Answers for MCQ

OCT/NOV 2009 Jan /Feb 2010 Oct/Nov 2010 Jan/Feb 2011 May/June2011
1. 1 1. 3 1 2 1. 3 1. 2
2. 3 2. 2 2 3 2. 2 2. 2
3. 5 3. 3 3 4 3. 3 3. 3
4. 2 4. 3 4 3 4. 1 4. 2
5. 2 5. 4 5 4 5. 5 5. 4
6. 1 6. 2 6 3 6. 4 6. 2
7. 2 7. 2 7 3 7. 1 7. 3
8. 2 8. 3 8 3 8. 4 8. 2
9. 2 9. 2 9 4 9. 3 9. 3
10. 2 10. 4 10 4 10. 4 10. 3
11. 2 11. 3 11 3 11. 1 11. 4
12. 2 12. 4 12 4 12. 5 12. 2
13. 1 13. 4 13 4 13. 3 13. 3
14. 2 14. 4 14 4 14. 4 14. 3
15. 1 15. 3 mine right 15 2 15. 1 15. 4
16. 2 16. 4 16 3 16. 2 16. 3
17. 2 17. 4 17 2 17. 3 17. 3
18. 1 18. 1 18 1 18. 1 18. 3
19. 2 19. 2 19 1 19. 3 19. 4
20. 1 20. 1 20 2 20. 2 20. 5
21. 5 21. 2 21 2 21. 3 21. 5
22. 2 22. 2 22 1 22. 4 22. 1
23. 2 23. 1 23 2 mine right 23. 3 23. 4
24. 3 24. 2 24 1 24. 1 24. 5
25. 4 25. 1 25 2 25. 3 25. 3
26. 4 26. 2 26 1 26. 4 26. 1
27. 2 27. 1 27 2 27. 2 27. 3
28. 3 28. 1 28 2 28. 1 28. 5
29. 3 29. 1 29 2 29. 4 29. 1
30. 4 30. 2 30 2 30. 2 30. 3
31. 3 31. 2 31 2 31. 4 31. 4
32. 4 32. 1 32 2 32. 4 32. 5
33. 4 33. 5 33 4 33. 4 33. 2
34. 4 34. 1 34 3 34. 3 34. 3
35. 3 35. 4 35 2 mine right 35. 4 35. 1
36. 1 36. 1 36 5 36. 1 36. 2
37. 2 37. 4 37 4 37. 2 37. 2
38. 4 38. 5 38 1 38. 2 38. 1
39. 4 39. 4 39 5 39. 1 39. 2
40 1 40 5 40 1 40. 2 40. 2
41 3 41 3 41 4 41. 2 41. 1
42 5 42 5 42 1 42. 2 42. 1
43 1 43 1 43 4 43. 1 43. 2
44 3 44 2 44 2 44. 2 44. 1
45 3 45 1 45 1 45. 1 45. 2
46 1 46 4 46 3 46. 1 46. 2
47 4 47 3 mine right 47 4 47. 2 47. 2
48 5 pg 277 48 5 48. 2 48. 2
49 3 48 4 49 1 49. 1changed 49. 2
50 1 49 5 50 2 50. 2 50. 2
50 1
MAIN QUESTIONS FROM GUIDLINES:

(a) The table below is an effort to summarise and demarcate the topics that you need to study in the textbook for the
exam. It provides a list of topics that you should study for the exam, with the page numbers where you can find the
topics in the 4th and 5th/6th editions in brackets (for example 34/47 means that a topic can be found on page 34 of the
4th edition and page 47 of the 5th and 6th editions). In the columns next to each topic you will find one or more
symbols. These indicate the aspect(s) of each topic that you should know and be able to describe in the exam.
(b) You will notice that the table has major topics (in bold) and subtopics (not in bold). If a major topic has subtopics, it
means that you have to study only the subtopics listed under that major topic (subtopics of a major topic that are not
listed in the table do not need to be studied for the exam - for example, only the output devices (229-236/221-228)
listed in the table need to be studied for the exam). If a major topic has no subtopics it means you have to study the
whole section in the textbook where that topic is discussed, starting at the page indicated in brackets.

Question 1 [25]
(a) Discuss 5 reasons (in at least two sentences each) why you think KSS is not successful in integrating IT in teaching,
learning and administration. Rank your reasons in the order of importance – most important reason first. (10)
• The school has outdated and/or broken technology equipment.
• The IT equipment has unsuitable/inappropriate application packages (software) available on it.
• The principal/school does not have a technology vision.
• A technology vision is not shared with the stakeholders (teachers, learners and parents), & they are therefore not
enthusiastic and motivated to implement & integrate technology in teaching, learning &/or administration.
• The IT equipment is not properly maintained.
• Theres no IT coordinator 2manage, schedule, monitor & control de use of de technology by teachers / learners.
• There is no technology plan for implementing in order to meet the needs of the school.
• There is no budget for maintaining the equipment and purchasing new equipment.
The teachers are not trained in implementing and integrating technology in teaching and learning. Etc., etc., etc.

(b) Describe five major steps/interventions (in at least two sentences each) that you would
implement in order for the use and integration IT in teaching, learning and administration
in KSS to succeed. (10)
• Training: Train the teachers to become computer literate, information literate and integration literate in order to enable
them to integrate technology successfully in teaching and learning.
• Technology vision:The school must develop a technology vision and share it with all stake holders in order to motivate
them to integrate technology in teaching, learning and administration.
• IT coordinator: The school must appoint an IT coordinator to operate and maintain the IT infrastructure of the school,
and to manage, schedule, monitor and control its use.
• Etc., etc., etc. … …

(c) Recommend five ways in which the education department should support KSS to succeed
in integrating IT in teaching, learning and administration. (5)
i) The Department of Education (DOE) could contribute monetary funds towards the school’s initiatives to establish
productivity of its available IT resources like training, and also to ensure necessary security measures for protection of its
IT resources.
ii) DOE needs to provide proper training in integration of technology and teaching.
iii) DOE also could subsidize the maintenance of IT resources at the school.
iv) DOE should also provide a budget for the expenses incurred in using IT resources at school like computer paper and ink
cartridges for the printers, upgrades etc.

v) DOE could initiate an expanded use of technological resources available at schools for the underprivileged learners &
community to function as a sort of “internet café”– especially those in rural areas - by making the resources available
after school to learners and community members. For this to be viable stronger security measures and a manned staff
would need to be installed to run the IT department after school hours.
(d) Know, understand and be able to apply the definition of computer literacy for teachers (= computer literacy +
information literacy + integration literacy. For every literacy you must also be able to describe an example of a typical
activity that a teacher should be able to do in terms of that literacy. For example:

Question: Give an example of what a computer literate teacher should be able to do in this
specific category of literacy?
Answer: He or she should be able to install a new legitimate program on a computer (or copy a file
from the hard disk to a memory stick, or replace the ink cartridge of a printer, or know how to use a spreadsheet, or send
an e-mail, or …).

Question: Give an example of what an information literate teacher should be able to do in this
specific category of literacy?
Answer: He or she should be able to search and evaluate information on the Web and use it in a
lesson in his or her specific subject.

Question: Give an example of what an integration literate teacher should be able to do in this
specific category of literacy?
Answer: He or she should be able to use information found on the Web to prepare a presentation
(PowerPoint) for a group discussion in a Life Orientation lesson.

(c) As far as application software packages are concerned, you should be able to answer the following:
List the types of general application software packages that a computer/information/ integration literate teacher
should be able to use in the classroom (at least 7 such packages)
- Word processor package (150/144)
- Spreadsheet package (153/147)
- Database package (155/149)
- Presentation graphics (157/151)
- Web browser package (85/80)
- Digital media and Web authoring package (305/161,162 & 296)
- E-mail package (92/88)

List the types of more specialised (subject-specific) application software packages that a
computer/information/integration literate teacher should strive to be able to use in the classroom
- Computer-assisted instruction (297/289): designed to support & teach subject-related content, facts, info, skills
associated with subject or learning area e.g reading English
- Drill-and-practice (298/290): supplies factual information through repetitive exercises, allowing to remember or
memorise info; eg. Maths timetables etc.
- Educational games (298/290): include a set of rules which students apply to compete with each other or the game
itself; providing a fun way of teaching through repetition and practice, & enforcing higher order thinking/
decision making skills, eg. Word games, solving puzzles etc.
- Tutorials (299/291): teaches students to how to learn to use a product or concept, e.g. Informational directions
and instructions on how to create something or how to solve a problem on their own without outside help eg. A
manual on carrying out a science experiment.
- Educational simulations (299/291): is a computerized model of real life by presenting a simulated or physical
process, allowing things to happen or change conditions and make decisions based on the criteria provided for
the real-life situation.
Describe the basic purpose of application packages (indicated in column A of the table below)
- Is designed to perform specific tasks for users ,eg. Business, educational of scientific computer programs
- Eg. Corel is created to facilitate the needs to create graphics orientated documents with drawings etc.
D) List a number (2, 3, 4, etc.) of a package’s basic features/functions/facilities (indicatd in columnB)
Describe a use of a package in teaching or learning (indicated in column D - it is absolutely
critical that you describe uses that are specific and unique to teaching and learning in the classroom)
(e) Educational digital media and software applications (Chapter 5) are important because these are “integration”
applications that integrate technology with teaching strategies in order to achieve learning outcomes. You should be
able to describe such applications i.t.o. for example:
What the basic purpose of the application is (indicated in column A)
How is the learning content presented in the package (indicated in column B)
What learning or teaching activities can be done with the package (indicated in column
Word processor package (150/144): most popular=Microsoft Word or Apple iWorks
What’s main function= create, format, edit, primarily text docs.
(facility)= to process everyday word documents like letters, memos etc.
Used for = creating lesson plans, tests/ exam papers, Worksheets, reports etc.
Examples of features= formatting features like fonts, font size , margins, columns etc. +
special features Auto-Correct; spell check; smart tags; auto format etc.

Spreadsheet package (153/147): most popular=Microsoft Excel or Apple iWorks

What’s main function= used to create edit format electronic spreadsheets, & to create graphs.
(facility)= allows to organise data in columns and rows called spreadsheet (more so numeric
data than word data) –and also to create graphs frm comparativ figures
Used for = accounting purposes, student database, attendance, students grades, student info
etc.
Examples of features= Colukns; Rows: labelling, etc. + special features like doing basic
calculations automatically eg. Sum Auto- Correct; and converting numeric data into a chart
or a graph; automatic formatting by “Wizards” etc.

Database package (155/149): most popular=Microsoft Access or FileMaker Pro

What’s main function= allows storage of data which can be accessed & retrieved, changed,
sorted, edited &used to create forms &reports using de stored data.
(facility)= storing data in an electronic format on a storage medium
Used for = organise data and info about students, staff school policies, inventories for
equipment or books or school purchases etc.
Examples of features= organisational features of file, record and field and special features
where wizards create databases automatically etc.

Presentation graphics (157/151): most popular=Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple iWorks

What’s main function= used to create documented slide presentation, which is projected
onto a screen
(facility)= provides pre-defined array of presentation formats that define complementary
colours for backgrounds, text, & graphic effects.
Used for= communication of ideas, messages, information to a large group of people, at
meetings etc. through a slide presentation or as info to class of students as OHP
transparencies or as printed handouts.
Examples of features= art/ image Gallery; colour backgrounds & texts; shadows, special
effects; 3D effects, graphs etc.

