GETTING STARTED

HARDWARE/SOFTWARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Understand the basic concepts of hardware, software and Information Technology (IT)

·       Hardware

·       Software

·       Information Technology (IT)

TYPES OF COMPUTER

Understand and distinguish between main-frame computer, minicomputer, network computer, personal computer, and laptop computer in terms of capacity, speed, cost, and typical users Understand the terms intelligent and dumb terminal

·       What is a mainframe computer?

·       What is a mini-computer?

·       What is a super-computer?

·       What is the difference between a PC and a Mac?

·       What is a networked computer?

·       What are laptop & palmtops computers?

·       What is the difference between intelligent and dumb terminals?

·       Computer speed and capacity issues

MAIN PARTS OF A PERSONAL COMPUTER

Know the main parts of a personal computer: the central processing unit (CPU), the hard disk, common input/output devices, types of memory, removable storage devices such as diskette, zip disc, CD-ROM etc Understand the term peripheral device

·       The System Unit

·       The System (Mother) Board

·       The CPU

·       Memory (RAM)

·       ROM-BIOS

·       Serial Port

·       Parallel Port

·       Universal Serial Bus (USB)

·       The Monitor

·       The Keyboard

·       The Mouse

·       CD-ROM

·       DVD Drives

·       Floppy disk

·       Zip Disc

·       Hard (Fixed) Disk

·       What is a peripheral device?

·       Additional items or cards

·       Sound cards and speakers

·       Modems

·       Printers

·       Scanners

·       Recordable CDs

·       Tape backup

·       What are input devices?

·       What are output devices?

·       What is PCMCIA?

HARDWARE 

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT 

Understand the term central processing unit (CPU) and know what the CPU does - calculations, logic control, immediate access memory etc Know that the speed of the CPU is measured in megahertz (MHz) 

·       The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 

INPUT DEVICES 

Know some of the main devices for inputting data into a computer such as mice, keyboards, trackballs, scanners, touch pads, light pens, joysticks etc 

·       The Mouse

·       The Keyboard 

·       Tracker Balls 

·       Scanners 

·       Touch Pads 

·       Light Pens 

·       Joysticks 

·       Voice input for PCs 

·       Web Cams 

·       Digital Cameras  

OUTPUT DEVICES 

Know the most common output devices for displaying the results of processing carried out by a computer, e.g. various visual display units (VDU's), screens or monitors, printers such as those commonly available, plotters, speakers, speech synthesizers etc Know where and how these devices are used 

·       The VDU (computer monitor or screen) 

·       Flat screen monitors 

·       Screen size 

·       What is VGA Super VGA and XGA? 

·       Graphics for games 

·       Computer presentation projection devices 

·       Different types of printer 

·       Laser printers 

·       Color laser printers 

·       Inkjet printers 

·       Dot Matrix printers 

·       Printer Memory 

·       Cost of printer peripherals 

·       Plotters 

·       Speakers 

·       Speech synthesizers 

STORAGE 

MEMORY STORAGE DEVICES 

Compare the main types of memory storage device in terms of speed, cost and capacity e.g. internal/external hard disk, zip disk, data cartridges, CD-ROM, diskette etc 

·       Internal hard disks 

·       External hard disks 

·       Zip drives 

·       Jaz drives 

·       Diskettes (floppy disks) 

·       CD-ROM Disks 

·       DVD Drives 

·       What is the difference between internal and external hard disks? 

TYPES OF MEMORY 

Understand different types of computer memory: e.g. RAM (random-access memory), ROM (read-only memory) Understand when they are used 

·       What is RAM? 

·       What is ROM? 

·       What is the ROM-BIOS? 

·       What is flash BIOS? 

·       The ROM-BIOS and the Year      bug 

·       What is Video (graphics) memory? 

MEASURING MEMORY 

Know how computer memory is measured; (bit, byte, KB, MB, GB) Relate computer memory measurements to characters, fields, records, files and directories/folders 

·       Basic Units of Data Storage 

·       Bit 

·       Byte 

·       Kilobyte 

·       Megabyte 

·       Gigabyte 

·       Files 

·       Directories (folders) 

·       Records 

COMPUTER PERFORMANCE 

Know some of the factors that impact on a computer's performance, e.g. CPU speed, RAM size, hard disk speed and capacity 

·       Computer speed 

·       SOFTWARE 

TYPES OF SOFTWARE 

Know the meaning of the terms; operating systems software and applications software Understand the distinction between them 

·       What is an Operating System? 

·       What is an Application Program? 

OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE 

Understand the main functions of an operating system Understand the term Graphical User Interface (GUI) and give examples Be aware of the main advantages of using a GUI interface 

·       What is a Graphical User Interface? 

·       The advantages of using a GUI 

APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE 

List some common software applications together with their uses, e.g. word processing applications, spreadsheets, database, payroll, presentation tools, desktop publishing and multimedia applications 

·       Examples of word-processing applications 

·       Examples of spreadsheet applications 

·       Examples of database applications 

·       Examples of payroll applications 

·       Examples of presentation applications 

·       Examples of desktop publishing applications 

·       Examples of multimedia applications 

·       Examples of Web authoring applications 

SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT 

Understand how computer-based systems are developed Know about the process of research, analysis, programming and testing often used in developing computer-based systems 

·       What is a systems development cycle? 

INFORMATION NETWORKS 

LAN AND WAN 

Know the definitions of local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN) Know about the advantages of group working and sharing resources over a network 

·       What is a LAN? 

·       What is a WAN? 

·       What is workgroup computing? 

THE TELEPHONE NETWORK IN COMPUTING 

Understand the use of the telephone network in computing Understand the terms Public Switched Data Network (PSDN), Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN), satellite communications Understand the terms fax, telex, modem, digital, analogue, baud, (measured in bps - bits per second) 

·       PSDN 

·       ISDN 

·       Satellites 

·       Fax 

·       Telex 

·       Modem 

·       Digital vs. analogue 

·       Baud rate 

ELECTRONIC MAIL 

Understand the term electronic mail and know the uses of e-mail Understand what is needed to send and receive e-mail Detail some of the information and communications technology (ICT) equipment needed to use e-mail 

·       The Benefits of E-mail 

·       What is required to Use E-mail? 

THE INTERNET 

Know what the Internet is Understand the concept of the Internet and some of its main uses Understand the economics of Internet mail systems relative to other mail delivery methods Know what a search engine is Understand the distinction between the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) 

·       What is the Internet and how is it useful? 

·       Internet Search Engines 

·       The cost of email vs. conventional mail 

COMPUTERS IN EVERYDAY LIFE 

COMPUTERS IN THE HOME 

Know some of the uses of the PC at home e.g. hobbies, household accounts, working from home, projects and homework, using e-mail and the Internet 

·       Computers and the opportunities offered by their use 

·       Computer games 

·       Home working 

·       Home Banking 

·       Connecting to the Web 

COMPUTERS AT WORK OR IN EDUCATION 

Know the uses of office applications; give examples of the types of computer-based systems used in business, industry, government and education Be aware of where a computer might be more appropriate than a person for carrying out a task and where not 

·       CBT (Computer Based Training) 

·       Automated production systems 

·       Design Systems 

·       Types of systems used in business 

·       Stock Control 

·       Accounts / Payroll 

·       Voice Mail / Fax 

·       Email 

·       Word processing 

·       Spreadsheets 

·       Databases 

·       Presentation 

·       Graphics 

·       Translation programs 

·       Where computers might be more appropriate than people 

·       Where people might be more appropriate than computers 

COMPUTERS IN DAILY LIFE 

Be aware of the uses of computers in every-day life e.g. in supermarkets or libraries, at the doctor's surgery, the use of smart cards, etc 

·       Types of systems used in the home 

·       Accounts 

·       Games 

·       Educational 

·       Working from home (Tele-working) 

·       Internet 

·       Bank 'hole in the wall' cash machines 

·       On-line banking 

·       Smart ID cards 

·       Supermarkets 

·       On-line supermarkets 

·       Libraries 

·       Doctors surgeries 

IT AND SOCIETY 

A CHANGING WORLD 

Understand the terms Information Society and Information Superhighway Know some of the implications of the

·       The Concept of the "Information Society" 

·       E-commerce 

A GOOD WORKSPACE 

·       Understand what elements and practices can help create a good working environment e.g. frequent breaks away from the computer, appropriate positioning of screens, chairs and keyboards, provision of adequate lighting and ventilation 

·       Good working practices 

HEALTH AND SAFETY 

Be aware of Health and Safety precautions when using a computer like ensuring that power cables are safely secured, and that power points are not overloaded Know about injuries common in a bad working environment e.g. repetitive strain injury (RSI), eyestrain caused by screen glare, problems associated with bad posture 

·       Make sure that cables are safely secured 

·       Make sure that power points are not overloaded 

·       Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) 

·       Glare from screens 

·       Bad posture 

SECURITY, COPYRIGHT AND THE LAW 

SECURITY 

Know about the purpose and value of backing up computer files to removable storage devices Know how to protect a personal computer against intrusion Know about privacy issues associated with personal computers, e.g. protecting the computer, adopting good password policies Know what happens to your data and files if there is a power cut 

·       Why do you need to back up your computer? 

