Harmonizing ICT

Based on the New NCDC Curriculum 2020

2st EDITION 2023

BY
JACOB MUGABI JETHRO
ICT/ Computer Department Midland High School Buntaba Mukono
Tel: 0773822833/ 0757906118/ 0751870051
E-mail: [email protected]

©Copyright 2023
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this book may
be made without the written permission of the owner. No paragraph of this
book may be copied or reproduced except with a written authorization of
the owner or in accordance with the copyright, design and patent Act or by
license granted by the owner. Anyone who does the contrary in relation to
this book may be liable to criminal and civil prosecution.
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Table of Content
Introduction to ICT ........................................................................................ 1
Meaning of ICT ..................................................................................................... 1
ICT as a System ................................................................................................. 5
Common ICT Tools ............................................................................................. 6
Use/Application of ICT ...................................................................................... 7
Limitations/ Disadvantages of ICTs ................................................................. 12
ICTs and a Computers ..................................................................................... 13
Characteristics of Modern Computers .......................................................... 14
Computer System ........................................................................................... 15
Data and Information...................................................................................... 17
Information Processing Cycle .......................................................................... 19
ICT Safety Precautions .................................................................................... 20
Safety of User .............................................................................................. 20
Handling and Maintaining ICT Tools ............................................................... 21
Laboratory rules and regulations .................................................................... 23
User Manuals .................................................................................................. 25
Computer Hardware and System Startup .................................................... 29
Computer Hardware ....................................................................................... 30
Categories/ Types of Computer Hardware...................................................... 30
Input Devices .................................................................................................. 31
Processing Devices .......................................................................................... 35
Storage Devices and Storage Media ............................................................... 39
Output Hardware ......................................................................................... 42
Communication Devices ................................................................................. 45
Assembling a Computer System ................................................................... 47
Setting Up a Desktop Computer ..................................................................... 47
Starting and Shutting down a Computer System ........................................ 51
ICT File and Folder Management .................................................................. 55
File and Folders .............................................................................................. 55
Creating Files and folders ................................................................................ 57
Measurement of Storage Capacity.................................................................. 65
Word Processing I ....................................................................................... 70
Microsoft Word............................................................................................... 72
Formatting a Text in MS Word ........................................................................ 81
Working with Objects ..................................................................................... 87
Working with Tables in a Document ............................................................... 89
MICROSOFT EXCEL (Ms Excel) ......................................................................... 93
PRESENTATION SOFTWARE ........................................................................ 100
Microsoft power Point .................................................................................. 100
Information Access and Sharing ................................................................ 104
Using the Internet for Information Access .................................................... 105
The Electronic Mail (Email) ........................................................................... 110

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Writing this book has been an interesting task. Therefore it feels right if I
say that it was God’s mighty power, Grace, Wisdom and mercy that saw
me through this great task. Thank you Lord and may you bless the minds
that use this resource.
I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the great Educated minded
people who helped me through the entire process of collecting
information, Revision, providing corrections and guidance during the
development of this book.
Thanks go to my current and former students of ICT for the experience
that I gain through teaching and interacting with you. This laid and
continues to lay a very big corner stone on the foundation for the
illustrations, language and examples used in this book. In a special way
let me thank the students of Midland High Sch. Buntaba, St. Johns High
School Kazo- Kampala, Vision High School Kawempe and Irma Pfeiffer
Bweya High School Entebbe. In the same way let me thank the Teachers
and Management of St. Johns High School – Kazo Kampala, most
especially Director Mr. Ariyo Wilberforce, for both financial and
professional support granted during the writing of this book.
Writing takes time, courage and love for the work, many people who
helped me through this process. Though am unable to thank all in person,
I Pray God blesses you all and bless all the people who use this Resource.
Our Hope is God’s Will !

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Chapter 1

Introduction to ICT

Figure 1.1 Illustration of ICT

In this chapter, we shall look at:

1. Meaning of ICT
2. Computer Hardware
3. Computer Software
4. Internet
5. Ergonomics

Meaning of ICT
ICT stands for:
I – Information,
C – Communication
T - Technology
Information and communication technology
(ICT)
This consists of three terms, i.e., Information, Communication, and
Technology.
Information
These are facts provided or learned about something or someone.
Or
Information is what is conveyed or presented by a particular
arrangement.

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OR
According to computer science, information refers to processed data that
makes meaning to the user.
For example the figure 1035 may be input as data, but when converted to
the format 10:35Am, you realize it is time.

Information can be:

1. Images 4. Pictures/ photographs
2. Written or spoken words 5. Videos
3. Numbers 6. Audio/ sound, etc

Figure 1.2 Examples of Information

ACTIVITY 1.1 Meaning of Information

Do this activity in a pair

1. Identify any five pieces of information about;
i) Your former School
ii) Friend’s village
2. Other than a passport photo, what other information is found on
your school ID card
3. Identify the kind of information on your P.L.E recommendation
received from your primary school

Communication
Communication is the sending and receiving of information.
OR
Computer scientists define it as the electronic transfer of data and
information from one point to another.

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Communication can be done through:

1. Speaking/ talking 3. Writing
2. Sign language 4. Using other mean

Figure 1.3 Communication taking place

ACTIVITY 1.2 Understanding Communication

Do this activity in a group

1. How did you get information about your P.L.E results?
2. How can you tell that communication has taken place?
3. Explain the information in the communication you received about
your P.L.E results
Share your answers with other group members

Note: Whenever someone talks to you, calls you using a phone, write
to you a letter or even shows you a sign, then he/she is communicating.
Communication can only take place with two or more sides involved i.e
the sender and the receiver.

Technology
Technology comes from the word technique, which refers to the ways,
means, or methods of doing something.
In ICT therefore, Technology refers to the devices, tools, programs or
services used to create and manage information.

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Figure 1. 4 Common ICT Tools

Technology manages information through:

1. Processing information
2. Allowing access to it
3. Storing it
4. Transferring or sharing it through communication

Technology includes:
 Computers  Internet
 Smart phones  Network equipment
 Cameras  Television sets and
 Printers decoders, etc

ACTIVITY 1.3 Explaining Technology

Do this activity in a group

1. What kind of technologies do you think was used by Africans before
the invention of modern technologies such as computer, Phones etc?
2. Identify any ICT technologies you know in figure 1.4 above
3. Explain how any four ICT tools in figure 1.4 above can be used in ICT

Defining Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Therefore;
ICT is a combination of all devices or things used to help in processing,
storage and sharing/ transmission of data and information
OR
ICT is a collection of related technological components/ tools that work
together to process, store and share data and information.

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OR
ICT refers to the range of hardware, software, media and network
infrastructure that enables, processing, storage and sharing of data and of
information.

ICT as a System
Remember when your P.L.E results were released by UNEB, you used a
Mobile phone to send an SMS message to 6600, and finally you received
your results on the phone as a message.

In this case, the P.L.E Results was the information you wanted, the SMS you
sent to 6600 was the communication method used and the Mobile phone
was the technology.

