SS1 COMPUTER STUDIES 3RD TERM (2016/1017 ACADEMIC SESSION)

SCHEME OF WORK

• COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
• APPLICATION AREAS OF ICT
• BASIC COMPUTER OPERATIONS
• WORD PROCESSING
• PRESENTATION PACKAGES

TOPIC ONE (COMMUNICATION SYSTEM)

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Information technology (IT) is the study or use of systems (especially computers and telecommunications) for storing, retrieving, and sending information.

ICT is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them.

Types of ICT

1.      Broadcasting: Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and/or video content or other messages to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model.

2.   Telecommunication: It is the transmission of messages over significant distance(s) for the purpose of communication. A basic telecommunication system consists of three primary units that are always present in some form:

·         Transmitter: A transmitter takes information and converts it to a signal.
·         Transmission medium: this is the physical channel that carries the signal.
·     Receiver: A receiver takes the signal from the channel and converts it back to usable information.

3.      Data Networks: A network is a connection of electronic devices especially the computers for the purpose of communication and sharing of resources. A data network is an electronic communication process that allows for the orderly transmission and reception of data. Such as letters, spreadsheets and other types of document.  

4.   Information Systems: the term information system is used to refer to the interaction between people, processes, data and technology. In this sense, the term is used to refer not only the information and communication technology (ICT) organization uses but also to the way in which people interact with technology in support of business processes. Examples of information systems are Management Information System (MIS), Decision Support System (DSS), Geographical Information System (GIS) etc.

5.   Satellite communication: A satellite is a type of space craft that is launched into space and equipped with sensors to record and transmit information. Satellite TV is a broadcasting service that allows subscribers to receive television signals through a dish-shaped receiver unit.

Types of broadcasting

1.      Telephone broadcasting: the earliest form of electronic broadcasting that uses telephone as the medium of broadcast.

2.      Radio broadcasting: involves the transmission of audio signal through the air as radio waves from a transmitter, picked up by an antenna and sent to the receiver (radio).

3.      Television broadcasting: involves the transmission of video signals in addition to audio signals from a transmitter to an antenna and finally to the receiving television.

4.      Satellite TV systems:  are meant for direct-to-home broadcast programming. It offers a mix of traditional radio or television station broadcast programming or both, with dedicated satellite radio programming. Examples include cable television station such as CNN, BBC, SuperSport etc.

5.      Webcasting: It is the broadcasting of live or delayed audio/video information using the internet.

Types of Telecommunication Systems

1.      Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) – land line

PSTN also refers to as Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), is a worldwide net of telephone lines using fiber optic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks and communication satellite connected by switching centers, which allows any telephone in the world to communicate with any other.

2.      Mobile Phone System (GSM)

GSM stands for Global System for Mobile communication. It is the most popular standard for mobile telephony systems in the world. GSM is considered a “second generation (2G)” mobile phone system. GSM uses a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card. The SIM card is tied to your cell phone service carrier’s network rather than to the handset itself. Virtually all mobile phones are 3G compliant while some countries have also launched the 4G network.

3.      Circuit Switched Packet Telephone Systems (CSPT)

When you hear the term circuit switching, think phone call. A circuit switching network establishes a circuit (or channel) between a sender and a receiver before they can communicate, as if the sender and the receiver were physically connected with an electric circuit. If communication is taking place in a dedicated channel, the channel remains unavailable to other users.

4.      Satellite Telephone System:  A satellite telephone connects to the orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites like the MTN or GLO mast. Depending on the architecture of a particular system, coverage may include the entire earth or only specific regions.

5.      Fixed wireless telephone system: Fixed wireless is the operation of wireless devices or systems used to connect two fixed location (e.g. building) with a radio or other wireless link, such as Laser Bridge. The purpose of a fixed wireless telephone link is to enable telecommunications between the two sites or buildings.

Types of Data networks.

1. Local Area Network (LAN): A LAN is a computer network that connects devices such as computers, hubs, switches etc over a relatively short distance. This kind of network is confined to a single building such as an office building, hospitals, schools or home.

2. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): It refers to a network that exist within a single city or a metropolitan area. A MAN is larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN. If we had two different building within a city that were connected together , it would be considered a MAN.

3. Wide Area Network (WAN): As the name implies, a WAN covers a large geographical locations and is typically made up of multiple LANs. A network device called a Router connects this LANs together to form a WAN. A typical example of a WAN is the internet.

4. Internet: The internet literally means internetwork or international network. An internetwork is a type of WAN that connects bunch of networks. The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to link several billion devices together.

Types of information systems

1. Data processing system: This is a system that processes data, which has been captured and encoded in a format recognized by the data processing system or has been created and stored by another unit of an information system.

