EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE UK

Information systems are used in almost every imaginable career area. Sales rep­resentatives use information systems to advertise products, communicate with customers, and analyze sales trends. Managers use them to make multimillion dollar decisions, such as deciding to build a new manufacturing plant or research a new cancer drug. Corporate lawyers use information systems to develop contracts and other legal documents for their firm. From a small music store to huge multinational companies, businesses of all sizes could not survive without information systems to perform accounting and finance operations. Regardless of your college major or chosen career, you will find that, information systems are indispensable tools to help you achieve your career aspirations. Learning about information systems can help you get your first job, obtain promotions, and advance your career. Why learn about information systems. What is in it for you? Learning about information systems will help you achieve your goals! In addition, meet sections in this chapter are covered in complete chapters later in this book. For example, the sections in this chapter on hardware, software, databases, telecommunications, e-commerce and m-commerce, transaction processing and enterprise resource planning, information and decision support, special purpose systems, systems development, and ethical and societal issues become complete chapters in the rest of the book. Let’s get started by exploring the basics of information systems.

An information system (IS) is a set of interrelated components that collect, manipulate, store, and disseminate data and information and provide a feedback mechanism to meet an objective. The feedback mechanism helps organizations achieve their goals, such as increasing profits or improving customer service.

We all interact daily with information systems, both personally and professionally. We use automatic teller machines at banks, checkout clerks scan our purchases using bar codes and scanners, we access information over the Internet, and we get information from kiosks with touchscreens. Major Fortune 500 companies are spending in excess of $1 billion per year on information technology. In the future, we will depend on information systems even more. Knowing the potential of information systems and having the ability to put this knowledge to work can result in a successful personal career, organizations that reach their goals, and a society with a higher quality of life.

Computers and information systems are constantly changing the way organizations conduct business. They are becoming fully integrated into our lives, businesses, and society. They can help organizations carry on daily operations (operational systems). For example, WalMart uses operational systems to pull supplies from distribution centers and ultimately suppliers, stock shelves, and push out products and services through customer purchases. Computer and information systems also act as command and control systems that monitor processes and help supervisors control them. For example, air traffic control centers use computers and information systems as command and control centers to monitor and direct planes in their air space.

Information systems are everywhere. A customer at the gas pump waives a keychain tag at a reader that sends the information to a network to verify the customer's profile and credit information. The terminal processes the transaction, prints a receipt, and the customer's credit/check card is automatically billed.

(Source: Courtesy of Texas Instruments, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Today we live in an information economy. Information itself has value, and commerce often involves the exchange of information, rather than tangible goods. Systems based on computers are increasingly being used to create, store, and transfer information. Investors are using information systems to make multimillion-dollar decisions, financial institutions are employing them to transfer billions of dollars around the world electronically, and manufacturers are using them to order supplies and distribute goods faster than ever before. Computers and information systems will continue to change our society, our businesses, and our lives. In this chapter, we present a framework for understanding computers and information systems and discuss why it is important to study information systems. This understanding will help you unlock the potential of properly applied IS concepts.

Task 1. What do you think about the following ideas?

1. Why is it important to study information systems?
2. Give a definition of an information system.
3. How are information systems used in business and everyday life?
4. How are computers and information systems constantly changing the way companies conduct their business?
5. If you know the potential of information systems and have an ability to put this knowledge to work, can you achieve success in your personal career?

Task 2. Read the text carefully. Say whether the sentences below the text are true or false.

1. Sales representative use information systems to make multimillion-decisions, such as deciding to build a new manufacturing plant or research a new cancer drug.

2. The feedback mechanism helps organizations achieve their goals, such as increasing profits or improving customer service.

3. Systems based on computers are being used only to transfer information.

4. Computer and information systems are constantly changing the way organizations conduct business.

5. From a small music store to huge multinational companies, businesses of all sizes could survive without information systems to perform accounting and finance operations.

Task 3. Choose the words from the box and put each of them in the correct place of the sentence.

1. Information systems are … tools to help you to achieve your career aspiration.

2. Computers and information systems are constantly changing the way organizations … business.

3. An information system is a set of interrelated components that collect, manipulate, … and disseminate data.

4. The … helps organizations achieve their goals, such as increasing profits or improving customer service.

5. Information itself has value, and commerce often involves the … of information, rather than tangible goods.

6. Manufacturers are employing information systems to order supplies and … goods.

7. Computer and information systems are becoming fully … into our lives, business, and society.

8. Computer and information systems also act as command and control systems that … processes and help supervisors control them.

9. Major Fortune 500 companies are spending in excess of $1 billion per year on …

10. Computer and information systems can help organizations … daily operations.

Task 4. Find the words according to their definitions in the marked paragraph of the text.

1. the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet (p. 1);

2. to spread or give out news, information, ideas, etc. to many people (p. 2);

3. to make use of something (p.5 );

4. an instruction or signal that causes a computer to perform one of its basic functions (p. 4);

5. the study or use of systems (esp. computers and telecommunications) for storing, retrieving, and sending information (p. 3)

Task 5. Discuss the following questions:

1. How can banks use an information system?
2. What are the perspectives on information systems?
3. How are information systems and information technologies used for marketing?
4. How does a system convert data into information?
5. What is an office information system? What is it usually used for?

Task 6. Read the key terms carefully and find the best explanation.

EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE UK

Education system in the UK is divided into four main parts:

compulsory education:

1) primary education (Years 1-6);

2) secondary education (Years 7-11);

elective education

3) further education (Sixth Form College);

4) higher education (college or university).

Schooling for children is compulsory from age 5 to 16, though children under 5 may attend nursery schools or day nurseries. Education within the maintained school system usually comprises two stages – primary and secondary education. Once a student finishes secondary education he/she has the option to extend into further education. UK students planning to go to college or university must complete further education.

To ensure that all schools could be standardised so all children went from Year 1 to Year 11 in the same way and at the same time, with the same curriculum the National Curriculum was designed. The curriculum consists of a range of subjects. There is a minimum mandatory core of English, mathematics, combined science, physical education, religious education, and sex education, with short courses in technology (including Information Technology) and a modern foreign language. This gives schools the freedom to teach a greater range of academic or vocational subjects, such as Greek and Latin, additional modern languages (French, German, Spanish, etc.), performing or creative arts, history and geography, the three separate sciences, etc. Schools are also expected to teach Personal and Social Education (PSE), which includes Citizenship. Religious education is available in all schools although parents have the right to withdraw their children from such classes.

1. Primary education

Primary schools consist mainly of infant schools for children aged 5 to 7, junior schools for those aged 7 to 11, and sometimes combined junior and infant schools for both age groups.

Primary students pass from years one to six without examinations, though their abilities are tested at age seven. The emphasis is on learning by discovery rather than memorisation. Students learn core subjects such as English, math and science, as well as foundation subjects such as history, geography, music, art and physical education. Infant schools are largely informal; there is an emphasis on children sharing and enjoying stories, communication through role play and other games and activities, and emergent writing e.g. making shopping lists, writing prescriptions etc. In junior schools, teaching is often more formal; children there usually have set periods of statutory subjects.

In their last year of primary education, till recently, most schoolchildren had to sit for the eleven-plus examination*. Today it is generally used as an entrance test to a specific group of secondary schools, rather than a blanket exam for all pupils, and is taken voluntarily.

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 1344