Web browser package (85/80): most popular=Internet Explorer or Google Chrome or Firefox
What’s main function= allows access, link-up, view of web pages and web-sites.
(facility)= to view and explore different informational, entertainment web pages & websites.
 Used for = Allows for research, accessing and retrieval of current and updated information for lesson
plans & subject related matter, eg . information from Nasa about de Moon or Mars in a Geog lesson.
Examples of features= tabbed browsing, password memory, bookmarks, etc.

Web authoring package (305/161, 162 & 296) : most popular=Microsoft Publisher or Adobe Dreamweaver
What’s main function= allows creation of web pages, & organising, managing, maintaining websites
(facility)= automatic conversion of Word doc formats into docs that can be viewed on WWW (World
Wide Web) by a web-browser.
Used for = creating a curriculum page with hyperlinks connected to teacher-selected websites that assist
in teaching content-specific standards & objectives
Examples of features= text, graphics, duration of sound, video and animation etc.

Digital media/Multimedia authoring package (305/161, 162 & 296)

most popular=Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple iLife
What’s main function= allows controlling of placements on a presentation when using text, sound,
animation, graphics, video
(facility)= producing digital media elements, defining the elements relationship to each other, &
sequencing them in an appropriate order.
Used for = creating digital presentations, where one is able to add digital features to the presentation,
eg. An added screen where users click buttons to play/skip a video & move to the next screen.
Examples of features= text, graphics, duration of sound, video and animation etc.

Give the name of a commercial package that you can buy (indicated in column E)
- Operating system (142/136)- - Microsoft Windows; Windows XP; Windows7, Windows Vista, Mac OS
- Anti-virus software (489/472)- Norton AntiVirus , BitDefender,
- Word processor package (150/144) - - Microsoft Word or Apple iWorks
- Spreadsheet package (153/147) - - Microsoft Excel or Apple iWorks
- Database package (155/149) - - Microsoft Access or FileMaker Pro
- Presentation graphics (157/151) - - Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple iWorks
- Web browser package (85/80)- - Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox
- Digital media and Web authoring package (305/161, 162 & 296)-- Microsoft PowerPoint, Publisher or Dreamweaver
- E-mail package (92/88): Microsoft Outlook; Outlook Express

(d) The objective of many of the questions is to assess whether you can apply your new technological knowledge, skills
& values in the classroom to support and enhance teaching and learning. You will b required many times to describe
examples of how u or your learners wil be able to use a technological tool (application package) to enhance teaching &
learning, i.e. to integrate de technology into teaching and learning activities. In such cases give answers that r unique &
specific to teaching and learning in the classroom. It must describe specific teaching or learning activities with the
package that are only possible in the classroom – general and vague uses of application packages that every man on
the street is able to do will earn absolutely no marks.
For example: Question: How can a teacher use a word processor in teaching and learning activities?

Answer: An answer like “The teacher can create a document” is not acceptable because any man/woman on the street
outside education can also do this. Give an answer/example that is unique and specific to education and only possible in
education, like the following: The teacher can create a Geography test paper for a Grade 10 class (nobody outside
education can do this for real).
OCT/NOV 2010 ANSWERS FOR SECTION B [50]

Question 1
[25]
(a) List five possible reasons why the use and integration of IT in KSS is not successful. (5)

MEMO: Any five relevant and valid reasons for failure to integrate IT in the school (5 x  = 5), such as:

There is no IT management structure to promote, plan, budget, implement, evaluate and monitor the integration of IT
facilities in the activities of the school 
The principal does not have a technology vision 
The principal does not share a technology vision with the school’s stakeholders 
The principal does not motivate and empower the stakeholders of the school to enact a technoilogy vision 
IT facilities for management and administration are outdated and insufficient 
Most teachers, management and administrative staff are not computer literate 
The teachers are not motivated to integrate IT in teaching and learning 
The IT facilities are not properly maintained 
The hardware, software and data of the school are not secure 
Parent community of the school is not supportive of integrating IT in the activities of the school 
Teachers are not trained to integrate IT in teaching and learning 
There is no IT coordinator to support teachers, management and administartion staff in integrating IT in their activities 
The school is not supported by the education department to integrate IT in its activities 

(b) Describe five major steps/interventions (in at least two sentences each) that you would implement in order for the
use and integration IT in teaching, learning and administration in KSS to succeed. (10)

MEMO: Any five relevant and valid major steps/interventions (described with at least two relevant and valid
facts/arguments/statements each) to ensure success in the integration of IT in the school’s activities (5 x  = 10), such
as:

Develop a technology vision for the school and share it with all stakeholders of the school
Establish an IT management committee with clearly defined functions such as planning, implementing and evaluating
the integration of IT in the school’s activities
Train all staff to become computer literate and how to integrate IT in their respective activities
Implement sufficient IT facilities (hardware and software) to meet all needs of the staff members and arrange proper
maintenance for it
Appoint an IT coordinator to train, support and guide staff members in using the ICT facilities
Make sufficient IT facilities available for use by learners and provide sufficient opportunities for learners to use it
meaningful
Ensure the security of hardware, software and data by implementing measures such as anti-virus software, firewalls,
username and password procedure, burglar proofing and regular back-ups of data

(c) Critical data is usually stored on computers for administrative use.

(i) Identify any two types/categories of critcal administrative data. (2)

MEMO: Any two types/categories of critcal administrative data (2 x  = 2), such as:
Personal details of learners
Academic records of learners
Personal details of staff members
Deatils of the school’s academic programme (e.g. class, test and exam time tables) 
Financial details of the school (e.g. school fee payments, accounting data and budget) 
 (ii) There exist some serious security risks that has the potential to cause a loss of computer equipment,
software, data and information. Identify four such security risks and describe for each one a safeguard
against it or measures that KSS can implement to prevent such losses. (8)

MEMO: Any 4 of the following risks and safeguards (4 x  = 8):

Computer viruses  – install antivirus programs with regular updates 

Unauthorised access by hackers/crackers  – install a firewall 
Information theft  – encrypt the data 
Hardware theft  – install burglar proofing, alarms and access control systems 
System failure  – make regular backups 
S/w theft  – lock original package away, keep product keys confidential, etc. 

Question 2 [25]

(a) Which operating system is installed on the computers of KSS? Describe the role (or function) of an operating
system. (4)

MEMO: (Microsoft) Windows 

+
Any three relevant and valid facts/arguments/statements about the role/function of an operating system (3 x  = 3),
such as:

It controls the operations of the computer and its devices

It coordinates all the activities of the hardware devices in a computer
It allows a user to run application software (i.e. it serves as the interface between the user and application software) 
It assigns processors to different tasks being performed by the computer system
It allocates main memory and other storage areas to the system programmes as well as application programs and data
It co-ordinates and assigns different output and input device while one or more system and application programs are
being executed
It handles the management of files on various storage devices 
It establishes and enforces a priority system in which jobs are executed on a computer system
It interprets and executes the commands and instructions of programs

(b) List the types of application packages that are installed on the 25 computers of the educational network. For each
one of them describe a learning task that a learner can perform with that application package. (The examples of
learning tasks must be unique and specific to learning in the classroom. It must describe specific uses of the
packages that are clearly intended to support and enhance learning in the classroom. General and vague uses of
application packages that any man on the street is able to do will earn absolutely no marks.) (12)
MEMO: Only the following six types of application packages, each with an authentic application in a learning task (6 x 
= 12):
NOTES: 1. It must be types of application packages. If names of application packages are given, allocate only ½ a mark.
2. The examples must be learning specific, i.e. indicates a tool used for a learning-relevant purpose
e-mail + an authentic and learning-specific application in a learning task
Web browser  + an authentic and learning-specific application in a learning task
Word processor  + an authentic and learning-specific application in a learning task
Spreadsheet  + an authentic and learning-specific application in a learning task
Database  + an authentic and learning-specific application in a learning task
Presentation graphics  + an authentic and learning-specific application in a learning task
(c) Identify six broad knowledge areas (or main topics) that you would recommend for training the teachers of KSS in
integrating IT into teaching and learning in the classroom. (6)

MEMO: Any six relevant and valid broad knowledge areas (or main topics) for teacher training (6 x  = 6), with at least 1
each in Groups A, B and C.

Group A: Computer hardware and system software

General application software packages and their uses
Group B: The Internet and its basic services/facilities/affordances
How to search for teaching and learning spec ific information on the Internet
How to evaluate the appropriateness of Internet information for teaching and learning purposes
How to communicate on the Internet for teaching and learning purposes
Group C: How to integrate technology in teaching and learning
How to combine technology with teaching and learning strategies to support and enhance the achievement of
learniong/lesson outcomes. 

(d) Identify three broad knowledge areas (or main topics) that you would recommend for training the adminstrative staff
of KSS in using IT in the administration of the school. (3)

MEMO: Any three relevant and valid broad knowledge areas (or main topics) for training admin staff (3 x  = 3), such as:

Computer hardware and system software

General application software packages and their uses
The Internet and its basic services/facilities/affordances
The variety of IT uses in administrative atsks
How to integrate application packages in administration activities

OTHER RELEVANT POINTS TO REMEMBER

a) Know the Capacity and unit of the ff.
i) Memory (215/207): RAM(Random Access Memory) for personal computer= 4gigs
ii) Storage Device: : Hard disk (2) : Anything between 100 Gigs (Gb) and 3 terabytes (Tb)
: good hard disk> 750gigd
: USB Flash Drive: 512megs to 100gig
ii) Central processing unit (CPU) (2): Anything between 1 to 4 Gigahertz(GHz)
iii) Screen (2): Anything between 15 to 25 inches

b) Diff btwn web-browser & search engine:

web-browser = is an application package
search engine = tool

c) web authoring software = creates a curriculum page

d) eg. Of input & output device= electronic whiteboard

e) info processing cycle= input, process, output, storage

f) machine cycle= fetching, decoding, executing, storing
e)factors that make a computer powerful= speed, reliability, accuracy, ability to communicate with other compters
f) Exmpls of Educational Application Software= Drill & Practice Software; Tutorials; Edu Games
Digital Media Application= Edu Simulation; Web-based Course; Tutorials; Drill & Prac; Web-enhanced
Learning
e) Anti-Virus = System Software
= cannot prevent unauthorized access by a hacker
f) Filtering Software= allows parents/teachers to block access to certain materials on the internet

g) system failure= means a teacher cannot recover a test paper she created on a computer ever since the computer had a
system failure

h) 1 – Computer Literacy= to hav knowledge & understanding of current computers & associated hardware /software eg.
How to install program; change ink cartridges etc.
2 – Information Literacy= to find, analyze, use, communicate, info from educational software & internet
3 – Integration Literacy= ability to meaningfully use info technology in conjunction with appropriate teaching /
teaching strategies
i) Diff btwn Internet & WWW(World Wide Web) & LAN(Local area network)=
- internet= global network of computers containing info on a multitude of subjects
- WWW= consists of a worldwide collection of electronic docs that hav built in hyperlinks which connect to
other related documents
- LAN= communications network which covers a limited geographic area, eg within a school> a no. of
computers connected to a control computer.

j) Diff between Input & Output=

- Input = what you enter into de memory of a computer so that the CPU can access it & process it into output, eg.
Putting a CD into the romp & the CPU reads the Cd & delivers the info on the monitor
- output = data that is processed into a useful form called information or “output”.