2. Global positioning system (GPS): Is a space-based global navigation satellite that provides reliable location and time information in all weather and at all times and anywhere on or near the earth when and where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. The GPS is made up of 3 parts:

i.        The satellites orbiting the Earth called the space segment;

ii.      The control and monitoring stations on earth called the control station;

iii.    The GPS receiver.

GPS Applications

1. Navigation: GPS allows soldiers to find their targets

2. Map making: Both civilian and military cartographers use GPS extensively.

3. Disaster relief/emergency services:they depend upon GPS for location and timing capabilities

4. Geofencing: Vehicle or any other type of tracking systems use GPS to locate a vehicle etc.

5 Surveying: surveyors use absolute locations to make maps and determine property boundary.

6. Search and rescue : downed pilots can be located faster if their position is known.

7. Cellular telephony: GPS receivers are now integrated in many mobile phones

8. Missile and projectile guidance: GPS allows accurate targeting of various military weapons.

TOPIC TWO: APPLICATION AREAS OF ICT

1. Teleconferencing

Teleconferencing is a general term that refers to holding a conference with a group of people, the individuals of which are not necessarily present in the same location. Such a conference may incorporate telephones; computers, televisions (video), the Internet, satellites, audio, written chat, shared files, applications, and so on. Teleconferencing is also called real-time conferencing.

Types of Teleconferencing

i.                    Video conferencing.

ii.                  Audio conferencing

iii.                Audio-graphic conferencing

iv.                 Computer teleconferencing.

v.                   Web conference

a. Videoconference: Video conference is an online meeting (or a meeting over distance) that takes place between two parties, where each participant can see an image of the other, and where both parties are able to speak and listen to the other participants in real time.

b. Audio conferencing: Audio Conference also known as conference calling is a conversation between three or more participants using individual phone service in which the communication is done by voice only (audio).

         c. Audiographic conference: is a form of teleconferencing in real time using both an audio and a data connection. The computer screen is shared by more than one site, and used an electronic board, overhead projector or still video projector.

     d. Computer teleconferencing: uses telephone lines to connect two or more computers and modems. E-mails, memos, report and newsletters can be sent over the LAN or WAN. It’s an emerging area for distance education. Teachers upload syllabi, lectures, grades and remarks. Students download these files, compose their assignment and remarks off-line, and then upload them to the common files.

      e. Web conference (webinar): this is the interactive conference that offers more features like data stream in which all conference participants can communicate using text, voice, video image, file sharing and doing slide presentation. Examples of internet services that provides web conference capabilities are Google+ hangout, Skype, GoToWebinar, Cisco WebEx, Adobe Connect, AnyMeeting, ClickWebinar, Blackboard Collaborate etc.

2. Telecomputing

The control of one or more computer systems by another, which is at a different location. Each of these computers has remote access software installed, and one or all computers may have control abilities. All computers usually have the same information displayed at any given time. Also called remote computing.

3. Telepresence

The term used to describe a set of technologies, such as high definition audio, video, and other interactive elements that enable people to feel or appear as if they were present in a location which they are not physically in. It is a situation in which a person’s actions can be sent by electronic signals to a distant place, making it appear that the person is physically present at that place.

4. Information Search, Retrieval and Archival

Today, information is stored with ICT equipment in form of electronic archival documents. The World Wide Web (WWW) on the Internet contains the largest ever stored documents. Virtually any type of information can be searched for and retrieved from the WWW.   Information retrieval (IR) is the art of searching for documents, for information within documents, and for information about documents, as well as that of searching relational databases and the World Wide Web.

5. Telecommunication and Networking

Telecommunications is a universal term that is used to describe the process of sending and receiving messages in the form of electrical signals over all large distances. It is used for a vast range of information-transmitting technologies such as mobile phones, land lines, VoIP and broadcast networks.

ICT-BASED GADGETS

1.      Computer

2.       Mobile Phones

3.       Fax Machines

4.       Automated Teller Machines (ATM)

5.       Dispensing Machines

6.       Point of Sale Machine – Automated Cash Register (ACR)

7.       Radio Sets

8.      Television Sets

Topic 3: BASIC COMPUTER OPERATIONS

In computing, booting is the initial set of operations that a computer system performs when electrical power is switched on. The process begins when a computer that has been turned off is re-energized and ends when the computer is ready to perform its normal operations.

Booting is the process of starting up or the initialization of a computerized system. During the boot process, the computer (ROM containing the ‘BIOS’- Basic Input and Output System) will perform a self-diagnostic, also known as a POST (Power-On-Self-Test) and load necessary drivers and programs (operating system) that help the computer and devices communicate.

During the booting process, the computer screen displays the BIOS information; the type of computer, CPU, and memory for the computer and a prompt to enter BIOS setup. Booting is complete when the normal, operative, runtime environment is attained.

