LESSON 1
What is the Internet?
Introduction
What you will learn in this lesson
- What is the Internet
- Types of digital information
- How do you connect to the internet
- How do you use the Internet
Your friend, Angela, has recently gotten herself a new laptop for school work. She is excited to join her friends for online learning and to explore what the internet has to offer.
However, she is clueless about how to start.
Help Angela understand what is the internet and how can she use the internet.
Here's an example to explain the concept of using the internet
Imagine visiting your school library. You are there because you want to do some research for a class project.
You will be looking for a librarian to help you find the information you need or you would look for the directory.
All the information available in the library are kept neatly and managed by where they are kept.
What if all the information you need is not available? You may need to go to another library or look for other sources.
In today's world, almost all available information are made digitally.
We can access digital information through what we call the Internet.
What is the Internet?
The Internet is a global network of connected devices. These connected devices are constantly sharing information and are accessible from anywhere in the world.
Can you imagine the connections between computers around the world?
To connect to the Internet, there are 2 ways. We can either connect with a cable or wirelessly to our internet router. From there, it is connected to our internet service provider.
Globally, the internet is connected in 2 ways as well. Optic fibre cables are laid on the seabed to connect different parts of the continent.
We could also connect the world wirelessly through communication towers & satellites.
Watch This Video!
Digital Information
Any form of content that resides in a computer are known as digital information or data. They are in binary form of 1s & 0s.
The bigger the amount of data, the longer it takes to be transferred. The faster the internet speed, the quicker that same data can be transferred.
How do you use the Internet?
We gain access to wireless internet, or wi-fi, through different types of connections.
Public Connections
(No password required, Unsecure, Untrusted)
(No password required, Unsecure, Untrusted)
Other people can:
See your information
Steal information you send
Monitor what you are doing
Private Connections
(Password required, Encryption enabled)
(Password required, Encryption enabled)
The network you are signing into is the network name it is representing.
Password-Protected Network
(Password required, Secure, Trusted)
These networks have encryptions enabled by the wi-fi owner
Commonly used encryption protocols:
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP),
Wireless Internet Protected Access (WPA), or
WPA2
Websites
(No password required, Secure, Trusted)
HTTPS is a standard used by websites to encrypt data passed over the internet.
It is added in front of the URL you use (e.g https://www.mysite.com). Not all websites support HTTPS.
HTTPS can:
Prevent any third party from easily viewing data from your connection.
Provide an extra layer of security.
How much do you understand about connecting to the internet?
Communicating with Others
An early form of communication on the Internet that is still in use today is Email or Electronic-Mail.
We can keep in touch with people quicker than regular mail being sent to another country.
We send emails for a variety of purposes:
We use it when we apply for jobs by attaching our resume in the email.
We use it to advertise products and services quickly through email as well.
Today, your email address has become your digital identification on the internet.
When sending mail to a person, we need the person's home address.
We also need a person's email address if we want to send them an email. Remember! Just like a physical address, spelling mistakes may cause error.
This is how an email address format looks like = name@email.com
Social Media
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube and many more have built themselves on the Internet to provide a platform to connect.
Social media is a digital tool that allows users to create digital content as well as share it around. It also allows you to exchange information with other people.
It can be in text form, images/photos, music/songs & videos and any other forms of digital media.
Do you use any social media platforms? Which is your favourite and why?
Using the Internet
There are many platforms on the internet that we use to find information and
to communicate with others.
The main platform we use for finding information is:
Search Engine
There are many different search engines that contain websites. You can use these search engines to find information on a topic of interest. Examples: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox
There are many different platforms for communication, some are for formal communication, and some are for informal, let’s familiarise ourselves with them!
Instant
Messaging Apps
To keep in touch with our friends and speak to family via text, we can use instant messaging apps. (Informal)
Web Forums
Some people like to meet new friends and share information on website forums. These are often spaces for people keen on different hobbies or interests to discuss their mutual interests. (Informal)
If you need to convey important, lengthy and comprehensive information, it is best to send an email. Emails can be official records of information. (Formal)
Social Media
People use social media to share about their personal lives, connect with family and friends, or engage in other social behavior online. (Informal)
Before you finish...
What would you like to share with Angela about the internet?
Add your ideas in the padlet below.
Add your ideas in the padlet below.