Comparing ICT systems with other Systems

Imagine a water system comprising of water tank, water, taps, pipes and
water moving through the pipes. This can be related to ICT as follows.
Table 1.1: Comparison of a water system and an ICT system
Water system component ICT
Taps, water tank, pipes Technology
Water Information

Water flowing through pipes Communication

NOTE: ICT is electronic while a water system is mechanical

Table 1.2: Comparison of a Blood Circulatory system and an ICT system
Blood Circulatory System ICT
Blood Information
Flow of blood in veins and arteries Communication
Blood Vessels (Veins and Arteries Technology

NOTE: ICT is electronic while a blood circulatory system is Biological

ACTIVITY 1.4 Understanding ICT Systems

Do this activity in a pair

1. Identify any other system and compare it with an ICT system
Compare your findings with those of your friends

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Common ICT Tools

Desktop Computer FM Radio set Television Set

Head Digital optical

Smart
Phones Scanner
Phone
Figure 1.5 Labelled ICT tools

At the beginning of this chapter, you learnt about the meaning of ICT.
When we talk about ICT tools, we are referring to devices/ tools or
objects used in ICT.
As people need and use hammers, hoes, conveyor belts and pangas to
produce, process and manufacture food, they similarly use tools for data
capture and processing, information storage and communication.
Therefore, ICT tools are not one solid thing but rather a collection of several
electronic tools.
Common ICT Tools Include
 Computers  Internet
 Smart phones  Network equipment
 Cameras  Television sets and
 Printers decoders, etc
Refer to figure 1.6 below;

Figure 1.6 ICT tools

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ACTIVITY 1.5 Naming ICT Tools and their Use

Do this activity in a group

1. Name any ten ICT tools in the figure 1.6 above and how they are used
using the table below
No. Name of the ICT Tool Use/ Function

1.
2.
3.
2. Which other ICT tools are used in our society apart from those in figure
1.6 above.

Compare your findings with those of your friends

Use/Application of ICT
In all situations, the ICT devices are used by people or programmed by
people to simplify work.
In our society today, use of ICT is on the increase in all areas. ICTs are
used to collect and communicate information in our homes, schools,
hospitals, banking halls and many other places. ICTs are also used in
the entertainment industry, security, agriculture and transport.

(a) Homes
 People use ICTs such as TVs in home for entertainment
 ICT tools such as phones are used by family members for communication
 Smart phones are used to capture/ record and share family moments
such as birthday parties etc
 People use ICTs in homes to pay bills through the payment by phone
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services, water bill, yaka, etc.

(b) Education/schools
Education is one of the fields in society where ICT tools especially
computers are widely used. For instance:
(i) Students
 Students use computers and appropriate software to learn at their
own pace. This learning is known as Computer Assisted Learning (CAL).
 They use ICTs for study purposes as learning aids Eg during ICT lessons
 Through use of ICTs such computers and internet, distance learning has
been possible.
 ICTs are used in edutainment (i.e. They are used for educative
entertainment)
 They are used by student researchers to quickly gather and analyze
experimental data.
 Students also use computers to do school- related tasks like
designing posters during campaigns, publishing school newsletters
etc.
(ii) Teachers/Educators/Lecturers
 Teachers use computers, projectors and other related IT equipment to
present teaching materials in a more interesting way.
 They use them to do internet research and enrich their notes or to
keep up to date information
 They use them to compile and analyze student‘s performance.
 Computers are used to simulate experiments and other real life
situations that may be hazardous.
 Schools use Internet and Websites to enable students, teachers and
parents interact
(iii) Education Support Staff
 Computers are used in school libraries to take record of the stock
of books and the borrowers of the books.
 School bursars use them to compile data concerning finances and
payments of institutions‘ students and staff and also to create statistical
documents that show the flow of funds in and out of the institution
 They are used during fees payment eg. SchoolPay

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(c) Health/ Hospitals

In the health sector (Hospitals), several ICTs are used by both health workers
and patients in the following ways;
1. Patients used phones, internet and SMS to book appointments and
communicate with doctors
2. Health workers use ICTs such as ECG machines, CT scans, Ultra sound
to diagnose and treat patients
3. Hospitals use computers to keep both hospital and patients records

(d) Police/ Security

 Police use computers to store databases on security controls such
as fingerprints which are automatically analyzed by computers.
 They also use trackers, CCTV cameras etc, to track down criminals

(e) Transport:
All the known modes of transport use computers and other ICTS in one way or
another.
 For Air transport, computers are used at the airports to take
record of all the flights and passengers for each and every place that
will fly off or land at that Airport.
 Used for security check-Ups at the Airports, e.g. to check whether one
is smuggling in or out weapons for war, drugs, etc.
 While inside the Aero plane, computers are used to give the pilot
sense of direction by indicating how high he is flying, the temperatures,
the pressure and weather conditions of the space in which he is flying.
They also show some physical features which could obstruct the planes
movements.

 On the Roads, mostly on very busy road junctions, traffic Lights are
used to regulate the flow of traffic/ vehicles
 In the cars, we have the speedometer, which determines the speed at
which the car is moving.
 Modern technology has offered us Satellite-watched cars, i.e., at any
one time, the car can be located in any part of the World because the
Satellite keeps tracking it.

 In a ship, computers are used to guide the captain movements while

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he sails. By showing the landscape of the sea bed, the captain is able to
draw the right direction and bearing in which he should sail the sheep

(f) Banking
1. As a way of solving the problem of standing in queues at the banking Hall,
new technologies which allow clients to draw their money from a
computerized Teller known as an ATM (Automated Teller Machine) was
invented. It is used to;
* Make deposits of cash and cheques
* Withdraw cash
* Transfer money between accounts
* Obtain account balances.
2. Computers are used to carry out online banking.
3. Keeping record of all the banks‘ clients in terms of their personal data,
account numbers, and their deposits and withdrawals on their respective
accounts.
4. They are used to run Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) to
process cheques.
(g) Industry
In many of the Industries, be it Large Scale, Small Scale or Heavy duty industries,
ICTs such as computers of all kinds are widely used for the daily operations of
such industries.
1. In Manufacturing Industries/Factories, Computers are used to make
the production and sometimes packaging processes faster. E.g. in a
Car Manufacturing Industry, there is a section where the size of tyres is
determined for each car and then fitted on the car, another section in
charge of seats and another in charge of fixing the dash boards, these
sections are all operated by robots.
2. They are used for communication with different industries and business
men.
3. They are used for research about new stock especially through the use
of the internet.

(i) Government
1) Computers are highly used in many government ministries such as
finance, education, etc, to store government records.

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2) They are also used to improve the efficiency of work within the civil
service.
3) They are used for easy communication between governmental
institutions.
4) They are used for easy budgeting for governments.

(k) Entertainment and recreation

i) ICTs such as Computers are used to play music.
ii) They are also used to play movies and videos which help in entertaining
people
iii) People use ICTs like computers in playing modern computer games.
These include Solitaire, Tetris, FreeCell, Packman etc.
iv) They are used in composing and editing video and audio clips.
v) Places like amusement parks, Casino‘s and other GUMBLING places
run some of their machines using computers.

ICTs in business
Most supermarkets, have adopted the
use of Electronic Point of Sales
(EPOS). If you have bought an item
from a shop and it is scanned to
determine the amount you need to
pay, you have used an EPOS. An
Electronic Point of Sales (EPOS) is self-
contained, computerized equipment
that performs all tasks of a store checkout counter.
1 . It allows payments by cash, bank or credit cards,
2. Verifies transactions and generates a sales receipt.
3. It also coordinates inventory data.

With this technology, the shop owners are able to know the items that
are bought most, what is left in the stores and the items that are running
out.