If the computer cannot boot, you may receive a boot failure error, which indicates that the computer is not passing POST or a device in the computer such as the hard drive has failed.

There are two Types of Booting

1.      Cold booting is the booting process happening when we first turn on computer using the switch button on the computer.

2.      Warm booting is the processes happening when we reset or restart the computer system by pressing the reset button or clicking the restart option.

Component of the windows desktop

1.      Background: both windows and mac systems are based on GUI, which means the interface uses graphics or pictures to help the user navigate and access programs. The desktop (the screen) background is covered with

2.      Icons: These are graphics that represent a program, a directory, a file or a shortcut. Double-clicking runs the program or file and right-clicking accesses the menu options available.

3.      Start Menu and Task bar: a bar located at the bottom of the screen. The taskbar shows which programs or applications are running on the computer, as well as provide links or shortcuts to other programs or places such as the start menu, notification area and clock.

Assignment

Describe the steps involved in the boot sequence.

TOPIC FOUR: WORD PROCESSING

Word processing is the art of typing, editing, formatting and producing document through the use of a computer program or a dedicated computer designed to facilitate rapid and efficient manipulation of textual and graphical information.

A word processor is an application software capable of creating, editing, formatting documents that contains textual or/and graphical information.

By default, document created by Microsoft Word has a name “document1” and extension “.doc”. Microsoft Word version 2007 and above has an extension “.docx”.

Examples of word processors

• ·         Microsoft Word         
• ·         Corel WordPerfect
• ·         Professional Write
• ·         InCopy
• ·         Lotus WordPro

Microsoft Word environment

Creating a document

To create a new blank document, follow the steps below:

• Click the File tab. This takes you to Backstage view.
• Select New.
• Select Blank document under Available Templates. It will be highlighted by default.
• Click Create. A new blank document appears in the Word window with a default name Document1.

Note: You can double-click the MS Word icon from any location on the computer and a new blank document will be created for you.

Saving a document

A newly created document can be saved using the “Save As” or the “Save” options. For the first save action, this two options work the same way. If you are editing or formatting already saved document, to add the changes done to the document you click the Save icon or press Ctrl + S on the keyboard. If you need to change the name or location or file format, then the “Save As” option is appropriate (Click File then click Save As or press F12 for the Save As option).

Closing a document

• ·         Click the FILE tab and select Close
• ·         Press Ctrl + W

Exiting Microsoft word

• ·         Click on FILE tab and select Exit
• ·         Click the red-coloured X-shaped button (Close button) on the Title bar
• ·         Press Alt + F4

Formatting and editing

Formatting means arranging the content in your document in order to make the document more appealing. This involves changing the font size, font size, font color, font alignment etc.  Editing has to do with the correction and elimination of the textual mistakes ranging from spelling or grammar.

What’s on the home tab?

Font: Microsoft has different type of font ranging from Times New Romans, Calibri, Arial Black, Algerian.

Font size: Any font can be sized by choosing from the number available. The font size of a selected text can be changed by pressing Ctrl+ Shift + > (to increase) or Ctrl+Shift+< (to reduce)

Subscript and superscript: subscript is a character that is a level lower than the rest of the characters on the line, e.g. “2” in the formula “H₂O while a superscript is a letter or character that is written above another character on the line. To make a selected text a superscript, press (Ctrl+ Shift + +) and subscript press (Ctrl + =).

Bullet and numbering: if you have a list of items to type, you use either the bullet option or numbering option.

Alignment: this is the positioning of different components with respect to each other in the document. The position can be to the right (Ctrl +R), left (Ctrl + L), center (Ctrl + E) and can be justified (Ctrl + J). 

Line and paragraph spacing: the space between each line and each paragraph can be changed here. You can change from 1.0 line spacing ((Ctrl + 1), double(2) line spacing (Ctrl+ 2), 1.5 line spacing (Ctrl+5).

Change case: you can change from different cases: Sentence case, UPPER CASE, lower case, Capitalize Each Word and tOGGLE cASE. Press Ctrl + F3 to change to desired case type.

Indentation: an indent is a blank space that is left between the margin and the beginning of a line or row of text. Indent can be added to a paragraph by clicking the increase indent (to increase) or decrease indent (to reduce the indent) or press the tab key to increase.

Inserting into the document

To insert a picture:

• ·         Click the Insert tab on the ribbon
• ·         Click Picture (the Insert picture dialog box appears)
• ·         Locate where the desired picture is stored in the computer and click it to select it
• ·         Click Insert button.

The picture will be inserted where the cursor is located.

Inserting a shape:

• ·         Click the Insert tab on the ribbon
• ·         Click Shapes, a list of shapes appears.
• ·         Click to choose the desired shape

The shape will be inserted where the cursor is. Move the shape to desired position and adjust appropriately.

