P.O.

Box 342-01000 Thika

SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

COURSE CODE: GET 6112

COURSE TITLE: SUBJECT METHODS: COMPUTER STUDIES

Instructional manual for– Distance Learning

AUTHOR NAME: NAFTAL G. OMENTA

E-mail :[email protected]

Mobile : +254 717 360 265

2014
Purpose
To bring students to be in line with current trends, events and updates in information and
communication technology

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, learner should be able to:
i) Demonstrate their competencies, knowledge and skills in the teaching of computer
studies in a classroom situation.
ii) Prepare schemes of work and lesson plan and assess students performing in computer
lessons.
iii) Develop the capability in interacting effectively in the modern information age.
iv) Acquire basic knowledge skills and attitudes necessary for adapting to a fast changing
world.

Course Content
Aims , goals and objectives in computer education; Place of Computer Studies in
Secondary Schools Curriculum: Acquisition of basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes
necessary for a faster changing world; Analysis of Secondary Schools Computer Syllabus;
Lesson Plan preparation, Schemes of Work, Class Progress Reports etc; Methods and
Techniques of computer Mediated Instructions: Use and application of computers as a tool
that makes work easier, Students shall be exposed to the following applications: word
processors, spreadsheet, databases, graphic programmes, desktop publishing software, and
emphasis on laboratory software and hardware for scientific data collection; Collaborative
group work that allows students to study collaboratively will form part of teaching techniques;
Resources and facilities available for computer assisted instructions: Availability of the
following must be discussed. Both hardware and software devices, computer printers, printing
papers, storage devices, scanners, digital cameras, and their role in teaching learning process;
Design, Organization, Management, and Safety of the School computer Laboratories:
Keeping a breast with current development of ICT in order to advise administration on the
current requirements, correct value of the money in terms of costs involved, and procurement
procedures; Assessment and evaluation of computer assisted instructions.

Teaching / Learning Methodologies: Group discussions; Lecturing; Individual assignment;

Micro-teaching

Instructional Materials and Equipment: Chalk board; Overhead Projectors; Computers

Course Assessment
Examination - 70%; Continuous Assessments (Exercises and Tests) - 30%; Total - 100%

Recommended Text Books

i) Deepak Tiwari (2008); Methods Of Teaching Computer; Crescent Publishing Corporation

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 Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION, AIMS, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF COMPUTER EDUCATION; ...... 6
......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 6
ICT and Constructivism .............................................................................................................. 7
The future .................................................................................................................................. 10
Roles of ICT instruction............................................................................................................ 10
Goals and objectives of computer Education............................................................................ 12
INTERACTION FOR COMPUTER-AIDED LEARNING ......................................................... 16
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 16
Theory ....................................................................................................................................... 18
Information Modes in human-computer interaction ................................................................. 19
Interaction - Tools and Learning Modes ................................................................................... 20
Navigation Methods and Learning Modes ................................................................................ 21
Feedback and Learning Modes ................................................................................................. 22
ROLE OF ICT IN LEARNER-CENTERED EDUCATION (LCE) ............................................ 25
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 25
Importance Learner-Centered Education .................................................................................. 25
Teacher vs. Learner-Cantered Education .................................................................................. 27
Integration of ICT in LCE......................................................................................................... 28
Instructional Role of ICT .......................................................................................................... 29
The changing role of teacher in ICT based learning ................................................................. 30
What the teacher has to do in a learning cantered classroom? ................................................. 30
Learner-Cantered ICT Pedagogy: Theoretical Framework ...................................................... 31
....................................................................................................................................................... 31
APPLICATIONS USED IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTION
DELIVERY................................................................................................................................... 32
....................................................................................................................................................... 32
WORD PROCESSING ............................................................................................................. 32
Microsoft Word (MS-WORD).............................................................................................. 32
The Ms-Word Screen ............................................................................................................ 32
Creating, Saving and Closing Documents ............................................................................ 33
Formatting ............................................................................................................................. 34
Page Break ............................................................................................................................ 36
Editing Your Document ........................................................................................................ 37
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 To insert page numbers ......................................................................................................... 37
Columns ................................................................................................................................ 40
Mail Merging ........................................................................................................................ 41
SPREADSHEETS..................................................................................................................... 42
MICROSOFT EXCEL .......................................................................................................... 42
THE EXCEL WINDOW ...................................................................................................... 42
WORKING WITH WORKBOOKS AND WORKSHEETS ............................................... 45
ENTERING DATA .............................................................................................................. 46
FORMATTING A WORKSHEET ....................................................................................... 48
APPLYING BORDERS ....................................................................................................... 49
OPERATORS ....................................................................................................................... 50
WORKING WITH CHARTS ............................................................................................... 51
PRESENTATION GRAPHICS ................................................................................................ 53
MS POWERPOINT .............................................................................................................. 53
ADDING AND FORMATTING TEXT ............................................................................... 54
WORKING WITH DIFERENT VIEWS .............................................................................. 55
WORKING WITH OBJECTS .............................................................................................. 55
ANIMATION ....................................................................................................................... 56
SAVING A PRESENTATION ............................................................................................. 58
PRINTING ............................................................................................................................ 58
DATA MANAGEMENT SERVICES .......................................................................................... 60
....................................................................................................................................................... 60
Introduction: .............................................................................................................................. 60
Data Handling Infrastructure: ................................................................................................... 62
Knowledge Management: ......................................................................................................... 65
Application:............................................................................................................................... 66
Summary: ...................................................................................................................................... 69
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN SECONDARY
EDUCATION ............................................................................................................................... 70
RATIONALE ............................................................................................................................ 70
TEACHING USING ICT ......................................................................................................... 70
ICT AS SUPPORT TOOL IN SECONDARY EDUCATION ................................................. 71
GENERIC COMPETENCIES FOR ICT .................................................................................. 73
Case Study ................................................................................................................................ 75
IMPLEMENTING COMPUTER MEDIATED COMMUNICATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM
....................................................................................................................................................... 77
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 77
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 Blog or Weblog ......................................................................................................................... 77
Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) ................................................................................................. 78
Chat (Online Chat or Instant Relay Chat) ................................................................................. 79
Email ......................................................................................................................................... 79
Instant Messenger (or IM) ........................................................................................................ 80
Listservs .................................................................................................................................... 80
Virtual Learning Environments (VLE), Course Management System (CMS), or Learning
Support System (LSS)............................................................................................................... 81
Wiki........................................................................................................................................... 82
Scenario..................................................................................................................................... 82
Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication Technologies in the Learning Environment
................................................................................................................................................... 84
DESIGN, ORGANIZATION, MANAGEMENT, AND SAFETY OF THE SCHOOL
COMPUTER LABORATORIES ................................................................................................. 86
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 86
Designing School Labs ............................................................................................................. 86
Organization of the computer lab ............................................................................................. 88
Strategies for Electronic Organization ...................................................................................... 91
Security ..................................................................................................................................... 94
Physical Security................................................................................................................... 94
Security Policy ...................................................................................................................... 95
Insurance ............................................................................................................................... 95
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES OF USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN A
CLASSROOM .............................................................................................................................. 97
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 97
Technology and Ethics: Tips and Traps.................................................................................... 97
The Obligation to Use Technology ........................................................................................... 98
The Risks of Using Technology ............................................................................................... 99
..................................................................................................................................................... 105
MODERN TRENDS OF ICT IN EDUCATION........................................................................ 106
..................................................................................................................................................... 106
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 106
Global Trends in ICT and Education are: ............................................................................... 106
References ................................................................................................................................... 109
Sample Paper 1 ........................................................................................................................... 111
Sample paper 2 ............................................................................................................................ 113

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 1. INTRODUCTION, AIMS, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF
COMPUTER EDUCATION;

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesion, the learner should be able to;
a. Define computer application in Education

b. Describe the main goals and objectives of computers in Education

c. Discuss the basic reasons and roles of computers in Education

Introduction
There is a new focus on the importance of learning with computers, as opposed to learning about
computers through integrating technologies, engaging students in ways not possible, creating
new learning and teaching possibilities, enhancing achievement and extending interactions with
local and global communities. In order to actualize the National Goals for Schooling and ICT,
the integration and inclusion of ICT has become mandated in all schools‘ syllabus for both
primary and secondary school students. The addition of ICT focused syllabus objectives and the
provision of increased student access to technology has resulted in the exponential growth of ICT
use in schools.
The rapid development of technology-mediated learning systems has led to a flood of utopian
promises involving "flexible delivery," "distance education" and "virtual learning." A range of
obstacles hampers the fulfilment of such promises, including technological, financial and social
constraints. These constraints limit the practicality of the glamorous visions of virtual learning
involving real-time distributed classrooms supported by high-bandwidth multi-party video
interaction. High-bandwidth networks will eventually be sufficiently ubiquitous to enable rich
virtual learning environments with equitable participation possibilities for proximate and remote
students, but current implementations are severely constrained by bandwidth and other
considerations.

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A review of current trends and policies reveals that the contemporary practice for ICT inclusion
in educational policy, for both schools and higher education, is that of integration. The term
integration in relation to ICT in education appears ubiquitously in the literature. Fluck (2003)
defines the term integration with the degree to which ―ICT vanishes into the background of the
classroom learning activity‖. Lloyd (2006) suggests that the term ICT integration connotates a
wide variety of learning environments; from a single personal computer in the classroom to a
situation where the teaching is done by the computer through online applications. For Fluck and
Lloyd the integration of ICT is not a focus on the technology but more about the pedagogical
means through which the technology is employed in the classroom.

Such approaches to the use of ICT present a key fallacy and the notion of ICT integration is an
inaccurate description. Much of what is referred to as integration can more accurately be
described as transformation. There is a critical difference between ICT transformation that
describes change and its reasons, and ICT integration. Both come from differing paradigms with
different outcomes and directions. ‗Transformation‘ is more likely to imply change, particularly
with reference to teacher leadership and evidence of reflective practice. Integration on the other
hand can have the blending and coordinating function where the view is that ICT integration is
seen to ―seamlessly combine parts or elements into a complex but harmonious whole‖.

As the move towards ICT integration appears to continue to grow unabated, the more important
it becomes to examine the effectiveness of the technologically integrated learning process and
the transformation to the learning environment occurrence. In any educational environment it is
not a matter of simply using the technology, but evaluating how ICT is being used to foster
learning, for what purpose ICT is being integrated into the learning environment and assessing
its being utilized to enrich and essentially transform teaching and learning. In order for educators
to assess such pedagogical effectiveness there is a need to understand the constructivist
framework that currently dominates and underpins the transformational learning process.

ICT and Constructivism

ICT in education has always been heavily influenced by constructivism. Constructivism in the
ICT classroom is having students interact positively with others and self-facilitating the
procurement of their own knowledge. It is a shift away from instructivism, whereby students
participate in the direct instruction of technical knowledge with the primary focus of acquiring
specific application based skills, towards a constructivist approach where the purpose is in
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utilizing student knowledge and skills in a more meaningful way. Meaningful learning is a
process brought about due to the nature of familiarity a student has with ICT and the
participation in experiences such as those supported through the ―active, constructive,
collaborative, intentional, complex, contextual, conversational, and reflective‖ characteristics of
the constructivist learning experience. The result is that a student is able to play a far more
vigorous role in their learning; from the traditional passive recipient to a more active learner,
where the learner is able to establish clear ideas and appropriate personal goals that drive the
student to search, create, adapt and overcome obstacles in order to meet these goals (Margules,
1996).

Reimann and Goodyear (2004) further testify that pedagogy and the integration of ICT are
underpinned by the school environment and the teachers‘ knowledge, beliefs and actions. What
is of significant importance in this framework is not on the ICT, but more so in how the ICT is
used in the classroom. This framework is characterized by the inclusion of authentic, real-world
learning experiences through the following pedagogies:

a) problem-oriented and
b) case-oriented,
c) inquiry-oriented,
d) design, modelling and construction- oriented,
e) Knowledge-building and immersive learning pedagogies.

Dias and Atkinson (2001) support this model by stating that the transformational integration of
technology has very little to do with technology itself and everything to do with teaching.

Teachers have also been identified as having a crucial role in the adoption and implementation of
ICT into the curriculum. If the potential of ICT is to be realized into education then, as in any
other profession, teachers must play a number of roles:

a) they are not only a classroom practitioner but also a manager,

b) a planner,
c) assessor and
d) a learner.

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This notion is further supported by the MCEETYA (2005) Report Learning in an Online World
that makes the recommendation to all Australian teachers to integrate ICT in learning and
teaching by focusing on learning improvement, classroom and school transformation, addressing
the multiple, interactive dimensions of ICT use, listening to and empowering students, providing
tools to evaluate levels of integration of ICT in learning, improving personal learning plan
efficiency and developing collaborative networks.

Transformational practice in higher education

As part of the facilitation of the ―Strategic plan for computer teaching and learning‖, the schools
have stressed the importance of student-centered learning where the focus is on a shift of
emphasis in responsibility from teacher to student. To effectively implement these plans the
School of Education has adopted key strategies in teaching and learning. The Schools promote
general characteristics of effective learning, such as:

(i) having clear learning goals and a wide repertoire of learning strategies,
(ii) using available resources effectively, and

(iii) Understanding the learning process that emphasizes planning, monitoring, evaluating
and adaptive learning processes. In support of these the Schools have embraced the principles
that describe characteristics of a high quality learning design in higher education from a
learning perspective.

Learning design needs to address the following four principles in order for the potential of high
quality learning to be realized

 Engage learners by considering learners‘ prior knowledge and their desires and building
on their expectations.

 Acknowledge the learning context by considering how the implementation of the learning
design (be it a one class session, over the period of a few weeks, or the entire subject) is
positioned within the broader program of study for the learner.

 Challenge learners, by seeking the active participation of learners, encouraging learners

to be self-critical and supporting learners‘ ampliative skills.

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  Provide practice by encouraging learners to articulate and demonstrate to themselves and
their peers what they are learning.

The future

This combination of approaches with the use of the Virtual School, LAMS and TLC, in addition
to e-learning tools in the LMS has been an excellent strategy for the use of ICT. It is perceived to
be high on relevance and thus promoting engagement amongst students in the early units of their
studies. It has stimulated students to think deeply about children in context and about
developmental theory. It is evident that the integration of ICT has occurred within these units,
however, the changes undergone through the restructuring of the educational units, content,
assessment and most importantly pedagogy can only be described as transformational.

Roles of ICT instruction

There is need to provide the trainees with a holistic experience of the various roles of IT
instruction so that they could learn through experience of computers, instead of talking about it.

Computer as an Administrative Tool

Before the commencement of the module, the trainees were asked to sign up for their tutorial
groups via online web-based registration, saving them time and effort to register physically. The
results of groupings were also announced through the Web. It was a stark contrast to previous
practice of physical registration, which was stressful for both the trainees and the module
coordinator.

Computer as a Presentation Tool

Using the computer as a presentation tool is perhaps one of the most common applications of IT
in instruction. During our direct instruction, multimedia presentations were commonly used,
including instructor-prepared Microsoft PowerPoint slides, Web-based materials and video clips
on CD-ROMs. Each tutor‘s computer was linked to a video/data projector for projection onto a
large white-matte screen.

As computer-based presentation is an important skill for classroom teachers, we dedicated one

tutorial session on visual design in addition to our constant demonstrations. The trainees learned

10
basic visual design principles and tired to apply the theories learned by designing a few
PowerPoint slides. The slides were then shared with and critiqued by fellow trainees.

Computer as a Tutor

Using the computer as a tutor is primarily based on the cognitivist theory of learning. This mode
of instruction uses the computer to mimic the instructor in providing information, structuring
learning activities, and in providing guidance and feedback. The Ministry of Education provides
schools with funds to purchase instructional software, as well as information about software
relevant to the local curriculum. It is thus important to impart to our trainees the necessary skills
to harness the existing IT resources in classroom instruction.

Computer as a Cognitive Tool

The above examples of using the computer as an administrative or presentation tool helps to
enhance productivity and efficiency of work. Moving beyond using computers as efficiency
tools, we also used the computer as a cognitive tool. It is different from using the computer as a
tutor, as it involves active construction of an artifact, in the form of computer-based product, by
the learners. The computer becomes a mediating tool, facilitating the learners in the process of
generating ideas and representing knowledge. Through this approach, the learners will assume a
more active role in learning; actively searching and analyzing information in order to complete
the task instead of depending on the teacher to feed the information. The learner might also be
more motivated, taking ownership in constructing his or her knowledge.

In summary, we provided a holistic learning environment by modeling various pedagogies of IT-

based instruction; we also provided opportunities for our trainee teachers to experience different
roles of IT in teaching and learning. But how successful were our instructional strategies? An
end-of-module online evaluation yielded some evidence on the effectiveness of our strategies.

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Goals and objectives of computer Education

Learner-centered environments support independent work as well as collaboration among

learners. These classrooms provide students opportunities to connect prior learning with
current experience. Learners have access to a variety of tools and resources with which to
work. Teachers can design such classrooms, and computers can help.

Computers can support the variety of ways learners construct their own understanding.
Students who gather information from the Internet can be self-directed and independent.
They can choose what sources to examine and what connections to pursue. Depending on
the parameters set by teachers, the students may be in complete control of their topics and
their explorations.

Students can work through a computer-based activity at their own pace. Rather than 25
individuals working together on one activity, technology allows independent completion of
work. Those who begin to fall behind can receive an instructor's individualized attention
while others can begin to tackle more complex tasks.

Computer software can mix text, pictures, sound, and motion to provide a variety of options
for learners. Multimedia software will not be the only classroom resource, but it can
contribute richness and variety to student work.

Students can build on their own understanding by using computers as resource tools, as
work stations for individual learning, or as communication channels to share their ideas
with other learners. Individual understanding and experiences must be shared and compared
to curriculum content. By uncovering students' individual understandings, teachers can
determine the influence of students' prior knowledge and further their education through
new experience.

Computers can be used to assist active experiences--gathering data and resources,

conversing with colleagues, struggling through a challenging puzzle or application--or they
can assist in reflection. For example, while an on-line conversation through e-mail is an
active event, such discussions usually prompt reflection. They help us think about ideas and

12
check our understanding. In another reflective application, teachers can enlist computers as
authoring tools for students' journals which are excellent vehicles for thoughtful
examination of experience.

Introducing technology into the learning environment can encourage cooperative learning
and student collaboration. If they are allowed to converse, most students like to talk about
their computer work and share their strategies. Classroom activities that are structured so
that computers encourage collaboration build on learners' desire to communicate and share
their understanding. It takes planning and intervention to build successful cooperative
groups with or without computers, but groups that use computers as teamwork tools have a
better start toward collaborative work.

Beyond the classroom, computer networking allows students to communicate and

collaborate with content experts and with fellow students around the globe. Communication
tools like e-mail, lusters, bulletin boards, and chat groups allow teachers to exchange lesson
plans and teaching strategies and create a professional community.

The use of real world tools, relevant experiences, and meaningful data inject a sense of
purpose to classroom activity. Part of the mission of educational institutions is to produce
workforce-ready graduates who can, among other things, manipulate and analyze raw data,
critically evaluate information, and operate hardware and software. This technological
literacy imparts a very important set of vocational skills that will serve students well in the
working world.