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ACTIVITY 1.6 Application of ICTs

Do this activity in Pairs

1. Copy and complete the table below. For every area/sector,
choose a different ICT tool. You can later identify as many tools
as possible and discuss their application and usage.
Area/Sector ICT toot Its uses

1. Education Computer Typing exams

Exchanging of mails
Storage of students data
Research
2.
3.
4.
5.

2. Discuss and make a presentation to the class about the different

ways in which a mobile phone and EPOS machines can be used
as an ICT tool to support business activities.

Limitations/ Disadvantages of ICTs

1. If not used properly for a prolonged time, they expose users to health
problems such as;
 Back pain
 Sight or eye problems
 Repetitive strain injury (RSI) etc.
2. Some ICTs such as Computers are expensive to buy and maintain
3. They may not support the computer illiterate
4. ICTs require electricity which may not be available everywhere
5. Personal data/ information may not be secure through cases like Hacking
6. They may lead to unemployment as ICTs can replace human labour
However, regardless of the disadvantages of ICTs, their positive impact to
society are more important

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ICTs and a Computers

A computer is an electronic device that can input data, process it, store and
output information.
OR
A computer is an electronic device that accepts user input (data), processes it
under special instructions (programs), to produce a desired meaningful output
(information).
NOTE There is no individual part called a computer, but very many parts are
connected together to function as a complete system called a Computer. Parts
of a computer are shown in the figures below:

Figure 7 Parts pf a computer

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Characteristics of Modern Computers

1. Speed: A computer is a very fast device that can perform operations with very
high speed. It can perform a million calculations per second.
2. Accuracy: A computer is an accurate device that always produces accurate
results when valid data and instructions are provided to it.
3.Versatility: Computer is very multitasking. The same computer can be used
for various applications. A computer can be used for prepare a letter, prepare a
balance sheet of company, store a database of employees, send or receive e-
mail etc.
4. Diligence (Endurance): A computer can continue to work for hours at same
speed and accuracy. It does not show sign of tiredness on lack of concentration
when made to work continuously.
5. Large storage capacity: A computer can store a large amount of data in its
memory. You can store almost any type of data such as letter, picture, sound,
audio, video, graphics etc.
6. Automatic: Once instructions are input, the computer then takes on the task
of processing them on its own (automatically) without further help of the user
and out puts the results
7. Artificial intelligence: In other words, it can be programmed to assume
capabilities such as learning, reasoning and self correction
8. Communication: Computers can communicate within the selves between
connected components or with other computing devices through a computer
network such as the internet
9. Adaptability: Modern computers can be programmed to adapt and work in
different environments. For instance a computer used in a school can be
reprogrammed to work in a hospital

NOTE:
Information kept and viewed on a computer is called Soft Copy
Examples of Softcopy include;
 Music or video file kept on a computer
 Document stored on a computer or your flash
 Image / photo stored on your phone or computer, etc.
Information printed on a paper or any surfaces is called Hard Copy
Examples of hardcopy include;
 Any document printed on paper or any material eg; Text books
 Images printed on paper or billboards
 Plastic IDs, etc.

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Computer System
A computer system consists of interrelated organs or parts which function
together for the computer to perform a given task.
OR
Is a collection of all computer components the work together to help in the
processing of data into information
Components of a Computer System
1. Hardware (Input, Output, storage, processing and communication
hardware)
2. Software
3. Data and information
4. Users (People/Human ware)
(i) Hardware
These are the parts of a computer that we can touch and see. They are the
physical and tangible Components of a computer.
Examples;
Monitor, keyboard, mouse, system unit. Etc
Hardware is important because it carries out the
- in putting, - out putting
- processing, - Communications of the
- storage, systems

(ii) Software

Figure 8 Computer Software

Software are electronic instructions that tell the computer how to perform a
task.
OR
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These are a series of programs (instructions) that tell the computer what to
do and how to do it.
Types of Software
1. System software eg; Operating system, Utility programs and
programming languages
2. Application software, e.g; Word processors, Spreadsheets and
presentation software

(iii) User/ Human ware

Figure 9 Computer User

User is a person who operates and manages a computer.

User is the most important component of a computer system because;
 Designs and develops computer systems,
 Operate the computer hardware,
 Create the software, and
 Establish procedures for carrying out tasks.
There are two types of users, ie;
1. Ordinary user
2. Professional user
Ordinary user - is someone without much technical knowledge of
computers but uses computers to produce information for professional or
personal tasks, enhance learning, or have fun.

A computer professional user -is a person in a profession involving

computers who has had formal education in the technical aspects of
computers; an example is:
 Computer programmer  Database administrator
 System analyst  Network administrator.
 System administrator

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Importance of users
 Helps in data entry
 Manipulates and manages the computer system
 Programming the computer
 Administering the network
 Analyzing, repairing and servicing the computer system, etc.

ACTIVITY 1.7 A computer and Computer System

Do this activity in Pairs

1. What is the differences between:
i) A computer and Computer System
ii) Hardware and Software
iii) Hard copy and Soft Copy
Share your findings with the class

Data and Information

Data Data Data

Processing

Information
Figure 10 Data and Information Cycle

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Data refers to raw unorganized facts figures or symbols that need to be

processed into information. Data is entered into the computer for processing
Data is the foundation for information. It may make less or no meaning to the
user.
Examples of Data
letters (e.g., a, b, c, ...)
words and symbols
numbers
examination scores
musical notes
Names e.g. Moses
Information is the processed data which is organized, meaningful and useful.
Information is manipulated/ processed data.
Examples
words (e.g., apple, boy, cat)
a report, a letter, an essay
a mathematical formula
comments, grades
a piece of music, a song

Importance of information
· In all organizations, managers depend on information to make decisions.
· They also base on information when planning for the organizations.
· Information is based on when analyzing their performance.
· Information is depended to forecast the likely outcomes of certain
actions.
· Information helps in discovering the past, present and future.

ACTIVITY 1.8 Explaining Data and Information

Do this activity in Pairs

1. What is the differences between data and information
2. Why would your school Head teacher need Information
Share your findings with the class

Differences Between Data and Information

Data Information
Raw facts, figures or symbols Processed data with meaning

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Organised data presented in a
Unorganised and undefined facts
meaningful way
Does not depend on information Depends on data as its foundation
Can not be a basis for decision making Is a basis for decision making

Information Processing Cycle

Figure 11 Information Processing Cycle

Information processing cycle are the Stages that involve converting

data into information. They are a series of input, process, output and
storage activities
Data to become information, it has to be changes. This is possible
through the Information Processing Cycle

Stages of information processing are;-

1. Input of data
Involves entering the data or sending the stored data into the computer for
processing. The devices used include Keyboard, Mouse, Camera,
microphone, etc.
2. Processing of data
It involves calculating or manipulating the input data and storing the results
for future use. The processing devices may include Central processing Unit
(CPU), Motherboard, etc.
3. Storage of data and information
It involves saving/storing data, information and program instructions for
future use. We use Hard disk drives, Flash drives, CD/DVDs, etc. to store data
and information
3. Output of information
It involves giving out the processed results in a readable form e.g. a report.
Devices such as Monitor, Projector, speakers, Printers, etc. are used for
output

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ACTIVITY 1.8 Information Processing Cycle

Do this activity in groups

1. In your school Lab, identify ICT tools or Computer parts used in
the information processing cycle
2. Mention any five computer hardware identifying the stages
each hardware facilitates in the information processing cycle
Share your findings with other groups

ICT Safety Precautions

As ICT users, it is very important to take precautions when using ICT tools
to avoid getting health problems. We shall learn more about the Safety
measures observed when using ICTs to protect them and the user.

