Unit 3 – Information and

Communication
Technology Skills (ICT)
MADE BY: MS. MEGHA RAWAT (PGT COMMERCE)
Session 1: Basic Computer
Operations

 ICT refers to all methods, tools,

concepts related to storing,
recording and sending digital
information.
 ICT devices are tablets, smartphones
and laptops.
 ICT skills help us to communicate,
run our business and stay connected
with our family and friends and also
help us to stay updated with the
latest software and hardware.
COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

 A computer system consists of two main parts – HARDWARE and

SOFTWARE.
 The physical part that we can see and touch are called hardware. Eg.
Keyboard, monitor, CPU, etc.
 Software is what makes a hardware work.
 The most important software in any computer is the Operating System
(OS). This is the software that starts working as soon as we switch on a
computer. It displays the desktop on the monitor.
 Egs. of OS for laptops and desktop are Ubuntu, Microsoft Windows and
Mac OS and for mobile phones are Apple iOS, Google Android.

STARTING AND SHUTTING DOWN A COMPUTER

 To start a computer, press the Power button on the CPU.

 Always keep your computer locked when it is not working to ensure that
no unauthorized person can see or make changes to our information
without taking our permission.
 Set a login id and password for your computer to recognize that you’re
an authorized person and allow to use the applications on it.
 Logout or Sign out so that no one can see your work and then properly
switch off your system by clicking Shut Down option.
USING A KEYBOARD

 A keyboard is an input device used to type text, numbers and commands into
the computer.
 Keys labeled from F1 to F12 are function keys. Their functions differ from
program to program. Eg. F1 key is used to get help in that program.
 Control Keys – such as Control (CTRL), SHIFT, SPACEBAR, ALT, CAPS LOCK and
TAB. These are special control keys that perform special functions depending
on when and where they are used.
 Enter Key – can also be written as ‘Return’. It is used to bring the cursor to the
beginning of a new line. In some programs it is used to confirm a task and
send command.
 Punctuation Keys – include all keys for using punctuation marks.
 Navigation Keys – such as arrow keys, HOME, END, PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN.
 Command Keys – such as INSERT (INS), DELETE (DEL), and BACKSPACE. When
the INSERT key is on, it helps you overwrite characters to the right of the
cursor. The DELETE key and BACKSPACE key are used to remove typed text,
characters and other object.
 Windows Key – used to open the Start Menu.

USING A MOUSE

 A mouse is a small device that you can move, select and open items on your
computer screen
 Functions of a mouse include:
i. Roll Over or Hover
ii. Point and Click

iii. Drag and Drop

iv. Double Click to open a file

 Session 2: Performing Basic File
Operations

FILES AND FOLDERS

 All information stored in a computer is kept in files.

 Different types of files store different types of information eg. .doc
(word), .xls (excel), .jpg (image), .mp3 (music), .txt (notepad) etc.
 Each file is given a file name and has a file name extension.

 Folder is a location where a group of files can be stored

CREATING A FILE (USING A TEXT EDITOR IN UBUNTU)

When a student, Neha, joins a class, the teacher creates a file on the computer
to store Neha’s information, such as name, address, phone number, etc. Let us
create a new file using a text editor in Ubuntu.
 To open a text editor, type ‘editor’ in the search dialog box. Then double-
click the text editor option as shown in Figures 3.14 and 3.15. This will open
a blank document. In Windows, you can open Notepad and type in the text.
 Here you can add text, such as ‘Neha Tiwari Shakti Nagar, New Delhi,
7856453451’
 To save the file click Save. In the Save As dialog box, browse to the Desktop
folder, type the name as ‘Neha’ and click Save as.

CREATING A FOLDER (IN UBUNTU)

 To open file explorer in Ubuntu, click Files option on the left as shown in Figure
3.17.
 File explorer opens up as shown in Figure 3.18.
 To create a folder: (a) Choose a location where the folder has to be created
for example ‘Desktop’. (b) Right-click and then choose the ‘New Folder’. (c)
Type the name of the folder as ‘Demo’.

 Some important shortcut keys

 Session 3: Computer Care and
Maintenance

Basic Tips for Taking Care of Devices

(i) Keyboard: Do not eat anything over a keyboard. Crumbs

can damage the internal parts of a keyboard. You can
clean a keyboard with a soft brush to remove crumbs and
dust particles.
(ii) Screen: You can wipe the screen with a soft cloth to
remove any finger marks.
(iii)Be careful with food and drinks: Avoid eating and
keeping glasses of water or cups of coffee near a
computer. Any liquid spilt over an electronic device can
spoil it beyond repair.
(iv)Handle devices carefully: Handle and move your laptop
carefully and avoid dropping or banging it against a hard
surface.
(v) Keep the computer cool: If a computer, laptop or mobile
device gets overheated, the internal parts can be damaged. The
CPU has an internal fan to keep it cool. We should make sure the fan
is functioning.
(vi) Do not overcharge your battery: Sometimes we keep a
device plugged in for charging even after it is fully charged. This
reduces the battery life.
(vii) Always plug in devices carefully: Any device being
connected to a laptop or computer such as a USB drive or
headphones, should be done gently. It should not be forced into the
port.
(viii) Do not run too many programs at a time: When too many
programs are running at the same time the computer can become
slow and even crash. If a program/app is not being used, it should be
closed so that other programs can work smoothly.
Prepare a Maintenance Schedule