Technology has allowed schools to provide greater assistance to traditionally underserved

populations. Assistive technology such as voice recognition systems, dynamic Braille
displays, speech synthesizers, and talking books provide learning and communication
alternatives for those who have developmental or physical disabilities. Research5 has also
shown that computer-mediated communication can ease the social isolation that may be
experienced by those with disabilities. Computers have proved successful in increasing
academic motivation and lessening anxiety among low ability students and learning
disabled students, many of whom simply learn in a manner different from that practiced in

13
a traditional, non-technological classroom.

Students in technology-supported classrooms are armed with powerful tools to help them
gather information, consult with colleagues, and present their findings. Their autonomy and
confidence increase as they rely less on their teacher and more on their own initiative for
knowledge-creation. Technology enables students to manipulate information in a manner
that accelerates both understanding and the progression of higher-order thinking skills. As
students gather more real-world data, share their findings with learners beyond their school,
and publish their findings to the world, their role broadens from investigators of other
products to designers, authors, purveyors, and publishers of their own work.

Technology amplifies the resources teachers can offer their students. Rather than relying
on the textbook for content, computers can provide on-line access to content experts and
up-to-date information from original sources. Reference materials on CD-ROMs and
curriculum assistance from high quality software offer many more resource opportunities
than most classrooms or school libraries could provide.

The depth and breadth of such information poses its own challenge. Internet content is
less structured and manageable than material outlined by a textbook. Students will need
to question and evaluate the information they find. There are many Internet sites that offer
raw data--pictures from space, numbers from the census, text from court testimony. These
kinds of resources need context to provide meaning, and lessons should include
components that help students use the information wisely and productively.

Information from the Internet is more dynamic than the printed word. Teachers who
understand the medium will use its currency and authenticity to their advantage. Along
the way they will find an added bonus from such an environment--they become learners
as well.

14
 It may seem daunting to begin incorporating computers into your classroom. Yet many
teachers have done so with great success. Although there is no blueprint for getting started,
the following suggestions may serve as useful initial steps for introducing technology into
the classroom.

Maintain modest goals. Although a powerful learning tool, technology is not a panacea for
all that ails a classroom. When introducing computers in your classroom, start with a small
task such as supplementing research with some Internet resources or having students word
process (rather than handwrite) a report. As you begin to feel comfortable you can increase
your repertoire of computer-supported classroom activities.

Have a backup plan. Backup plans, always a necessity, are even more crucial when using
technology. What can you do if the Internet site is down or the CD-ROM drive gets stuck?
How can such glitches be used as learning experiences?

Ask for help. For many teachers who started their careers before the dawn of the
Information Age, understanding computers seems difficult. Learning technology, however,
is easier than it appears. It just takes time. Don't let difficulties with software get you down
or deter you from tapping technology's true potential. There are lots of experienced
educators around. Ask for their help!

Learn from and with your students. Many students have grown up around technology
and feel comfortable with it. Don't be embarrassed that they may know more about
technology than you do. Welcome opportunities to learn from them

Review questions for the Topic

Explain computer application in Education

Describe the main goals and objectives of computers in Educational institutions

Discuss the basic reasons and roles of computers in Education

References

15
 Bransford, J. (2000). How people learn: brain, mind, experience, and school (Expanded
ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press
Bullen, M., & Janes, D. P. (2007). Making the transition to e-learning: strategies and
issues. Hershey PA: Information Science
Dias, L., & Atkinson, S. (2001). Technology integration - best practices - Where do
teachers stand?
Finger, G., Russell, G., Jamieson-Proctor, R., & Russell, N. (2007). Transforming

INTERACTION FOR COMPUTER-AIDED

LEARNING
Learning Objectives for the Topic
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
a. Define computer aided learning
b. Differentiate the implicit learning and explicit learning
c. Discuss the Information Modes in human-computer interaction

Introduction
Today, computing power is no longer a limitation for implementation of learning tools. The
problem has moved from how to implement to what tools to implement and why. Current
research on computer aided learning (CAL) is very focused on how to represent the learning
content and tends to neglect the impact of the user-interface in the learning process. An
integration of interface design with the representation of the learning content is important.

Interface design can be theory driven (the particular theory may be task related) or based on
human centered design principles. In the first case, theory guides implementation as, for

16
example, in Gibson‘s perceptual approach; the constructivist approach; the activity theory; or the
information processing approach, a theory of implicit and explicit learning. The second case, i.e.
the human centered design approach, strives for an interface that is attractive, easy and effective
for the users. The desktop metaphor is a typical product of this approach. Other tasks that take
advantage of this approach are file manipulation, text editing, or use of public automats (e.g.
information kiosks, ticket vending machines, etc.). Although this approach also makes use of
knowledge from different cognitive theories, research in this field is often characterized by
comparative heuristic studies where particular interface features are tested for efficiency and
satisfaction.

Complex computer mediated problem solving can take great advantage of interfaces that are
designed from considerations that run deeper than simple user friendliness. The human centered
design approach is not enough when an interface must support a task that goes beyond desktop
handling. In complex tasks among them:

a) computer-aided learning,
b) computer-aided design,
c) programming or process control

The user-interface becomes a part of the task solving process.

The user interface affect the cognitive processes related to learning and problem solving.
Human-computer interaction is a complex domain in which information can be channeled
through the human information processing system in subtle ways.

The theory is the key to the cognitive measures and user centered design providing the
framework for measures about satisfaction and efficiency. A comparison of the user centered
approach with the theoretical approach show that a consequent application of one of the
approaches would result in different suggestions for interaction design. In general, the theoretical
approach resulted in interfaces that improved learning performance, but these interfaces are not
necessarily most time effective. On the other hand, the application of user-centered design
principles resulted in interfaces that benefited from shorter task solving times and higher
satisfaction, but this is at the cost of the learning performance. A combination of both design
principles would aim at defining interfaces supporting both high performance and high
satisfaction.
17
Theory
Implicit and Explicit Learning
The application of theory in the interface design process enables us to understand interaction in a
wider context and to include task related factors in the interaction concept. In the series of
experiments reported here, we employed a theory of implicit and explicit learning. The theory
was applied to different ways of communicating information in human-computer interaction; i.e.
through various interaction tools, navigation methods and feedback forms. Different human-
computer interaction factors become a part of the information process in CAL. The theory of
implicit and explicit learning helps us to understand how this complex information process takes
place.

There is increasing evidence that people can learn in two different modes. An explicit learning
mode is characterized by rational, selective and conscious attention. Explicit learning implies
observing a manageable number of variables from the environment and keeping count only of
the contingencies between those variables. This learning mode is more demanding for the
cognitive system. People who learn explicitly seem to do so by developing a mental model of the
problem, which can be consulted, manipulated and communicated. It is this type of learning that
we normally refer to as problem solving. Implicit learning is an unconscious process that yields
abstract knowledge. Implicit learning is similar to trial and error learning. It implies storing all
the contingencies between all the variables at play. Reber defines implicit learning as "a general,
modal-free process, a fundamental operation whereby critical co-variations in the stimulus
environment are picked up.

The success of employing one of these modes depends on characteristics of the problem or the
learning task. Every learning task or problem has a structure or rules, which essentially influence
how the task should be solved and which solutions should be attempted. The task saliency refers
to how obvious the rules or the structure are. The saliency (or complexity) of a problem is, in this
research tradition, defined as the essential problem feature accounting for success when learning
in one of the two modes. Saliency is defined by the degree to which the critical features of the
stimulus material are obvious to the subjects, and by the amount of information that needs to be
considered. These two factors are related: the more features that need to be considered, the less
salient is the problem because it is more difficult to keep track of the critical features. The
saliency of a problem increases if the number of irrelevant factors in the situation is low, or if the
key events are in accordance with general knowledge from outside the problem. One example is
18
given by Reber. They developed an artificial language consisting of strings of letters. Only
certain combinations of the letters would follow the rules of the artificial grammar. In the salient
condition, the letter strings were organized in columns so that each column represented one
underlying stimulus type (grammatical rule). In the non-salient condition the letter strings were
shown randomly. After observing the letter strings, the subjects were shown new strings and
asked to identify those that were grammatically correct.

The learning modes can be induced relatively easily by external factors. In Reber's research, a
learning mode could be induced in the subjects by means of the instructions. If subjects were told
to search for rules in an artificial language, they would learn in an explicit mode. If the subjects
were led to believe that there were no rules governing the stimulus, they would learn in an
implicit mode. Instructions to search for rules that underlay less salient stimulus material had a
detrimental impact on the subjects' ability to learn about the structure. Explicit search for rules
produced a strong tendency for subjects to induce or invent rules, which were not accurate
representations of the stimulus structure. Subjects who, by instruction, were induced to learn in
an implicit mode were able to memorize exemplars of the stimulus structure better.

According to the theory, the ideal combination of problem saliency and learning mode would be
to learn in an explicit mode if the problem is salient and to learn in an implicit mode if the
problem is not salient. The implication of these findings is that people should be induced to learn
in a mode that corresponds to the problem saliency.

Clearly, this theory is highly relevant for human-computer interaction design if it can be shown
that different user-interfaces can induce the two learning modes. Hence, the motivation for the
research presented in this paper was to apply the theory to human-computer interaction.

Information Modes in human-computer interaction

Different information modes are determined by the user-interface. In human-computer

interaction the user-interface can be defined as "the parts of the system with which the user
comes into contact physically, perceptually or cognitively." Consequently, the user-interface
includes the hardware (e.g. keyboard, mouse, joy-stick, touch screen), as well as software
features (i.e. the graphical and structural organisation of a program). In the following, we shall

19
analyse how both hardware and software aspects of the user-interface are integrated in the
information processing of complex learning tasks.

Interaction - Tools and Learning Modes

Various interaction tools can induce different learning modes. Some interaction tools require the
user to interact directly with the objects of interest (e.g. by directly controlling graphical objects
with a mouse). Other interaction tools demand that the user interact by intermediary actions, e.g.
by typing commands. Figure 1 shows an interface in which an augmented reality technique
incorporates real and virtual objects. The users can "grasp" the virtual objects, which are
projected on a normal desktop surface, with a brick.

Figure 1. Desk view of an augmented reality interface

When the cognitive impact of two given interaction tools differs enough, different learning
modes can be induced. Recent research shows that a user interface radically can influence the
way people learn by means of a computer. Our research shows that these findings also apply to
different interaction tools. An interaction tool, which induces a learning mode, also has
consequences for the learning performance. For example, interaction tools that increase the
cognitive load on students when learning (e.g. by demanding the user‘s type commands in order
to interact), can induce an explicit learning style. Interaction tools implying little cognitive load
on the users, such as interaction by direct manipulation with graphical objects, tend to induce a
more implicit, trial and error learning mode. The success of learning a certain task is closely
linked to the chosen learning strategy, due to some strategies being more powerful than others
(e.g. the success of implicit and explicit learning modes depends on the task saliency).

20
Consequently, the interaction tool can play a major role in successful learning by supporting or
inhibiting certain strategies.

Navigation Methods and Learning Modes

CAL applications demand several kinds of user navigation methods. The navigation strategy is to
some extent defined by the characteristics of the learning system. There are many methods of
moving between different states, pages or masks in a program. The program can apply one or
more methods, and this will have an impact on how the information will be perceived. The
navigation strategy also influences the knowledge acquisition, depending on whether an implicit
or an explicit navigation strategy can be induced by the navigation tool. Navigation in a free
structured system (e.g. hypertext) can support an implicit learning strategy, because the structure
supports spontaneous and unstructured movements (and also because such systems often are
highly unsalient). Browsing is an example of an implicit navigation strategy. The
hypertext/media based structure of Internet supports navigation by browsing. Browsing is a way
of seeking new information; the information can be unknown, but anticipated. Browsing is a
member of a set of information seeking activities, or strategies, best suited to covering a large
and complex area without going into too much detail. Browsing has associative activities of
exploring, scanning and extending. The purpose of browsing may be quite implicit or tacit in the
understanding of the searcher.

Simulations are similar to hypertext/media systems in that there is no pre-defined structure of the
action sequences. Simulations that incorporate spatial movements, e.g. between rooms in a
virtual building, must implement navigation methods and tools, which enable users to walk
around. However, because many simulations are characterized by a more tacit change of states
depending on the user actions, the aspects of navigation are different from browsing. Hence,
operating a simulation is neither browsing nor non-browsing. In simulations demonstrating
complex relationships, navigation becomes a matter of selecting the right cognitive strategy for
the optimal sequence of actions. The knowledge discovery comes gradually by induction, where
in hypermedia systems the knowledge may be explicitly presented on one node.

Simulations that incorporate spatial movements, e.g. between rooms in a virtual building, must
implement navigation methods and tools, which enable users to walk around.

21
Non-browsing is more purposeful and focused than browsing. It is more concerned with having a
model of what might be possible and exploring options to see which meets chosen criteria. One
example is navigation in a structured environment, when people move linearly between pages in
a computer-based training program (CBT).) CBT programs often use some kind of a book
metaphor, in that the learning material is presented in chapters to be studied in a certain order.
This can support an explicit learning strategy because such systems reduce the orientation load
and free more attention for the information content. Most computer-based training applications
support non-browsing navigation. In such environments the navigation is supported by a
structured system. The students are supposed to navigate through the learning material in a
structured way; for example, buttons bring the user pages forward or backwards. This kind of
navigation was typical for Hypercard© applications. Non-browsing strategies can also be
employed in a hypertext/media system by users who apply an explicit search strategy to consider
the search activities consciously. This can be achieved by purposeful use of available navigation
aids like histories or guided tours. Such navigation aids can serve as cognitive tools, i.e. by
helping users to follow a structured search strategy. An example of a history used as a cognitive
tool is shown in Figure 4.

Feedback and Learning Modes

Feedback about learning performance is closely related to how the information is presented. Both
the feedback content (i.e. information about the learning performance) and the feedback form
(i.e. how the information is presented) are relevant. Different forms and content of feedback are
shown in Table 1. In the following, we will describe in more detail the feedback forms employed
in our research.

Visual feedback can be direct or indirect. Direct visual feedback occurs when an action
immediately causes a reaction of the program: e.g. a window opens by starting a program, or the
scroll bar in a text window scrolls the text. Visual feedback is one of the most powerful effects in
simulation-based learning. Interactive simulations can give continuous visual feedback about the
effects of different actions in the system. Interaction with graphical interfaces by direct
manipulation implies continuous visual feedback about the location and state of objects. This
feedback contains indirect information that supports continuous reflections of the ongoing

22
actions. The students interpret the new states of the simulation based on their actions; hence, a
series of actions (conscious and purposely or implicit and intuitively) can follow.

Feedback forms Feedback content

Visual Response

 Movements,  Say why the student's

Picture, Text response is correct or
incorrect
Verbal
 Say what a correct
response would be
 Text, Voice

Approach
Auditory

 Say whether an approach

 Sound, Voice
is appropriate
Tactile
Motivational
 Related to HW
 Say that the performance
is good

Cognitive (indirect)

 Showing the new system

states in a recognisable
way. Based on perceptual
features

Table 1. Different forms and content of feedback

With increasing processing power, continuous feedback to the user is appealing. The effect of
this kind of feedback was investigated in experiment 5, referred to below. An effect of feedback
in this case not only would be related to aspects of the feedback itself, but also would indicate
the degree to which users are influenced by apparently unimportant interface aspects in general.
23
Two actual examples from commercial software illustrate different forms of subtle feedback.
The two examples represent continuous and discontinuous methods of feedback respectively:

1. A graphics editor, such as Adobe Photoshop, offers filtering options, which are operated
by dialogue boxes. In the dialogue box, different parameters can be changed interactively
by moving small handlers on a bar. The effect of a change can often be seen instantly in a
small preview box. This gives the user an immediate impression of the effect of such a
change.
2. The use of 3D programs often involves the following situation: when rotating a three-
dimensional object, the user is actually manipulating a simple copy of the object, i.e. a
'bounding box'. The object rotated to the new position is not shown until the rotation is
finished.

From a pedagogical point of view, different feedback content represents an important feature of a
CAL system. Verbal forms of feedback communicate direct messages and are, therefore, closely
linked to content feedback. Response feedback provides an evaluation of the appropriateness of
an action. Approach feedback relates to the chosen task solving strategy. It is realistic for simple
tasks with few parameters. It is more complex to design approach feedback for complex tasks.
Motivation feedback is intended to increase the effort put into learning. Source of motivation is
an individual matter; thus, many factors may have an influence. It is important to analyses
carefully what motivates the target group of a learning program before deciding what to
implement. Many effects can serve as cognitive feedback depending on the teaching strategy.
Cognitive feedback is involved in all interactions with a system in which the students can
observe the consequences of their own actions. In particular visual feedback in simulations can
have great impact on the learning performance, by either explicitly or implicitly contributing to
knowledge acquisition. Simulation promotes much indirect cognitive feedback; in fact, the idea
is not based on instruction, but on letting the students implicitly unveiling the learning goals.

Review Questions for the Topic

Define computer aided learning in details
Differentiate the implicit learning and explicit learning
Discuss the Information Modes in human-computer interaction

24
 ROLE OF ICT IN LEARNER-CENTERED
EDUCATION (LCE)
Learning Objectives for the Topic
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Define Learner-Centered Education
Differentiate the Teacher vs. Learner-Centered Education
Discuss the Integration of ICT in LCE

Introduction
The Learner-Centered Education (LCE) focuses on both teacher‘s and learner‘s
experiences. It helps to motivate teaching, learning and its achievement. ICT can be exploited to
enhance the integration of the learning centered principles by supporting the learners and
teacher‘s need and capabilities while promoting creative and critical thinking. Teachers must
advance in their methods of instruction and knowledge of technology to support the individual
learner in learner-centered frame work.
Informed educators are rapidly adopting Learner-Centered Education for the classes they
teach because the students are benefiting in a number of ways: students are more actively
engaged with the subject, they are more motivated as learners, and they learn more skills,
including discipline knowledge and collaborative and communication skills. Faculties who
employ LCE interact more closely and richly with their students, thereby developing a clearer
picture of student understanding. Faculty guidance and feedback to students is thus better
informed and more appropriately aimed. There is little question among informed educators that
getting students actively engaged in a well-designed LCE classroom environment facilitates
learning better than do teacher-centered classrooms.

Importance Learner-Centered Education

Learner-centered education places the focus on each student‘s individual needs. According to
this model, the educator must first understand each student‘s unique educational context and
evaluate the student‘s progress toward specified learning objectives. The purpose of the learner-
centered model is to provide an individualized, flexible learning environment for every student.

25
1. The role of the educator shifts. No longer is the teacher simply someone who stands at
the front of the room imparting knowledge on students. Instead, the instructor works as
an educational architect and facilitator.
2. Students assume responsibility for their own learning. The educator and student work
together to decide on appropriate coursework and evaluation. It is the student‘s job to
follow through with these choices.
3. Rather than revolving around content, the learner-centered classroom centers
around learning processes. These are meta-cognitive skills that the student can apply in
any educational scenario. Therefore the student is more likely to attain success in a new
educational environment.
4. The student is no longer a passive “receptacle” for the teacher’s knowledge. Instead,
the student becomes an active part of the learning process, and may even assist in
teaching his or her classmates.
5. The learner-centered classroom provides an emphasis upon higher-order thinking
skills, such as the ability to judge and evaluate. Students who master these skills are
better able to assimilate new information and apply it to different situations.
6. In addition to gaining a strong knowledge base, students develop learning skills and
self-awareness. Because they must make decisions along with their instructors, they
must pay attention to how they learn best, evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses,
and act accordingly.
7. Students learn self-advocacy skills. They have to articulate their needs on a regular
basis. This practice means that they not only get better at expressing themselves, but they
also learn how to communicate appropriately and effectively with a wide variety of
people, from fellow students to instructors.
8. Reluctant learners are more motivated to participate in their own education, since
their stake in the process is clearly defined. Because they can steer themselves toward
curriculum that they find interesting and rewarding, such reluctant students become more
enthusiastic learners.
9. The learner-centered classroom provides a built-in system for accommodating
different learning styles or specific challenges. Because the learner-centered classroom
offers a tailored program for each student, special needs like ADD/ADHD or specific
learning disabilities can be addressed seamlessly and effectively.