Safety of User
Users spend a lot of time sitting while using their computers. This prolonged
use of computers may cause them health risks such as:
1) Lower back pain
2) Eye problems
3) Wrist pain
4) Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
5) Headache and,
6) Tiredness, etc.
It is therefore
recommended
that the user
should ensure
Computer
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is
the is the practice
that addresses
ways setup your
computers and
workplace to
reduce the risks of
their use
Below is an

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illustration of workspace setup and proper sitting postures

Figure 12 Incorrect and correct sitting postures

ACTIVITY 1.9 Safety of ICT Users

Do this activity in groups

1. Use the figure 12 above and identify the right siting posture while
using a computer
2. Use the table below to discuss the health hazards, parts affected
and the control method
Health Hazard Part affected Control method
Eye strain Eyes  Use proper lighting
 Use antiglare screens
 Blink often

3. Explain the different health hazards associated with prolonged

use of ICT and how they can be avoided
Share your findings with other groups

Handling and Maintaining ICT Tools

Taking care of your ICT Tools is just as important as taking care of your body.
The internal and external parts of the computer and other ICTs have to be

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cared for.
Taking care of ICT tools is supposed to be done by all people who use them.
However, as a learner you cannot do all care and safety activities.
Activities that require one to open up these tools are left to people who
have undergone specialized training on how to do it. Poor usage of ICTs
may expose them to:
i) Natural disasters such as rain, lightening, etc
ii) Theft
iii) Misuse of information through hacking
iv) Malicious software attacks such as viruses
v) Data corruption and loss, etc.
As an ICT user, there are certain tasks you can perform to ensure your ICT
tools are clean and safe.
These include:
1. Keep dust away: Dust your computer to keep it free of dust and dirt.
2. Keep food away: Do not eat or drink while working on the computer.
3. Use clean and dry hands: Make sure your hands are clean before you
type on the keyboard of click the mouse.
4. Treat with respect: If you are having problems with your computer,
ask for help. Do not bang or hit the computer.
5. Keep the Computer off power during a storm: When a computer
is connected to electricity during a heavy downpour, there is a
possibility of lightning being conducted to your computer through
the electrical connection. For this reason, it is best not to use your
computer during a storm.
6. Stop virus attack: A computer virus is a program written by a person
on purpose to harm other peoples’ computers.
A computer virus is passed from one computer o another when you
share and download files without the protection of antivirus
software.
For this reason, you should install antiviruses or get permission
before downloading files while using :ab computers.
7. Handle with care: The way you handle your ICTs will determine how
long they will last.
8. Frequently Update software: Always download and update the software
on your computer to allow it run efficiently
9. Only allow qualified technicians to carry out your computer servicing and
maintenance

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23

Laboratory rules and regulations

 You should move with a lot of care when you are in the lab. Never
enter the lab while running.
 Handle every computer device with maximum care without dropping
them down.
 Do not use foreign disks eg USB flash without permission
 Do not try to setup or alter any computer settings unless guided by the
lab attendant
 Do not expose computers to dusty environments, dump places and
strong heat.
 Call the lab technician or any experienced person in case you
encounter any problem when you are using the computer.
 Avoid disconnecting the parts of the computer unless you have been told
to do so.
 Always report any case of theft within the lab to the concerned
authorities.
 Do not eat or drink anything near computers. Liquid can splash on
the machines and spoil them.
 Always shut computers down through the right procedure.
 Cover the hardware devices after they have been cooled down.
 Always follow instructions of the instructors while in the computer lab.

ACTIVITY 1.9 Safety of ICTs

Do this activity in groups
1. Research about the following
a) Virus b) Spyware c) Worms
2. Identify other threats against computers
3. What are the best ways of handling and maintaining a computer?
4. Which tools or equipment can be used in servicing and maintaining ICTs

Maintenance tools and their functions

Maintenance Function
tool Can be used regularly to blow dust
out of a computer and other ICT
Dust blower tools

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 24

Regulates computer lab

temperatures.

Air conditioner

For cleaning computer outer components such as

Monitor, keyboard, system case, Mouse etc.

Form Cleaner

Works as power
UPS backup for the
computers to prevent
(Uninterruptable
abrupt power loss.
Power Supply)
It also regulates power
to the computer
Stops the fire in case of a fire
outbreak in the Computer room
Fire Extinguisher

Has the different tools that can

be used in repairing and
maintaining computers. They
Tool Kit include, Screw drivers, Nut
drivers, wire cutters, tweezers
etc.
An antistatic wrist strap, ESD
wrist strap, or ground bracelet
Anti-Static Wrist
is an antistatic device used to
Strap/ safely ground a person working
Ant Electro Static on very sensitive electronic
Discharge (ESD) equipment, to prevent the buildup of static
electricity on their body, which can result in ESD.

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25

Visually Records and monitors

all the activities in and around
the computer room, thereby
CCTV Cameras protecting them from theft and
enabling tracking any activity
that takes place in the Lab.

This protects the computers

against dust which could enter the
computers and cause damage
Computer cover

To absorb dust on the

lab floor and provide a
soft landing for
computer components
Wool carpet
in case any
accidentally falls down

These are bars and mesh

put in the computer
room doors and
windows to prevent
Burglar proof
unauthorized entry, theft
and intrusion to
computers

User Manuals
A user guide or user's guide, also commonly known as a manual, is a
technical document that gives assistance to people using a particular
system.
A User guide shown in figure below contains instructions on installing,
using, or troubleshooting a hardware or software product.

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ACTIVITY 1.11 Using a User manual / guide

Do this activity in groups

1. Using a user from any new device or one provided by
the
a) Identify the for which the user is
b) of the user in a) above including
the safety
Share your findings with the class

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27

Quick Check
Copy and complete the puzzle below to check your understanding.

Across Down
3. Programs used by a computer (8) 1. Technologies can mean this (4)
6. Most ICT devices have this component 2. Data entered into a computer is.... (5)
(8) 3. Computer Instructions or commands
7. Information Communications (10)
Technology (3) 4. Changing data into information (10)
8. A printed document on paper (8) 5. Proper turning off of a computer (10)
9. Physical part of a computer (8) 10. Science of designing tools while
12. This is processed data (11) considering user capabilities (10)
15. One of the famous social media 11. A place where learners go for
platforms. (8) computer practical (3)
16. A video call communication tool on the 13 is information viewed on a computer
Internet (5) screen (6)
16. Short form of International Network (8) 14. Human ware simply
means
19 ……….. is one of the major input devices (8)
18. Supermarkets use this device to bill
their customers (4)

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 28

Activity of Integration

Your school’s population has grown too big in recent days that the
existing class rooms are not enough. Your Head teacher wanted some
students to study from home for this term as the school tries to build
more structure.
1. Advice the Head teacher on the necessary ICT tools to be used and
what each tool will be used to solve the problem
2. Which other areas do you think the ICT solutions mentioned in (1)
above can be used?
3. How best can the teachers, Students and ICT tools be kept safe as
they interact during this period?