P.T.O. for assign 2

FROM MY ASSIGNMENT 2: Study material: Chapters 1-5 and 8 of the textbook

SCENARIO
Klipfontein Secondary School (KSS) is a rural town school and has 21 teachers and 617 learners in
grades 6-12. The total of the school’s information technology (IT) infrastructure consists of the following
only (i.e. no other hardware, software, services or IT skills are available):
2 outdated microcomputers with printers for administrative use
A local area network (LAN) with 25 state-of-the-art microcomputers, 2 printers and an interactive
whiteboard for educational use in a classroom that is not secure
Only two teachers who are computer literate
The only software available on all microcomputers is as follows:
Windows XP
Microsoft Outlook
Windows Internet Explorer (formerly Microsoft Internet Explorer)
Microsoft Office
The use of IT in the school for teaching, learning and administration is not successful. For example, the
available technology is only used occasionally, some of the computers are out of order, and there is no
IT coordinator, nor an overseeing committee.

Question 1 [25]

(a) Discuss 5 reasons (in at least 2 sentences each) why you think KSS is not
successful in integrating IT in teaching, learning and administration.
Rank your reasons in the order of importance – most important reason first. (10)
i) KSS lacks the services of an IT coordinator, who would be able to correct the disparities between the
technology available & the lack of its productive usage for admin, teaching, and student learning. There is no
system in place at KSS, to address & overcome these disparities, & to integrate availability of the computers &
interactive whiteboard with productivity in learning, teaching, and school management.
ii) There is no overseeing committee in place at the school. Neither is there any authority to monitor the IT
department with regards to maintenance, usage, future upgrades, or providing any requirement necessary for
maximum productivity of available technology; hence the principal needs to create and implement a
technological vision for the school.
iii) The IT technology available to KSS is not maximally utilized. There is no program in place for computer
literacy of school staff in general, nor is there any specialized training of computer literate teachers, so that
they may become proficient in using available IT apparatus for the benefit of student-learning.
iv) There is a large disparity in the ratio of available technology to the number of computer literate teachers on
the staff (only two teachers are computer literate); and also the total number of learners to computers makes
the situation unproductive. There are 21teachers and 25 state-of-the-art microcomputers available, therefore
teacher training is imperative.
v) The two computers used for administration purposes which are outdated can hamper administrative
efficiency, & facilitation of adequate & maximum service delivery regarding running of the school, therefore it is
imperative to gain the services of a contract service and to provide a budget to keep the technology maintained
and updated.

(b) Describe 5 major steps/interventions (in at least 2 sentences each) that you would implement in order
for use and integration of IT in teaching, learning and administration in KSS to succeed. (10)
i) I would appoint an IT coordinator to detect disparities between the technology available to KSS, & the lack of
productive usage with regards to admin, teaching, & student learning. I would expect the IT coordinator to garner
services of trained personnel to manage the technological systems at school; i.e. to repair inoperative computers
& upgrade systems; and to provide a computer literacy & training program for teachers & admin; as well as to
provide ways to ensure security of the technological apparatus at the school from theft, and to work out the
budget necessary for correction/ implementation of its findings.
ii) I would install a committee under the IT coordinator so as to facilitate the multiple undertakings of the IT
coordinator mentioned above for efficiency in achieving the goal of productivity in the IT department; as well as
to organize funds for these undertakings; and to implement the security, operational & functional status of the
various IT apparatus at the school. Also, to oversee maintenance / upgrades once the system has been fully
established. Also, the committee will need to install secure measures to be put in place in order to protect
learners from surfing harmful sites on the internet, e.g. porn sites etc.
iii) I’d create & implement a vision in order to maximize benefit relative to teaching & student learning, &
admin, through the IT apparatus & programs (e.g. Interactive whiteboard) accessible at the school; & to
fast-forward productivity, I’d first get the 2 computer literate teachers in KSS involved in a specialized
training program for advanced use & application of the available technology and programs for student
learning. Being computer literate, they would be easily trained and perhaps they could in turn train all the
other teachers in the school. By any means, I would insist that all the teachers be made computer literate,
and be engaged in further specialized training so as to maximally integrate IT into student learning in order
to reach ideal vision & goals of productive learning through technology.
iv) In order to maximize utilization of available technology, I would co-ordinate a timetable that insists every
teacher in each learning area allocate and prepare at least 1 lesson a month per class which implements
the application of the interactive whiteboard into his/her teaching task. The computers that are out-of-order
would need to be repaired so that all 25 state-of-the-art computers may be used to train the teachers. Also
all computers will need to be upgraded to include programs to aid teachers’ administrative tasks like
 spreadsheet software to mark student performance etc. I’d also set up some of the available computers as
a teacher station for easy access to aid them in teaching/admin tasks and use.
v) The school’s computers would need to be upgraded with relative hardware and software, and admin staff
would also need to be made computer literate and adequately trained, in order to acquire the necessary
skills for competency, & to expedite productivity & efficiency in running the office administration and
management of the school.

(c) Recommend 5 ways in which the education department should support KSS to succeed in
integrating IT in teaching, learning and administration. (5)
i) The Department of Education (DOE) could contribute monetary funds towards the school’s initiatives to
establish productivity of its available IT resources like training, and also to ensure necessary security
measures for protection of its IT resources.
ii) DOE needs to provide proper training in integration of technology and teaching.
iii) DOE also could subsidize the maintenance of IT resources at the school.
iv) DOE should also provide a budget for the expenses incurred in using IT resources at school like
computer paper and ink cartridges for the printers, upgrades etc.
v) DOE could initiate an expanded use of technological resources available at schools for the
underprivileged learners & community to function as a sort of “internet café”– especially those in rural
areas - by making the resources available after school to learners and community members. For this to
be viable stronger security measures and a manned staff would need to be installed to run the IT
department after school hours.

Question 2 [25]
(a) Which operating system is installed on the computers of KSS? Describe the role (or
function) of an operating system. (4)
Microsoft Windows XP.
i. It controls the operations of the computer and all the devices attached to it.
ii. It works as a coordinator of all the activities processed by the computer’s hardware.
iii. It therefore assigns different processors to the different tasks being performed by the computer system.
iv. It works as an interface for application software and its user when user chooses to use certain
application software.

(b) List the operations of the machine cycle. (4)

i. Fetches an instruction
ii. Decodes the instruction
iii. Executes the instruction
iv. Stores instruction in memory

(c) Which subcomponent of which component of the system unit is responsible for the machine cycle? (2)
The computer’s Motherboard which is the control unit placed in the central processing unit (CPU).

(d) You are using a computer to calculate the average of a subject’s exam marks. What is present in the
random access memory (RAM) of the computer at that moment? (3)
i. The main windows system of the computer
ii. All the students’ respective marks which forms part of the data
iii. The application program used for each mathematical process in calculating the average, like the
spreadsheet program

(e) List 6 input devices that one could expect to find on the computers of the school’s educational LAN. (3)
i. modem
ii. mouse
iii. keyboard
iv. microphone
v. scanner
vi. CD or DVD drive
(f) List 6 output devices that one could expect to find on the computers of the school’s educational LAN.(3)
i. monitor .
ii. printer,
iii. speakers.
iv. Data projector,
v. facsimile machine
vi. interactive whiteboard

(g) Indicate acceptable capacities (size, speed, etc.) with appropriate measurement units for the ff.
devices/components of a state-of-the-art computer (e.g. an acceptable capacity for the RAM of a
computer is 1024 Megabyte or 1 Gigabyte)
i) Hard disk (2) : Anything between 100 Gigs (Gb) and 3 terabytes (Tb)
ii) Central processing unit (CPU) (2): Anything between 1 to 4 Gigahertz(GHz)
iii) Screen (2): Anything between 15 to 25 inches

Question 3 [25]
(a) Identify & describe (in at least 2 sentences each) 5 broad knowledge areas (or main topics) that you
would recommend for training the teachers of KSS in integrating IT into teaching & learning in the
classroom. (10)
i) Teachers must become literate in applying the variety of hardware like interactive whiteboards; and
software programs pertaining to admin tasks and teaching strategies - like spreadsheets, word
processing; and other lesson plan creating programs in order to enhance interest in learning, and to
integrate technology into learning.
ii) The internet is most resourceful for information and ideas to spice up lessons and deliver the most
updated knowledge and information to teachers and learners.
iii)Search engines on the internet facilitate and make easy the rendering of specific information required by
the user.
iv) The internet also serves as an efficient communication tool like email; and valuable time is saved in
contacting people or fellow teachers/learners etc.
v) Teachers need to have information literacy for evaluation purposes as well, i.e.to evaluate
appropriateness of internet information for teaching and learning purposes.
(b) Identify 5 types of technology tools (application packages) that you think learners should be able to
use in learning activities. Describe for each one an example of a learning task that a learner can
perform with that tool. (The examples must be unique and specific to learning in the classroom.
Every example must identify the user, the tool and a unique and authentic learning activity. General
and vague uses of application packages that any man on the street can do will earn absolutely no
marks.) (10)
i) A Word-processor package, e.g. Microsoft Word, is essential to facilitate writing of documents, e.g. writing
an essay for a Language class assignment, or research project, or for an oral speech, or writing out book
reviews etc.
ii) A Spreadsheet package e.g. Microsoft Excel, facilitates the recording of experiment data in Physical
Science to draw up a graph.
iii) A Presentation- graphics program e.g. Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft PowerPoint can be used for a
slide-show to document geography concepts visually; and may also be used to facilitate drawing up an
interesting and attractive presentation like a lifecycle of an organism for a Natural Science project;
learner creativity is induced through use of such programs.
iv) A Web-browser package, e.g. Mozilla Firefox, is necessary for surfing the internet effectively to retrieve
information specific to a topic like HIV AIDS for an LO assignment.
v) An Email package facilitates easy communication via email to outside experts or their teachers for
specialized information about a homework task and project information.
(c) List any 5 possible types of IT uses in a school’s administrative & management offices. (5)
i) A Word-processor package, e.g. Microsoft Word, is essential to create official documents, letterheads etc.
to send letters to the Education Department for official matters.
ii) A Spreadsheet package e.g. Microsoft Excel, would facilitate the calculation of figures as for a school
budget.
iii) A Presentation- graphics program e.g. Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft PowerPoint, would facilitate the
issuing of information and ideas to school staff, learners, and parents as in a newsletter.
iv) A Web-browser package, e.g. Mozilla Firefox, or Internet Explorer would facilitate visiting of official
websites in order to access important information.
v)An Email package would facilitate easy communication to send and receive and important messages to
official sources and parents as well.

Question 4 [25]
(a) Evaluate the security situation of KSS’s hardware, software and data, & make recommendations of
how it can be improved. (10)
i) KSS’s computers are not protected from Computer Viruses and so need installation of an anti-virus
protection program, e.g. BitDefender etc.
ii) Also a firewall will need to be installed for protection against unauthorized access by computer hackers.
iii) Encryption of data stored on the computers would need to be applied in order to protect privacy of
information stored and/or theft of the information.
iv) In order to protect theft of computer hardware like screen, CPU tower, keyboard etc. the computer room
would need to be burglar proofed with an accompanied chain-lock system to protect smaller hardware
from pilferage.
v) In order to protect stored information from being lost through power outages, or theft, or damage to parts
of the CPU, or anything that causes a system failure, users would have to be deft at backing up
information stored, into removable disks or on storage websites on the internet.

(b) Describe (in at least 2 sentences each) 3 advantages & 3 disadvantages (or dangers) that Internet
access can have for the school’s staff and learners. (12)
Advantages:
i) Facilitates access of a large variety of information and resources to both teachers and learners for most
teaching and learning activities.
ii) Teachers and learners can communicate with experts for additional information outside the classroom, in
order to support them in either their teaching or learning tasks.
iii) Teachers and learners may publish their works on the internet for the benefit of others, or for review and
comment.