26
 10. Students in the learner-centered classroom feel significant as individuals, since their
opinions and viewpoints are an integral part of their classroom experiences. This
aspect of the learner-centered environment is particularly significant to troubled
teenagers, who often have less sense of self-worth than their peers.
Using this model, students demonstrate improvement in motivation, learning, and achievement.
Ultimately, the learner-centered classroom has a higher rate of student retention, and students are
better prepared for success outside the classroom.

Teacher vs. Learner-Cantered Education

Teacher-Centered Learner-Centered

Focus is on instructor Focus is on both students and instructor

Focus is on language forms and structures Focus is on language use in typical situations (how
(what the instructor knows about the students will use the language)
language)

Instructor talks; students listen Instructor models; students interact with instructor
and one another

Students work alone Students work in pairs, in groups, or alone

depending on the purpose of the activity

Instructor monitors and corrects every Students talk without constant instructor
student utterance monitoring; instructor provides
feedback/correction when questions arise

Instructor answers students‘ questions about Students answer each other‘s questions, using
language instructor as an information resource

Instructor chooses topics Students have some choice of topics

Instructor evaluates student learning Students evaluate their own learning; instructor
also evaluates

Classroom is quiet Classroom is often noisy and busy

27
Classroom activity is Didactic Classroom activity is Interactive

Teacher as a Fact teller and Expert Teacher as a Collaborator sometimes learner

Passive participation of students Active participation of students

Instructions emphasize on memorization Instructions emphasize on inquiry and inventions

Concept of knowledge is accumulation of Concept of knowledge of transformation of facts

facts

Drill and practice technology used Communication, collaboration and expression

technology used

Teacher as a knowledge transmitter, primary Teacher as a learning facilitator, collaborator,

source of information, content expert and coach, mentor, knowledge navigator, guide and
source of all answer co-learner.

Teachers controls and directs all the aspects Teacher gives students more options and
of learning responsibilities for their own learning

Learning as a solitary activity Learning collaboratively with others

Integration of ICT in LCE

Technology of instruction can make an ordinary man capable of superior performance

and a means, either printed or electronic, to distribute that instruction. There are two main
characteristics of technology in the context of LCE.
1. To use well-planned way the scientific or other organized knowledge for practical task

28
 2. To divide such task in categories and sub-categories
Technology can support ―learning centered‖ principles in two main facts researching and
creating an authentic product for assessment. The internet provides an unrestricted number of
sources of information and data on most topics. Web pages are a popular form. Documents,
studio presentations, video animations, web movies, digital camera images and excel spread
sheets. Thus all products should here be technology based.
The above flow chart shows that ICT approach on LCE focuses upon all the aspects of
teaching and learning. The four quadrants of the chart contain the specific planning steps, each of
which is necessary and important. The charts provide more significance on both teacher and
learner. Thus, the LCE can answer any questions
regarding teaching-learning process. It gives
1.GOALS
technological explanations also. Objectives

A shift from teacher-centered education to

learner-centered education is needed to enable
students to acquire the new 21st century knowledge 4.
LEARNER- 2.
CENTERED CONDITIONS
EVALUATION
and skills. EDUCATION Learning
Outcomes
(LCE) Experiences

Instructional Role of ICT 3. PERSONAL

AND PHYSICAL
MATERIALS
The ultimate goal of ICT is to increase Resources

learning with longer retention and increased

performance. For a teacher to change their teaching methods and incorporate ICT into their
teaching is an emerging trend. They must have time, confidence, motivation, training, the proper
technology supported environment and the incentive to do so. Technology alone, of course, does
not produce learning; technology is a tool that can be used in many ways, to enhance LCE. The
literature generally describe three major categories of instructional use of ICT; these are
1. Learning from the technology
2. Learning about the technology
3. Learning with the technology.
LCE is fundamentally based on Constructivist theory-based on observation and scientific
study-about how people learn. It says that people construct their own understanding and
knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences.

29
The changing role of teacher in ICT based learning

In the traditional teaching-learning situation, the relation between the teacher and the pupil is
frontal-the role of teacher is to deliver knowledge to the pupil. There is some co-operation
among pupils. Teachers do not possess adequate knowledge and skills for the effective
collaboration of ICTs.
Traditional Teacher-Pupil Relationship
TEACHER

Knowledge Knowledge
Transmission Transmission

Co-operation
PUPIL PUPIL

For effective education, it is essential that there be more opportunities for student
participation in the learning process, more team work, more self-study and self-evaluation, as
well as more peer evaluation and less examination oriented teaching and learning. It is felt that
ICTs can assist in promoting more learner-centered and interactive learning.

Teacher-Pupil relationship in emerging learning society

` TEACHER

INFORMATION
Knowledge
PUPIL RESOURCES
Constructio
n

PUPIL
The new technologies have enormous potential to revolutionize education. It is obvious
that the monopolies enjoyed by schools as formal education providers will diminish.

What the teacher has to do in a learning cantered classroom?

A teacher has to use many techniques in the teaching process. For example, he may:
30
 1. prompt students to formulate their own questions (inquiry)
2. allow multiple interpretations and expressions of learning (multiple intelligences)
3. encourage group work and the use of peers as resources (collaborative learning)

Its primary goal is helping students learn how to learn.

Learner-Cantered ICT Pedagogy: Theoretical Framework

The design of a learner-centered ICT teaching method depends on the chosen theoretical
framework. The framework supports the designers‘ work, forming the foundation for
implementation, evaluation, and research. The theoretical framework is developed in four steps:
1) Defining the psychological foundations of the learning-centered ICT teaching method
based on learning theories and the learning cycle.
2) Specifying the underlying pedagogical principles of the learner-centered ICT teaching
method.
3) Re-conceptualizing pedagogical principles of the ICT teaching method within learning
theories and the learning cycle.
4) Defining the contextual factors influencing the use of the learner-centered ICT teaching
method in secondary schools.

References
Oberoi, S.C., (2004). Educational Technology. New Delhi: Arya Book Depot.
Sharma, R.A., (2004). Educational Technology and Management. Meerat: Surya
Publications.
Barak, M. (2006). Instructional principles for fostering learning with ICT: Teachers‘
perspectives as learners and instructors. Education and Information Technologies, 11,
121-135.

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Define Learner-Centered Education
Differentiate the Teacher vs. Learner-Centered Education
Discuss the Integration of ICT in LCE

31
 APPLICATIONS USED IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
AND INSTRUCTION DELIVERY

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Work with MS word Application
Explain the features of MS Excel Application
Discuss the Presentation software

WORD PROCESSING

Microsoft Word (MS-WORD)

Ms Word is a powerful word processing program that helps the user create, edit, format and save
documents.
Loading Ms-Word

Loading can also be achieved by clicking the Ms Word icon on the Microsoft shortcut bar (only
if it is available)

The Ms-Word Screen

The Ms Word screen contains various features. The common ones are:
1. TITLE BAR: This bears the name of the application followed by the name of the current
document or the file.
2. OFFICE BUTTON: It contains commands such as new for creating a new file, open, save,
save as etc and commonly used commands.

3. TABS: There are seven tabs in word 2007, Home, insert, page layout, references, mailings,
review, view each of them has a ribbon with a set of commands.

32
Ms-Word Screen
When the program starts, the following document window will be displayed on the screen.

Creating, Saving and Closing Documents

Creating
Option 1
1. From the office button, click New then double click the Blank Document icon.
Saving
To save a new document

hard disk(C) etc

Closing
he Ms- Word desktop or

Selecting Text/Block of Text

SELECT DO THIS
33
A word Drag over the word or Double click it
A graphic Click anywhere within the graphic
A line of text Drag over the text or Double click at the start of line
A sentence Hold Down Ctrl key and click anywhere in the Sentence
A paragraph Triple click anywhere in the paragraph to select
Entire document From Edit, click Select All

Formatting

To bold text

click bold.
To Italicize text

To underline text

To change Font size

ont size.

To change Font type of text

34
To change the font color
elect the text.

Formatting Paragraphs
Word displays text, as it will appear when printed.

About line spacing

Line spacing determines the amount of vertical space between the lines and text. Word uses
single line spacing by default.
Inserting line spaces

Aligning text

In the home tab

nd click alignment desired i.e. left, right or center.

Creating drop caps

have a drop cap on.

35
Change case

lower, title or sentence

cases.
Adding bullets and numbers

ulleted or Numbered tab.

Remove bullets or numbering

Page Break

1. Position the cursor where you want the page break to appear.
2. From the insert tab click on page break.
Add a background
You can add different backgrounds to Word documents.
1. On the home tab, point to background and then check the color you want or click more colors
to see additional color choices. Click fill effects for special effects such as textures.
2. Select the option that you want.
Note: To remove a background, click NO FILL option.
Using SmartArt

36
This feature enables you to create visually compelling text affects e.g. slanting, curving text in a
document.
1. From the insert tab, select SmartArt and click the smart art graphic desired.
Shapes
The insert tab has a variety of features used to create different shapes in a document.
1. From the shapes icon, select a tool that you will use to draw a certain shape e.g. a rectangle.
2. Click and drag to the desired position.
Insert a picture
You can insert a clip art or a picture from the clip Gallery.
1. Position the insertion point(cursor) where you want to insert a clip art or a picture.
2. From the Insert tab, click the clip art icon.
3. Click a clip art category then choose a clipart and click insert clip.
To resize the objects
1. Click inside the object i.e. clipart, word art or a drawing.
2. Position the mouse pointer in either of the placeholders.
3. Click and drag to the desired size.
4. Release the mouse button.

Editing Your Document

To undo mistakes
Next to the office button, clicks undo or click the Undo button.
To undo several actions
1. Click the arrow next to the Undo button to see a list of the most recent actions.
2. Click the action you want to undo. If you don‘t see the action, scroll through the list.

To insert page numbers

37
 insert page numbers from the insert tab

Removing Page Numbers

the last option in the
list.
Adding Headers and Footers
A header is the text that appears repeatedly at the top of a document while footers is that text that
repeatedly occurs at the bottom of a document.
To add a Header and Footers
footer

rom the header to the footer by clicking the switch button to move to the
footer
Click close button to return to the document
To remove a header /footer - refer to removing page numbers
Copying and Pasting Text
An existing piece of text may be required in a different document. Ms Word allows the user to
copy this text rather than retype then paste it to the required area. When text or graphic is copied
or cut, it is stored in the clipboard and can be pasted into as many documents as desired.
To copy and paste text
elect the text to copy

where the text is to be placed

Moving text
Select the text to move
on on the home tab.

Note: When you cut, the text is completely removed from the original location.
To spell check a Document
ng and Grammar… on the review tab

38
To find text

g sought

To Replace Text

ype the word/ text to replace the sought word / text

Changing Page Setup

Depending on the size of the paper required and / or paper orientation and layout,
Ms –word will allow changing of the default to user‘s requirement.

To change page setup

Working with Tables

A table is made up of rows and columns that can be filled with text and graphics.
You can sort and perform calculations on them. Tables make it easy to read information that
would otherwise have to be written in a representative and lengthy fashion. Use tables to
organize information and create interesting page layouts with side-by-side columns of text and
graphics.
The simple table:

39
1. In the insert tab click table.
2. In the no. of columns box enter the number of columns.
3. In the no of rows box enter the number of rows.
4. Click Ok.
Creating a table with a different format
1. In the insert tab click table
2. Choose a table format of your choice under quick tables
3. Click Ok.
Merging cells in a tab
1. Select the cells to be merged.
2. Right click to see the merge cells option.
Splitting the cells
1. Select cell to be split
2. From the shortcut menu obtained by right clicking choose split cells
3. Type the number of columns and rows each cell is to be cell spitted
To delete rows and columns in a table
1. Select the row or the column to be deleted
2. From the shortcut menu choose deleted cells
3. In the deleted cell dialog box choose an option i.e. entire row or column
4. Click Ok
Adjusting column width
1. Position the mouse pointer over the column boundary until it changes shape
2. Drag the column boundary to the right or left
Adding rows to a table
1. Select the row to row as above which you want to insert a new row
2. From the table menu choose insert cells
3. In the insert cells dialog box choose an option e.g. insert the entire row.
4. Click Ok.
To delete cells in a table
1. Select the cells you want to delete
2. From the layout tab choose the delete cells option

Columns

40
Newspaper style columns
You can format text into multiple newspaper style columns. This is best applied when creating
documents like newspaper, newsletters or brochures.
Option 1
Using the columns button on the page layout tab
1. Highlight the text to be columned.
2. Select the number of columns you want.
Templates
A template is a document that contains predefined settings. The use of templates ensures that
there is consistency between documents.
1. From the office menu choose new.
2. Click on the relevant tab depending on the type of document you want to create e.g. letters and
faxes, legal document, menus etc.
3. Select the template that you want to use.
4. Click Ok.
5. Delete the default text and type your own.
To Print a Document
1. From the office menu, click print.
2. In the name box select a printer.
3. Choose an option for the number of pages to be printed i.e.
ALL: -Prints the entire document
CURRENT PAGE: -prints the current page
PAGE: -you can select certain pages within a document
4. .In the number of copies box, specify the number of copies you want in each page.
5. Click Ok.

Mail Merging

If you had to type the same form letter 100 times, you know what boring and back breaking work
it can be. Never again, by setting up the form letter as a Ms Word merge documents, you need
type the letter only once.
STEP 1
1. From the mailings tab click Mail Merge and choose letters
STEP 2
41
 Select recipients
One can select from an existing file or by creating a new data source
Creating a new data source
1. Choose get data type new list
2. Create data source dialogue appear as shown below
3. Remove the fields not needed and / or create new field
4. When you have finish creating the fields click ok
5. Type the data to be stored
STEP 3
1. Place the cursor to position of field insertion
2. From the mail merge toolbar click insert merge field
3. Repeat field insertion until all the fields have been inserted
4. Choose Finnish merge

SPREADSHEETS

Spreadsheets are application packages used for manipulation of figures. A spreadsheet usually
consists of a series of rows and columns. The figures or text are inserted into cells. Examples
include Ms Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, Supercalc, Quattro Pro.From the examples given, we shall tackle
Ms Excel.
Applications of Spreadsheets
1. Can be used to record sales, produce invoices and compile statements.
2. Researchers can compile and analyze their results.
3. Teachers can compile their students‘ marks and produce overall results.
4. Clerks and secretaries can easily create tables of figures and manipulate.

MICROSOFT EXCEL

START EXCEL
Option 1
Click the start button moves to programs move to Microsoft excel and click
Option 2
Click the excel button on the Microsoft shortcut if only if the option available

THE EXCEL WINDOW

42
Window
When you work in Excel, you use workbook files to hold your information. Each workbook
consists of several worksheets made up rows and columns of information.
A workbook therefore allows you to organize various kinks of related information in a single file
(or workbook)
Worksheet
A worksheet is one sheet in an Excel workbook. Each worksheet consists of 256 columns and
65,536 rows.
Columns
Columns are the vertical divisions of a worksheet that are identified by letters.
The columns begin with A and proceed through the alphabet. The 27th column is AA followed
by AB, AC, and this convention for naming continues through the entire alphabet until you end
up with the last column (column 256) which is designated IV.
Rows
Rows are the horizontal divisions of a worksheet and are identified by numbers.
Cells
A cell is the intersection of a row and a column. Each cell has an address that consists of the
column letter and row number (A1, B3, C5 and so on)
Each cell is capable of containing different types of information e.g. text, number, times,
formulas. Excel data basically comes in two varieties: labels and values.
A label is a text entry consisting of alphanumeric characters. It is called a label because it
typically provides descriptive information such as the name of a place, person, e.t.c. A label has
no numerical significance in Excel.
A value is data that has numerical significance. These include numbers, dates and times that you
enter on your worksheet. Values can be acted on by formulas and functions.
The figure below shows the elements of an Excel window.

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Element and Description
Formula bar: When you enter information into a cell, it appears in the Formula bar. You can
use the formula bar to edit the data later. The cell‘s location also appears.
Column Headings: The letters across the top of the worksheet, which identify the columns in
the worksheet.
Row Headings: The numbers down the side of the worksheet, which Identify the rows in the
worksheet.
Cell Selector: this is the dark outline that indicates the active cell. It Highlights the cell you are
currently working in.
Worksheet tabs: These tabs help you move from worksheet to Worksheet within the workbook.
The active Worksheet is displayed in bold.
Active cell: It indicates the cell in which the typed data will be entered. It is also known as the
current cell.

Create a new workbook

Option 1
1. On the office menu, click New
2. To create a new blank workbook, click the General tab and then double click the workbook
icon.
Saving a workbook
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1. In the office menu click save as.
2. In the save in text box click and specify the location to save in.
3. In the file name text box type the name of the file.
4. Click save
NB
The first time you click ‗save as‘ from the file menu, the Documents folder is displayed by
default as the folder to save in.
Close a workbook
On the file menu click close

WORKING WITH WORKBOOKS AND WORKSHEETS

Moving around in a worksheet

To move between cells on a worksheet, click any cell or use the arrow keys.
When you move to a cell, it becomes the active cell (the selected cell in which data is entered
when you begin typing. Only one cell is active at a time .A heavy border bound the active cell)
To see the different area of the sheet, use the scroll bars.
Switch to another sheet in a workbook
Click the sheet tab
(A tab near the button of a workbook window that displays the name of a sheet
To display a shortcut menu, click a tab with the right mouse button .To scroll through the sheet
tabs, use the tab scrolling buttons to the left of the tabs)

Insert a new worksheet

On the home tab, click insert and then chose worksheet
Delete sheets from a workbook
1. Select the sheets you want to delete.
2. On the home tab select delete sheet.
Rename a sheet
1. Double click the sheet tab.
2. Type a new name over the current name.
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ENTERING DATA

Enter numbers, text, date, or time

1. Click the cell where you want to enter data.
2. Type the data and press ENTER or TAB.
Use a slash or a hyphen to separate the parts of a date, for example, type 8/6/99 or jun-99
To enter a time based on the 12-hour clock, type a space and then a or p after the time for
example, 9.00 p. Otherwise, Microsoft Excel enters the time as AM.
Enter a formula
1. Click the cell in which you want to enter the formula.
2. Type = (an equal sign)
3. Enter the formula.
4. Press ENTER.
Enter the same data into several cells at once
1. Highlight the cells where you want to enter data.
The cells can be adjacent or nonadjacent
2. Type the data and press CTRL+ENTER
Fill in a series of numbers, dates or other items
1. Select the first cell in the range you want to fill and enter the starting value for the series.
To increment the series by a specified amount, select the next cell in the range and enter the next
item in the series. The difference between the two starting items determines the amount by which
the series is incremented.
2. Select the cell or cells that contain the starting values.
3. Drag the fill handle over the range you want to fill.
order; drag down or to the right.
order; drag up or to the left.
Cancel or undo an entry
To cancel an entry before you press ENTER, press ESC.
To undo a complete entry, click Undo button on the standard tool bar.
Tips on entering numbers
To avoid entering a fraction as a date, precede fractions with a 0 (zero); for example, type0 ½
(there is a space between zero and ½)
Precede negative numbers with a minus sign (-), or enclose the numbers in parentheses ().
Select cells, ranges, rows and columns
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To select Do this
A single cell Click the cell, or press the arrow keys to move to the cell.
A range of cells Click the first cell of the range and then drag to the last cell.
All cells on a worksheet Click the select All button.
Nonadjacent cells or cell ranges Select the first cell or range of cells, and then hold down
CTRL and select the other cells or ranges.
A large range of cells Click the first cell in the range, and then hold down SHIFT key and click
the last cell in the range.
An entire row Click the row heading.
An entire column Click the column heading.
Adjacent rows or columns Drag across the row or column headings.
Non-adjacent rows or columns Select the first row or column, and then hold down CTRL and
select the other rows or columns.
Select sheets in a workbook
If you select more than one sheet, Microsoft Excel repeats the changes you make to the active
sheet on all other selected sheets. These changes may replace data on other sheets.
To select Do this
A single sheet Click the sheet tab.
Two or more adjacent sheets Click the tab for the first sheet and then hold down
SHIFT and click the tab for the last sheet.
Two or more nonadjacent sheets Click the tab for the first sheet and then hold down
CTRL and click the tabs for the other sheets.
All sheets in a workbook Right click a sheet tab and then click Select All Sheets on the shortcut
menu.