Chapter Summary
In this chapter, you have learnt about:
1. The meaning of ICT
2. Common ICTs at workplaces and their uses
3. Application of ICTs in our daily lives
4. Handling and maintaining of ICT tools
5. ICT safety precautions and Security threats

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29 Computer Hardware and System Startup

Chapter 2
Computer Hardware and System Startup

At the end of this Chapter, you will;

Key Words
a) know the physical devices of a computer
Hardware system and how each
Device b) assemble a computer
Booting c) safely start and shut down a computer
Peripheral
Processing d) use computer peripheral

Figure 13 Hardware Parts

Introduction
In this chapter you will learn about the physical parts of the computer
and their use in everyday life. Different parts of a computer are assembled
to make a complete computer.
Some of the hardware parts are internal components (within the system
case) while others are peripherals (externally connected to the system
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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 30

case through a port).

Computer Hardware
Hardware devices are the physical and tangible components of a computer.
Hardware comprises the parts of a computer we can touch. Have you ever used
a desktop computer? You realize that there is not any single part called a
computer. Generally, a computer is a system of many parts working
together as shown in figure 13 above.

Categories/ Types of Computer Hardware

When we were looking at the information processing cycle, we looked at the
stages such as Input, Processing, Storage and Output which involve changing
data to information. Similarly, every stage in the information processing cycle
has a computer hardware that facilitates it. Categories of computer hardware
include:
1. Input devices 4. Output hardware, and
2. Processing hardware 5. Communication hardware
3. Storage hardware
Communication Figure 14
Categories of
Devices
Hardware

Input Processing Output

Devices Devices Devices

Storage
Devices

Figure 15 Naming Computer Hardware

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31 Computer Hardware and System Startup

ACTIVITY 2.1 Categories Computer Hardware

1. Name the categories of hardware devices using figure 15 above

No. Name of Device Category
1. Monitor Output
2.
3.
4.
5.

Input Devices
Input devices are used for entering data into the computer. After data
input, other processes can follow.
Input devices include the following among others
1. Keyboard
2. Mouse
3. Touch screen
4. Biometric input, etc.

Keyboard
A keyboard is one of the primary input devices of a computer. It is used to
enter data and instruction/ commands.
Users also use keyboards to types texts or words and numbers into a computer.
Parts of a Keyboard

Control Keys

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 32

Keys on the keyboard can be divided into several groups based on function.
Parts of the keyboard include:
 Typing (alphanumeric) keys. These keys include the Alphabetical letters,
number, punctuation, and symbol keys as found on a traditional typewriter.
 Control keys. These keys are used alone or in combination with other keys
to perform certain actions.
 Function keys. The function keys are used to perform specific tasks. They
are labeled as F1 to F12. The functionality of these keys differs from program
to program.
 Navigation keys. These keys are used for moving around in documents or
webpages and editing text. They include the arrow keys, Home, End, Page
Up, Page Down, Delete, and Insert.
 Numeric keypad. The numeric keypad is handy for entering numbers
quickly. The keys are grouped together in a block like a conventional
calculator or adding machine.
The following illustration shows how these keys are arranged on a typical
keyboard. Your keyboard layout might be different.

ACTIVITY 2.2 Using a Keyboard

Do this activity with a friend

1. With the guidance of the teacher, open any word processor

and type a brief story about your school.
2. Try to practice the different keyboard techniques using
different programs

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33 Computer Hardware and System Startup

Some Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Function/ Operation
Ctrl + C Copy
Ctrl + V Paste a copied Item
Ctrl + W Close the current program
Ctrl + N Open new document or item
Ctrl + X Cut
Ctrl + P Print a document
Ctrl + B Bolden a selected text, etc.

Mouse
This is an input device that controls the movement of the
cursor or pointer on the screen.
It acts as the electronic finger of the computer on the
screen
Parts of a desktop mouse
Right button
Left mouse
button

Scroll button
USB
Connector

Types of Mice
There are several types of mice which include
Wired Mouse. A wired mouse connects directly to your desktop or laptop,
usually through a USB port
Wireless Mouse. Wireless mice transmit radio signals to a receiver connected to
your computer.
Trackball Mouse. It senses movement by rotating the ball with the thumb or
palms of the hand rather than turning the entire mouse around.
Touchpad mouse. It allows the user to move a cursor/ pointer with their finger
The following are the functions of a mouse:
 Pointing. This allows the user to position the cursor/ pointer on an item
 Clicking. This the pressing of the left mouse button once
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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 34

 Right click. Pressing the right mouse button once

 Double click. Pressing the left mouse button twice simultaneously
 Selecting. Holding the left mouse button and dragging it over the area of
the items you want to chose
 Dragging. Click, holding the left button and moving the selected item to
another location.
ACTIVITY 2.3 Using a Mouse

Do this activity with a friend

1. Using a mouse in the computer lab, try to click, right click,
double click and drag any item on the computer screen
2. Show your neighbor what other activities can be done using a
mouse

Biometric devices
A biometric device is an input device that identifies a personal body part and
converts it into a digital code that is compared with a digital code stored in the
computer.
Examples of Biometric devices
include;
Fingerprint scanner
Facial scanner
Iris/ retina recognition
Voice recognition

Touch Screen
A touch screen is a touch-sensitive display device that works as both an input
and output. User can interact with these devices by touching areas of the
screen

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35 Computer Hardware and System Startup

Digital Cameras and Video cameras

A digital camera is a hardware device that takes
photographs and stores the image as data on a
memory card
OR
Is a camera which captures and produces digital
images that can be stored in a computer and
displayed on screen

A Video camera is an electronic device that

captures and records motion pictures and sound at the same time.
The recorded videos can be stored for future use or displayed on the screen, and
can be edited

Processing Devices

Processing devices are parts of a computer that convert data into information.
The major processing device is called the CPU which acts as the brain of the
computer
Some processing devices include;
1. CPU (Central Processing Unit)/ Microprocessor
2. Motherboard
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
This is a chip that controls and executes all computer operations. It is some times
referred to as the microprocessor or simply the processor.
The higher the processor speed the faster the computer in its operations.
Processor speed is measured in Hertz (Hz)

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 36

Note: 1000Hz = 1KHz, 1000KHz = 1MHz, 1000MHz = 1GHz

Figure 16 CPU Chip

The CPU made up of three major components/ parts, ie.

1. Control Unit. This controls and coordinates all computer operations
2. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU). This performs all the mathematical and
logical operations. Its the part that executes the instructions
3. Registers/ Memory Unit. This is a high speed temporary memory that
holds data, program instructions and intermediate results of the
computation for the processor during its operation.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

On the other hand helps to speedup the processor operations by temporarily
holding data, and program instructions for the CPU during the computer’s
operations. Computers with higher amounts of RAM tend to be relatively fast,
however its not only RAM that determines the computers speed

Figure 17 RAM Chips

RAM is referred to as Volatile memory because it looses its content when

power is switched off.
The Motherboard
The motherboard is a circuit board that allows connection of all the internal and
external hardware components in order for them to communicate and work as
a system.

OR

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37 Computer Hardware and System Startup

The motherboard, is a single circuit board that provides the path through which
the processor communicates with memory components, other components,
and peripheral devices.

Internal components such as the CPU, RAM chips, Hard disk and all external
components such as Keyboard, Monitor, Mouse, Printer are connected together
through the motherboard
Its sometimes known as the Backbone of the computer

ACTIVITY 2.4 Processing Devices

Do this activity in a group

1. What is the difference between system unit and RAM?

2. Computer Y has a processing speed of 3000KHz while
computer Z has processor speed of 2.5MHz.
a) Which of the two is faster and why?
b) How many Hertz does computer Z have?