Inserting a table:

• ·         Click the Insert tab on the ribbon
• ·         Click table, a preset grid of cells appears with other table options
• ·         Hover your mouse on the grid of cells to select the desired number of columns and rows

Inserting page number:

• ·         Click the Insert tab on the ribbon
• ·    Click Page Number, choose from the options available to select where to position the number

Also, on the insert tab, page break, chart, SmartArt, WordArt etc. can be inserted.

The Page layout tab

On the Page Layout tab, the page orientation either portrait or landscape can be chosen. The paper size, margin, column type can be chosen here. Also, the watermark, page border, page color can be determined here too.

TOPIC 5: PRESENTATION PACKAGE

A presentation package is an application software used to create and display information in form of a slide show.

Examples of presentation packages

• ·         CustomShow
• ·         Kingsoft presentation
• ·         Corel presentations
• ·         Audience
• ·         LibreOffice Impress
• ·         SlideRocket
• ·         SlideSlider
• ·         Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint is an application program that helps you create and transform your ideas into professional, convincing presentations.

PowerPoint presentations consists of one or more slides. Each slide (a building block of a presentation) can contain text, images, tables, illustrations, symbols and media (Video or audio). A presentation is to PowerPoint what a document is to MS Word or a worksheet is to MS Excel. In other word, a presentation is a file that you create with PowerPoint. Versions of PowerPoint before 2007 saved presentation with the extension .ppt and 2007 above with .pptx

Uses of powerpoint

• .      Guided presentation
• .      As a photo slide show
• .      Prepare animations
• .      Make tutorials
• .      Presentations as a digital portfolio
• .      Recorded video (save presentation as MPEG-4 video or WMV)

Features of PowerPoint

A. FILE tab (located on the Title bar): contains basic file management commands – such as New, Open, Save, and Close.

B. Quick Access Toolbar: Contains common commands such as Save and Undo. You can add more commands as well.

C. Title bar: Displays the name of the presentation you are working on and the name of the program entirely.

D. Close button: Click the close button in the Title bar to close the presentation or to exit the PowerPoint program entirely.

E. Ribbon: The tabs and groups on the Ribbon replace the menus and toolbars found in previous versions of PowerPoint.

F. Slide pane: Displays the slide you are currently working on.

G. Notes pane: Types any notes you want to use during the presentation here.

H. Zoom slider: Click and drag the slider to zoom in and out of a window. You can also use the + and – buttons.

I: View buttons: Use these buttons to quickly switch between Normal, Slide Sorter, Reading and Slide Show views.

J: Status bar: Displays messages and feedbacks on the current state of PowerPoint. Right-click the status bar to configure.

K. Outline pane: Focuses on the content of your presentation rather than its appearance.

Creating a new presentation

• · If it’s a new blank presentation, click “Blank presentation” and then click the “Create” button. A new presentation is displayed with default name “presentation1” and with a default “Title slide “.

Opening or retrieving a slide

• · Click on FILE tab and select Open. An Open dialog box appears, locate the presentation file, then click Open.

Closing a presentation

• ·         Click the FILE tab and select Close
• ·         Press Ctrl + W

Exiting PowerPoint

• ·         Click on FILE tab and select Exit
• ·         Click the red-labeled X-shaped button (Close button) on the Title bar
• ·         Press Alt + F4

Adding a new slide

• ·         On the Home tab, click the New Slide button in the Slides group
• ·         Press Ctrl+M.
• ·         Right-click in the Slides or Outline tab on the left and then choose New Slide.

Deleting a slide

• ·         In the outline pane, select the slide you want to delete
• ·         Press Delete key

Or

• ·         In the Outline pane, Right-click the slide you want to delete and select Delete slide

Slide layout

Working with Slide objects

Objects are items — such as text, pictures, and charts — that give meaning and content to otherwise formless and empty slides.

Every slide has a slide layout that consists of one or more placeholders. A placeholder is simply an area on a slide that’s reserved for text, clip art, a graph, or some other type of object. For example, a slide that uses the Title layout has two placeholders for text objects: one for the title and the other for the subtitle.

Duplicating an object

• ·         Select the object and Press Ctrl + D

Transition

• ·      A transition effect is an animation that occurs when PowerPoint advances from one slide to the next during slide show.

Animation

An Animation effect is a preset visual effect that can be applied to the text or objects on a slide.

Slide show (presentation)

PowerPoint is really designed to create slides that are presented directly on a screen rather than printed out. The screen can be either your computer’s own monitor, a projector, or an external monitor such as a giant-screen Plasma or LCD display.

Starting a slide show

• ·     Click the Slide Show button located (along with the other View buttons) in the lower-right corner of the screen.
• ·  You can also start a slide show by opening the Slide Show tab on the Ribbon and clicking either From Beginning or From Current Slide, depending on how you want to start the show
• ·         By Pressing F5