1. Digital Communication Technologies (DCT’s)
© EIT, Author Gay Robertson, 2017

2. What is digital communication?
Digital Communication uses technology so users can communicate
Digital Communication can be written, verbal, visual (seen) or audible (heard)
Digital Communication Tools are digital tools that allow people (individuals or organisations) to communicate with each other digitally

3. Common Devices which can be used for Digital Communication

4. Hand-held & wearable devices that can be used for digital communication
These devices are changing daily and you need to search for the latest devices – change Advanced Settings to “Last 24 hrs” and see all the new technologies you can use to communicate wirelessly
Bluetooth Smart Watch connect to any blue tooth device
Haematoma detector communicates with Doctor and hospital
Vehicle tracking device can also track driving safety
GPS device
Bluetooth key or wallet tracker using your phone to do the tracking

5. Why use digital communication?
To communicate inexpensively
See, hear, talk to, and work with people (workplace, family)
International locations but No travel involved
Real time connection (synchronous)
Relatively inexpensive
Using company or private computers
Using all mobile devices
Share with lots of people at the same time
Engage by making comments or posting content

6. Synchronous/asynchronous communication …
Digital communication uses the Internet and a DCT to communicate globally or work collaboratively
at the same time (in real time) with clients or friends eg Skype instant messaging, Snapchat, texting on your phone (synchronous communication)
or use eg or Google Docs to relay information to friend with a time lag (asynchronous communication)

7. Let’s look at some DCT’s

8. Some examples …… Emailing to communicate written material
Social networking used to message friends or colleagues or share with friends
Video calling to see and hear conversations
Texting using mobile phones for quick connection
Chat or Instant messaging for instant communication
Forum used to discuss ideas with others

9. Email … Application for an end-user that allows you to
Send and receive messages electronically over the Internet -
The most widely used Internet tool
can include attachments
Quick and cheap communication!

10. How does an email get from your computer to someone else?

11. Or from your device to someone else’s device using the Internet

12. Microsoft Outlook is used as an application in business but also has contact, calendar and task management functionality

13. Social Media
Social network sites provide a great way of communicating with others online
Talk to people (using VoIP which can transmit your voice over the internet)
Exchange pictures
Share information
Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin are examples of social networking sites

14. What is Facebook? Free social networking site
When you become a member by registering you can
Create a profile
Make ‘friends’
Upload photos
Send messages
Comment on other messages
Want to learn more about Facebook go to

15. Facebook Messenger Face-to-face communication eg with
so you can see each other
so you can hear each other
in real-time
using any digital device
Uses Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP)

16. What is Twitter? Free social networking site
When you become a member by registering you can
Create a profile
Follow ‘friends’
Post tweets restricted to 140 characters
Comment on other tweets
Unregistered users can only read tweets
Want to learn more about Twitter go to

17. What is …
Want to learn more about Linkedin go to

18. Skype – a free internet based communication service
Users in different locations have downloaded, installed and added contacts
So they can see each other
So they can hear each other
In real-time (instant messaging)
Using any digital device
Have group meetings
Uses VoIP
Want to learn more? Go to

19. Other internet based communication services include
Facebook video calling
Google hangouts
Apple FaceTime
Yahoo! Messenger
FaceFlow
ooVoo
Some services only allow you to voice chat with other users of the same service so, find out what your friends and relations and colleagues use and join up

20. Chat or IM (Instant Messaging)
Instant – no waiting for other person to check
Great for quick messages or questions
Conversations carried on really quickly
Chat rooms are often subject specific
You can multi task having the conversation while doing other things
But …
Other person not online, try to contact them another way
Not as convenient for lengthy or complicated messages
Sometimes abbreviations make messages difficult to understand

21. Text messaging SMS .. Short Message Service From phone to phone
Any mobile phone not just smart phones
Not free but you may have unlimited texts
Faster than making a phone call
Abbreviations and acronyms are used
eg lol 2moro 2nite BTW GR8
Can have a tone or vibrate when a message arrives
Want to know more about other services, Go to

22. Remember ….. Sometimes things go wrong!
On most occasions, communication across the globe happens in microseconds, but sometimes things can go wrong!
Faults do occur with the millions of connections that are happening from device to device and sometimes individual servers do break down.
But even if part of the internet stops working, the rest of the internet can continue to carry on without a hitch.

23. Etiquette, Security and Personal Safety

24. Etiquette of communication
Be ethical with all communications
Be legal – think of the Acts
Language and content appropriate
Think about privacy of information
Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007
Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015

25. Web based applications …. Cloud based applications
Security needs to follow data as it moves across different devices

26. Need internet security …
Install Antivirus programs
protects against malware and other malicious software
Install a Firewall
Antivirus programs and Firewall must be kept up to date and run automatically

27. Implications for Digital Citizen
Personal safety …

28. Important points for you to think about to enhance your personal safety

29. Some extra information that you may want to go over about network technologies, terminologies and concepts
or Esc to finish

30. Network technologies, terminologies and concepts
What is a network? Local Area Network, Wireless Local Area Network
LANs use cables to create the network
WLANs use a wireless access point or wireless router

31. Network technologies What is a Network card?
An electronic device in most computers motherboard, that connects a computer to a computer network, usually a Local Area Network (LAN)
What is a router?
A device that connects to the modem and forwards data packets from one router to another until the destination on the internet is reached

32. 3G or 4G …
What is 3G/4G? 3rd Generation 4th Generation (most current 15/11/16)
3G technology created the first networks fast enough to make smartphones practical. Before that, they were too slow to allow you do all the things that make smartphones great, like streaming videos, surfing the web and downloading music.
4G has really allowed smartphone technology to spread its wings. That’s because it’s much, much faster than 3G. So when you want to download a new game or stream a TV show in HD, you can do it without buffering and lags that make the experience not worth the wait.

33. WiFi
WiFi is a technology that uses radio waves to provide network connectivity. Make sure your home WiFi is secure. 
The major advantage of WiFi is that it is compatible with almost every operating system, game device, and advanced printer.  
The computer should include a wireless adapter that will translate data sent into a radio signal.
This same signal will be transmitted, via an antenna, to a decoder known as the router.
Once decoded, the data will be sent to the Internet through a wired Ethernet connection. 
WiFi enabled door chime See, hear & speak to people from your smartphone, tablet or PC

34. What are Hotspots?
The term hotspot is used to define an area where WiFi access is available. It can either be through a closed wireless network at home or in public places such as restaurants or airports. 
In order to access hotspots, your computer should include a wireless adapter.
If you are using an advanced laptop model, it will probably include a built-in wireless transmitter already.
If it doesn't, you can purchase a wireless adapter that will plug into the PCI slot or USB port.
Once installed, your system should automatically detect the WiFi hotspots and request connection. If not, you should use software to handle this task for you. 

35. Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a global wireless communication standard that connects devices together over a certain distance.
Think headset and phone, speaker and PC, basketball to smartphone and more.
It is built into billions of products on the market today and connects the Internet of Things (IoT). Network of physical devices eg vehicles, buildings etc etc
A Bluetooth device uses radio waves instead of wires or cables to connect to a phone or computer.
A Bluetooth product, like a headset or watch, contains a tiny computer chip with a Bluetooth radio and software that makes it easy to connect.
When two Bluetooth devices want to talk to each other, they need to pair. 
Go to

36. Esc to finish