Peripheral devices

These are external devices which are connected to the computer for specific
functions.
They are not inside the system case but are connected to the motherboard
through ports

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 38

A Port is a space on the system case where peripheral devices are connected
Common ports include;
1. VGA port 2. USB port 3. HDMI port
4. Ethernet port 5. Sound/ audio port 6. Serial port, etc.

ACTIVITY 2.6 Using Peripheral devices

Do this activity in a group

1. Other than a monitor, identify any other peripheral devices and
the ports they connect to.
Discuss your findings with other class members

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39 Computer Hardware and System Startup

Storage Devices and Storage Media

Figure 18 Storage devices

These are used for storing data or information for future use.
The storage devices can be inside the computer itself (internal) or can be put
outside (external) of the computer.

Figure 19 Differentiating between Storage Device and Storage Media

A Storage device drive can read and write data on a storage media
Storage media is the physical surface or material where data and information
is stored
Sometimes storage devices can be looked at in terms of the methods used
to store data on them. For example, can you compare a flash disk and a CD?
The method of storing data on each of these devices is different.

Classification of storage devices

There are two major categories of storage devices. They include
 Primary storage. These are internal high speed storages which a
computer can not work without. Primary storages such as RAM
temporarily stores data and information for the computer is one of the
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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 40

examples.
 Secondary Storage. These store data permanently unless intentionally
deleted by the user. They can be removed from the computer or
connected externally, eg. Hard disk drive, Flash disk, CD/DVDs, etc.

Common terms in Storage devices

A storage medium is the physical material on which the computer stores its data.
Storage capacity is the number of bytes (amount of data or characters) a
storage media can hold.
Reading is the process through which data on storage media can be accessed by
the computer.
Writing is the process through which data is transferred from the computer’s
memory to a storage media.
Access time is the amount of time it takes for a storage drive to locate data or an
item on a storage media.
Transfer rate is the speed at which data, instructions and information are moved
to and from a device.
Examples of storage media
1. Hard disk
2. Flash disk
3. Compact disc (CD) and DVDs
4. Memory cards, etc.
Hard Disk
Hard disk is one of the main storage media found inside the system unit.
Currently Solid State Disks (SSD) are replacing hard disks because they provide
faster speed as compared to hard disks.

Figure 20 External and internal appearance of a Hard disk drive

Figure 21 Internal and External appearance of a Solid State Disk

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41 Computer Hardware and System Startup

Advantages of a hard disk

 HDD has a large storage capacity.
 It is fixed inside a computer so cannot be lost.
 Faster than optical disks like DVDs
 It can store data like text documents, pictures, videos, audio, files, etc.
 It can also store operating system files as well as all software-related files.
 Store items can't lose when the computer switches off.

Disadvantages of HDD
 Relies on moving parts which makes it slow.
 The disk surface can be damaged due to movements.
 Heavy power consumption.
 It is noisy because of the moving parts.
 Slower read and write speed than SSD.
 The regular head can crash and damage the surface of the disk.
 If a hard disk crashes the computer will not work and your data will lose.
 This disk is inside in computer so it can not easily be transferred to another
computer.
 If it eventually fails, the whole computer stops working at the same
moment or at that time.

Solid state Hard Drive/ Disk

This is a hard disk which does not have any
movable parts. Data stored on it is written
and erased electronically just like a USB
flash disk or memory card. They do not
have any rotating elements, they are
completely silent, consume less power
and are smaller than HDDs. Reading and
writing operations are performed faster in
SSDs (files are opened, saved and deleted
faster).
Other storage media include USB flash disk, CD, DVD, external Hard disk, etc.

External Hard
A CD Flash disk & Memory cards Disk

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 42

The advantages of Flash disks over CDs are

1. They have a larger storage capacity of up to 168GB compared to the
700MBs of a CD
2. A flash is solid state which make it faster than an optical CD
3. Its more portable to transport then CDs
4. Can not easily bend or break but CDs easily bend and break
5. Flash disks are not easily affected by scratches just like the case with CDs
6. A flash can read and write data for as many times as possible but some
CDs like CD-ROMs write data only once
ACTIVITY 2.5 Storage devices & Media

Do this activity in a group

1. Why should a computer have primary storage?
2. Compare a Hard disk to an SSD, which one would you prefer
and why?
3. With the guidance of a teacher, use your computer and copy
some files from the hard disk to the USB Flash.
Discuss your findings with other class members

Output Hardware
Output devices are used for present or display information.
Output can be in form of a soft copy or hard copy.
Softcopy is the electronic form of data or information e.g. Information displayed
on the computer screen or projector or any display device or any information
kept on a computer.
Advantages of Soft copy include;
 Can easily be transported or shared from one computer to another
 Can easily be modified and edited
 Not prone to physical damage such as rain, moisture, etc.
 Can be secured with passwords and other forms of data protection
 Saves materials such as paper that could be used to print
Disadvantages of soft copy may be;
 Can easily be hacked
 Requires a computer to read it
 Prone to virus attacks
 Doesn’t support computer illiterate
Hard copy is any form of information that is printed on a media, paper or any

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43 Computer Hardware and System Startup

physical surface.
Advantages of a hardcopy include;
 It cannot easily be changed without trace.
 It can be read off-line without a computer.
 It doesn‘t require computer devices in order to read the output hence
becoming cheap.
 Hardcopies last longer if stored in a safe place compared to a softcopy
which must all the time be changed with the technological developments
taking place.
 Hardcopies cannot be attacked by viruses as the case with the softcopy.
Examples of output devices
Monitors Projectors Printers Speaker, etc.
Monitors
Monitors are the major output devices that display information on a screen.
Monitors can display images, texts, graphics and videos, etc.
There are two major types of monitors, that is;
1. Flat panel monitors ( Liquid crystal display LCD)
2. Cathode ray tube monitors (CRT)

LCD Monitor CRT Monitor

Advantages of LCDs/ Flat panels over CRTs
 Requires and consume little power than CRTs.
 Take up/ occupy less desk space than CRT.
 They emitted very little radiation as compared to CRTs.
 They can provide larger display sizes exceeding 72 inches which isn’t
possible with CRTs
 They are not bulk like CRTs
Note:
Monitors are connected to the System unit with cables such as VGA cable,
HDMI cable and DVI cable through their respective ports

Projector
A projector is an output device that displays images by projecting light onto a
large surface, such as a white screen or wall.
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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 44

It may be used an alternative to a monitor or television when showing video or

images to a large group of people.

Speakers
These are audio output devices used to produce sound.
Most personal computers have a small internal speaker that usually outputs only
low-quality sound.
For this reason, many personal computer users add external speaker systems for
better quality sound output

External Speakers Internal Speaker

Printers
A printer is an output device that produces text and graphics on a physical
medium such as paper.
Printed information is called hard copy.
It exists physically and in a more permanent form.