(a)Daily Maintenance
i. Clean up your e-mail inbox
ii. Download e-mail attachments and save in proper folders

(b) Weekly Maintenance

iii. Clean your keyboard
iv. Clean your monitor
v. Dust CPU and printer
vi. Backup your data to an external drive

(c) Monthly Maintenance

vii. Transfer photographs to computer and delete from drive
viii.Organise photos into folders or albums
ix. Clean up ‘Download’ folder
x. Uninstall unused programs and apps
xi. Run disk-cleaner software
xii. Run full system virus scan
(d) Yearly/Annual Maintenance
(i) Clean up contacts list on social media accounts
(ii) Clean up e-mail contact list
(iii) Update your operating system
(iv) Check for expiry of anti-virus software and renew

Backup your Data

 Backing up data means to save the information present on your computer on

another device, such as CD/DVD drives and hard disk.
 Data can recovered from here in case the computer stops working completely.
 Computers can crash, humans can make mistakes and natural disasters, such
as floods can happen. So, it is important for companies, hospitals, banks, etc.,
to keep their information safe.
Scanning and Clearing Viruses

 Sometimes computer viruses can enter a computer from such attacks we can
install anti-virus software.
 This will prevent and clean any viruses from entering.

Increasing Computer Performance

 If we have been using a computer for a long time we have a lot of

unnecessary files and data, such as temporary files and images.
 These unnecessary files and data reduces the performance of the computer.
 It’s important to clean and remove such data.

Removing SPAM from your Computer

 Sometimes we get mails from companies who are advertising a product or

trying to attract you to their website. Such mails are called SPAM.
 We should never respond to SPAM and delete it on a regular basis.
 It is possible to set filters in the settings to prevent SPAM from entering our
mail box.
 Session 4: Computer Security And
Privacy

Computer Security Deals with Protecting Computers

Computer security and privacy deals with the measures used to prevent loss of
data.

Reasons for Security Break

Personal information can be lost or leaked in two ways:
1. We are not careful in giving out personal information over the Internet. For
example, we share our account details and password on unsecure sites.
2. 2. A person gets unauthorised access to our computer. This can happen in
the office if we leave are computer without logging out.
Threats to Computer
Threats are the ways in which personal information can be leaked from a
computer without our knowing.
(a)Theft: Theft means stealing of information or hardware. These maybe of
three types:
• Physical: Where a person may steal your desktop computer or laptop.
• Identity: Where a hacker steals your personal information and assumes your
identity. Using this false identity, the hacker can gain access to your account
information or perform illegal activity.
• Software Piracy: This is stealing of software and includes using or
distributing unlicensed and unauthorised copies of a computer program or
software.
(b) Virus: Viruses are computer programs that can damage the data and
software programs or steal the information stored on a computer. Major types of
viruses are Worms and Trojan Horse.
• Worms: These are viruses that replicate themselves and spread to all files
once they attack a computer. This makes it very difficult to remove them.
• Trojan Horse: A Trojan Horse disguises itself i.e., it appears to be a useful
software program but once it reaches a computer it starts behaving like a virus
and destroying data.
• Online Predator: Online predators are people who trap you into
inappropriate relationships. They may be older people posing to be your age,
bullying you into doing illegal activities online and sometimes face to face.
• Internet Scams: Sometimes you may receive very attractive offers saying
you have won a huge money in a lottery and that you can claim the prize by
depositing a certain amount of money. When you deposit the money using credit
card or online banking, you not only lose the deposit money but your card /
account information may be misused later.
Protecting your Data

To protect our data from theft and viruses we can take the following measures:
(a)Use passwords to login to your computer: Use passwords that are difficult
to guess. Passwords are difficult to hack if they are a mix of small (For example
‘a b c d’) and capital letters (For example, ‘H J E R’), numbers (For example ‘8 7
6 5’) and special characters (For example, ’% ^ # $’).
(b)Install Anti-virus and Firewall: Anti-viruses and Firewall monitor the data
coming in and out of a computer and prevent and viruses from entering. Anti-
viruses can also detect and clean viruses that may have entered a computer.
(c)Encrypt Data: This is usually done by banks and companies in which
important customer information is stored. They can encrypt their entire hard
disk using encrypting feature in Windows (Bitlocker). This would force users to
use a decryption password (or key) before starting the computer thus
preventing unauthorised usage.
(d)Secure sites: Give details of your credit card or bank account only on secure
sites. See in the address bar of the browser. If the site address starts with
https:// and a lock symbol, then it is safe to give your credit card and bank
details.
THANKYOU