·       Organizing your computer for more efficient backups 

·       Complete vs. incremental backups 

·       Why you should use 'off-site' storage? 

·       Beware of  'files' 

·       Passwords 

·       The Importance of shutting down your computer 

·       What is a UPS? 

·       Electrical surge protection 

·       Things computers like 

·       Things to avoid 

·       What to do if the computer breaks down 

COMPUTER VIRUSES 

Understand the term virus when used in computing Be aware of how viruses can enter a computer system Understand the dangers of downloading files onto your computer Know about some anti-virus measures 

·       What are computer viruses? 

·       How do viruses infect PCs? 

·       How to prevent virus damage 

·       To make a diskette read-only 

·       To password protect your computer 

COPYRIGHT 

 Understand software copyright and some of the main security and legal issues associated with copying, sharing and lending diskettes Understand some of the implications of transferring files across a network Understand the terms shareware, freeware, and user licenses 

·       Software Copyright Issues 

·       What is freeware? 

·       What is shareware? 

·       What about software that you find on the Internet  

·       What are site licenses? 

DATA PROTECTION ACT 

Know the Data Protection Act in your country Understand the implications of the Data Protection Act Describe some of the uses of personal data 

·       Data Protection and Privacy Issues 

·       Data Protection Legislation 

GETTING STARTED (WITH INTERNET EXPLORER) 

FIRST STEPS WITH THE INTERNET 

·       Connecting to the Internet - What is required? 

·       How you would connect your own PC to the Internet? 

·       WWW 

·       Email 

·       Newsgroups 

·       FTP vs. HTTP 

·       FTP programs 

·       Beware of Viruses - Anti-Virus Programs 

·       What is a Web Server? 

·       What is the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web Browser? 

·       a Web browsing application 

·       To Microsoft Internet Explorer 

·       The Internet Explorer icons 

·       Understand the make-up and structure of a Web address 

·       Web Sites and URLs 

·       What is a hyperlink? 

·       What is a Web site "Home Page"? 

·        Display a given Web page 

·       To display a specific Web page 

·       Change the Web browser Home Page/Start Page 

·       To set a home (i.e.ng) page 

·       Save a Web page as a file 

·       To save a web page 

·       Use application Help functions 

·       To access the on-line tutorial 

ADJUST BASIC SETTINGS 

·       Change view/display modes 

·       To change view (display) mode 

·       Standard display mode looks like this 

·       Full screen display mode looks like this 

·       To view source HTML 

·       Modify toolbar display 

·       Customizing Toolbars 

·       Quick way of displaying / hiding toolbars 

·       To add or delete an icon on the toolbar 

·       Display images in a Web page 

·       To set Microsoft Internet Explorer to not display images 

·       To set Microsoft Internet Explorer to display images 

·       Do not load image files onto Web page 

·       To prevent graphics loading within a Web page 

WEB NAVIGATION 

ACCESSING A WEB ADDRESS 

·       a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and collect data 

·       To go directly to a Web page 

·       To collect data from a web page 

·       Copying data from a Web Page 

·       To copy the entire screen to the Windows Clipboard 

·       To save a picture displayed within a web site 

·       a hyperlink or an image link and return to original page 

·       Navigating through a Web site 

·       Using the Back button 

·       Browse a specified site and collect data 

·       Downloading data 

WEB SEARCHING 

USING A SEARCH ENGINE 

·       Commonly Used Search Engines 

·       Define search requirements 

·       Use a key word in a search 

·       Don't use a single search word!  

·       Use common logical operators in a search 

·       Using + and " symbols to narrow your search 

PRINTING 

·       Preview a document 

·       Modify page setup options 

·       To setup your page using Microsoft Internet Explorer 

·       Print a Web page using basic print options 

·       Printing a framed Web site 

·       Present a search report as a printed document 

·       To print search engine results 

BOOKMARKS 

CREATE A BOOKMARK 

·       What is a favorite (bookmark)? 

·       a Book marked Web page 

·       Toa favorite 

·       Bookmark a Web page 

·       To add a Web page to your favorites 

·       Add Web pages to bookmark folder 

·       To organize your favorites 

·       To create a new folder within your favorites 

·       To rename or delete an item in the favorites list