Disadvantages:
i) Poses a threat to access of information not conducive to teaching or learning e.g. porn sites;
discriminatory information, biased info, etc. or even information which may be incorrect or false.
ii) Teachers and learners can come into contact with people that may deceive, cause harm or grief, e.g.
pedophiles, cyber-criminals, etc.
iii) Teachers and learners may fall prey to phishing scams and other attempts of fraudulent activity.

(c) Many school’s have their own Web sites nowadays. What do you think are its advantages?
It serves as an advertisement for the school; and provides all the necessary information one may want to
know, e.g. school policies, school vision, mission, rules, fees etc. It also facilitates easier communication
with the school, with regards to need for miscellaneous information about the school calendar, like cultural
or sporting events marked for the year; or academic activities like term / test/ examination timetables. Also
the site would provide information on special programs and extra-curricular activities the school have may
be rendering to learners/teachers etc. Also parents and visitors to the site may post queries on the site and
get feedback, answered directly by the school through the website. The website may provide contact
details for staff at the school.
PTO for Cecile’s Summaries

Cecile”s Summaries For Exam Prep

FDEME3L
Chapter 1 – Integrating educational technology into curriculum
 Curriculum-specific learning/ discipline specific learning – when you are learning how to apply teaching principles,
knowledge and ideas to authentic and practical classroom lessons and projects that can benefit your students
 Computer literacy – when you have knowledge and understanding of computers and their uses
 Information literacy – knowing how to find, analyse, use and communicate information; ability to gather information
from multiple sources, select relevant material, and organise it into a form that will allow the user to make decisions
or take specific actions
 Integration literacy – ability to use computers and other technologies combined with a variety of teaching and learning
strategies to enhance student learning
 In today’s world, computers are everywhere – at schools, home, and embedded in all kinds of appliances such as TVs,
DVDs or in cars. Today most occupations involve the use of computers on a daily basis and people need to be
computer literate and information literate. Students must learn to make informed decisions based on information
obtained in all areas of their lives. They should learn to use modern technology to access and analyse information.
Today’s teachers must also use computers as a tool to facilitate learning. They must be able to assess technology
resources and plan classroom activities using available technologies. They should be able to use computers and other
technologies combined with a variety of teaching and learning strategies to enhance students learning.
 Data – collection of unorganised facts
 Information - data that is organised has meaning and is useful (reports, pictures, invoice etc.)
 Input – data entered into a computer
 Output – processed results of the input
 Information processing cycle – the cycle of input, process, output and storage
 Hardware – electronic and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer
 Software – the series of instructions that tell the HW how to perform tasks
 Age of convergence- 21st century; technologies are merging because significantly faster processors and high-speed
networks make it possible
 Digital media – technologies that allow users to create new forms of interaction, expression; communication and
entertainment in digital format

 Categories of computers
 Personal computer is a computer that performs all of its input, processing, output and storage activities by itself. A PC
contains a processor, memory, input, output and storage devices; and have windows installed in case of this module

 Mobile computers and devices

 Mobile computers – also called notebooks or laptops
 Tablet PC – special type of notebook computer that allows you to write on screen using digital pen
 Mobile devices - usually can wirelessly connect to the internet and don’t have disk drives – data is stored in memory
disks or memory cards; e.g. handheld computers, PDAs, smart phones
 Handheld computer - fits in one hand; input by small keyboard or stylus
 PDA – personal digital assistant – provides personal or organiser functions such as calendar, appointment books,
address book, calculator, notepad, word processor, spreadsheet, access to internet and email etc
 Smart phones – internet enabled telephone that also provided PDA capabilities; also music, camera etc.
 It is difficult to differentiate between smart phones and PDAs, because they have similar functions. Manufacturers often
refer to them as handhelds.
 Server manages the resources on a network and provides a centralised storage area for sw programs and data
 Supercomputer is the fastest, most powerful computer; used for tasks such as analysing weather patterns
 Embedded computer – a special purpose computer that functions as one component in a larger product

 Why use computer technology in education?

 Educators recognise that they must teach students to use current technologies so that students become comfortable
with them; also parents often insist on incorporating technology into the classroom; technology has the potential to
enhance student’s achievements and assist them in meeting learning objectives; using technology can be motivational
 and can hold students´ attention; computers can also provide many opportunities for teaching and learning, including
skill building practice, real-world problem solving, interactive learning, discovery learning and linking learners to a
multitude of instructional resources.
 International society for technology in education (ISTE) is a non-profit group that promotes the use of technology to
support and improve teaching and learning.

 21st century skills

 Core subjects include English, reading, language arts, science, mathematics, foreign languages, civics, government,
economics, art, history, geography, health awareness.
 Skills necessary for students to be able to succeed in the work environment are creativity, innovation, critical thinking,
problem solving communication and collaboration
 Students need to be able to use new technology. These skills are known as ITC literacy (Information, communications
and technology literacy)
 Students also need life and career skills: flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and cross-cultural
skills, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility

 Digital students/digital kids- today youth are much more media-centric then previous generations. They are often
called the digital generation – they use different technologies to communicate and to access information from
multiple resources. They use computers, PDAs etc. with ease. Today students are different from previous generations
in the way they think and access, absorb, interpret and apply information, and in the way they interact and
communicate. Today’s students are learning differently and therefore different modes of teaching are required to
motivate students and empower them to invest in their own learning. There are numerous sw programs that teachers
can use to stimulate students imagination. Teacher´s job is to teach students how to work on team projects and
correspond, cooperate and collaborate with students not only in their classroom, but also with students worldwide
through the internet. As students learn in this digital world, they have the opportunity to find and conduct various
types of research – the information is just a click away on the internet, which provides enormous amount of
information, graphics and data. Students should learn skills for accessing and searching information, but they must
also be taught the skills to evaluate and analyse information and to verify if the information is valid and reliable and
then synthesise it

 Information fluency – when a person has mastered the ability to analyse and evaluate information. They can work
confidently using computer, information and media literacy skills and effectively apply these skills.

 Media literacy – being able to create, develop and successfully communicate information in all forms. It is the ability to
use critical thinking skills and to question all media – music videos, web environments etc.
 Students not only need to investigate data using critical thinking skills, they must also be able to synthesise, evaluate
and create new information and knowledge once they have determined its quality. Activities must be active with
authentic learning experiences. Teachers must look for the most innovative ways to teach their students and integrate
technology tools.
 Statistical literacy is an essential component of information literacy. Students must be statistically literate: be able to
think critically about basic descriptive statistics. They should be able to analyse, interpret and evaluate statistics.
 Data literacy – students need to be able to view, manipulate, analyse and interpret data.
 Teachers need to create activities for students to promote the use of higher order thinking skills that can increase
students´ critical thinking and problem-solving skills e.g. learning to gather data, solve problems through inquiry,
explore solutions with visualisation and data plots.

 Digital citizenship – being a good digital citizen includes knowledge and commitment for understanding things like
etiquette, communication techniques and standards, issues surrounding media and computers, business, commerce,
entrepreneurship, privacy rights and responsibilities, ergonomic issues and issues about security and protection for
losing data and personal information from computer crashes, asset management and hackers. A great way to teach
students to be digital citizens is to have a debate activity e.g. about copyright.
 Students should understand how computers work and understand the different HW, programs and applications.
 ARCS motivational model – students should be motivated to learn; 4 areas that could account for differences in student
effort:
 Attention – capture students´ attention to eliminate boredom and arouse curiosity; digital media has the ability to
capture learners´ attention
 Relevance – when students feel that learning is relevant or important to their lives, they will become motivated to
learn. By using digital media to develop lesson concepts, teachers bring familiar technology into the classroom
 Challenge-confidence – students who believe they can achieve often do. Lesson created with digital media allow
students to develop confidence by enabling them to succeed (e.g. by reaching new level etc.)
 Satisfaction- success – students gain success in achieving their objective, which promotes self-satisfaction from the
learning experience. Digital media provides opportunities for students to use newly acquired knowledge or skills in
simulated settings successfully. Lessons developed using digital media can be designed to provide feedback that will
sustain the desired behaviour. Students can share their successes with others

 An example of how one school uses computers - all computers are part of LAN, high speed internet access, computer
labs, wifi connection to the LAN, learners can work on online projects, make broadcasts etc. Teachers can
communicate online with parents and use digital media in their lessons.
 Assistive – adoptive technology refers to any equipment, modification or accommodation that can improve persons
capability to learn, communicate, solve a problem or complete a task through the use of a computer (for people with
disabilities) Apple and Microsoft provide accessibility features and assistance at their websites as well as built-in
features in their operating systems.

 Unit 2 Communications, Networks, the Internet and the World Wide Web
 Communications, also called telecommunications, is a process in which two or more computers or devices transfer
data, instructions and information.
 Communications network is a collection of computers and other equipment organised to share data, information, HW
and SW. A basic communication system consists of 2 computers, communications device (modem) and a
communications channel over which data is sent. Communications software – a program that manages the
transmission of data is also needed. Communications channels are made of transmission media, such as twisted-
paired cable, which is used in standard telephone lines. Digital signals are individual electronic pulses that computers
use to represent data. Telephones can only carry analogue signal. For telephone lines to carry data, a communications
device called modem converts digital signal from the computer to analogue signal for transmission over phone lines.
At the receiving computer, a modem converts analogue signal back to digital signal. Cable modems and DSL modems
provide fast internet connection. Network interface cards are used in computers connected to LAN or WAN networks.

 Local Area Network (LAN) is a communications network that covers a limited geographical area, e.g. building. A LAN
consists of a number of computers connected to a server. Server manages the resources on a network and provides a
centralised storage area for software and data.
 Wireless LAN (WLAN) is a LAN that uses radio waves instead of wires.
 Wide Area Network (WAN) covers a large geographical region e.g. city, district and uses regular telephone lines, digital
cables, microwaves, wireless systems and satellites. A WAN can consist of numerous LANs organised into one large
network.
 Home network is practical if you have several computers in your home or office. All the computers can be connected to
the internet at the same time and the computers can share files and peripherals. Home network can be either wired
or wireless.
 Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) – short-range wireless network often based on Bluetooth technology that
uses short-range radio waves to transmit data between two Bluetooth devices (within 1Om)
 Wireless Metropolitan Area is a wireless network designed to cover an urban area (free access in public spaces or
access for a fee)
 Wireless wide area network (WWAN) – wireless network that covers a wide geographic area and uses a variety of
technologies including radio, satellite and mobile telephone technologies. WIMAX is a new technology.
 Networking the school - A School network server connects all the computers located within a school. A server manages
the resources on a network and provides a centralised storage area for SW programs and data. Typically, any teacher
and student can access SW and data on the server, although network administrator can limit access to specific records
and applications. Many schools use wireless networks so students and teachers can connect to the network anywhere
in the school.

 Benefits of computer networks in education

 Administrators, teachers and students can share HW, SW and data resources available throughout the school district.
 Administrators, teachers and students can access unlimited educational resources available on the internet and
communicate with other people all over the world.
 The internet is the world’s largest network, a collection of networks that link together millions of businesses,
institutions and individuals. Reasons for connection: access to information, entertainment, shopping, communication
 with people around the world, accessing other computers and sharing files, downloading and listening to music and
watching movies, access educational material.