Factors to consider when buying a printer

1. Printing speed. Faster printers produce more copies in a shorter time
saving the user’s time
2. Eco-friendly. The printer should cause less harm to the environment.
3. Parts and services. The printer should have spare parts and services in
case it breaks down

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45 Computer Hardware and System Startup

4. Ink or tonner used

5. Resolution. If a printer has a higher resolution the its output is equally
better
6. Type and size of paper supported
7. Compatibility with your system. It should be able to work with the current
hardware and software on your computer
8. Type of the Printer. If the printer is impact, then its slower than non-
impact printers
9. Cost of the printer
10. Manufacturer
ACTIVITY 2.7 Output devices

Do this activity in pairs

2. Other than a monitor, identify any other display devices and how it works.
3. Assuming you father wants to buy a monitor to use on his computer in his
stationary shop, what type of monitor would you recommend and why
4. Identify the types of printers used at your school
5. Visit the school Computer lab and identify some common output devices and
summarize your findings in the table below
No Output Device What it outputs Function
1. Speaker Sound - Used to produce sound
2.
3.
4.
5.
Present your findings to the class members

Communication Devices
In a computer system, different hardware must communicate in order for them
to work as a system. The communication can be internal within a computer or
external between computing devices.
Communication devices are needed to help connect these systems

USB Modem

Figure 22 Communication & Networking Devices

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 46

Communication Devices are used to Connect computing devices in order for

them to send, receive messages and share data information and resources. They
include, Modems, Routers, Network interface card, Network cables etc.

Examples of communication devices include

i) Network interface card (NIC)
ii) Modem (Modulator-demodulator)
iii) Network switch
iv) Router
v) Bluetooth devices
vi) Wi-fi adapters, etc.
Advantages of communication devices
 Enables sharing of hardware resources such as printers, scanners, storage
devices hence reducing costs.
 Enables sharing of data and information stored on other computers on the
network.
 Facilitates communication between people via e-mail, instant messaging,
chat rooms, telephony, videoconferencing, etc.
 Reduces costs that would be incurred to buy individual hardware that can
rather be shared over a network
 Saves the hustle of installing programs on individual computers since they
can be shared over a network.
 Facilitate cloud computing through the internet.
 Enables telecommuting, teleconference and video conferencing
ACTIVITY 2.8 Understanding Communication devices

Do this activity in groups

1. With guidance of the teacher, use any communication devices in your
computer lab to connect two or more computing devices. Share with
you class your observation
Present your findings to the class members

Note: In comparison to the human being, hardware may be considered as

the body parts while software is the behavior or thoughts of humans.

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47 Computer Hardware and System Startup

Assembling a Computer System

At the beginning of this chapter, we looked at hardware devices which
can be categorized as input, processing, storage, output and communication
devices.

When these devices are connected together, they make up a functioning

computer . For a computer to work well, the above hardware devices must
be connected properly. For instance, a keyboard, mouse, monitor should
be connected to the System unit; the system unit and monitor then
connected to power either directly to the sockets or through a UPS by use of
power cables.

Setting Up a Desktop Computer

Step 1
Unpack the monitor and computer case from the box. Place the monitor and
computer case on a desk or work area.
Place your computer case in an area that is well ventilated and has good air
flow. This will help to prevent the computer from overheating.
Step 2
Locate the monitor cable (VGA, HDMI, DVI etc.). If you're having trouble finding
your monitor cable, refer to the instruction manual for your computer. (If you
have an all-in-one computer that's built into the monitor, you can skip to Step
4).

Figure 23 HDMI Cable Figure 24 VGA Cable

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 48

Step 3
Connect one end of the cable to the monitor port on the back of the
computer case and the other end to the monitor.

Step 4
Unpack the keyboard and determine whether it uses a USB (rectangular)
connector or a PS/2 (round) connector. Connect it the right port

Step 5
Unpack the mouse and determine whether it uses a USB or PS/2 connector and
connect it to the right port.
If you have a wireless mouse or keyboard, you may need to connect the USB
adapter to your computer.

Step 6
If you have external speakers or headphones, you
can connect them to your computer's audio port
(either on the front or back of the computer case).
Many computers have color-coded ports. Speakers

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49 Computer Hardware and System Startup

or headphones connect to the green port, and microphones connect to the

pink port. The blue port is the line in, which can be used with other types of
devices.
Step 7
Locate the two power supply cables that came with
your computer. Plug the first power supply cable into
the back of the computer case and then into a surge
protector. Then, using the other cable, connect the
monitor to the surge protector.
You can also use an uninterruptable power supply
(UPS), which acts as a surge protector and provides
temporary power if there is a power outage.
Step 8
Finally, plug the surge protector into a wall outlet. You
may also need to turn on the surge protector if it has a
power switch.
If you don't have a surge protector, you can plug the
computer directly into the wall. However, this is not
recommended because electrical surges can damage
your computer.
Step 9
If you have a printer, scanner, webcam, or other
peripherals, you can connect them at this point. Many
peripherals are plug and play, which means they will
be recognized by your computer as soon as they are
plugged in. Other peripherals may include software
that needs to be installed before you can begin using
them. Use the instructions included with the device to install it if necessary.
Generally, peripherals are optional, and you can add new ones at any time; you
don't have to add all peripherals during the initial setup of your computer.

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 50

ACTIVITY 2.9 Assembling a Desktop Computer

Do this activity in groups

1. With from your a

system from its various provided in the
You can make to the

i) Check all the required are

ii) Locate the monitor cable. It will usually be either a or
cable. will often have blue to
make them easier to
iii) Connect one end of the cable to the monitor port on the
back of the case and the other end to
the monitor. the on
the cable to secure
iv) Connect other by critically looking at the port

v) Locate the power supply cables. Plug the first power

supply cable into the of the
case, and then into a surge Then,
using the cable, the monitor to the
surge
vi) Finally, plug the surge into a wall
may also need to turn surge

2. Explain any key steps followed to a system

in 1.
3. What must be taken while a

Present your findings to the class members

Setting up a laptop computer

If you have a laptop, setup should be very easy. Just open it up and press the
power button. If the battery is not charged, you will need to plug in the AC
adapter and charge it before using it.
If your laptop has any peripherals, such as external speakers, you may want

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51 Computer Hardware and System Startup

to read the instructions below, since laptops and desktops generally use the
same types of connections.

Starting and Shutting down a Computer System

After assembling a computer as instructed above, the next step is how it
can be powered on correctly, used and then shut down with proper
procedures.

Figure 25 Fully setup Computer ready for startup

The process of starting a computer is called booting. Booting can either be
Cold booting or Warm booting
Cold booting is the starting of a computer which was initially totally off
Warm boot is the process of restarting a computer which is already on

Reasons for warm booting may include

 During the installation of an operating system such as windows
 After connecting or disconnecting a hardware
 When the computer freezes
 When the reboot is deliberate and scheduled by the user
 To clear the computer’s memory
 After installing or uninstalling an application software or utility
 After scanning for viruses, etc.
Starting up a computer:
Make sure all the components are well connected.
1. Switch on the electricity socket
2. Switch on the Uninterruptible Power Supply Unit if you have one, if
not, skip to step 3.
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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 52

3. Press the power button on the computer monitor first.

4. Press the power button on the system unit.
5. The computer should now start to boot and load windows.
6. If the welcome screen appears, select your username and enter the
password.
7. The Desktop should now appear.
8. Give it time to load the elements and start up programs.

1 2

3 4

Figure 26 Steps of starting a Desktop computer

Shutting down a Computer System

Turn off Computer option is located on the Start menu as shown in figure 2.4.
The Turn off Computer dialog has the Turn off the computer, Sleep, and
Restart Options.

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53 Computer Hardware and System Startup

ACTIVITY 2.9 Starting & Shutting down a computer

Do this activity in pairs

1. Using Figure 25, name the stage involved in starting a computer
2. Explain the logical order of switching on the system
how it can be shut down
3. Stating from a fully system, how a
can be switched on and later switched off after
4. What be in 2.
Present your findings to the class members

Quick Check
Puzzle: Computer hardware and system start-up
Copy and complete the puzzle below to check your understanding.

