repositories. Additionally, it covers social informatics topics like responsible use of computers, open source software and health and safety issues. Managing data through appropriate software for analysis and presentation is also summarized. Finally, the document introduces R as a free software for statistical computing and graphics.

1. INFORMATICS
V. Sriram
Chief Librarian
Centre for Development Studies
Thiruvananthapuram
Email: sriram@cds.edu

2. Information Technology
• IT Literacy
• IT for entertainment
• IT for education
• IT for development
• IT for survival

3. IT Overview
An introduction about the IT concepts
Essential things in everyday life. Used by
majority of people in most places.
• Changes in Technology
• Generations of gadgets
• PDA’s, Tablets, Mobile Phones, Google Glass
• Open Source Software
• Android / Firefox

4. Knowledge Skills for Higher Education.
Vast amount of knowledge is available in digital
form and in virtual world.
Basics of network, formats and access methods.
• Using Internet
• Academic writing
• Repositories
• Databases

5. Social Informatics
The ethical, legal, and moral challenges posed
by computers and technology
• Responsible use
• Open software and its freedom
• Health and safety

6. Managing Data
• Most of the data sets are available online
• Knowledge about handling data sets.
• Use of appropriate Software for practical
statistical analysis
• Data input, analysis, data presentation

7. R
• R is a free software environment for statistical
computing and graphics. It compiles and runs
on a wide variety of UNIX platforms, Windows
and MacOS.
• http://www.r-project.org/

8. “Being computer literate doesn’t mean you
need to know enough to program a computer
or build one yourself. Just as with a car, you
should know enough about it to take care of it
and use it effectively.”
- Informatics: Technology in Action

9. Thank you!