 History of internet
 The internet has its roots in a networking project of the U.S. Department of Defence. They built a network called
ARPANET in 1969, effectively linking together scientific and academic researchers in the USA. By 1984 ARPANET had
more than 1000 host computers (servers). More and more organisations decided to connect their entire networks to
ARPANET and this complex network became known as the Internet. Today a variety of organisations operate the
backbone networks that provide access to the internet. These backbone networks, telephone, cable and satellite
companies and educational institutions and the governments all contribute extensive resources to the internet.
 Internet 2 is extremely high-speed network that develops and tests advanced internet technologies for research,
teaching and learning. Members are universities, corporations, governmental agencies and laboratories

 How the internet works – when a computer or other device sends data over the internet, the computer software
devides the data into small pieces called packets. Each packet contains the date, recipient, sender and sequence
information needed to reassemble the data at the destination. Packets travel along the fastest path available to the
recipient’s computer via hardware devices called routers.
 Packet switching is the technique of breaking a message into packets and sending them along best route available and
reassembling the data.
 Communication protocol specifies the rules that define how devices connect to each other and transmit data over a
network (TCP-IP)
 Internet service provider (ISP) is a business that provides internet access.
 Online service provider (OSP) provides access to the internet plus online services such as news, weather, educational
info, games etc (AOL, MSN)
 Wireless internet service provider is a company that provided wireless internet access to computers with wireless
modems or to internet-enabled devices. An Antenna sends signals through the airwaves to wireless ISP.

 Cable modem is used to connect to high-speed internet over cable television; CATV enters the house through a single
line and then splits between TV and cable modem.
 Digital subscriber line (DSL) is a high-speed internet connection that transmits data on existing standard telephone
lines.
 Satellite modems are another high-speed way how to connect to internet
 Power line connection (PLC) allows broadband internet connection using an electric outlet.
 Public internet access point – a public place where people can access the internet free or for a fee
 Internet backbone – the main communications lines that have the heaviest amount of traffic on the internet
 Internet addresses – each computer location on the internet has a specific numeric address. The text version of a
computer address is called a domain name (www.leli.com)

 The World Wide Web is just one of the services available on the internet (since 1990s). The web consists of a worldwide
collection of electronic documents that have built-in hyperlinks to other related documents.
 Webpage is an electronic document viewed on the web. It can contain text, graphics, sounds, videos and hyperlinks; a
webpage is a hypertext or hypermedia document residing on an internet computer
 Website is a collection of related web pages. Most websites have a starting point called a homepage. Each webpage has
a unique address called a Uniform resource locator (URL), which consists of a protocol, domain name and path. You
can access web pages by using sw program called web browser.
 Static web page - all visitors see the same content
 Dynamic webpage – webpage is customised so visitors see content unique to their settings. Dynamic webpage can also
be called Web 2 or participatory web.
 Web server is a computer that delivers requested web pages. Web servers can store multiple websites.
 3 types of hyperlinks exist:
 Target links link to another location in the same document
 Relative hyperlink link to another document on the same internet computer
 Absolute hyperlink – link to another document on another internet computer
 Hypertext and hypermedia allow students to learn in a nonlinear way = discovery learning - learners can investigate
related topics.
 Webmaster is the person responsible for developing web pages and maintaining a website. Webmasters create and
format web pages using Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML), which is a set of special codes called tags that define
 the placement and format of text, graphics, video and sound on a webpage. HTML is difficult to master, so many
people use web publishing tools such as Dreamweaver.

 Web browser is a program that interprets HTML and displays web pages.
 XML is a mark-up language that allows creating custom tags known as schema. The tags are stored in libraries and can
be used in Cascading style sheets (CSS), a simple mechanism for adding style (font, colours) to web documents
 XMTML is flexible and enables web pages to be displayed on PDAs and smart phones.
 Search tools enable users to locate information found at website all over the world. Two basic types are:
 Search engine – bases the search on keywords you enter; using different search engines for the same keywords yields
different results.
 Subject directory – is provided by many search engines and allows users to navigate to areas of interest
 Plug-in is a program that extends the capability of the browser. They can be often downloaded for free from various
websites
 Graphics – a digital representation of non-text information such as a drawing, chart or photograph
 Animation – appearance of motion created by displaying a series of still images in a rapid sequence
 Thumbnail is a small version of a larger graphical image that you can click on.
 Marque – text that is animated to scroll across the screen
 Animated GIF – a group of images combined into a single GIF file.
 Audio – music, speech or other sound; typical audio formats are MP3, WAV, WMA, Real Audio and Quick Time. Audio
files are compressed to reduce size, but quality is preserved. Most common players are Windows Media Player, Real
Player and iTunes.
 Streaming is a process of transferring data in a continuous and even flow.
 Streaming audio enables you to listen to sound files as they are being downloaded into your computer. Many radio and
TV stations use streaming audio to broadcast their shows and videos.
 Podcast is recorded audio, usually in MP3 file, stored on a website. It can be downloaded. Users can subscribe to a feed
and receive new audio files automatically by using RSS, which is a protocol that allows users to automatically receive
the feed. Podcasting can be very useful to teachers who want to automatically send class content, announcements
etc. to their students.
 Video consists of full-motion images that are played back at various speeds.
 Streaming video allows you to view video as it is downloading to your computer; Windows Media Player, Real Player
and Apple Quick Time are common players.
 Virtual reality (VR) is the simulation of real or imagined environment that appears in 3D space. Popular uses: games,
creating advertisements, show products, virtual tours.
 E-mail is the transmission of messages and files via computer network; email program can be used to create, send,
receive, forward, store, print and delete messages and attachments can be added. When you receive a message, your
ISP software stores the message in your personal mailbox on its mail server.
 Mail server is a server that contains user´s mailboxes and associated email messages.
 Email address is a combination of username and a domain name

 File transfer Protocol (FTP) is an internet standard that allows you to exchange files with other computers on the
internet.
 FTP server is a computer that allows users to upload and download files using FTP. FTP server contains one or more FTP
sites, a collection of files. Some FTP sites require passwords others allow anonymous FTP (usually websites offering
freeware and shareware). If you want to upload a file to FTP site, you need to use FTP program.
 Newsgroup is an online area in which users conduct written discussions about particular subject. The entire collection
of internet newsgroups is called UseNet.
 News server is a computer that stores and distributes newsgroup messages. Most universities, corporations and other
large organisations have a news server.
 To participate in a newsgroup, you must use a program called a newsreader, which is included in most browsers. The
newsreader enables you to access (user name and password is often required) a newsgroup to read messages called
articles and add new articles, called postings. The original article and all subsequent related replies are called a thread.

 Message boards (also discussion boards) are popular because they do not require a newsreader and are easier to use
the newsgroups. Many websites provide message boards for their users.
 Mailing list is a group of e-mail addresses given a single name. When a user sends a message to a mailing list, every
person on the list receives a copy of the message. You have to subscribe and unsubscribe to the mailing list. LISTSERV
is a popular SW program used to manage many educational mailing lists.
 Instant messaging (IM) is a real-time internet communications service that notifies you when one or more people are
online and then you can exchange messages or files or join a private chat room with them. Some IM services also
support voice and video conversation. Some will also alert you to information such as calendar appointment, weather
and sport scores.
 Short message service is a service that permits the sending and receiving of short messages that is available on mobile
phones and other mobile devices
 Chat is a real-time typed conversation that takes place on a computer
 Chat room refers to the communication medium that permits users to chat with each other. Anyone in a chat room can
participate in the conversation, which usually deals with a specific topic. To start a chat session, you must connect to a
chat server through a chat client, a program that is usually embedded in your browser. Some chat rooms support
voice or video chats.
 Internet telephony- voice over IP – enables users to speak to other users over the internet using their computers or
mobile devices
 Netiquette is the code of acceptable behaviour users should follow while on the internet
 Firewall – hw and sw used to restrict access to data on a network.
 Filtering software allows parents and teachers to block access to certain material on the internet
 Acceptable use policy (AUP) – an outline of user standards that remind teachers, students and parents that they are
guests on the internet and thus need to use it appropriately. Most schools require everyone to sign AUPs.
 EPals- project designed to enable digital students to develop an understanding of different cultures through student
exchanges using many of the internet based tools described in this chapter.
 The impact of the internet and World Wide Web on education – by providing a variety of learning tools, the internet
and the web are transforming the way teachers instruct and the way students learn basic skills and core subjects.
 Media convergence – it is predicted that in the future all mass media will eventually merge into one medium.

 Unit 3 Application software prodictivity tools for educators

 There are two types of software: system software and application software
 System software – consists of programs that control the operations of the computer and devices. System software
serves as the interface between the user and the computer’s hardware. One type of system software, the operating
system, contains instructions that coordinate all the activities of the hardware devices in a computer. Operating
systems: MS Windows, Mac OS, Unix, Linux
 User interface controls how you input data and how information is presented on the screen Many operating systems
have Graphical User Interface (GUI) which combines text and graphics to make software easier to use.

Application software consists of programs designed to perform specific tasks for users.
 Desktop – onscreen work area that uses common graphical elements such as icons, buttons, windows, menus and
dialog boxes to make it easy for users to interact with the computer
 Commands are instructions that cause a computer program to perform a specific action
 File is a named collection of data e.g. document, a program or a set of data used by a program.
 Document is a piece of work created with an application and saved on a storage medium with a unique filename.
 Formatting – changing the appearance of a document
 Editing – the process of making changes to the document’s existing content
 Voice recognition- speech recognition – is the computer’s capability of distinguishing spoken word. You speak into the
microphone and watch your words displayed on the screen as you talk. You can also edit and format a document by
speaking or spelling instructions. Many SW applications support voice recognition.
 Note taking Software is application software that enables users to enter typed text, handwritten comments, graphs,
drawings and sketches anywhere on a page and then save then save the page as part of an electronic notebook; MS
One Note
 Productivity software is designed to make people more effective and efficient while performing daily activities. It
includes applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation graphics, and personal
information management and software suites.
 Word processing software is used to create, edit and format documents that consist primarily of text; examples Word
perfect, MS Word
 Spreadsheet software allows you to organise numeric data in rows and columns. Formulas can be added to the
spreadsheet and the formulas can perform calculations on numeric data in the spreadsheet and display the resulting
value in all the cells containing the formula. A function is a predefined formula that performs common calculation.
Spreadsheet sw can also turn numeric data into a chart that graphically illustrates the relationships of the numeric
data; MS Excel
 Database software – a database is a collection of data organised in a manner that allows access, retrieval and use of
that data. Database SW allows you to create a computerised database; MS Access, File Maker Pro.
 Presentation graphics software can be used to create presentations, which you can use to communicate ideas,
messages and other information to a group of people. The presentation can be viewed as slides that are displayed on
a monitor or projected onto a screen. Slides can also be made into traditional overhead transparencies or be printed;
MS PowerPoint, Keynote
 Personal Information Manager (PIM) is a software application installed on PDA that includes an appointment calendar,
address book, notepad and other features to help you organise personal information.
 Beaming is a method of transferring data through an infrared port.
 PDA operating systems are Palm OS, Pocket PC and Linux; wide selection of software for PDA is available on the
internet (first download to your PC) and in shops.

