Empowerment

Technologies
QUARTER 1
MODULE Online Platforms for
7 ICT Content Development (Part 1)

TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL LIV LIHOOD

 LESSON
Please bear in mind that the previous lesson on basic principles of graphics
and layout will be put to use in the activities of the succeeding lessons so do
not forget them but keep them at the back of your mind for future use.

There are a variety of online platforms and applications that can be used for
different purposes. The trick is to know the purpose of each online platform
and application in order to maximize its capability.

Let us define these two important words first. The term “online platform” has
been used to describe a range of services available on the Internet including
marketplaces, search engines, social media, creative content outlets, app
stores, communications services, payment systems, services comprising the
so-called “collaborative ” or “gig” economy, and much more. It is also defined
as a digital service that facilitates interactions between two or more distinct
but interdependent sets of users (whether firms or individuals) who interact
through the service via the Internet. (OECD 2019, chap. 2) Online application
is also known as web application. Yourdictionary.com defines it is a
computer application that is accessed via a web browser over a network .

Below are some of the online platforms and applications that you can use:
▪ Presentation tools are software used to create sequences of words and
pictures that tell a story or help support a speech or public presentation
of information.
Examples: Prezi, Zoho Show, MS PowerPoint
▪ Photo editing tool is an application used to manipulate or enhance
digital images. It ranges from a basic software that allows resizing of
images to adding basic effects to a more complex form or image editing.
Examples: Picasa, Adobe Photoshop, MS Paint
▪ Photo uploading and hosting tools are websites that enable you to store
and share digital images. These kinds of websites make sharing of
pictures easier to do.
Examples: DropBox, Flickr
▪ Online collaborative tools refer to the tools and platforms people use to
work together within a digital environment. Online collaboration
distinctively involves a group of people working together at the same
time, on the same projects and documents.
Examples: Google Drive, Viber, Facebook
▪ Cloud computing means storing, processing and accessing data and
programs over the Internet instead of using your computer’s hard drive.
Examples: DropBox, Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive
▪ Blog tools are websites that permits anyone to write and publish their
own blog that is hosted on its servers.
Examples: Blogger, WordPress, LiveJournal

▪ Mapping tools are applications that records physical locations on the

globe for identification and navigation.
Examples: Google Maps, Wikimapia

▪ Music production is application used for creating music.

Examples: Sibelius, GarageBand

▪ Survey and forms are online software or applications dedicated as

feedback or data collection tool that brings you actionable information
through online survey or forms. Examples: Google Forms, Survey
Monkey

▪ Content Management Systems (CMS) platforms are computer

applications that allows you to publish, edit and manipulate, organize
and delete web content. CMS is used in blogs, news websites, and
shopping.
Examples: WordPress, Drupal, Joomla
▪ File Management platforms are applications that manage data file. It is
also known as “file managers” because it gives the a bility to create,
enter, change, query and produce reports on one file at a time.
Examples: Zamzar, Word2pdf

▪ Curating tools are applications used to find and collect online content
(information previously created by other people) and present the best
pieces in a structured way.
Examples: Pinterest, Storify, Trapit

▪ Web design platforms are websites that grant users the independence
to design and create their own websites.
Examples: Wix, Weebly, Adobe Dreamweaver

▪ Web Management platforms are integrated set of tools and services

allowing teams to build, launch, and manage websites.
Examples: Drupal, WordPress, Joomla

☺ Please take time to visit these websites and be familiar with them.
 Figure 1. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cloud_computing.jpg

Cloud computing applications are almost everywhere. Internet users access

these websites on a daily basis. The word “cloud” is a metaphor for the
Internet. It means everything can be accessed remotely over the Internet.
Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram are popular
cloud computing applications. What makes these cloud computing
applications appealing? What are its weaknesses? Here are some of its
advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages of Cloud Computing Applications:

1. Back-up and restore data - If the data is saved in the cloud, it is easier to
use the cloud to get backup and recover those data.

2. Improved collaboration - Cloud technologies promote collaboration by

allowing groups of people to share information quickly and easily through
shared storage in the cloud.

3. Excellent accessibility - Through the use of the internet connection, cloud

helps us to swiftly and effortlessly access stored information anywhere,
anytime in the whole world.

4. Low maintenance cost - Cloud computing reduces the costs to its users
both hardware and software maintenance.

5. Mobility - Cloud computing enables us to access all cloud data

conveniently via mobile phone.
6. IServices in the pay-per-use model - Cloud computing provides users with
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for web-based access services
and charges the fees for service use.

7. Unlimited storage capacity - Cloud provides us with a huge amount of

storage capacity to store our important data in one place, such as
documents, images, audio, video, etc.

8. Data Security - One of the main benefits of cloud computing is data

protection. Cloud provides numerous sophisticated security features and
guarantees data is stored and managed in a secure manner.

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing Applications:

1. Internet Connectivity - Any data (image, audio, video, etc.) that is stored in
a cloud computing application can only be accessed using internet
connection. If you don’t have a good connectivity to the Internet, you can’t
access the information. We don’t have any other way of accessing those
data saved in the cloud.

2. Vendor lock-in - The greatest drawback of cloud computing is the lock-in

vendors. When switching its services from one vendor to another, users
can face problems. Since various providers have different service, this may
cause difficulties to switch form one cloud to another.

3. Limited control - As we know, cloud infrastructure is wholly owned,

managed, and monitored by the service provided, so cloud users have less
control over the function and performance of cloud infrastructure services.

4. Security - Though cloud service providers implement the best standards of

security to store important information. You should bear in mind that you
are sending information to a third-party service provider. There is a big
possibility that your information can be hacked by hackers while sending
information on the cloud.

In this presentation, the advantages of using cloud computing applications

outweighs its disadvantages, but as a user of the Internet, careful use of the
cloud computing applications should always be considered a top priority.
 ACTIVITIES

Activity 1. Give at least two (2) websites for the following online platforms.
Search engines Social media
1. 1.

2. 2.

App store Communications services

1. 1.

2. 2.

Activity 2. Explore and discover the websites below then answer the
following questions.
Check out this website  Dropbox (www.dropbox.com)
1. What is the purpose of this website?

2. After visiting this site, what are the benefits that you have discovered?

Check out this website  Flickr (www.flickr.com)

1. What is the purpose of this website?

2. After visiting this site, what are the benefits that you have discovered?
 WRAP-UP

1. What is an online application?

2. What are the different uses of online applications?

3. Give the advantages and disadvantages of using cloud computing

applications.
Advantages Disadvantages
 VALUING

It is a given fact that the pandemic COVID19 has affected every areas of our
society. In what way can the use of online platforms and applications be
beneficial to your everyday life?

Place your answer here:

POSTTEST

True or False: Write T if the sentence is correct; otherwise, write F.

1. Migrating information to cloud computing application is more

prone to hacking.
2. Google Forms and Twitter are examples of online platform.
3. Microsoft One Drive is an example of online collaborative tool.
4. Online application is also referred to as browser application?
5. Cloud computing applications require the use of Internet.
6. CMS is a computer application that allows you to create, edit, and
publish content.