To cancel a selection of multiple sheets in a workbook, click any unselected sheet.

If no unselected sheet is visible, right click the tab of a selected sheet then click
Ungroup Sheets on the shortcut menu.
Clear or delete cells, rows or columns
When you delete cells, Microsoft Excel removes them from the worksheet and shifts the
surrounding cells to fill the space. When you clear cells, you remove the cell contents (formulas
and data), formats or comments but leave the blank cells on the worksheet.
To clear contents, format or comments from cells

47
1. Select the cells, rows or columns that you want to clear.
2. Press the delete key on your keyboard.
Delete cells, rows or columns
1. Select the cells, rows or columns you want to delete.
2. Home tab, click Delete.
Undo mistakes
To undo recent actions one at a time, click Undo next to the save icon
To undo several actions at once, click the arrow next to Undo button and select from the list.
Microsoft Excel reverses the selected action and all actions above it.
To undo several actions at once, click the arrow next to Undo button on the standard toolbar and
select from the list. Microsoft Excel reverses the selected action and all actions above it.
Insert cells, rows or columns
You can insert blank cells, rows and columns and fill them with data.
Insert blank cells
1. Select a range of existing cells where you want to insert the new blank cells.
2. Select the same number of cells as you want to insert.
3. On the insert icon under the home tab, click cells.
4. Click Shift cells right or shift cells down.
Insert rows
1. To insert a single row, click a cell in the row immediately below where you want the new row.
For example, to insert a new row above Row 5,click a cell in Row 5.
To insert multiple rows, select rows immediately below where you want the new rows, select the
same number of rows you want to insert.
2. On the Insert menu, click Rows.
Insert columns
1. To insert a single column, click a cell in the column immediately to the right of where you
want to insert the new column. For example, to insert a new column to the left of column B, click
a cell in column B
To insert multiple columns, select columns immediately to the right of where you want to insert
the new columns. Select the same number of columns as you want to insert.
2. On the Insert icon on the home tab, click Columns.

FORMATTING A WORKSHEET

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Change the size, font, color, or other text format
You can specify a font, font size and font color by clicking buttons on the home tab.
Change the font or font size
1. Select whole cells or the specific text in a single cell that you want to format.
2. In the Font box, click the font you want.
3. In the Font size box, click the font size you want (on the home tab)
Make selected text or numbers bold, italic or underlined
1. Select whole cells or the specific text in a single cell that you want to format.
2. On the home tab, click a button for the format you want.
To make text Click
Bold
Italic
Underlined
Change the text color
1. Select whole cells or the specific text in a single cell that you want to format.
2. To apply the recently most selected color, click Font Color A
To apply a different color, click the arrow next to Font Color A and then click a color on the
palette.

APPLYING BORDERS

To apply border styles

1. Click the Border tab in the home tab.
2. Click the line style you want and then click a button to indicate the border placement.
To apply borders to selected cells that contains rotated text
1. Click Cells on the Format icon under the home menu.
2. Click the Border tab and then use the Outline and Inside buttons under Presets.
The borders are applied to the edges of the cells which are rotated to the same degree as the
rotated text.
To change the line style of an existing border
1. Select the cells on which the border is displayed.
2. On the Border tab (Cells dialog box, Format menu) click the new line style in the style box
and then click the border you want to change in the cells diagram under border.
Change column width and row height
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You can adjust the width of columns and the height of rows. You can also define the default
width of columns for a worksheet. Defining the default column width adjusts all columns to the
same width except columns that have previously been changed.
Change column width
Using different options
1. Drag the boundary on the right side of the column heading until the column is the width you
want.
2. To change the column width for multiple columns, select the columns you want to
change. Then drag a boundary at the right of a selected column heading.
3. To change the column width for all columns on the worksheet, click the
Select all buttons (at the left edge of the borders) and then drag the boundary of any column
heading.
4. To make the column width fit the contents, double-click the boundary to the right of the
column heading
Change row height
Using different options
1. Drag the boundary below the row heading until the row is the height you want.
2. To change the row height for multiple rows, select the rows you want to change then drag a
boundary below a selected row heading.
3. To change the row height for all rows on the worksheet, click the Select All button (at the left
edge of the borders) and then drag the boundary below any row heading.
4. To make the row height fit the contents, double-click the boundary below the row heading.
THE FILL HANDLE
The fill handle enables you to extend a series. It is also used for copying formulas.
Procedure
1. Position the mouse pointer right on the block like mark in the bottom right corner of the active
cell.
2. Click and drag to extend a series.

OPERATORS

Operators are signs or symbols which specify the type of a calculation that you may perform in
the elements of a formula.
There are four different types of calculation operators i.e.
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1. Arithmetic
2. Comparison
3. Text and
4. Reference

WORKING WITH CHARTS

You can display Microsoft Excel data graphically in a chart. Charts are linked to the worksheet
data they are created from and are updated when you change the worksheet data. You can create
charts from cells or ranges that are not next to one another.
1. Select the cells that contain the data that you want appear in the chart.
2. Under the insert tab select the kind of chart you want.
3. The chart is prepared for you.
Create a chart from non-adjacent selections
1. Select the first group that contains the data you want to include.
2. While holding down CTRL key, select any additional cell groups you want to include.
3. Under the insert tab select the kind of chart you want.
4. The chart is prepared for you.
Move and resize chart items by the use of the mouse
You can use the mouse to resize and move the chart area, the plot area and the legend. Microsoft
Excel automatically sizes titles to accommodate their text. You can move titles with the mouse
but not resize them.
1. Click the chart item.
2. To move a chart item, point to the item and then drag it to another location.
To resize a chart item, point to a sizing handle.
When the mouse pointer changes to a double-headed arrow, drag the sizing handle until the item
is the size you want.
Rotate text in a chart title or along an axis
You can rotate or ―angle‖ text in a chart or along an axis. However, you cannot rotate legend
text.
1. Click the axis or the title you want to format.
2. If you clicked an axis, click Axis on the Format menu.
3. Click the Alignment tab.
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4. To rotate text, under Orientation, click a degree point or drag the indicator to the position you
want.
About using a list as a database
In Microsoft Excel, you can easily use a list as a database. When you perform database tasks
such as finding, sorting or subtotaling data, Microsoft Excel automatically recognizes the list as a
database and uses the following list elements to organize the data.
fields in the database.
field‘s names in the database.

Sorting a list
You can rearrange the rows or columns of a list based on the values in the list by sorting. When
you sort, Microsoft Excel rearranges rows, columns or individual cells by using the sort order
that you specify. You can sort lists in ascending (1 to 9,A to Z) or descending (9 to 1,Z to A)
order and sort based on the contents of one or more columns.
Sort in ascending or descending order
1.Click a cell in the column you would like data sort.
2.Click Sort ascending or descending button on the standard toolbar.
Sort columns based on the contents of rows
1.Click a cell in the list you want to sort.
2.On the Data tab, click sort.
3.Click Options.
4.Under Orientation, click sort left to right and then click Ok.
5.In the Sort by and Then by boxes, click the rows you want to sort.
6.Click Ok.
Using apply filter
Autofilter
Displays only those rows that match the value in the active cell and inserts
Autofilter arrows to the right of each column label.
Show all
Displays all of the rows in a filtered list
Chapter Review Exercise
Intermediate Spreadsheet Concepts Exercise

52
Create a spreadsheet using the following information. You have been asked to prepare a
spreadsheet to show the profit and loss figure for the last financial year. The profit and loss
should be shown as a dollar and as a percentage.
1) Enter the raw data below, applying as many presentation Features (Font, Font
Size, Font Colour, Number Formats and Colour, Cell Shading, Text Rotation, etc) to it as you
wish.
2) Apply appropriate number formats to your numbers.
3) Give your spreadsheet an appropriate title and center it across your spreadsheet.
4) Select the best page orientation for your spreadsheet.
5) Adjust the column width and row height to suit the layout you have selected.
6) Create formula's to calculate the profit / loss as a currency for each month.
7) Create formula's to calculate the profit / loss as a percentage for each month.

PRESENTATION GRAPHICS

MS POWERPOINT

What is PowerPoint?
This is a complete presentation graphics package. It gives you everything you need to produce a
professionally looking presentation. It enables you to express your ideas in graphics, text and
objects all in one.
What is presentation?
It is a collection of slides, handouts, speaker‘s note, and outline all in one file. As create a slide
you are creating a presentation, giving it a format that will carry through from beginning to the
end.
What is a slide?
Slides are individual pages of your presentation. Slides have titles, text, drawn objects, shapes,
clip arts, and visuals created with other application.
Starting PowerPoint
From the start menu select programs and the move to PowerPoint and click.
By default it creates a new presentation 1 for you with a window shown below.

53
Starting a presentation
1. Type the title and anything else on the layout on the first slide
2. On the ―Home tab‖, click ―New Slide‖ and select a new layout for the next slide.
3. Repeat steps 2 for each new slide.
N.B: You can put as many slides as desired.

ADDING AND FORMATTING TEXT

Add text.
Normally the easiest way to add text to a slide is to type directly into any placeholder that
accommodates text. However when you want to add text outside a placeholder you use ―Text
Box tool on the format tab.
Changing the font and color of the text
1. Highlight the text to be formatted
2. From the home tab click font
3. Choose the desired font size color e.t.c
Add, change or remove a bullet
After you create a bulleted text, you can change the look of the bullets: their size, shape, color,
e.t.c
To change a bullet, you need to highlight the test associated with the bullets.

54
You cannot highlight a bullet.
1. Highlight the text
2. In the home tab, select bullets
3. Choose from the variety of bullets and click
4. Specify things like color and the size.
FORMATTING YOUR SLIDE
Colors and designs are added to slides in a presentation for enhancement.
They also help in capturing the attention of the audience. You can either add a background color,
apply design or both.
Applying background
1. Choose the slide you want to apply background (if you have several) by scrolling.
2. In the design tab, chose the background you desire.
Applying design
1. Choose the slide you want to design.
2. In the design tab chose, the desired design.

WORKING WITH DIFERENT VIEWS

A slide can be looked at in different angles. These views help a lot while working on your
presentations.
To access the views, click the view tab. The most common views are:
1. Slide: Views individual slide.
2. Outline: Views all slides (outlined). NB.Graphics & Text effects cannot be viewed in outline.
3. Slide sorter: Miniatures all slides in your presentation. You can animate, transit, sort etc in
this view.
4. Slide show: Complete presentation is run in this view.
Deleting a slide
1. Select the slide you want to delete
2. On the home tab, click Delete

WORKING WITH OBJECTS

Objects in PowerPoint could be any of the following

55
PowerPoint comes with its own set of pictures in the clip art gallery. The clip art gallery includes
a wide variety of clip arts that makes it easy for you to dress up your presentation with
professionally designed images. You will find everything from maps to people and from
buildings to scenic backgrounds.
Inserting pictures in your presentation
1. From the insert tab point to clip art
2. You can choose from the
3. From the source you have chosen, chose the picture and click insert.
Inserting Shapes
1. From the insert tab click shapes
2. Move to desired category
3. Choose the shape and click
4. After the mouse pointer changes shape, click and drag at the insertion position.
Working with organization chart
1. Insert a slide and select the smart art option as shown below

2.
3. Use the chart‘s tools and menus to sign your chart

ANIMATION

You can animate text, graphics sounds, movies, and other objects on your slides so as to focus on
important points, control the flow of information, and add interest to your presentation. You can

56
have each main bullet point appear independently of others, or you can have objects appear
progressively, one after another.
You can set up the way you want each bullet point or object to appear on your slide e.g. to fly in
from the left and whether you want other bullets or objects to dim or change color when you add
a new element. You also change the order of timing of your animation.
Animating objects & text on the slide
1. In the animations, display the slide that has the text or objects you want to animate.
2. On the ribbon, click ―custom animation‖, and then click timing tab.
3. Under ―slide objects without animation‘, select the text or object you want to animate and then
click animate.
4. Choose ‗on mouse click‘ to activate the animation after a mouse click or ‗automatically‘, and
then enter the number of seconds you want to elapse between the previous animation and the
current one.
5. Click the effect tab.
6. If you are animating a chart in Microsoft Graph, click the Chart Efforts tab.
7. Under ‗entry animation and sound‘, select the options you want.
8. Click the timing tab and repeat steps 3 through 6 for every object you want to animate. You
can click the preview button to see how your animation works.
Changing the order of the animation on a slide
1. In the slide view, display the slide you want to change the order in.
2. On the slide show menu, click Custom Animation.
3. Under ‗animation order‘, select the object you want to change, and the click one of the arrows
to move the objects up or down on the list.
4. Repeat the process for each objects whose order you want to change.
Add an effect on an animated object after it appears
1. In slide view, display the slide you want to add an effect to.
2. On the slide show menu, click Custom Animation, and then click the effects tab.
3. Under animation order, select the object you want to add an effect to, and then click an option
under after animation.
4. Repeat the process for each object you want to add and effect to
Add Transitions To A Slide Show
For the slide show to flow well you need to transit your slide.
1. In the slide view, select the slide you want to transit

57
2. On the animation tab click ‗slide transition‘.
3. In the effect box, choose a transition.
4. To apply a transition to one slide, click apply. Click ‗apply to all‘ for all the slides.
5. To view the transition, click slide show.

SAVING A PRESENTATION

There are different options of saving a presentation. The common ones are:
Saving a new or existing presentation to always open as a slide show
1. Open the presentation you want to open as a slide show.
2. On the office button click, save as.
3. In the ‗save as type‘ list box, click PowerPoint show.
4. Choose the drive in the ‗save in‘ box.
5. Click save.

PRINTING

You can print your entire presentation either in black and white or color.
1. Open the presentation you want to print.
2. Click print from the file menu.
3. In the resulting dialog box, choose and click as appropriate.
4. Click okay.

Activity
1. You are the marketing manager of Mount Kenya University and you are required to make a
presentation at the Inter-University conference about Mount
Kenya. The presentation should not be less than 15 slides and should also have the following
features;
- Slides with the different layouts i.e Organisation chart, Chart, Tables, clip art
- Custom animation for the slides with animated text and images
- The slides should run automatically without clicking
- The presentation should be 3 minutes long in total
- Apply a design
2. You are the marketing manager of Mount Kenya University and you are required to make a
presentation at the Inter-University conference about Mount
58
Kenya. The presentation should not be less than 15 slides and should also have the following
features;
- Slides with the different layouts i.e. Organization chart, Chart, Tables, clip art
- Custom animation for the slides with animated text and images
- The slides should run automatically without clicking
- The presentation should be 3 minutes long in total
- Apply a design

Books for further reading

i. Walkenbach J., Tyson H., Wempen F., and Cary N., (2007), Office 2007
Bible, Wiley
ii. Weverka P., Office 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies

Review Questions for the Topic

Using MS word Application show how you can manipulate data
Explain the features of MS Excel Application
Discuss how you can create the Presentation using PowerPoint

59
 DATA MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Define Data management
Explain the data management infrastructure
Discuss the Applications for Data management

Introduction:
Scientific disciplines are starting to assemble primary source data for use by researchers. The
data are typically organized into collections that are distributed across multiple administration
domains and are stored on heterogeneous storage systems. The challenge is to provide a
persistent and consistent environment for organizing and maintaining the collections across
distributed environments that are under the control of local administrators. At the same time,
middleware is needed to support uniform access to the data objects, including APIs for direct
application discovery and manipulation of the data, command line interfaces for accessing
data objects from scripts, and web GUIs for interactive browsing and presentation of data
objects.

The development of infrastructure to support the publication of scientific data can build upon
technology from the digital library, data grid, and persistent archive communities. One can
differentiate between infrastructure components that provide:
 Data storage of digital objects that are either simulation output or remote sensing data. The
digital objects are representations of reality, generated either through a hardware remote
sensing device or by execution of an application.
 Information repositories that store attributes about the digital objects. The attributes are
typically stored as metadata in a catalog or database.
 Knowledge bases that characterize relationships between metadata attributes. An example is
rule-based ontology mapping that provides the ability to correlate information stored in
multiple metadata catalogs.

Scientific data publication systems support ingestion of digital objects, querying of metadata
catalogs to identify objects of interest, and integration of responses across multiple
60
information repositories. Fortunately, a rapid convergence of information management
technology and data handling systems is occurring for the support of scientific data
collections. The goal is to provide mechanisms for the publication of scientific data for use
by an entire research community. The approach used at the San Diego Supercomputer Center
is to organize distributed data objects through creation of a logical collection. The ownership
of the data objects is assigned to the collection, and a data handling system is used to create,
move, copy, replicate, and read collection data objects. Since all accesses to the collection
data objects are done through the data handling system, it then becomes possible to put the
data objects under strict management control, and implement features such as access control
lists, usage audit trails, replica management, and persistent identifiers.

Effectively, a distributed collection can be created in which the local resources remain under
the control of the local site, but the data objects are managed by the global logical collection.
Researchers authenticate themselves to the collection, and the collection in turn authenticates
itself to the distributed storage systems on which the data objects reside. The collection
manages the access control lists for each data object independently of the local site. The local
resources are effectively encapsulated into a collection service, removing the need for
researchers to have user accounts at each site where the data objects are stored.