Software suite is a collection of individual application software packages sold as a single package – MS Office, MS Works,
iWorks; advantages : cheap and easy to use
 Graphics and multimedia software - Desktop publishing software (DTP) allows you to design, produce and deliver
sophisticated documents that contain text, graphics and colours. These software supports page layout, which is the
process of arranging text and graphics in a document DTP allows you to convert a document into a format for the use
on the web often in PDF format (MS Publisher)
 Paint/ image editing software – professionals use these software to create and modify graphics. Paint software allows
you to draw pictures, shapes and other graphics. Image editing software provides capabilities of paint sw plus enables
you to modify existing graphics
 Photo editing software allows you to edit digital photographs

 Multimedia authoring software is used to create electronic presentations, simulations and software demonstrations
that include text, graphics, video, audio and screen captures (Camtasia Studio, Adobe Captivate)
 Video and audio editing software – allow you to add or remove clips; add special effects like sounds, banners, credits
etc. (iMovie, Movie Maker, Final Cut)
 Webpage authoring software helps you to create web pages, manage and maintain websites. Teachers can create a
curriculum page that contains hyperlinks to teacher-selected websites that assist in teaching content-specific
curriculum objectives. (MS publisher, Web Blender, Adobe Dreamweaver)

 Software for school use

 School management software is a centralised program that allows district and school personnel to manage the school
district operations such as budgeting, inventory, technology and expenses. Most school management sw packages
allow school districts to keep a database of all assets, salaries, benefits, food services inventory; some also include
databases for attendance and other student information and have other functions similar to student management
software.
 Student management software is a centralised program that allows administrators, teachers and other staff to manage
and track information about students, including attendance and academic records.
 Gradebook software allows teachers to track and organise student tests, homework, lab work and other scores; search
by name, student number or current average; weight various scores;(Engrades, Micro Grade, Grade Quick, template
wizard in excel can also be used)
 Educational software supports learning objectives and goals; available for all subjects
 Resource software provides valuable and thorough information for everybody e.g. encyclopaedias, dictionaries, guides

 Special needs software is designed specifically for students with physical impairments or learning disabilities to assist
them in completing school assignments and everyday tasks. Special needs software includes speech synthesis
software, text enlargement programs, talking calculators etc. when students use these programs in combination with
assistive devices such as touch screens and adaptive keyboards, their ability to succeed increases

 Software for home and personal use

 Personal finance software is a simplified accounting program that helps you to pay bills, balance your check book, track
your incomes and expenses and investments, evaluates financial plans and maintains home inventory. (Quicken, MS
Money)
 Online banking offers access to account balances, provides bill payment services and allows you to download
transactions and statements from the web directly to your computer.
 Tax preparation software guides individuals, families and small businesses through the process of filing taxes.
 Legal software assists in the preparation of legal documents and provides standard documents associated with buying,
selling and renting property, preparing a will.
 Entertainment software includes games, videos and other programs designed to support a hobby or just provide
amusement and enjoyment (games, family tree software, compose music etc.)

 Learning aids and support tools

 Help is the electronic equivalent of a user manual and it is usually integrated into application software package
 Trade books can be bought to help you learn about specific software
 Tutorials are step-by-step instructions using real examples that show you how to use an application. – some are printed
manuals, others are software or internet based.
 Software versions and upgrades – software programs are usually designed by a version number. A new version of a
software product is called an upgrade, most software programs allow you to save a document in a format compatible
with earlier version.

 Unit 4 – Hardware for educators

 System unit is a boxlike case made of metal or plastic that houses the electronic components a computer uses to
process data.
 Data representation – data in computers is represented by series of 1s and 0s. Each on or off digital value is called a bit
and represents the smallest unit of data the computer can handle when 8 bits are grouped together as a unit, they are
called a byte. The combination of 0s and 1s used to represent characters are defined by patterns called coding
schemes. The most widely used coding scheme is ASCII.
 The components of the system unit
 The motherboard or circuit board
 Chip is a small piece of semiconducting material and is made up of many layers of circuits and microscopic components

The CPU
 is a chip that interprets and carries out basic instructions that operate a computer; also called processor or
microprocessor
 Duel-core processor is a single chip with two separate processors
 Multi-core processor is a single chip with two or more separate processors
 The control unit is one component of the CPU. It directs and coordinates most of the operations in the computer.
 Machine cycle=fetching (obtain data from memory) – decoding (translating the instruction into commands the
computer understands) – executing (carrying out commands) – storing (writing the results to memory)
 The system clock – the control unit relies on a small chip called the system clock to synchronise or control the timing of
all operations
 Clock speed – is the speed at which a processor executes instructions measured in GHZ
 The arithmetic-logic Unit (ALU) is a component of the CPU that performs the execution part of machine cycle

Memory –
 a computer uses memory to store data and information. Memory stores the operating system and other system
software, the application software and the data being processed by application sw. The computer stores each byte in
a precise location, called an address
 Byte – Kb – MB – GB – TB
 The system unit contains 2 types of memory: Volatile memory – lost when the power is turned off and non-volatile
memory.
 Random access memory (RAM) is volatile memory. The most common form of RAM is SDRAM – installed by using a
DIMM that contains multiple RAM chips. DIMMs hold 356 and 512 MB or 1 to 2 GB.DIMM chips are installed in
sockets on the motherboard and can be replaced easily.
 Read-only memory (ROM) chips store information or instructions that don’t change; non-volatile memory
 Flash memory – non-volatile memory that can be erased electronically and rewritten on. Most computers use flash
memory to hold start up instructions; flash memory chips are used to store data on mobile computers and devices
 Expansion slot is a socket on a motherboard that can hold adapter-expansion card that enhances functions of a system
component and or provides connection to peripherals.
 Peripheral is a device that connects to the system unit and is controlled by the processor in computer. Most devices are
plug and play, which means that computer can configure devices automatically as they are installed.

Removable memory devices

 Flash memory card – is a removable flash memory device you insert and remove form a slot in a computer or mobile
device – pda, digital camera, printer etc; storage capacity 32MB to 8GB
 USB flash drive plugs in a USB port on a computer or a portable device; storage capacity 32 MB to 64 GB
 PC card is a thin, credit-card-sized removable flash memory device that is used primarily to enable notebooks to access
the internet wirelessly
 Express card module adds memory, communications, multimedia and security capabilities to computers

Ports and connectors

 Port is a point of attachment to the system unit. Most computers contain ports on the back and at the front of the
system unit. Ports use different types of connectors that can be male or female.
 USB port can connect up to 127 different peripheral devices
 Fire wire port can connect devices that require fast data transmission speeds such as digital video cameras, digital VCRs,
printers and DVD drives
 Other ports include microphone port, audio in port, speaker port, network port, printer port, mouse and keyboard
ports, monitor port etc.

Input device
 is any hardware component that allows you to enter data, programs, commands and user responses into a computer.
Input devices include keyboards, pointing devices, scanners, digital cameras etc.
 Keyboard is an input device that contains keys users press to enter data and instruction into a computer; wireless –
cordless keyboards are now available.
 Pointing devices are input devices that allow you to control a pointer on the screen. They include:
 Mouse – mechanical and optical; wireless
 Touchpad and pointing stick – touchpad is a small, flat, rectangular pointing device that is sensitive to pressure and
motion. Most also have one or two buttons near the pad that work like mouse buttons; found on notebooks; pointing
stick is a pressure sensitive pointing device shaped like a pencil eraser that is positioned between keys on the
notebook’s keyboard.
 Trackball is a stationary pointing device with a ball mechanism on its top
 Joystick and wheel – joystick is a vertical lever mounted on a base. You move the lever to control the actions of a
vehicle or a player in a game. The joystick usually has button called a trigger. A wheel is a steering wheel type of input
device. You turn the wheel to simulate driving. Mostly pedals for acceleration and breaking are included.
 Touch screen – a monitor that has a touch-sensitive panel on the screen. You interact with the computer by touching
the screen with your fingers; often used as an input device for a kiosk, which is freestanding computer that provides
information to the user
 Optical scanner – scanner is an input device that captures an entire page of text or images electronically. Handheld
devices that scan only part of the page are also available
 Pen input – two devices used for pen input are stylus and digital pen
 Stylus is a small metal or plastic device that looks like a tiny ink pen but uses pressure instead of ink
 Digital pen is slightly larger than the stylus; some are pressure sensitive, some have built-in digital camera; tablet PCs
use digital pens, PDAs use a stylus.; handwriting recognition sw is used to transmit handwritten text into print text.
Digital pen contains processor, memory and an ink cartage and can store text in its memory.
 Digital camera allows you to take pictures and store it digitally; later you can download the pictures to your computer
or print them
 Audio and video input – downloaded audio files, own sound or music from microphone, speech recognition, video from
the web, your own video, TV shows, movies etc.
 Input from PDAs, Smart Phones and media players – voice, text etc.

Output is a data that has been processed into information outputs - text, graphics, audio, video
 Output devices – components capable of conveying information to a user

 Display devices are devices that display text, graphics, audio and video information. Information shown on a display
device is often called softcopy; sizes of monitors 15, 17, 19, 21 inches
 CRT monitors – the core of the monitor is a large glass tube called cathode ray tube. The screen is coated with tiny dots
of phosphor material that glow when electrically changed. The CRT moves an electron beam across, causing the dots
to glow, which produces an image on the screen. Each dot, called a pixel, is a single point in an electronic image.
 Flat panel display is a lightweight display with a shallow depth and flat screen that uses LCD or plasma technology.
 LCD monitor, also called flat panel monitor is a monitor that uses a liquid crystal display to produce images; sharp,
flicker free images; saves space on a desk; also used in notebooks, PDAs etc. The quality of an LCD depends primarily
on its resolution response time, brightness, dot pitch and contrast ratio.
 Plasma monitor is a display device that uses gas plasma technology, which sandwiches a layer of gas between two glass
plates. When voltage is applied, the gas releases UV light that causes the pixels on the screen to glow and form an
image; expensive
 Resolution – the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in a display device. Higher resolution means better quality
picture
 Television can be connected to a computer or a game console so you can watch movies or play games
 Printers are output devices that produce text and graphical information on a physical medium such as paper or
transparency film – hard copy. We can print in portrait or landscape orientation.
 Nonimpact printer forms marks on paper without striking it e.g. ink-jet or laser printer
 Ink-jet printer is a type of nonimpact printer that forms marks by spraying tiny drops of liquid ink onto paper; can print
on a wide range of media: paper, labels, transparencies etc. ; ink cartridges
 Photo printer is a printer that produces photos of lab quality.
 Laser printer is a high quality nonimpact printer that uses tonner packed in a cartridge. When electricity is charged, the
tonner sticks to a special drum inside the printer and then is transferred to the paper through a combination of
pressure and hear; often can also print on transparencies and envelopes; better quality image then ink-jet
 Data projector projects the image that displays on a computer screen onto a large screen so that audience can see the
image clearly. DLP projector uses tiny mirrors to reflect light, producing images that can be clearly seen even in a well-
lit room
 LCD projector attaches directly to a computer and uses its own light source to display the information shown on the
computer screen.
 Facsimile (fax) machine is a device that transmits and receives documents over telephone lines. The fax machine scans
the original document, converts the image into digitised data and transmits the digitised image. At the other end, the
data are converted into an image and printed. You can add fax capability to your computer via fax modem.
 Multifunctional device (MFD) is a single piece of equipment that provides the functionality of a printer, fax machine,
copier and scanner.
 Audio output device is a component of a computer that produces music, speech or other sounds;
 Speakers can be separate devices placed on the either side of the monitor or they can be built into the monitor or the
system unit. Speakers are connected to the ports on the soundcard and they usually have tone and volume controls
 Headphones cover outside of the ear so other people can’t hear what you listen
 Earphones-ear buds – rest inside the ear canal

