The phrase "information and communication technologies" has been used by academic researchers since the _____.*1980s1990s2000s

The phrase "information and communication technologies" (ICT) has been used by academic researchers since the 1980s. In the context of the development of digital communication systems and the rapid advancement of computers, the term began to gain traction as the integration of telecommunications and computer technology became more prevalent. Scholars started to explore the implications and functions of ICT across various fields, including education, business, and social sciences. The 1980s marked a pivotal time in the evolution of technology, characterized by gradual changes that laid the groundwork for the explosion of digital communication that followed into the 1990s and beyond. As such, the 1980s is recognized as the decade when this terminology started to become prominent in academic discourse.