The data handling system serves as an interoperability mechanism for managing storage
systems. Instead of directly storing digital objects in an archive or file system, the
interposition of a data handling system allows the creation of a collection that spans multiple
storage systems. It is then possible to automate the creation of a replica in an archival storage
system, cache a copy of a digital object onto a local disk, and support the remote manipulation
of the digital object. The creation of data handling systems for collection-based access to
published scientific data objects makes it possible to automate all data management tasks,
while maintaining a consistent metadata environment. All metadata attributes can be kept
consistent with any operation on an object within the collection. In turn, this makes it
possible to support data mining against collections of data objects, including comparisons
between simulation and measurement, and statistical analysis of the properties of multiple
data objects. Data object handling systems can be characterized as interoperability
mechanisms that integrate local data resources into global resources. The interoperability
mechanisms include

61
  global persistent identifiers that are location and protocol independent,
 latency-hiding methods for movement of data within a wide area network
 consistency management methods for tracking all changes and updates to the
collection
 authentication methods for remote-data access
 collection management tools for ingestion and persistent storage of data
 knowledge management tools for mapping between collection concept spaces

Data Handling Infrastructure:

The data management infrastructure is based upon technology from multiple communities that
are developing archival storage systems, parallel and XML database management systems,
digital library services, data grids, and persistent archives. The combination of these systems
is resulting in the ability to describe, manage, access, and build very large distributed
scientific data collections. Several key factors are driving the technology convergence:
 Development of an appropriate information exchange protocol and information tagging
model. The ability to tag the information content makes it possible to directly manipulate
information. The eXtensible Markup Language (XML) provides a common information
model for tagging data object context and provenance. Document Type Definitions (and
related organizational methods such as XML Schema) provide a way to organize the tagged
attributes. Currently, scientific disciplines are developing their own markup language (set of
attributes) for describing their domain-specific information. The digital library community
has developed generic attribute sets such as the Dublin core to describe provenance
information. The combination of Dublin core metadata and discipline specific metadata can
be used to describe scientific data objects and construct a global name space.
 Differentiation between the physical organization of a collection (conceptually the table
structures used to store attributes in object-relational databases) and the logical organization
of a collection (the schema). If both contexts are published, it becomes possible to automate
the generation of the SQL commands used to query relational databases. For XML-based
collections, the emergence of XML Matching and Structuring languages such as XQuery
makes it possible to construct queries based upon specification of attributes within XML files.
 Differentiation of the organization and access mechanisms for a logical collection from the
organization and access mechanisms required by a particular storage system. Conceptually,
data handling systems store data in storage systems rather than storage devices. By keeping
62
 the storage context independent of the physical storage devices, and providing interoperability
mechanisms for data movement between storage systems, logical data object collections can
be created that span any type of storage system. Existing data collections can be transparently
incorporated into the logical collection. The only requirement is that the logical collection be
given access control permission for the local data objects. The data handling system becomes
the unifying middleware for access to distributed data objects.
 Differentiation of the management of data collections from the storage of metadata into a
database. Information management systems provide the ability to manage databases. By
building a logical representation for data collections that is independent of the choice of
information repository or database, it becomes possible to support extensible schema, and
migrate collections onto new information repositories.

The ability to manipulate data objects through collection-based access mechanisms enables
the federation of data collections and the creation of persistent archives. Federation is enabled
by publishing the schema used to organize a collection, and mapping the semantics of the
collection to a discipline concept space. Information discovery can then be done through
queries based upon semi-structured representations of the collection attributes such as
provided by an XML DTD. Distributed queries across multiple collections can be
accomplished by mapping between the multiple DTDs, either through use of rules-based
ontology mapping, or token-based attribute mapping.

Persistent archives can be enabled by archiving the context that defines both the physical and
logical collection organization along with the data objects that comprise the collection. The
collection context can then be used to recreate the collection on new database technology
through an instantiation program. This makes it possible to migrate a collection forward in
time onto new technology. The collection description is instantiated on the new technology,
while the data objects remain on the physical storage resource. The collection instantiation
program is updated as database technology evolves, while the archived data remains under the
control of the data handling system. As the archive storagea technology evolves, new drivers
are added to the data handling system to interoperate with the new data access protocols.

The implementation of information management technology can build upon the information
models and manipulation capabilities that are coming from the Digital Library community,

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and the remote data access and procedure execution support that is coming from the
distributed computing community. The Data Access Working Group of the Grid Forum is
promoting the development of standard implementation practices for the construction of data
grids. Data grids are inherently distributed systems that tie together data collections with
execution environments. Researchers rely on the grid to support all aspects of information
management and data manipulation. An end-to-end system provides support for:
 Knowledge discovery – ability to identify relationships between digital objects stored in
different data collections
 Information discovery – ability to query across multiple information repositories to
identify data objects of interest
 Data handling system – ability to read data from a remote site for use within an
application
 Latency management – ability to use collective operations to minimize the number of
messages and amount of data sent across the wide area network
 Publication – ability to add data objects to collections for use by other researchers
 Analysis – ability to use data in scientific simulations, or for data mining, or for creation
of new data collections

These services are implemented as middleware that hide the complexity of the diverse
distributed heterogeneous resources that comprise data and compute grids. The services
provide four key functionalities or transparencies that simplify the complexity of
accessing distributed heterogeneous systems.
 Name transparency – Unique names for data objects are needed to guarantee a specific
data object can be found and retrieved. However, it is not possible to know the unique
name of every data object that can be accessed within a data grid (potentially billions of
objects). Attribute based access is used so that any data object can be identified either by
data handling system attributes, or Dublin core provenance attributes, or discipline
specific attributes.
 Location transparency – Given the identification of a desired data object, a data handling
system manages interactions with the possibly remote data object. The actual location of
the data object can be maintained as part of the data handling system attributes. This
makes it possible to automate remote data access. When data objects are replicated across

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 multiple sites, attribute-based access is essential to allow the data handling system to
retrieve the ―closest‖ copy.
 Protocol transparency – Data grids provide access to heterogeneous data resources,
including file systems, databases, and archives. The data handling system can use
attributes stored in the collection catalog to determine the particular access protocol
required to retrieve the desired data object. For heterogeneous systems, servers can be
installed on each storage resource to automate the protocol conversion. Then an
application can access objects stored in a database or in an archive through a uniform user
interface.
 Time transparency – At least six mechanisms can be used to minimize latencies for
retrieving distributed objects: data caching, data replication, data staging, data
aggregation, data streaming, and remote data filtering. Each of these mechanisms can be
automated as part of the data handling system. Data caching can be automated by having
the data handling system pull data from the remote archive to a local data cache. Data
replication across multiple storage resources can be used to optimize the source selection
for the data movement. Data staging can be used to prefetch data objects from high
latency systems such as tape onto disk caches. Data aggregation through the use of
containers can be used to minimize access latency to archives or remote storage systems
by caching similar objects. Data streaming ensures that the data pipe linking the local
application to the remote data resource remains full. Remote data filtering can be used to
minimize the amount of data that must be moved. This latter capability requires the
ability to support remote procedure execution at the storage resource.

Knowledge Management:

A knowledge management environment builds upon collection-based data grids by adding

infrastructure to publish domain concepts and to manage relationships between domain
concepts and collection attributes. Knowledge management environments provide ingestion
mechanisms that support registration of new concepts and the mapping of the concepts to
collection attributes. Just as the information management infrastructure is intended to provide
access without having to know data object names, the knowledge management infrastructure
is intended to provide access without having to know the names of the explicit metadata
attributes used to organize the collections.

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There are many examples of knowledge management systems already in production use. The
types of knowledge relationships can be loosely characterized as

 Logical / semantic relationships. Digital library crosswalks provide explicit links

between attributes described with differing semantics. Systems such as the ISO Topic
Map standard 13250 support typed relationships between topics or concepts, and
mappings from the concepts to attributes in collections.
 Spatial / structural relationships. Formatting standards such as the Hierarchical Data
Format manage structural knowledge (interpretation of field structures within a data
object and the topology associated with data objects). Graphical Information Systems
manage spatial relationships between images.
 Temporal / procedural. Workflow systems manage the transition of digital objects
through multiple processing steps. Dataflow systems characterize processing as a
series of stages linking input data objects to the desired derived data product.
 Functional / algorithmic. Feature detection systems process output files or images
through application of algorithmic functions. Any system that creates derived data
products manages algorithmic functions.

When multiple data collections are federated within a data grid, each of these types of
knowledge may need to be managed and applied. Semantic interoperability is needed
between the attributes within the data collections, structural relationships are needed to
understand how to transform data objects into a common data format, procedural relationships
are needed to describe the multiple processing stages that may be required for the structural
transformations, and algorithmic relationships may be needed to convert data into common
physical variables. A virtual data grid that manages either the creation of a derived data
product or the extraction of a derived data product from a collection is a prime example of the
need for knowledge management as part of data management services.

Application:

A collection-based data management system has the following software infrastructure layers:
 Persistent archive – provide management procedures for handling the evolution of the
software and hardware infrastructure.
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 Data handling system – provide consistent and persistent data management across
multiple data storage systems
 Data collection – provide support for extensible, dynamically changing logical
organizations of data objects
 Digital library - provide services for discovering, manipulating, and presenting data from
collections
 Data Grid – integrate multiple digital libraries into a publication and analysis
environment.

This view of software infrastructure is recursive, in that persistent archives are created using
the interoperability mechanisms of data grids, data grids can be implemented as collection-
managed data handling systems, and data collections can be implemented using data handling
systems that integrate multiple storage systems.

The essential infrastructure component is the data handling system. It is possible to use data
handling systems to assemble distributed data collections, integrate digital libraries with
archival storage systems, federate multiple collections into a data grid, and create persistent
archives. An example that encompasses all of these cases is the proposed National Virtual
Observatory (NVO) that will integrate multiple existing sky surveys into a data and
information resource for the Astronomy community.

Each sky survey is an example of a digital library that provides mechanisms to query, extract,
and present information and data. The sky surveys typically provide a web interface for
querying a catalog of identified objects, thumbnail browse images for interactive viewing of
the objects, and access mechanisms for retrieving full-resolution images. As an example, the
2-Micron All Sky Survey maintains a digital library that uses storage systems at Caltech and
the San Diego Supercomputer Center to hold 5 million images comprising 10 Terabytes of
data. The SDSC Storage Resource Broker is the data handling system that is used to integrate
a digital library at IPAC at Caltech with the storage systems. To minimize retrieval latencies,
containers are used to hold all images for the same area of the sky. When an image is
accessed, the associated container is staged onto disk to minimize retrieval times for similarly
located images.

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The usage model supports the following access scenario:
 Astronomers access the catalog at IPAC at Caltech to identify galaxy types of interest.
 Digital library procedures determine which images need to be retrieved.
 The data handling system maps the image to the appropriate container, retrieves the
container from the archive, and caches the container on a disk.
 The desired image is then read from the disk and returned to the user through the digital
library.

Since the images are accessed through the data handling system, the desired images can be
retrieved from either archive depending upon load or availability. If the container has already
been staged to disk cache, the data handling system can immediately retrieve the image from
disk avoiding the access latency inherent in reading from the archive tape system. If one
archive is inaccessible, the data handling system automatically defaults to the alternate storage
system. If data is migrated to alternate storage systems, the persistent identifier remains the
same and the data handling system maintains consistency by adding the location and protocol
access metadata for the new storage system. The system incorporates persistent archive
technology, data handling systems, collection management tools, and digital library services
in order to support analysis of astronomical objects.

The NVO will build a data grid that links multiple sky surveys. Since each sky survey is
autonomous, the data grid will have to federate access across the surveys, providing services
that cannot be supported by any single survey. The name spaces used by each survey are
distinct, with data objects stored on different types of storage systems. One approach for
building the data grid is to recursively apply the concept of logical collections.
 Each sky survey is a logical collection that organizes access to images that may be
replicated across multiple independent storage systems as in the 2MASS collection.
 A logical collection can be created that spans the multiple sky surveys. A cross-
correlation catalog can be created that links the names of equivalent astronomical objects
across all of the surveys. The cross-correlation catalog is an example of a concept space
for semantic interoperability between the surveys.
 A data handling system can be used to map from the cross-correlation catalog to the
objects in the multiple sky surveys. For cross-survey analysis, astronomical objects can
be copied from the independent sky surveys into a data grid that then manages their
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 manipulation. The data grid provides a separate name space for creating new derived data
products that are the result of combining data and information from the separate sky
surveys.
 A new derived data product logical collection can be created to manage the results of the
data manipulations. The new collection can itself be distributed across multiple
administration domains through the use of a data handling system.
 The process can be repeated, with a new logical collection created that integrates the
derived data product collection with the original sky surveys.

The recursive application of logical collections created through use of collection-based data
handling systems can create arbitrarily sophisticated data, information, and knowledge
management infrastructures.

Summary:
Data intensive computing is facilitated by the organization of scientific data into collections
that can then be processed by the scientific community. In the long run, the utility of
scientific computation will be measured by the publication of the results of the computation
into collections for use by the rest of the community. Digital objects that remain as local files
on a researcher‘s workstation will be of little use to a scientific discipline. The utility of
digital objects will be directly related to the specification of their context through membership
in a scientific data collection. The fundamental access paradigm will shift to reading and
writing data from collections, with applications using APIs to discover, access, and
manipulate collection-based data. Each discipline will use their data repositories, information
catalogs, and knowledge bases to provide direct access to all of the primary data sources for
their domain.

Review Questions for the Topic

What is Data management in computerized view?
Explain the data management infrastructure with illustrations
Discuss the Applications for Data management in details.

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 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN
SECONDARY EDUCATION

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Show the need of ICT in Secondary school
Explain the ICT support tools in Secondary Education
Discuss the Generic components of ICT

RATIONALE
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has developed to become an integral part of
everyday life. It influences the lives of everyone, wherever we live or work in the world.
Almost every aspect of our daily lives now involves using ICT skills. In the increasingly
dynamic world of work, people need to be able to work effectively with ICT, to develop
transferable ICT skills and to apply those skills across different contexts using a variety of
software packages.

In the context of the current curriculum reform, where the strategy has been rooted in a realistic
evaluation of the economic context in which we are evolving, pupils will use ICT tools to find,
explore, analyze, exchange and present information responsibly, creatively and with
discrimination. They learn how to employ ICT to enable rapid access to information, ideas and
experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures. Increased capability in the
use of ICT promotes initiative and independent learning with pupils being able to make informed
judgments about when and where to use ICT to best effect, and to consider its implications for
home and work both now and in the future.

TEACHING USING ICT

ICT is being used as a pedagogical support in the primary schools and in the pre-vocational
schools. The teacher uses ICT tools, such as productivity software, educational software and the
Internet to teach her/his subjects. S/he uses the tools to prepare lessons, to look for lesson ideas
and develop class activities, to network and collaborate with other teachers and educators for
various teaching-related goals, and as support for teaching. S/he uses ICT as a facilitating tool
for her/his pupils to acquire and apply subject-related knowledge and to develop relevant skills,

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and to perform educational tasks and review them. S/he can design a range of activities for the
pupils to do using ICT that also enable them to discuss and reflect on their actions. The teacher
teaches the pupils to search for purposeful information using the Internet and helps them develop
their skills to critically evaluate web-based materials. Also, s/he designs collaborative projects
that require pupils in the same school or in different schools to work together. These projects can
be subject-specific or multi-subject in nature. Moreover, the teacher implements activities with
the support of ICT that enables pupils of varying ability to learn at their own pace.

ICT AS SUPPORT TOOL IN SECONDARY EDUCATION

At secondary level, the teacher uses ICT as a support in all three stages (Stage I, II, & III).
However, the teacher should ensure that the pupils have the necessary ICT pre-requisites.

STAGE I

The teacher uses the computer in the teaching of Languages, Values, Basic Science, History &
Geography, The Arts, Environment, Mathematics, and Health & Physical Education. S/he uses
the computer to make teaching aids such as posters, to demonstrate educational game-like
software so that pupils learn as they play, and to show video clips that enable pupils to learn
visually. The use of headset is recommended so that pupils can listen to audio without disturbing
others and to reduce noise level in the classroom.

The teacher can use a simple graphics package such as Ms Paint to develop the creativity and
imagination of her/his pupils as they use the mouse to draw, edit, reflect, and discuss. They do
this while developing their ICT skills. Subject-specific educational software is given to pupils to
familiarize them with their subject through exploration and discovery. The teacher acts as a
guide and facilitator in the whole process so that pupils are on-task and make progress in their
learning. S/he also uses discretion in deciding when and where to use to ICT as a teaching tool.

STAGE II

The teacher uses the same integrative strategies as in Stage I. S/he uses ICT to teach core
subjects such as Languages, Mathematics, Basic Science, History & Geography, Health &
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Physical Education, The Arts, and integrated components such as Values, Citizenship Education
and Body Awareness. The teacher can design simple software to teach pupils, and for the latter
to use at their own pace under her/his guidance. S/he uses a variety of software such as simple
graphics software, a word processor, a spreadsheet, and multimedia playing software to develop
the pupils‘ language, mathematical and creative skills, and musical ideas. S/he can also design
activities that require the pupils to make simple multimedia elements such as graphic images,
sound, and text.

The teacher looks for appropriate web sites for the pupils to visit while learning. He or she has to
inform pupils about the dangers that exist while visiting websites and about what is good and
what is bad about the Web. S/he has to ensure that pupils visit only those sites that the teacher
has approved. Apart from using the Net for appropriate websites for pupils to use, the teacher
uses it to look for lesson ideas and lesson plans, and for materials that can serve as handouts or
teaching aids. The teacher establishes a network of contacts with people in the educational field
to support her/him in teaching. For example, s/he explores avenues for collaborative projects in
Stage III.

STAGE III

In addition to the strategies described in Stage I and II, the teacher designs activities that enable
the pupils to further develop their analytical, creative skills and critical thinking in all the
subjects. Activities that require the pupils to communicate their work to their peers through class
presentation, newsletter, brochures or web publishing is explored. The teacher teaches the pupils
to integrate various multimedia elements into a holistic product that is then presented to the class
or any audience that s/he deems appropriate.

The teacher also designs activities that enable pupils to develop and refine their skills to search
and critically analyze web-based materials or any materials that they have collected as part of
their learning at school. Group work that requires pupils to work together on an activity that
spans one or more periods is also explored by the teacher. The latter can use the Internet for
activities such as Treasure Hunts and Web Quests for the pupils to perform. Pupils use the Web
to research, collect, analyze, criticize, debate, draw conclusions on a topic related to the primary
school syllabus. The teacher also designs collaborative projects that involve pupils from the same

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school or from other schools as well. Through these activities, which can be interdisciplinary as
well; the teacher provides a platform for pupils to develop their social, problem-solving and
critical thinking skills to interpret, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and draw conclusions.

GENERIC COMPETENCIES FOR ICT

Generic Competencies for ICT in the Secondary Curriculum

The ICT syllabus is designed in such a way that it is integrated across the curriculum. Various
subject areas will use ICT as a support in order to enhance the teaching learning process. Its
objectives include giving students knowledge of the nature of ICT and the broad range of its
applications. It also emphasizes practical skills in using the computer so that pupils can become
effective end-users in a technological world. Finally, it emphasizes on the use of ICT across a
range of subject, that is, ICT enhanced learning in the various subjects.

 STAGE I
Students will:
 Learn the basic components of a computer system in order to effectively use it in their
learning.
 operate a computer as a first step towards further integration of ICT and applications in other
subject areas
 Identify and describe factors that need to be considered in order to ensure safe use of ICT
equipment. They understand the purpose of sitting comfortably, and will adopt proper posture
that will allow easy access to all equipment.
 Work with multimedia software. This gives them the opportunity to use ICT to develop their
creative skills. They learn the various subject disciplines though educational software.
 STAGE II
Students will:
 Learn more about the computer system. They, thus, effectively use various ICT components
in as learning tool.
 Work with various kinds of software. This will allow them to enhance both their learning
process and their ICT skills.