Storage
 Storage medium, also called secondary storage, is the physical material on which data, instructions and information are
kept (hard disk, cd, flashcards etc.)
 Storage device is the mechanism used to record and retrieve storage media
 Magnetic disks use magnetic patterns to store data, instructions and information on the disk’s surface in form of 0s and
1s. Before writing on the disk, the disk must be formatted (organised into tracks and sectors. The 3 types are floppy
disks, zip disks and hard disks.
 Hard disks consist of several circular disks called platters on which data, instructions and information are stored
electronically. The platter is coated with material that allows data to be magnetically recorded on its surface; hard
disks are read-write storage media (data can be rewritten)
 Miniature hard disks are found in devices like media players, digital cameras, smart phones and PDAs storage 4GB to
160GB or more
 Portable hard disks: there are 2 types:
 External hard disk – separate HD that connects to USB or fire wire port by a cable
 Removable hard disks – use cartridges that you insert and remove from an external hard disk drive
 Optical disks – flat, round, portable discs made of metal, plastic and a layer that is written and read by a laser.
 Cds and DVDs are type of optical storage media that consist of a flat, round, portable plastic disc with a protective metal
coating. Some CD and DVD drives are read only, some are read-write, which allows users to save to the disc. The
information is stored in microscopic pits. A high-powered laser creates the pits, low-power laser reads the information
by reflecting light through the bottom of the disc. The reflected light is converted into bits
 Picture cd is a type of compact disc that stores digital version of a single role of film using a .jpg format
 CD-R is a compact disc onto which you can record your own information and you can also add information to the disc
later. 650MB
 CD-ROM cannot be erased or modified
 CD-RW is an erasable disc you can write on multiple times
 DVD is a high quality optical disc capable of storing 4.7 – 17GB;
 Blue-Ray disc (BD) used in game consoles, capacity 10GB
 Miniature mobile storage media – many computers and other devices have slots and ports to read from and write to
miniature mobile storage media; peripheral card readers-writers and also available; plug into USB ports
 Flash memory card is a type of solid-state media used in digital cameras, PDAs, smart phones etc.
 USB flash drives also called pen or thumb drives is a flash memory storage device that plugs into a USB port (128MB –
64GB)
 Smart card - similar size to credit card; stores data on a thin processor embedded in the card; use: storing medical
records, identification info, storing prepaid amount of money etc.

Unit 5 Digital media and educational software application

 Digital media are technologies that allow users to create new forms of interaction, expression, communication and
entertainment in a digital format. With digital media, students can interact with and become part of learning
adventures (view Mona Lisa, visit New York etc. Without physically setting foot outside of the classroom).

 Digital media software refers to any computer-based presentation or application software that uses multimedia
elements.

 Interactive digital media allow users to move through information at their own pace. It accepts input from the user and
performs and action in response. Digital media encourages students to think creatively and independently. Digital
media include text and hypertext, graphics, animation, audio and video.

 Musical instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is the electronic music industry standard that defines how digital music
devices represent sound electronically. SW programs that conform to MIDI standards allow you to compose and edit
music and other sounds.

Video compression
 is used to make video smaller. Prior to viewing, the compressed video must be decompressed so that it is restored to its
original condition. MPEG is a standardised codec (compress and decompress) for video compression
 Digital media application involves the use of digital media technology in education, business and entertainment.
Teachers use digital media applications to deliver classroom presentations that enhance student learning. Students, in
turn, use digital media applications to learn by reading, seeing, hearing and interacting with subject content. Another
important application of digital media is to create simulations, computer-based models of real-life situations that
often replace costly and hazardous demonstrations and training.

 Computer-based training (CBT) is a tool that allows individuals to learn by using and completing exercises using
instructional software on computers, also called individual-lead training (ILT); popular in business, industry and
education to teach new skills or enhance existing skills of employees; CBT software available on CD, DVD or the WEB is
called courseware.

 Electronic book (e-books) are small, book-sized computers that allow users to read, save, highlight, bookmark and add
text to online text. To read book on your computer, you need to install e-book reader software program such as MS
Reader or Adobe Acrobat eBook reader.

 IPod Books are digital books that are accessed on an iPod. Some books must be purchased (unlimited or time-based
permits), some are free (e.g. project Gutenberg).

 Electronic reference text, graphics, sound, animation, video is used to explain a topic e.g. MS Encarta or Wikipedia

 How-to guides – digital media applications that include step-by-step instructions and interactive demonstrations to
teach you new practical skills e.g. how to buy a car or plan a vacation etc.

 Digital media newspaper, magazines and journals are digital versions of newspapers, magazines and journals
distributed on CD, DVD or online; audio and video clips are often included.
 Peer review-referencing is used in journals and it is a process of submitting an author’s work or ideas to the scrutiny of
others who are experts in the field; used primarily by journal editors to select and screen manuscripts for publication.

 Entertainment and edutainment – computer games that are combination of simulation, animations, graphics, audio
and video

 Virtual reality (VR) is the use of a computer to create and artificial environment that appears and feels like a real
environment and allows you to explore space and manipulate the setting

 Converged media – the interaction of virtual reality with life performance; especially useful in e.g. police and military
training where real training might be dangerous. Some forms of VR software require you to wear specialised
headgear, bodysuits and gloves to enhance the experience of the artificial environment; simple form of VR is a 3D
game e.g. second life or Sims; companies use VR for virtual tours and showrooms

 Information kiosks are computerised information centres that allow you to select various options to browse through or
find specific information; often touch screens are used, provide info in public places on e.g. available services, product
location, maps etc.

 Web-based training (WBT) is an approach to computer-based training that uses technologies of the internet and the
web. It typically consists of self-directed, self-paced instruction on a topic; easy to update, offers anyplace anytime
training

 Distance learning is the delivery of education from one location to another; the learning takes place at a remote
location; most colleges and universities offer distance-learning courses that are usually web-based or web-enhanced.
A web-based course, also called online course, is taught mostly or completely on the web. A blended course has a
combination of face-to-face class meetings and online course sessions. A web-enhanced course is a traditional course
that uses web to enhance the content of the course. High schools can also provide web-based courses - they prevent
overcrowding and provide instruction for homebound students; less populated districts and rural areas can share
teachers

Professional development training:

 is often web-based now. Teachers that need additional training can now do online course training that is often self-
paced. Teachers sign up for the course, complete it and receive credits for it.
 Instructor-led training involves continuous interaction with an instructor and the courses are more structured, often
include schedules and assignment due dates. It has a lower dropout rate then self-paced training, but it is more
expensive.

K-12 educational software applications

 Educational sw application refers to computer software products used to support teaching and learning of subject-
related content; they allow students to examine their skills in a risk-free environment and provide instant feedback,
testing and review.

 Computer assisted instruction (CAI) is sw designed to help teach facts, information and skills associated with subject-
related materials.

 Drill-and-practice – skill reinforcement software first supplies factual information and then through repetitive exersises
allows students to continue to work on specific materials to remember the information. Provides instant feedback and
usually has built-in features that allow the computer to move the student to the next level when he masters the level.

 Remediation is reviewing content many times and using alternative ways until the student grasps the concepts being
taught.

 Tutorial is a teaching program designed to help individuals learn to use a product or concept. Many SW products
contain tutorials to teach the user how to use the SW; branching is sometimes used=non-linear approach that offers
alternative path through the lesson based on student’s responses

 Educational simulation-video game is a computerised model of real life that represents a physical or simulated process.
User can cause things to happen, change conditions and make decisions e.g. SimCity
 Integrated learning system (ILS) is a computerised SW program usually developed by an established educational SW
corporation as a complete educational SW solution in one package. These SW solutions provide individual student
diagnostic data, continuous monitoring of student performance with automatic adjustments in instruction when
needed, a variety of format for teaching content, and multilevel of content comprehensive management solution for
maintaining the sw and for tracking student use and progress is also often available; expensive; suitable especially for
low achieving schools; examples: Plato learning, compass-learning

 Open learning system – advanced learning system is an integrated learning system that includes sw titles form leading
publishers. The teacher determines and prescribes the appropriate assessment, chooses the ideal activities, matches
SW to objectives and standards and integrates the SW into the curriculum (example Classwork)

Curriculum-specific educational software

 Creativity applications – students often start with blank canvas and have complete control over the design and graphics
 Critical thinking applications – stimulate critical thinking skills; students are presented with a problem and a variety of
ways to solve it
 Early learning applications – provide young learners with head start in reading, language arts, science and other
curriculum areas; wide variety of activities
 ESL-foreign language applications provide students with assistance in learning languages
 Language arts application – support learning through reading and writing; available for all grade levels
 Math applications – helps learners with math; available for all grade levels
 Science applications helps with science concepts; available for all grade levels
 Social studies software applications – encourages high order thinking skills, provide reinforcement of facts

 Creating and presenting digital media presentations – involves producing various digital media elements, defining the
element’s relationships to each other, and then sequencing them in an appropriate order. Digital media authoring
software lets you create the application or presentation by controlling the placement of text and graphics and the
duration of sounds, video and animations. Digital media authoring software allows you to create interactivity by
defining places in the program that respond to user input e.g. MS PowerPoint, Photo Story, Apple iLife. They are very
easy to use so even younger learners can do projects on various topics. These projects then can be shown to the
whole class by use of projector, electronic whiteboards or on computer screens

 Interactive whiteboards – electronic whiteboards e.g. Smart Board – you can project computer image on Smart Board,
you can press on its large, touch-sensitive surface to access and control any computer application. You can write
notes, draw diagrams, highlight information, save and print notes that you can then hand out.

School Pad
 can be used with interactive whiteboard or independently to create an electronic whiteboard on any wall surface. Mimo
interactive converts existing whiteboard into an electronic sharing tool.
 Why are digital media and educational software applications important for education?
 When properly evaluated and integrated into teaching at the point of instruction, digital media applications are highly
effective teaching tools, because when students are able to see and hear, they learn more. When they are able to
interact with learning environment, they can retain as much as 80% of information.
 One of the main reasons for teachers to utilise digital media SW in the classroom is that it appeals to a variety of
learning styles. Digital media SW is also engaging and motivational for today’s digital students. Students become
active participants in the learning process instead of passive recipient of information. Many students enjoy the
creation of digital media presentation; using digital media SW increases learner´s self-esteem and confidence.
Teachers can use digital media SW both as a productivity tool and as an integration tool. You can use a multimedia SW
applications such as PowerPoint to present lectures and introduce new concepts. Teachers can also create
presentation for their students. When teachers effectively use digital media sw as a productivity tool, they are
modelling for their students how to use this powerful software. This can be the first step in learning to integrate
digital media SW effectively into the curriculum. Teachers can have students demonstrate their learning by creating
their own digital media presentation and presenting them to the class. Using and integrating digital media can help
the teacher to manage digital kids in the classroom, because technology motivates students to learn when it is
properly organised, managed and matched to instructional objectives and strategies.

Strategies to help you manage digital students

 Break projects into well-defined tasks, not huge projects
 Discuss with the students the amount of time their projects will involve. Give grades for productive lab time.
 Storyboarding – have the group create a visual plan before going to the computers.
 Assign searching and investigations as hw since it can erode valuable lab time
 Train classmates to assist others on the computers
 Assign individual and group projects so that all types of knowledge is evaluated and all students participate.
 Maximise one-to-one computing (use iPods, e-books, PDAs, cell phones etc.)
 Help students – use colour flags or cups on computers (green –I am ok; yellow – I need help; red – need help urgently)
 Have students ask two students a question before they can ask you
 Post a list of all your procedures and guidelines for technology use on a visible place.

Unit 8 Security issues, ethics and emerging technologies in Education


 Computer security risk can be any event or action that has the potential of causing a loss of computer equipment, SW,
data, information or processing capability. These risks are viruses, unauthorised access and use and information theft.
An illegal act involving a computer is referred to as computer crime.

 Virus is a potentially damaging computer program designed to affect your knowledge or permission by altering way it
works; more specifically, a virus is a segment of program code that implants itself in a computer file and spreads
systematically from one file to another. Many viruses are designed to destroy data stored on the infected computer.
The symptoms caused by a virus is called virus payload.
 There are 100s of new viruses and variants every month. Viruses attract computers especially when connected to the
internet. They can spread through email attachments - first ensure the email is from trusted source, then scan with
antivirus SW.

There are 3 main types of viruses:

 Boot sector virus replaces the boot program used to start the computer with modified, infected version of the boot
program. When the computer runs the infected boot program, it loads the virus into the computer’s memory from
where it spreads to any storage media inserted into the computer.
 A file virus inserts virus code into program files and then spreads to any program that accesses the infected file.
 A macro virus uses the macro language of an application, such as word processing to hide virus codes. When you open a
document with an infected macro, the virus loads into memory – often part of templates!

There are two common variations of computer viruses:

 Worms are programs that copy themselves repeatedly in a computer’s memory or on a network, using up resources and
possibly shutting down the computer or network
 Trojan horse – a virus –malicious sw program that hides within or is designed to look like a legitimate program.
 Logical bomb is a program that activates when it detects certain condition
 Time bomb is a type of logical bomb that activates on a particular date
 Virus detection and removal
 You should take precautions to protect your computer from viruses by:
 Purchase and install reliable antivirus software
 Scan all removable media
 Scan all files downloaded from the internet
 Scan all attached files before opening them
 Turn off email preview
 Scan all software before using
 Avoid illegal copies of copyrighted software
 Never start your computer with removable media in the driver unless the media is uninfected
 Install a personal firewall program
 Backup you files often
 Set your antivirus program to scan automatically

Antivirus program
 is designed to detect, disinfect and protect computers and networks from viruses. It looks for programs that attempt to
modify the boot program, the operating system or other programs that normally are read from but not written to.
Most antivirus sw can also remove or repair infected programs and files. If the virus has infected the boot program,
the antivirus program may require you to restart the computer with a rescue disc. After that you can run repair and
 removal programs. If the program cannot repair the damaged files, you might have to replace them with uninfected
backup copies of the files. (Norton antivirus, McAfee)
 Virus hoaxes – warnings that describe viruses that aren’t actually known to exist
 Unauthorised access is the use of a computer network without permission
 Cracker-hacker – an individual who tries to access a computer or network illegally; some want to cause damage to the
computer’s files, some want to steal information and use it for illegal purposes, some just want to leave evidence of
their presence

 Unauthorised use – use of computer or data for unapproved or possibly illegal activities (ranges from employee using a
company computer to send an email to someone gaining access to bank system and completing an unauthorised
transfer of funds. Unauthorised access can be prevented by access controls, which are security measures that define
who can access a computer, when they can access it and what actions they can take while using the computer. To
prevent unauthorised use and access to sensitive information, schools install different levels and types of access
controls. Schools set up their networks so that users have access only to those programs, data and information for
which they are approved (user Ids and passwords are assigned). Passwords should be at least 8 characters long-letters
and numbers and should be changed frequently.

 Possessed object is any item that you must carry to gain access to a computer or computer facility e.g. badges, cards,
keys; often used in combination with a PIN.
 Biometric devices authenticate a person’s identity by translating a personal characteristic, such as fingerprint, into a
digital code stored in the computer to verify the personal characteristic. If it doesn’t match, the access is denied.

 Firewall is a security system consisting of HW and SW that prevents unauthorised access to data and information on a
network. Many schools route all communications through a proxy server that screens all incoming and outgoing
messages. Windows XP and Vista and MC OS x have a personal firewall. A router serves as a hardware firewall.

 Personal firewall is a SW program that detects and protects your PC and its data from unauthorised intrusions. These
products constantly monitor all transmissions to and from your computer and inform you of any attempted
intrusions.

 Hardware theft and vandalism is common in schools and schools can implement a variety of security precaution: lock
the equipment to a desk, alarm systems, do backups frequently in case a notebook is stolen. Schools can insure
computers and purchase service that tracks down a stolen notebook. Computer vandalism takes many forms: cutting
cable, deleting files etc.

 Software theft takes many forms - from students physically stealing a CD to intentional piracy of software

 Software piracy – is the unauthorised and illegal duplication of copyrighted software

 When you purchase software, you only purchase the right to use it, as outlined in the software licence, an agreement
that provides specific conditions for use of the software, which the user must accept before using the software. The
most common type of licence agreement is a single-user licence agreement-end user licence agreement (EULA), which
usually states that the SW can only be used on one computer and one laptop, you can only make one copy for backup
purposes and that users may not give copies to friends.

 Product activation is an antipiracy technology designed to verify that SW products have been licensed legitimately.
Product activation works by verifying that SW program’s product key, which you must use to install the product,
hasn’t been used on more computers then allowed by the software licence

 Shareware – SW that is distributed free for a trial period

 Freeware – sw provided to the user at no cost
 Site licences gives the buyer right to install the SW on multiple computers at a single site – cheaper
 Network licence allows network users to share a single copy of the software, which resides on the network server. The
price is based on a fee for an unlimited number of users, or per user.

 Community site licence – gives an entire region or state the right to install an unlimited number of educational copies of
a particular SW program on individual computers or a network – cheaper
 Information theft can occur for a variety of reasons – to steal or buy information about competitors; steal credit card
information to make purchases. Theft can be prevented by implementing the user ID controls and by encryption.
 System failure is a malfunction of a computer that occurs because of electrical power problems, HW component failure
or SW error.

 Under voltage can occur when the electrical power supply drops
 Brownout – prolonged under voltage
 Blackout – complete power failure
 Overvoltage-power surge – occurs when the incoming electrical power increases significantly. A momentary
overvoltage is called a spike and is caused by uncontrollable disturbances such as lightning or controllable
disturbances such as turning on a piece of equipment that uses the same electrical circuit..Overvoltage can cause
permanent equipment damage. To prevent the damage, a surge protector can be used. It is a device that uses special
electrical components to provide a stable current flow and to prevent damage to computer equipment. Many surge
protectors include also plug-ins for telephone lines and other cables or special device that protects these lines can be
purchased; however, surge protectors aren’t completely effective - large overvoltage can still damage the equipment.

 Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a device that contains surge protection circuits and batteries that provide power
during loss of power.

 Backup is a duplication of files, programs or disks that can be used if the original is lost, damaged or destroyed. When a
file is corrupted, the backup copy is used to restore the file on a computer or network file server. It is best to store
backup on an offsite location. Most schools have a backup procedure that outlines a regular plan of copying and
backing up important data and program files. Teachers should also teach students to do backups.

Computer ethics :
 are the moral guidelines that govern the use of computers, networks and information systems. There are 5 areas of
computer ethics:
 Unauthorised use of computers
 HW, SW and Information theft
 Information privacy
 Copyright
 The existence of objectionable material on the internet

 Information privacy is the right of individuals and organisations to deny or restrict the collection and use of information
about them
 Marketing organisations create an electronic profile of an individual by combining data acquired form public and other
sources. The organisation sells these electronic profiles to organisations that distribute information on products and
services.

 Phishing is a scam in which the perpetrator sends an official-looking email that attempts to obtain personal and
financial information from the recipient.

 Spam is an unsolicitated email message or newsgroup posting sent to many recipients or newsgroups at once; spam
sent through an instant message system is called spim; spam sent via internet telephony is called split; to reduce
spam, some email programs have built-in settings that delete spam automatically ; internet service providers allow
you to sign-up for email filtering that blocks emails from designated sources; anti-spam program attempts to remove
spam before it reaches inbox

Privacy laws – schools have a legal and moral responsibility to protect sensitive information
 Employee monitoring uses computers to observe, record and review an individual’s use of a computer, including
communications such as email, keyboard activity and internet sites visited

Copyright
 means the original author of the work retains ownership of the work and has the exclusive right to reproduce and
distribute the creative work. All educators need to understand how copyright laws impact the manner in which they
and their students use information created by others. 3 areas of copyright directly impact today’s classroom
 :Illegal copying or using copyrighted SW programs
 Fair use laws and their application
 Use of copyrighted material on teacher and student web pages
 Anything considered public domain is free from copyright restrictions

Web page guidelines

 Always protect the identity of students
 Never list student’s last names, phone numbers, emails etc.
 You can use first names, but not in conjunction with personal info such as photos
 Avoid close-up pictures
 Provide only well selected links to other websites
 Internet ethics and objectionable materials
 Objectionable material including racist literature, obscene pictures and videos, gambling and age-restricted items such
as alcohol are widely available on the internet. You must always try to ensure that learners don’t encounter such
materials and you should ensure they know what to do if they do

 Filtering software prevents browsers form displaying material from target sites or sites that contain certain keywords or
phases

 Cyber bullying is the posting or sending of detrimental or cruel text of images using the internet or other digital devices.
Both teachers and students can become the victims of cyber bullying; teachers should tell students that bullying is
wrong.

Parental controls –
 parents can take number of steps to prevent children from accessing pornographic and other objectible material on the
internet
 Use the parental controls available with the operating system – change windows settings after you created separate
user accounts for each of your children.
 Install filtering sw programs that allow parents to filter harmful websites, restrict internet access, monitor children’s
online activities and prevent children from accidentally providing personal information
 Keep the family computer in the family room or where you can observe your children while they are working on the
computer; check browser history frequently

Educational controls
 Schools should use 4 approaches to control student access to objectable material:
 Filtering sw prevents browser from accepting material from target sites or material that contains certain keywords or
phrases. Drawback – it can block access to legitimate material or research on controversial issues
 Acceptable user policies – standards schools set for the ethical use of computers, school networks and the internet.
 Curriculum pages - teacher creates a webpage that contains hyperlinks to well-selected resources. A curriculum page
significantly reduces the chance that students will view an inappropriate site.
 Teacher observation or supervision permits teachers to monitor their students while they are on the internet.

Health issues
 Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) also called repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an injury or disorder of the muscles, nerves,
tendons, ligaments and joints. Computer related RSIs include tendonitis and a carpal tunnel syndrome.
 Tendronitis is inflammation of a tendon due to repeated motion or stress on the tendon. Symptoms: extreme pain of
the forearm and the wrist, tingling in the fingers.
 Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is inflammation of the nerve that connects the forearm to the palm of the wrist.
Symptoms: burning pain and numbness and tingling in the thumb and first 2 fingers.
- Repeated or forceful bending of the wrist, prolonged typing and using mouse can cause CTS or tendonis of the wrist.
Prevention: frequent breaks in which you should exercise your hands and arms; wrist rest between keyboard and the
edge of the desk; mouse pad at least 15 cm form the edge of the desk.
 Computer vision syndrome (CVS) – symptoms: sore, tired, dry, itching eyes, blurred or double vision, headache, sore
neck difficulty shifting focus between a display divide and documents and focusing on the screen image, sensitivity to
light. Prevention: short eye breaks every 15 minutes; every 60 minutes stretch your body, sit properly and teach
students the same.
 Ergonomics – is an applied science devoted to incorporating comfort, efficiency and safety into design of items in the
workplace e.g. brightness can be adjusted on monitors, chair can be adjusted to height, keyboard is designed to
prevent RSI etc.