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  Organize subject related information effectively on the computer system.
 Use ICT tools ethically and correctly.
 Use ICT tools to control their environment. They will learn that computers can be used to
control things.
 Learn that the key pieces of information can be used to describe objects.
 Use ICT to represent data graphically. This way they will communicate observation and
measurements made during class activities through diagrams and charts created on the
computer.
 Explore and develop musical ideas by using ICT.
 Understand the concept of websites, URL, and the Internet.
 Locate and retrieve information from given websites on the Internet.
 produce simple subject-specific multimedia elements such as graphic images, sound, text,
and animations
 Use input devices or switches to control a process.
 STAGE III
Students will:
 collect subject related information using the Internet based on well-formulated search key
words
 critically analyze gathered information for their veracity and currency
 send and receive subject-related information electronically
 work collaboratively on subject-related projects among classes in the same school or other
schools
 assemble multimedia elements in a coherent manner to produce meaningful and purposeful
multimedia products
 become aware of health hazards associated with working with computers and take
appropriate preventive measures
 consider ethical issues including access to illegal and unsuitable materials
 identify materials which may be socially or morally unacceptable
 Be aware of ICT legislation related to keeping personal information on computers, copyright
legislation, etc.
 Use ICT tools to represent knowledge, concepts and ideas. They will use specifically
designed software to create charts, mind maps, concept maps.

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  Attach devices such as data logger, to a control box.
 control devices according to a set of instructions

Case Study

Evaluation of a Programme on Technology Integration in Teaching and Learning in

Secondary Schools
The integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching and
learning is growing rapidly in many countries. The use of the internet and other computer
software in teaching science, mathematics and social sciences is more widespread today. To
evaluate the effectiveness of such a programme using the CIPP model would involve examining
the following:

Context: Examine the environment in which technology is used in teaching and learning
 How did the real environment compare to the ideal? (eg. The programme required five
computers in each classroom, but there were only two computer labs of 40 units each for
1000 students)
 What problems are hampering success of technology integration? (eg. technology
breakdowns, not all schools had internet access)
 About 50% of teachers do not have basic computer skills

Input: Examine what resources are put into technology integration (Identify the educational
strategies most likely to achieve the desired result)
 Is the content selected for using technology right?
 Have we used the right combination of media? (internet, video-clips, etc)

Process: Assess how well the implementation works (Uncovers implementation issues)
 Did technology integration run smoothly?
 Were there technology problems?
 Were teachers able to integrate technology in their lessons as planned?
 What are the areas of curriculum in which most students experienced difficulty?

Product: Addresses outcomes of the learning (Gather information on the results of the
educational intervention to interpret its worth and merit)
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 Did the learners learn using technology? How do you know?
 Does technology integration enhance higher order thinking?

ACTIVITY
With reference to Case Study
Suggest other questions you would ask regarding process
evaluation (i.e. implementation issues).
What data collection techniques would you recommend for
carrying out product evaluation to determine the teaching and
learning outcomes of technology integration?

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 IMPLEMENTING COMPUTER MEDIATED COMMUNICATIONS IN
THE CLASSROOM

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Show the need of computer mediated communication in
classrooms
Explain the ICT support tools in Secondary Education
Discuss the Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication
Technologies in the Learning Environment

Introduction
Computer Mediated Communications offers a rich set of tools that can be used to support a
variety of learning experiences. The instructor is not limited to one set of services or tools but
can use several to create a learning environment which will best suit his or her students‘ learning
needs.

As illustrated in the tables below each tool offers its own strengths and weaknesses.

Blog or Weblog
A blog is an asynchronous communication tool that acts as an online space for journaling and
gathering links related to topics of interest. In general blogs are maintained by one person
(although some blogs may be set up to allow multiple authors) and entries are loaded in a
chronological manner with the newest post located at the top. Blogs allow readers to comment on
posts and those comments are attached to the related post. Most blogs have searchable archives.
Updated blogs can be "pushed" to users via RSS (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site
Summary) into a blog reader (a tool that allows users to track all of the blogs they are interested
in one location). One of the great strengths of web logs is the ease of linking. If you comment on
an article on the web, it is easy to link directly to it. This makes it much easier for the reader to
follow up references and research matters in greater depth. It also allows you to comment on
items you disagree with and link to the original so that the reader may make up his or her mind.
This allows the reader to interact with the bibliography, rather than the bibliography merely
being something at the end of the article.

What Works

 Students have a chance to reflect as individuals.

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 Students can collect their research links in one spot.
 Students can receive contextual feedback from their peers and instructor in one space (via the
comment function.)
 RSS allow new posts to be 'pushed' to requesting parties.

What Does Not Work

 Many students do not feel comfortable journaling in an open forum.

 Maintaining a blog takes time and commitment.

Instructional Uses

 Students can be asked to blog (or reflect) about their learning experiences.
 Students can be asked to blog about their portion of a group project (and post links to
collected research materials.).
 Students can be asked to blog writing samples (for creative writing classes.)
 Students can be asked to comment on blog entries made by other classmates.
 Via RSS the instructor can have new posts and comments pushed to a central reader.

Bulletin Board Systems (BBS)

Bulletin Boards are an asynchronous communication tool that allows users to post messages,
files, and information in a central area. These posts can then be replied to (or downloaded in the
case of a file) by members of the bulletin board system. Posts can be tracked by their subject
heading (or thread) allowing users to read all of the entries related to a topic in a linear fashion.

What Works

 Great place to park information

 Following a thread can help a user track a conversation that has taken place over time

What Does Not Work

 Users are not aware a new post has been made unless they check the site on a regular basis
 To track a thread the subject line of the original post must remain intact

Instructional Uses

 Students can be asked to post messages for other class or group members to respond to.

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 Students can be asked to post files for other class or group members to view and respond to.
 Students can share information that may be of help to the whole class or group.
 Students can be asked to discuss a topic and the thread can be followed by the instructor or
other class members.

Chat (Online Chat or Instant Relay Chat)

Chat is a synchronous communication tool allowing multiple users to have a (typed text)
conversation in a central environment. Most chat session are viewed as an informal conversation
with multiple participants.

What Works

 Good environment for informal real time information sharing with a group of users
 Sessions can be saved and reviewed
 The whole class or team can participate in the conversation during real time

What Does Not Work

 Many users find chat sessions hard to follow as posts may seem to be illogical or disjointed
 Side conservations distract other students
 Individual threads are not traceable
 Saved or logged sessions are not easy to read
 It is difficult to make lengthy or thoughtful posts

Instructional Uses

 Chat can be used as a tool for side comments and questions during a real time lecture.
 Chat can be used to have discussions with teams or groups.
 Teams or groups can share ideas and brainstorm

Email
Email is an asynchronous communication tool that allows users to send messages, letters, and
files to each other. Email is more formal than a BBS, chat or IM.

What Works

 All students have email accounts

 Most students know how email works
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What Does Not Work

 Not all students check their email on a regular basis

 Many students (and instructors) receive so much email that messages can get lost or
overlooked

Instructional Uses

 Students can be asked to email the instructor assignments or responses to questions.

 Instructors can use email to communicate with the class when the material is not extremely
time sensitive.
 Students can use email to schedule meetings or work with others.

Instant Messenger (or IM)

IM is a form of chat that is a synchronous communication tool mainly used for discussions
between individuals. Many IM clients are expanding beyond simple text exchanges to include
video and voice exchanges.

What Works

 Real time exchanges

 Users can share files and links
 Some IM programs allow program sharing

What Does Not Work

 Not all IM systems work with each other (there are aggregators but you still need an account
with individual types of IM)

Instructional Uses

 Individual conferences
 Virtual office hours
 Oral discussions (using voice chat)

Listservs
An asynchronous email based communication tool that allows a community to form around a
topic or shared interest. Messages that are sent can be requests for help, answers to questions, or

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general information. Messages submitted to the listserv are distributed to the entire membership
of the list.

What Works

 All students have email accounts where posts to the list can be received
 All messages are handled via a single server
 Most listservs maintain an archive that can be searched

What Does Not Work

 Not all students check their email on a regular basis

 Many students (and instructors) receive so much email that messages can get lost or
overlooked
 If not monitored listservs can become places where basic questions are not welcomed
 Care must be taken that the listserv‘s purpose is carefully defined or the ―noise to signal
ratio‖ may become too high

Instructional Uses

 An instructor can set up a listserv where students can share information as a group and
information can be pushed to students.

Virtual Learning Environments (VLE), Course Management System (CMS), or

Learning Support System (LSS)
Pierre Dillenbourg (2000) explains that Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) have the
following characteristics:

The information space has been designed, educational interactions occur in the environment,
turning spaces into places, the information/social space is explicitly represented, the
representation varies from text to 3D immersive worlds, students are not only active, but also
actors, students co-construct the virtual space, virtual learning environments are not restricted to
distance education, they also enrich classroom activities, virtual learning environments integrate
heterogeneous technologies and multiple pedagogical approaches, most virtual environments
overlap with physical environments.

What Works

 VLEs are great for creating a sense of place

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 Many of the needed tools are housed in a central environment
 VLEs provide tools that are designed to work together

What Does Not Work

 Some of the technologies are not fully developed

 It may take some time for users to learn the environment and the tools – learning curve
 If the network is down all of the tool are inaccessible

Instructional Uses

 VLEs can be used to enhance or replace a regular classroom.

 By taking advantage of a VLE, the instructor can create a sense of place for students giving
them computer based tools that simulate real world experiences.

Wiki
Wikis are asynchronous web based forums that allow user groups to post and collectively edit
documents. They often take the form of a collaborative online encyclopedia.

What Works

 Versioning (so changes can be tracked and removed if need be)

 Allows a group to work on a document stored in a central place
 Most wikis are searchable

What Does Not Work

 Since anyone in the group can edit the document some changes can be made that do not
reflect the views of the whole group (wikis can, and should, have central editors who can
resolve disputes between contributors)

Instructional Uses

 The process of documents created by a group can be tracked in a wiki.

 Groups can be asked to post links to research in the wiki.

Scenario
The College of Education at Southern University has decided to offer several of its master's
degrees completely online. Over the past two years, enrollment in face-to-face programs has

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steadily declined while enrollment has increased in university online degree programs. The
faculty is concerned that if this trend continues they will not be able to compete in the global
education market. In order to best serve students, the college has selected a versatile electronic
course management system (CMS) and a virtual classroom space where real time classes can be
held. Each instructor will receive training in developing a class for these electronic
environments.

Dr. Jones has begun to explore the CMS for his Educational Psychology class. The CMS
includes an internal mail system, a chat client, a discussion board, a place where students can
take quizzes and areas where students can retrieve and post assignments. The virtual classroom
space allows for two-way synchronous communications via a voice-over IP connection (VOIP)
and an interactive white board space where students and the instructor can write, draw, and post
slides. The virtual classroom also includes a chat client that allows students to transmit and
receive real time messages via the network.

Dr. Jones has also decided to use other supporting technologies such as blogs and wikis that exist
outside the CMS (but can be linked inside the CMS) and the virtual classroom to provide what
he hopes is a successful learning experience for the students in his class.

Dr. Jones' class will meet once a week in the virtual classroom where he will present his material
to the class, give the students a chance to communicate vocally, create team rooms where
students can have peer team discussions, and where each team will give a presentation at the end
of the semester.

Dr. Jones will use the CMS to post assignments and grades, create asynchronous discussion
spaces via the discussion boards, and give the students a place to turn in their assignments and
conduct general class business. There will also be links to outside resources including subject-
and topic-focused library guides, and a link to virtual real-time reference with a librarian.

The class will be divided into teams and each team will pick a subtopic for its end-of-the-
semester presentation. Each student will be asked to set up a blog where they will journal about
their learning experience, discuss the subtopic they have picked, and post critical reviews of
other blogs related to the class focus and their subtopic. The group will be asked to maintain a
wiki for its collaborative work.

At the end of the semester, each student will deposit their final work into the college's repository
and their materials will be available to anyone on the internet. The repository will also be used to

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allow the student to create an e-portfolio. Each e-portfolio will have a persistent URL that will
allow students to direct potential employers to examples of their work.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication Technologies in the Learning

Environment
For computer mediated communication tools to support and enhance the learning experience,
robust ubiquitous computer networks must be developed to make scenarios like the Dr. Jones
model not only possible but actual. In order for communication tools such as blogs, wikis, instant
messaging, chat and virtual classrooms to be used effectively, experienced instructional
designers need to work with instructors to ensure that scaleable learning environments are
developed. The technology that Dr. Jones uses to teach his or her classes needs to be complex
enough to support their needs, but not so complicated that the students spend all their time
learning how to use the technology and not learning the subject.

Dr. Jones is providing students with the tools they need to have a complete group learning
experience even though they are physically removed from each other. Using both the CMS and
the Virtual Classroom software as a superstructure around which to develop his assignments and
class time, Dr. Jones is creating gathering places for online learning communities to form and
develop. By requiring students to meet in these places, he is developing a group of users who are
comfortable with these technologies. As they progress through the program, these users should
become comfortable and adept in this environment.

By employing technologies such as chat and the bulletin board system (via the CMS), Dr. Jones
is encouraging the students to use both synchronous and asynchronous technologies to interact
with one another. Unfortunately, some users find group chat sessions hard to follow and others
use the technology to hold side conservations which may or may not be relevant to the discussion
at hand. Students frequently find ways to talk to each other about subjects other than what the
teacher is saying. In CMC, though, the teacher doesn't have to shout over the students'
conversations.

In developing assignments that encourage students to blog, he is providing students an

opportunity to journal about their learning experiences and to read and remark on the experiences
of others. A collaborative wiki space gives the students a chance to work together in an
asynchronous environment that provides a strong framework designed to support project
development by groups of dispersed users.

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Overall, Dr. Jones has created a space that takes advantage of current CMC technology to
simulate a traditional, physical, face-to-face learning environment. Learning in this environment
is obviously a two-way, online process. Dr. Jones is learning from his students' experiences and
his responses to questions become more reflective and deliberate. In this setting, instructors must
engage in a deeper level of mental processing as they formulate their questions and respond to
those of students.

Review Questions for the Topic

Explain the need of computer mediated communication in classrooms

Explain the ICT support tools in Secondary Education
Discuss the Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication
Technologies in the Learning Environment

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DESIGN, ORGANIZATION, MANAGEMENT, AND SAFETY OF
THE SCHOOL COMPUTER LABORATORIES
Learning Objectives for the Topic
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Show the need of computer labs in schools
List the safety issues in a computer laboratory
Know the organization of a computer Lab in a school setting

Introduction
The Computer Laboratory is an academic department within the school that encompasses
Computer Science, along with many aspects of Engineering, Technology and Mathematics. The
Laboratory undertakes research in a broad range of subjects within the disciplines of Computer
Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics. Current research areas include
bioinformatics, computer architecture, computer vision, distributed systems, graphics and
human-computer interaction, logic and semantics, machine learning, natural language
processing, networking and wireless communication, operating systems and virtualization,
programming, security, and sustainable computing.

Designing School Labs

In the past decade, PCs, laptops, tablets, netbooks, and mobile devices have proliferated at
academic institutions. Students and teachers alike want to use the device of their choosing to
access their data and applications—from any location across campus and beyond. To address
these changing dynamics, educational
IT organizations are shifting away from traditional approaches to device-centric computing and
moving towards a user-centric model where data and applications are securely provisioned and
readily available on demand, regardless of the user‘s location or the device being used.
Virtualization is the catalyst that makes user-centric computing a reality. IT administrators are
leveraging the benefits of this technology—particularly in on-site and mobile labs. In a school‘s
computer lab, a variety of applications help educators meet broad curriculum requirements for
diverse groups of faculty and students.

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For example, a secondary school environment may need profiles for different user types,
including faculty, staff, students and administrators, each with a unique set of application
requirements. IT administrators can use virtualization to easily manage and maintain dozens of
applications and ensure they operate at acceptable performance and service levels.

Tips for Keeping a Computer Lab Clean

Here are some ways to keep a computer lab cleaner longer.
1. Make sure there is a clearly labeled waste bin.
2. Provide a mat by the door for wiping wet or muddy feet.
3. Have rules clearly posted that prohibit eating and drinking near computers.
4. Consider keeping the windows closed to reduce dust, particularly on days when the wind is
blowing strongly. This will be a challenge on hot days, but air-conditioning (if affordable) is
one solution.
5. Avoid floor coverings (such as deep carpets) that collect dust and are difficult to clean.

Tips for Keeping Your Computer Lab in Good Repair

1. Periodically inspect all equipment and fixtures and ask all other employees, interns or
volunteers to report to you any problems they see with equipment or fixtures.
2. Keep a log of problems with lab fixtures, including the date that the problem was noted and
the date the problem was addressed. This will help keep track of issues and raise your
awareness about how often certain problems (i.e. burned out light bulbs or faulty network
cables) occur.
3. Put a high priority on making small repairs, and work with others involved as needed to
make sure repairs happen. Since this may be a higher priority for you than for other people,
you may need to give frequent (but pleasant) reminders to get the work done.
4. As you gain more experience with making small repairs, begin to forecast likely future
repairs and keep common spare parts on hand.

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Organization of the computer lab
11' 46'

WALL CABINETS AND FLOOR CABINETS W/ (1) DRAWER

STORAGE

TEACHER
STATION
24'

37'

TV

OFFICE NETWORKING EQUIPMENT

WHITE BOARD & SERVER, LADDER/RACK
SMART BOARD

Figure 2: Organization of the computer lab

Overall Purpose
Organizational skills do not come naturally to all of us, but most working adults
would agree that it is very useful to be organized. It is usually when we are searching
around for some important piece of paper that we really wished that we were better
organized! A well-organized lab is certainly easier to work in, and it also (like a clean
lab) sends the right signal to potential learners, clients and donors. It shows that the
people who work in the lab care about the resources that they have and are professional
and well prepared. Some specific organizational suggestions are included in the sections
that follow.

Strategies for Physical Organization

In most cases an office in a new project starts with just a few books and disks,
which are easy enough to find. But as a collection grows, often there is no system in
place to keep the resources organized in a way that allows for easy access. As a result,
many computer lab offices gradually come to contain a large jumble of unorganized
materials. Below are four different categories of items that all should have their own
distinct shelf or cupboard space, and then some suggestions for organizational strategies
within each category.
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 Equipment: A computer lab manager should do a visual inspection of various
pieces of small equipment while considering an organization strategy. Which items are
used most often? Which small items would get lost if mixed in with larger items? Which
items are so old (or broken or not useful) that they should instead be taken to an e-waste
facility? Once that initial assessment is done, the computer lab manager should organize
the equipment for ease of use and with similar items grouped together (for example, a
shelf space with a stack of neatly coiled patch cables). Small items can be organized by
type and placed in well labeled boxes (for example, a box of small hand tools).
Disks: CD-ROM and DVD disks are commonly found in computer labs and can
contain various types of information. Some are found in plastic ―jewel boxes‖ and others
in sleeves or even without any protective coverings. The computer lab manager should
begin by sorting through all of the disks, making sure that all of the disks are clearly
labeled. Damaged or obsolete disks should be removed. The lab manager should then
sort the disks into some large categories for separate storage. Four categories that might
be useful are shown in the table below.
 Computer Utilities - operating systems, disk images, anti-virus software and
other tools for setting up computers
 Computer Applications - office software, miscellaneous software for users
 E-learning/Education - educational software, encyclopedias or collections of
academic presentations
 Electronic Documents - instructor‘s lesson plans, copies of monthly computer
lab reports, photos, back-up copies of various computer files
Once the computer lab manager has organized the disks into these categories, they
need to be stored in a way that preserves the disks and also allows for easy access. The
computer lab manager will need to see what supplies are available locally, but binders
containing loose ―pages‖ of disk sleeves are a good option, as are the zip up books of
sleeves often used to store music CD-ROMs.
Books: A computer lab is likely to have a small but important collection of books
including some ―how to‖ guides or other tools for computer lab maintenance, some IT
instruction texts, and log books containing important information about computer users,
equipment or finances. The computer lab manager should feel free to sort these books in
the way that makes the most sense to him or her and then allow for appropriate shelf

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space to store the books. If other people are permitted to use any of the books, they
should be instructed to return the books to the place on the shelf where they found them.
Paper Documents: A computer lab manager will also end up with paper
documents or files that need to be stored. These documents could include quotations and
invoices, letters with signatures or stamps, or handwritten documents (such as attendance
sheets for an event). The standard way of saving documents is really the best option
here: place the documents in file folders that are appropriately and clearly labeled. When
there are a large number of documents of a single type, these documents should have a
separate file folder, and new file folders should be created periodically and labeled by
date. For example, for tracking purchases, a project might need a file labeled ―Receipts
2009‖ or if purchases are quite frequent then there could be separate files for each month.
The lab manager might also use a ring binder instead of a file folder for items that should
be kept in date order. The file folders and binders should also be organized in a way that
makes them easy find on a shelf, such as sorted by date or alphabetically by name.
Whatever system is used, however, it is most important that the computer lab manager is
diligent in using the system. This includes taking the time to add new documents to the
proper file and putting folders back in the proper location on the shelf. A computer lab
manger‘s schedule needs to include a small amount of time to allow for these tasks to
occur.
Equipment Inventories
Imagine this scenario: a computer lab has just been broken into by thieves. The
computer lab manager is surveying the scene with a police officer and they both can see
that two LCD computer monitors have been stolen. The police officer then asks: ―is
anything else missing‖? The manager then pauses for a bit, and then confesses that she
(or he) isn‘t sure. She tries to remember how many recently donated CPUs were stacked
in the corner, or how many laptops were in the stack in the office. Wouldn‘t it be
helpful if this lab manager had a readily accessible inventory sheet that she could refer to
while the police officer was there? Similarly, imagine if a laptop donor comes to a
computer lab and asks how many functioning P4 laptops they had. The donor would be
pleased to know that the lab manager had that information at her fingertips.

All items of significant value in your computer lab should be inventoried. This
includes clearly labeling all items using a sensible numbering system and then creating

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 an inventory of each item, listing important characteristics of the item. For an inventory
of laptop computers, for example, the list should include the make and model, the serial
number, useful specifications (such as processor type or speed, hard drive capacity, and
operating system used) and any significant performance problems that the computer lab
manager is unable to fix. It is best to create this inventory using an electronic
spreadsheet program so that the inventory can easily be updated. A regular schedule for
updating these inventories should be established.

A clear and current inventory is, as mentioned previously, very useful in

communicating with law enforcement authorities or with potential donors of more
equipment. An inventory is also a great planning tool for any computer project or
Internet café. For example, if the inventory shows that the organization only has one old
printer and that it is functioning poorly, then this might encourage the steering
committee to budget for a new printer in the next year.

Strategies for Electronic Organization

Most computer users gradually store more and more electronic files (documents,
spreadsheets, presentations, etc.) on their computers. When people first start using
personal computers, it is very easy for them to find their documents because they have
so few documents to look through. Eventually, though, most users get to a point where
they struggle to find the file they created a few weeks ago. Below are some tips to help
organize files for better access.

File Location. It is important that users be aware of where on computer they are
saving files. If saved in the wrong location, a file can be difficult to find again. The first
time a file is saved, the Save As, dialog box opens, and at the top there is a ―Save In‖
box showing the location that the file is being saved in. The computer lab manager
should become accustomed to checking the location and also determine how to change
the location. The method for this depends on the application software being used.

Naming: A computer file should have a name that is brief but informative. For
example, a letter should not be named ―Dear Sir‖ but instead ―Letter to Mumba‖. If the
computer lab manger frequently corresponds with Mr. Mumba, more information such
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as the date or topic might also help. A computer inventory spreadsheet should not be
named ―inventory‖ but instead ―Chawama Comp Inventory 9-08‖. Including the date
helps a reader know how current the information is, and including the project location is
useful when communicating the information to donors (who might be working with
multiple projects).

Creating Folders: General storage in ―My Documents‖ works for a small

number of files, but creating subfolders will be helpful as soon as the computer lab
manager has more than about 20 files. The computer lab manager should look at the
types of files that he or she has created and make some suitable folders to move the files
into. For example, the computer lab manager might want folders for ―Reports‖,
―Inventories‖, ―Communication‖ and ―IT Instruction‖. Fortunately folders can be
gradually created and re-sorted to meet the changing needs of any computer user. One
tool to use if a folder does start to get a bit full is viewing by details (select Details from
the View menu in an open folder) and then clicking on a column heading (such as Name
or Date) to sort the items in the folder. This makes it easier to find the documents with a
certain type of file name, or the documents that were modified on a certain date.

Backing Up: Whatever strategies are used for organizing computer files, it is
particularly important that the computer lab manager is able to remember frequently
make backup copies of those files. Computers sometimes fail or are stolen and it would
be a shame for a project to lose all of its data when this happened. It is wise to set up a
schedule for making backup copies on a regular basis, such as once a month. In
addition, while working on particularly important documents, the computer lab manager
should consider making a backup any time significant changes to the document have
been made. While a small amount of information can be backed up onto a USB Flash
Drive, it is more secure to periodically make copies of all files on CD-ROM or DVD
disks. These disks can then be stored in case of an emergency. Storing data on an
external hard drive is also a good option.

Collecting and Organizing User Data

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 User data is a collection of information about the clients or students who use a
computer lab. While not all organizations will collect the same information, below is a
list of some of the commonly collected data:
 Names and descriptions (i.e. teacher, student or community member, grade
level of student) of users
 Date, start and end time of computer use
 Identification name/number of computer used
 Purpose of visit (i.e. Internet research, typing, preparing a presentation,
lesson)
 Whether or not this is the first visit (ever? or this month?) for this particular
user
 Fee paid
 User comments
An Internet café might be most interested in the numbers of users and the fees paid, but
the purposes of user‘s visits might also help with marketing efforts. For a community or
school project, donors might be particularly interested in knowing what audience is being
served the most by their donations. Including the names of users can help an
organization follow up on thefts that occur in the lab, but may not be appropriate for
commercial projects such as Internet cafés.

In most cases the easiest way for an organization to keep user data is to have a
well-organized and clearly labeled log book kept at a location near the entrance to the lab.
During the peak hours (busiest times) for a computer lab, the manager could assign an
intern, student monitor or volunteer to make sure that the log book is filled out properly
for all users. The computer lab manager should discuss with his or her supervisor or
project steering committee to determine what data should be collected and what should
be done with the data collected in the log book. Typically, after the log book has been
used for a month or other specified unit of time, the computer lab manager will
summarize the data electronically (in a spreadsheet) and include this information in
reports to supervisors, donors, or other interested parties. High user numbers are a great
indication of the success of a computer project, and this data should be shared widely to
celebrate the achievement, thank the individuals responsible for the success and
encourage further successes. Analyzing trends in user data can also be valuable as a part
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of project planning. Perhaps the data reveal that a certain target audience is not using the
facility, and so a special effort should be made to attract those users. Or perhaps the data
show that the lab is being used little at a certain time of the day. This could result in a
change of operating hours, or the institution of a new course during the low use hours.
Data that shows low use or negative trends should not be seen as ―bad news‖ but as an
opportunity to help a program adapt to meet changing needs.

Assignments/Activities
1.1.1. Have a look around your computer lab and office (or the lab and office at another
computer project). What organizational systems do you already see in place? If
there are areas that seem disorganized, what organizational strategies would you
suggest?
1.1.2. Imagine that you were creating an inventory of the educational CD-ROM disks
that your computer project owned. What sort of information do you think should be
included in this inventory? Make a sample spreadsheet showing all of the column
headings for the inventory and including example information for six disks. (The
examples do not have to be actual disks if your project doesn‘t own any.)

Security

Physical Security

It doesn‘t take much to convince most people of the benefits of a secure computer
lab. How can a project be sustained if valuable equipment regularly disappears? Theft is
often a significant problem when computer projects are located in or adjacent to
underserved communities, and the more portable the equipment is (such as laptop
computers) the larger the problem. In Zambian computer projects thieves have been
known to break through roof tiles, crawl over ceilings from adjacent rooms, and even
break through walls to take computers! The measures taken to ensure physical security
will vary for each lab but should as a minimum include the installation of burglar bars
over all windows and doors and high quality locks. Keys should not be distributed
widely. Some labs will also consider installing alarm systems or hiring security guards.

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Laptop computers should be stored in the most secure area of the computer lab, such as a
locking closet with burglar bars on the ceiling and door.

Security Policy

A computer project steering committee should work with a computer lab manager
to develop a thorough security policy for the computer lab. Here are some topics to
address in this policy.
 Record keeping procedure (such as recording information in a log book) for
equipment use
 Record keeping procedure for lab users
 Key distribution policy
 Procedure for lab access when computer lab manger is not present (such
afterhours use or in the case of lab manager illness)
 A strategy for managing user‘s bags and backpacks
 Procedure to follow once a theft has occurred
 A strategy (such as password protection on specific files or computers) for
securing sensitive files (such as those containing financial information or
student marks/scores)

Insurance

A computer project steering committee should also investigate the possibility of

obtaining insurance for the computers or other valuable hardware in the computer lab.
The price for this insurance will vary with the deductible (the non-covered amount)
chosen, the number and quality of the computers, and the security of the facility. For
example, the insurance might be cheaper if the computer lab has an alarm system and
monitoring by a security company.
If the steering committee decides that insurance is not affordable, then a
discussion (and plan) should follow about what the organization intends to do if a
computer is stolen. Will it be replaced? And if so, using what funds? Perhaps the
organization could establish a reserve fund to be used in case of theft or other significant
damage to key equipment.
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Assignments/Activities
1.1.3. Perform a security audit of your computer lab or a local Internet café. What
strengths and weaknesses do you see in the physical security of the room? If you
were a thief, how would you gain access to the room and what items of value would
you be able to remove?
1.1.4. Visit an insurance agency and ask for a quotation for insurance for 10 laptop
computers valued at $500.00 USD each. Discuss with the insurance agent the
different options for the amount insured and any deductibles.
Review questions for the Topic
What the need of computer labs in schools?
Explain the safety issues in a computer laboratory
Describe the organization of a computer Lab in a school setting

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 LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES OF USING INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY IN A CLASSROOM

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Know the need of privacy and security of computer data
List the remedies for violation of privacy
Know the ways to avoid many computer use related risks

Introduction

Computer ethics defined as the application of classical ethical principles to the use of computer
technology. Teachers and students recognize and practice responsible and appropriate use while
accessing, using, collaborating, and creating technology, technology systems, digital media and
information technology. Students demonstrate an understanding of current ethical and legal
standards, rights and restrictions governing technology, technology systems, digital media and
information technology within the context of today‘s society.

Technology and Ethics: Tips and Traps

Some of you may remember the television series, The Six Million Dollar Man. Every week,
during the opening sequence, a disembodied voice talked about Steve Austin, an astronaut who
was ―barely alive‖ after the crash of a plane he flew as a test pilot. Another voice told us,
―Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the
world‘s first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better,
stronger, faster.‖

As with Steve Austin, the technology available to lawyers today can make them better, stronger,
faster—not able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but able to practice law more efficiently.
This technology functions as a double-edged sword, however. While it can help make your life
and practice easier, more effective, and more efficient, it can also place you at risk for ethical
violations and expose you to malpractice liability.

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Most lawyers want to use technology to assist them in their practice. Many have a reasonable
concern about the risks of using technology, but many have blissfully embarked on the use of
technology without a second thought about the associated risks. Although I will discuss the
manner in which technology can turn on you and bite you in that portion of your anatomy often
most difficult to see without the help of mirrors, I want to start with a completely different point
and perspective.

I, too, look at technology as a double-edged sword. I see the risks and benefits of technology in
the practice of law from a slightly different perspective, however. I want to start this discussion
with that perspective.

The Obligation to Use Technology

I start from the position that one cannot properly practice law today without the use of
appropriate technology. Whether you see technology as a boon or a bane, it has evolved to play
an essential role in today‘s practice of law. The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
require that we act competently as attorneys when we undertake representation of a client. As a
practical matter, an attorney failing to make use of available technology violates, in all
probability, one or more ethical obligations. Initially, the use of online legal research tools allows
the attorney to get the most current information available respecting the decisions applicable to
the case. Although those decisions may appear in advance sheets in several weeks, they appear
online in several days, at the latest.

It is difficult to consider that a lawyer who fails to check for a decision that reinterprets a
provision of the law relevant to the case and, therefore, misses that case, to the client‘s detriment,
to have competently represented the client. I don‘t know how many of you have had the
experience I have of being in a courtroom and watching a judge chide a lawyer for not knowing
about the most recent decision on an important point in the case (one that was very recently
decided and not yet in advance sheets, but that could be located online). I do not think that the
jump from a judge criticizing a lawyer for not using available technology to a client suing for
malpractice or the state bar finding an unethical failure to provide competent legal representation
to the client represents a quantum leap. Rather, I see it as a short hop.

A lawyer levying unreasonable charges for services has ethical connotations as well. If the use of
technology enables us to work faster and better but we do not use it, the consequences appear not
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only in the quality of the work turned out but also in the time required to do the work and,
correspondingly, the charge to the client for the work, when the lawyer bills on an hourly basis.
If a lawyer bills at a reasonable hourly rate and could accomplish a job using available
technology in two hours but fails to use available technology so it takes a little longer, that may
not likely prove a serious problem. But what if the failure to use available technology results in
billing four or six hours at the same hourly rate for work that could have been completed in two
using available technology? At some point the repetition of this billing practice can add up to an
amount that one might reasonably conclude exceeded the scope of reasonableness.

Almost ten years ago I participated on a panel of attorneys for a CLE presentation in San
Francisco. The panel included a well-known practitioner in San Francisco with a practice
focusing on representing attorneys in ethical dilemmas or bar disciplinary matters. I asked him
whether he thought the failure to use available technology violated ethical obligations. I found
his response very interesting: Although he did not think we had yet reached that point, he could
see it happening in the future. We since have traveled another decade on the technology express.
If we have not yet reached that point, we have come some ten years closer to getting there; I do
not think it is much farther down the road.

We want to use available technology to make ourselves better, faster, and more efficient lawyers.
Perhaps equally importantly, the ethical obligations imposed on our conduct as lawyers may
already compel us to use available technology in our practices—and, if not yet, they will likely
do so soon.

Accordingly, we can safely assume that most lawyers either have started to make use of available
technology in their practices or will do so soon. Similarly, we can anticipate that those who
employ technology in their practices will increase its use in a steadily progressing trend.

The Risks of Using Technology

Recognizing that technology can serve as a double-edged sword, we need to explore the aspects
of technology most likely to cause problems for lawyers when employed in their practice. We
will focus on the ethical problems technology can create, not the business issues. That said, I
would consider myself remiss if I did not at least mention the fact that any implementation of

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technology should start with an analysis of the function it will serve and whether it truly offers a
benefit to the practice.

Improperly employed technology can create massive inefficiency. I have seen many people
spend outrageous amounts of time in the interest of being more efficient through technology.
Remember that improperly chosen technology and improperly implemented technology will not
make you better, faster, stronger, or more efficient. It can, however, make you slower and far less
efficient—technology can turn into a massive sinkhole for your time and your staff‘s time.

Here are a few general tips to help you navigate these dangerous waters.

1. Choose your technology wisely.

2. Implement your technology carefully.
3. Make a plan to implement your technology.
4. Back up any data that the technology may affect.
5. If you don‘t have sufficient knowledge to do steps 1–4 yourself or with your staff, hire a
good consultant to help you.

Lawyers will, of necessity, depend on newer technology to get an edge over (or sometimes just
to keep up with) opposing counsel; so let‘s explore some of the other dangers associated with the
use of technology.

Data security: One of the best-known technological dangers relates to the security of our data.
Loss of a computer through carelessness or theft poses the biggest threat to data security. We
have all heard about hackers breaking into computers via the Internet and stealing data, or of
malware taking over a computer, logging keystrokes, or sending data to third parties without
notice to us or our approval. These risks exist, and lawyers, in particular, must guard against
them owing to our ethical and legal obligations to protect the confidentiality of our clients‘
information. Another aspect of data security concerns the loss of the data owing to computer
malfunction (as opposed to loss of the computer or theft of the data by a hacker or scanner).
Losing critical client information or work product owing to a failure to adopt and properly
employ a reasonable and appropriate backup system would be difficult to defend as competent
legal practice in today‘s world.

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As lawyers employ more and more mobile technologies, the risks to data security increase. Most
of us use laptop computers when we travel. That laptop undoubtedly has both personal and client
data that we do not want to put at risk. Many of us have adopted the use of smart phones instead
of mere mobile telephony devices. Smart phones provide many advantages and conveniences to
us. They concurrently place information contained in the phone at risk. People lose computers to
theft and sometimes just leave them someplace. Even more smart phones than computers get
lost, left behind, or stolen. Additionally, once these devices have an active Internet or cellular
connection, someone with sophisticated electronics could potentially read the data they contain
even while the devices remain in your possession.

The problem of data security is exacerbated as more and more lawyers convert paper files to
electronic files to replace or at least supplement the paper files. We generally keep these files on
our computers, and as we adopt mobile technology, more and more of that data leave the office
with us. By taking the data out of the office on a laptop or a handheld device, we increase the
risk of loss of the data. To the extent that it contains client confidential information, the loss of
that data can pose both practical and ethical problems for attorneys.

Here are some guidelines to follow to protect data security and integrity:

1. Regularly back up your data.

2. Check out your backup system by verifying that you can access and restore the data.
3. Use a redundant backup structure, storing at least one copy of the data off-site.
4. Encrypt your data to protect it in the event you are hacked.
5. Select strong passwords (random numbers/letters/symbols work best).
6. Never use unsecure networks, wired or wireless.
7. Install—and regularly use—protective software on your computer to guard it against
malware and viruses.
8. Set your protective software to scan e-mail attachments and downloaded documents
before allowing them to open on your computer.
9. Disconnect from the Internet when you do not need to have a connection. If you use a
wireless network, just turn the wireless off in your computer or smart phone. If you use a
wired connection, disconnect it from your computer.
10. Never let your devices out of your sight in a public location.

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 11. Do not allow unauthorized persons to use your computers, smart phones, or other devices
containing data.
12. As mobile telephony and e-mail are not always secure, I recommend putting clients on
notice of that fact and letting them choose whether they wish to convey information
between you and them using such devices. I include a disclosure in my representation
letter, advising of the risk and telling them it is their choice. You might also point out to
them that choosing not to use such devices will likely result in slower communication of
information. You can also let them know that they can and should consider securing e-
mail through encryption.

Metadata: Hopefully, by now most of you know about metadata—the ―hidden‖ information
stored in an electronic file. Sometimes the information can help us do our work. Metadata
enables a word processing program to let you undo changes and/or track changes in a document.
In fact, vendors tout these features as benefits and, in many cases; they do help us do our work.
On the other hand, if you can see all the changes that have been made in an electronic document,
then so can others to whom you give the file. Because we may not want that history or other
information about the file to go to a client or opposing counsel, metadata poses a threat to us as
well as a benefit. Metadata can attach to virtually any electronic file, but word processing
documents pose the most common and, therefore, the most serious threat.

Here are some tips to help protect you against metadata problems:

1. Do not send out a document in a word processing format.

2. Send the document out as a portable document format (PDF) file. Adobe Acrobat now
allows collaborative work through the addition of comments and marked changes on a
PDF file. Using the PDF increases the likelihood you retain control of the content of your
document and also avoids the transmittal of the word processing file‘s metadata.
3. If you do plan to send out a document in a word processing format, notwithstanding tip
number 1, then once you finish the document, copy it and open a new document and then
paste the contents into the new document file. You can also use ―metadata scrubbing‖
software to ensure that the file is clean.

The issue becomes important in advising your clients as well, because metadata will reside on
their computers. If, during the course of litigation, electronic discovery processes require the

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production of information on the computer in its native form, then the electronic files will go to
the opposing side with all the attendant metadata. Having the metadata makes their work
somewhat easier as many document programs can read the metadata and use the information to
populate some of the blanks in their database respecting the document, thereby saving time in
recording the results of the production.

Software as a service: Recently, we have seen a change in the structure of how we deal with
programs that help us in our practice. Historically, we would buy a program, install it on our
computer, and proceed to use it. We might over time buy updates or new versions of the software
to acquire new features or ensure compatibility with a new operating system. The software
would run on our computers. The data generated would remain in our office computers. The
publisher would generally provide some technical support, often at no cost for a period of time
and with a charge thereafter.

The new evolution goes by the acronym SaaS (software as a service). The SaaS vendor provides
software on its server; accessible to you via your browser from anywhere you have Internet
access. You pay a subscription fee and get to access and use the vendor‘s program and input and
process your data. Generally, your data remains on the vendor‘s server. Some software also
facilitates backing up to your computer. Without access to the software, however, you might not
have the ability to use the data in a reasonable and economically viable manner.

Vendors like SaaS for several reasons. It gives them a steady source of revenue without having
to generate new sales of the original software or updates. You effectively pay a rental fee for the
ability to use their program. The SaaS structure allows vendors to more easily (and perhaps less
expensively) provide technical support for their program, as they only need to support the current
version. Everyone will use the current version as they all access it online. When the vendor
modifies or upgrades the program, all users must automatically adopt the change. This avoids the
customer‘s decision- making process entirely. Additionally, it often avoids the issue of platform
specificity as browser access generally allows people on both the Mac and Windows OS to use
it.

In the SaaS environment, the consumer generally needs less and may get better tech support. The
consumer avoids the pain of having to decide whether to purchase or install a given upgrade. The
consumer gets the most current version of the software. The cost savings on advertising and

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distribution in conjunction with the monthly subscription fees may encourage the vendor to
continually improve the software.

On the other hand, the consumer often becomes the vendor‘s captive. If the program stores the
information in a proprietary structure, even if you can save a copy of your data to your storage
device, you may not have the ability to access it without the vendor‘s software. If you cancel
your subscription, you face the task of trying to convert your data to another system.
Additionally, even if the vendor allows you to make a copy of the data on your computer, a copy
of the information resides on the vendor‘s server. Information that resides on the vendor‘s server
is accessible by those who have or gain access to the server, whether or not they do so
legitimately.

Here are a few tips to help you protect yourself in the SaaS world:

1. Look closely at the vendor, its history, and financial stability. How likely is it that the
vendor will continue in business?
2. Even companies that appear large and stable can fail. Accordingly, the inclusion of a
software escrow structure makes good sense.
3. Look for the ability to retrieve data and store it in a usable format on your own storage
devices.
4. Determine whether the program converts data to a proprietary format that you cannot use
with other software. Look for programs that do not do that.
5. Does the vendor‘s system provide secure connections? You should consider ―secure
sockets layer‖ (SSL) technology an essential. SSL provides a level of encryption
protection for your data, even when transmitted over a public WiFi connection. Most
likely, you will see some form of lock icon when you transmit over a SSL.
6. Consider server security. Investigate what protective measures the vendor employs to
lock out hackers. Remember that you have the obligation to ensure the security and
confidentiality of your client‘s information.
7. Look at the server backup structure. Even if you can back up your data to your own
storage devices, you will want a provider that practices reasonable, safe, redundant, and
geographically dispersed backup of its server.

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Cloud computing (storing information in cyberspace) raises many of the same ethical concerns,
and you can protect yourself and your use of cloud computing by following the above-listed
suggestions (particularly 1, 5, 6, and 7) with respect to the provider. On the other hand, the use of
cloud computing can help protect data against falling into the wrong hands, particularly from the
loss of a computer owing to carelessness or theft.

Conclusion
I want to leave you with a few thoughts respecting protecting yourself and your data with any
program you may choose to use, whether SaaS or locally located:

1. Regularly back up your data to your own storage devices. Use redundant systems for
security, and make sure one copy of your data resides outside of your office. Be sure you
know how to convert the data to a usable format.
2. Use a reliable encryption program for your confidential data. Be sure to pick a strong and
secure password. Random collections of numbers, letters, and symbols work best. Most
of us find such a random collection difficult to remember, so pick something you can
remember that includes numbers and letters and then add a symbol or two for good
measure.
3. Use good security software for your own computer (anti-malware and antivirus). Use it
regularly to ensure that a hacker does not breach your own system security.
4. Keep your network secure and your computer safe from intruders.

Following the tips listed above can also help reduce exposure. Remember, wisely selected and
carefully implemented technology can make you better, faster, and more efficient as an attorney.
Poorly chosen and badly implemented technology can make you slower and less efficient and
also get you into hot water ethically.

Review Questions for the Topic

Explain the need of privacy and security of computer data

What are the remedies for violation of computer privacy?
Discuss the ways to avoid many computer use related risks

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 MODERN TRENDS OF ICT IN EDUCATION

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
Know the modern trends in ICT applied education
List the global ICT trends

Introduction
In the spirit of the new technology and advancement dealing with high resolutions and lists of
high technology in almost every sector; it is imperative to discuss Global Trends in ICT and
Education for 2010 and beyond.

With the advent of technological advances, education is experiencing a renaissance in delivering

curriculum via two-way audio and video and the Web. Virtual classrooms are popping up at
educational institutions across the U.S. and around the world. The concept of a virtual learning
space allows the individual the flexibility to take a course anytime, anywhere; to interact with
professors and other students in small learning communities; and to choose from a wide range of
course offerings. This trend is now filtering down to secondary schools. This idea is particularly
attractive to students in remote areas who would not otherwise be able to take certain courses
because there are not enough students or a qualified teacher is unavailable. It is also an
innovative way to provide professional development or continuing education to secondary
teachers.

Global Trends in ICT and Education are:

1. Mobile Learning. New advances in hardware and software are making mobile ―smart
phones‖ indispensable tools. Just as cell phones have leapfrogged fixed line technology
in the telecommunications industry, it is likely that mobile devices with internet access
and computing capabilities will soon overtake personal computers as the information
appliance of choice in the classroom.

106
2. Cloud computing. Applications are increasingly moving off of the standalone desk top
computer and increasingly onto server farms accessible through the Internet. The
implications of this trend for education systems are huge; they will make cheaper
information appliances available which do not require the processing power or size of the
PC. The challenge will be providing the ubiquitous connectivity to access information
sitting in the ―cloud‖.

3. One-to-One computing. The trend in classrooms around the world is to provide an

information appliance to every learner and create learning environments that assume
universal access to the technology. Whether the hardware involved is one laptop per child
(OLPC), or – increasingly -- a net computer, smart phone, or the re-emergence of the
tablet, classrooms should prepare for the universal availability of personal learning
devices.

4. Ubiquitous learning. With the emergence of increasingly robust connectivity

infrastructure and cheaper computers, school systems around the world are developing
the ability to provide learning opportunities to students ―anytime, anywhere‖. This trend
requires a rethinking of the traditional 40 minute lesson. In addition to hardware and
Internet access, it requires the availability of virtual mentors or teachers, and/or
opportunities for peer to peer and self-paced, deeper learning.

5. Gaming. A recent survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project per the Horizon
Report found that massively multiplayer and other online game experience is extremely
common among young people and that games offer an opportunity for increased social
interaction and civic engagement among youth. The phenomenal success of games with a
focus on active participation, built in incentives and interaction suggests that current
educational methods are not falling short and that educational games could more
effectively attract the interest and attention of learners.

6. Personalized learning. Education systems are increasingly investigating the use of

technology to better understand a student‘s knowledge base from prior learning and to
tailor teaching to both address learning gaps as well as learning styles. This focus
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 transforms a classroom from one that teaches to the middle to one that adjusts content
and pedagogy based on individual student needs – both strong and weak.

7. Quickly become a relic of the industrial age as schools around the world are re-thinking
the most appropriate learning environments to foster collaborative, cross-disciplinary,
students centered learning. Concepts such as greater use of light, colors, and circular
tables, individual spaces for students and teachers, and smaller open learning spaces for
project-based learning are increasingly emphasized.

8. Teacher-generated open content. OECD school systems are increasingly empowering

teachers and networks of teachers to both identify and create the learning resources that
they find most effective in the classroom. Many online texts allow teachers to edit, add
to, or otherwise customize material for their own purposes, so that their students receive a
tailored copy that exactly suits the style and pace of the course. These resources in many
cases complement the official textbook and may, in the years to come, supplant the
textbook as the primary learning source for students. Such activities often challenge
traditional notions of intellectual property and copyright.

9. Smart portfolio assessment. The collection, management, sorting, and retrieving of data
related to learning will help teachers to better understand learning gaps and customize
content and pedagogical approaches. Also, assessment is increasingly moving toward
frequent formative assessments which lend itself to real-time data and less on high-
pressure exams as the mark of excellence. Tools are increasingly available to students to
gather their work together in a kind of online portfolio; whenever they add a tweet, blog
post, or photo to any online service, it will appear in their personal portfolio which can be
both peer and teacher assessed.

10. Teacher managers/mentors. The role of the teacher in the classroom is being
transformed from that of the font of knowledge to an instructional manager helping to
guide students through individualized learning pathways, identifying relevant learning
resources, creating collaborative learning opportunities, and providing insight and
support both during formal class time and outside of the designated 40 minute instruction
108
 period. This shift is easier said than done and ultimately the success or failure of
technology projects in the classroom hinge on the human factor and the willingness of a
teacher to step into unchartered territory.

These trends are expected to continue and to challenge many of the delivery models
fundamental to formal education as it is practiced

Learning Objectives for the Topic

At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to;
What are the modern trends in ICT applied education
Explain the global ICT trends

References
Gouzouasis, P. &Bakan, D. (2011).The future of music education and music making in a
transformative digital world. The UNESCO Observatory E-Journal. Available
at http://www.abp.unimelb.edu.au/unesco/ejournal/e-journals.html

Leggo, C., Sinner, A. E., Irwin, R. L., Pantaleo, K., Gouzouasis, P. &Grauer, K. (2010).
Lingering in liminal spaces: a/r/tography as living inquiry in a language arts class. International
Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education,.

Weibe, S., Irwin, R., Leggo, C., Gouzouasis, P., Grauer, K., &Sameshima, P. (2008). Re-
imagining arts integration: Rhizomatic relations of the everyday. Journal of Educational
Thought, 41 (3), 263-280.

Gouzouasis, P. (2008). Music research in an a/r/tographic tonality. Journal of the Canadian

Association for Curriculum Studies, 5 (2), 33-58.

Gouzouasis, P. (2006). Arts-based technology in education: Is there room for the arts at the
desktop? Arts Education Policy Review,107 (5), 3-9.

Gouzouasis, P. &LaMonde, A. M. (2005, July 3). The use of tetrads in the analysis of arts-based
media. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 6 (4).Retrieved July 4, 2005
from http://ijea.asu.edu/v6n4/.

Gouzouasis, P. &LaMonde, A. (2004).The classroom use of portable and wireless

technologies. International Journal of Learning, 11, 186-194.

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Gouzouasis, P. (2001). The role of the fine arts in new media and Canadian education for the
21st century. Education Canada, 41(2), 20-23.

Gouzouasis, P., Grauer, K., Leggo, C. &Springgay, S. (2006). Investigating Curriculum

Integration, the Arts and Diverse Learning Environments. United Nations Educational Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Congress on Arts Education, Lisbon, Portugal.
Retrieved February 7, 2007 from UNESCO.org

Gouzouasis, P. (2003). The FAME Project: New pedagogies and praxis for teachers and students
in the 21st century. From proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Technology in
Teaching & Learning in Higher Education. (C. Spirou, ed.), 83-88.

Gouzouasis, P. (2011). Pedagogy in a new tonality: Teacher inquiries on creative tactics,

strategies, graphics organizers and visual journals in the K-12 classroom. Rotterdam: Sense
Publishers BV.
Gouzouasis, P. (2009). Developmental recapitulations in a/r/tography. Artografia: Pedagogia e
metodologiaemartes. Eds. B. Dias & R. Irwin. Brasilia: Universidad de Brasilia Press.

Thomas, L., & Bitter, G. G. (Eds.) (2000). National Educational Technology Standards:
Connecting Curriculum and Technology. Eugene, OR: ISTE.
Rupert, W. (2008). Dialogic, Education and Technology: Expanding the Space of Learning:
Springer
Gillespie, H.(2006). Unlocking learning and teaching with ICT : identifying and overcoming
Buckingham, D.(2007). Beyond technology: children's learning in the age of digital culture
Forrest,P.W.(2006). Curriculum and instruction for becoming a teacher
Newby, T.J. at all (2005). Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning (3rd Edition)
Roblyer, M.D. (2006). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (4th Edition) :
PEARSON

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 Sample Paper 1

Mount Kenya University

Model Exam 1

SUBJECT CODE : GET 6112

SUBJECT TITLE : SUBJECT METHODS: COMPUTER STUDIES

LEVEL : POST-GRADUATE DIPLOMA

INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS
1) This exams consists of Five(5)questions. Answer Any three(3)questions. Question 1 is
compulsory
2) Cheating of all forms is forbidden. Students who cheat will be penalised.

3) This Exam carries a 70% weightage toward final grade.

QUESTION ONE

(a) Differentiate between computer hardware and software. [4 Marks]

(b) Your school wants a simple database to store its student records, fee details and student
performance based on their mean grade
(i) In designing the database, mention at least three tables you would consider. [3 Marks]
(ii) What are the advantages of computerized databases? [4 Marks]
(iii) What is a tabular database? [2 Marks]
111
(iv) What must you consider when assigning a field to be a primary key? [2 Marks]
(c) As the career master in your school, you are scheduled to give a talk during your school‘s
career day.
(i) What application software would you use to prepare your presentation? [2 Marks]
(ii) List at least three advantages of such software. [3 Marks]
(d) Discuss any two types of computers according to size. [4 Marks]
(e) Outline any measures you would undertake to safeguard information stored in your computer.
[2 Marks]
(f) Discuss any two advantages of e-learning. [4 Marks]

QUESTION TWO – [20 MARKS]

(a) Mention at least three advantages of spreadsheets software. [4 Marks]

(b) Your school is currently installing its local area network. It intends to contact an internet
service provider also for internet connectivity.
(i) What advantages will the school gain from networking its computing resources? [4 Marks]
(ii) In what ways can the school use internet to its advantage? [2 Marks]
(iii) Explain at least three network topologies the school can use. [6 Marks]
(c) Discuss any two benefits of using computers. [4 Marks]

QUESTION THREE – [20 MARKS]

(a) Outline the characteristics of a computer that makes it a tool for instructional media. [4
Marks]

(b) Giving examples, discuss the three technologies used in making secondary storage media. [6
Marks]
(c) Discuss any five disadvantages of using computers in a school. [10 Marks]

QUESTION FOUR – [20 MARKS]

(a) Describe the operating system as a resource manager. [2 Marks]
(b) Describe any three types of Application softwares used in teaching. [6 Marks]
(c) You are asked to help your school purchase computers for office use. Discuss at least four
factors you would consider. [8 Marks]
(d) Discuss the use of any two utility programs. [4 Marks]

QUESTION FIVE – [20 MARKS]

Discuss the various uses of computers in our schools today safe teaching. [20 Marks]

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 Sample paper 2

Mount Kenya University

Model Exam 2

SUBJECT CODE : GET 6112

SUBJECT TITLE : SUBJECT METHODS: COMPUTER STUDIES

LEVEL : POST-GRADUATE DIPLOMA

INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS
4) This exams consists of Five(5)questions. Answer Any three(3)questions. Question 1 is
compulsory
5) Cheating of all forms is forbidden. Students who cheat will be penalised.

6) This Exam carries a 70% weightage toward final grade.

QUESTION ONE (COMPULSORY) [30 MARKS]

(a) Distinguish between system software and application software. Give at least two
examples of each. [4 marks]
(b) With relevant illustrations, explain the difference between LAN and WAN types of
computer networks. [3 marks]
(c) Explain the difference between teacher driven and student driven classrooms. [3
marks]
(d) Explain the terms Computer Aided instruction and computer aided design. [3 marks]
(e) Explain the proper procedure of shutting down a computer. Why is it important to
113
follow this procedure when you can simply switch off the main socket? [3 marks]
(f) Computers are prone to security threats from the outside world. Your friend can also
pose a security threat to your computer; explain measures you would take to protect
your data and programs stored in your computer. [5 marks]
(g) What is a www? Does it help learning? [3 marks]
(h) Explain the difference between synchronous and asynchronous data. [3 marks]
(i) Explain the relevance of spreadsheet software and presentation software in a school
such as a secondary school. [3 marks]

QUESTION TWO [20 MARKS]

Critically analyze the importance of computers in learning institutions. [20 marks]

QUESTION THREE [20 MARKS]

(a) Using a well labeled diagram, explain the role of the various functional components
of a computer laboratory. [10 marks]
(b) Explain how a computer lab can be safe. [10 marks]

QUESTION FOUR [20 MARKS]

(a) Discuss four measures of avoiding attacks/crime on the Internet. [8 marks]
(b) Computer software is one of the major components in a computer. Explain why
software is considered the major component in a computer. In relation to your answer,
explain the role of Operating System software in a computer. [12 marks]

QUESTION FIVE [20 MARKS]

(a) In a classroom, explain what communications media is. With relevant examples,
explain the two major types of communications media [10 marks]
(b) After purchasing a computer, you just discovered that some of the work you
intended to accomplish such as playing games could not be done. After consultation,
you learnt that you can increase your computer’s abilities. Explain any THREE ways
you might have learnt to increase the abilities of your computer. [10 marks]

114