Cross 14. Hardware includes input, output

2. To press a mouse button (5) and processing... (7)
4. Processor speed is measured in .....(5) 16. Main output device (7)
7. A portable computer (5) 17. Connectors in ICT can be (8)
8. The longest key on a keyboard (8) 19. A hard disk is an example of a ......
11. A device that turns a softcopy into a device (7)
hard copy (7) Down
13. ICT tool used when presenting to a 1. To highlight text (6)
large audience (9)

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 Computer Hardware and System Startup 54
3. Making a similar or identical version 10.Uninterruptible power supply (3)
of a text or image (7) 12. A personal computer (7)
A portable storage device (5) 15. Starting a computer (7)
5. Audio output devices (8) 17. Main processing device of a
9. ICT tool attached to a computer computer (3)
(10) 18. A pointing device (5)

Activity of Integration 2
Your School is planning to have a careers day to sensitise S.1
the of The 100
of S.1 will in the main hall which has a power
supply. The career’s will pictures and videos
showing areas where various are
Task
Advise the career’s on which devices
will be how they work to her to
the

In this you have learnt

Computer Hardware and how they work
Summary

b) Categories of computer Hardware

Chapter

Computer Peripherals
Assembling a Computer System
Starting and Shutting down a computer

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55 File and Folder Management

Chapter 3
ICT File and Folder Management

After reading this chapter, you will be able to

Key Word 1. Create and manage files and folders
File 2. Use different types of storage media to save and
Folder transfer files and folders
Storage 3. Convert data storage into various units

Introduction
File management is about arranging your work on a computer in a way
that makes it easy to use and access/ find. While working with your
computer programs, you create and save files, such as letters, drawings,
or budgets in an organized way. You use folders to group related files, as
with paper folders in a file cabinet.

File and Folders

A file is a named collection of related data created by a computer program
and kept on a computer storage media
A Folder is a named location that keeps a collection of related files and
subfolders. A folder is a virtual container
Files can be stored in folders. Folders can be stored within other folders

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 Files and Folder Management 56

and these are referred to as Sub folders. Examples of the appearances

of a file and a folder in windows Operating System is shown below.

Files

Folders

Filenames are made up of two parts; File name and file extension.
The name can be up to 256 characters long, including spaces while
the file extension is determined by the application being used.
File Name and File Extension
A File Name is a set of characters that are used to identify a given file.
However some symbols like “ * : <>? \ | / are not allowed in file names.
File Extension is the end part of a file name separated by a dot that
represents the program/ application the file is associated with
Some examples of file extensions are shown in the table below.
Application/ File format File extension
Microsoft Word/ Word processor .doc / .docx
Microsoft PowerPoint/ Presentation
.ppt / .pptx
software

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57 File and Folder Management

MS Excel .xls
.mp4/ .avi/ .3gp/ .mkv/
Video file
.mpeg/ .vob etc.
Portable Document Format eg. Adobe
.pdf
Reader

Files and folders can be stored on various storage media such as Flash
disks and Hard disks and Compact Discs etc.
Advantages of file management are
 Helps the user to keep related files in one place
 Reduces delay as the user can easily identify and find his files
 Gives the user control over who can access his information
 Helps the user to easily organize his information
 The user can easily share his files
 The user can create, and manage his files through file
management

Activity 3.1: File, Folders and File Extension

1. What challenge can a person face wile dealing with his files
2. Why should your class teacher organize his files well
3. Differentiate between physical and computer files
4. Why do you think folders are a good practice for the user to keep their
files
5. With the guidance of tour teacher, try to check the properties of any
computer file and identify the program it is associated with

Creating Files and folders

It is good practice to use a Personal Folder to organize your files. This is
the equivalent of a filing cabinet in paper filing. Folders can be created on
the Desktop or any storage media of the computer. Subfolders can then
be created for subject areas within a folder. Within these, further
subfolders can be used to organize the files within each subject.
Creating a folder
If you are creating a new folder on the desktop;
1. Right click on any blank space and a menu appears

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 Files and Folder Management 58

2. Move the pointer to New and an expanded menu appears, click on

Folder

3. A New Folder appears, delete the default name “New folder” and type
in a desired name and press Enter
Creating a folder in any other location
1. Go to the location where you want to create the folder
2. Right click in the blank space and the menu will appear
3. Select New and click on Folder
4. A folder icon will appear, rename it and press Enter
Creating Files
1. Open the folder you created and Right click in blank space
2. Go to New and click on any file type you wish to create
3. A file icon will be created and rename it as intended

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59 File and Folder Management

4. Press Enter key to save the new file

This organization will make files easier to find and backing up your files will
involve copying the folder to the backup device.

Activity 3.2: Creating File and Folders

Folders can be created by a number of methods:

Method 1:
1. Browse to where you want to create the folder.
2. Click the Home, choose New Folder and then type the name of
your choice

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 Files and Folder Management 60

3. The folder is created.

4. Type a name for the folder and
press Enter or click away from
the folder to complete.

Method 3:
A folder can be created while
saving a file in a computer
application.
1 . In Microsoft Word, click the Office button/ File and choose Save As and
Word Document

2. Browse to the required folder and click the Create New Folder button.
3. Name the folder and Double-click it to open it. Save the file in the new
folder.

Managing Files and Folders

Files and folders can be organized by being Selected, Copied, Pasted,
Moved, Renamed and Deleted.

Activity 3.3: Selecting Files and Folders

1. Open a drive or go to desktop where there are files and folders.

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61 File and Folder Management

2. To select a single file, just click it. It changes colour on selection.

3. To select consecutive files, click the first file, hold down the Shift key and
select the last file. The files in between are automatically selected.

4. To select non-consecutive files, hold down the Ctrl key and select the
files in turn.

5. To select all the files in a folder, click the Home and choose Select All or
Press Ctrl + A
Note: The above procedures apply equally to groups of folders.
These procedures are tried in Microsoft windows, they may not apply to
different Operating systems

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 Files and Folder Management 62

Copying, Cutting and Pasting Files and

Folders
Copying
Is the process of duplicating a file/ folder while leaving the original in its place.
Cutting
Is the process of removing the original file/ folder from its original
position without leaving the original
NB; When a file/ folder is cut, the original is removed from its place while
when it is copied, the original remains in its original place.
Pasting
Is the process of placing the copied or cut file/folder into a selected location

Activity 3.4: Copying, Cutting and Pasting

1. First select the required file/s.
2. Then right-click the files and choose Copy.

Note: The files are copied to an area of the memory called Clipboard.
3. Browse to the destination folder, right-click it and choose Paste.

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63 File and Folder Management

Moving Files without Leaving a Copy

The procedure is similar to copy and paste except that instead of choosing
Copy, you choose Cut.

Renaming Files/Folders
Files must be renamed individually. To rename a file, right-click it and
choose Rename. Type the new name and press Return or click away from
the file.

Deleting Files
Select the files to be deleted. Right-click the selected file and choose delete
from the menu. Click the Yes button in the dialog box.

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 Files and Folder Management 64

The Recycle Bin

Files and folders deleted from the computer are placed in the recycle bin.
They are not lost until the recycle bin is emptied.

Activity 3.5: Managing files in the Recycle Bin

Bin
1. Delete a folder normally by right-clicking the folder and selecting Delete.
2. Check in the Recycle Bin to confirm if the folder/file has arrived.

3. To Undelete the folder, right-click the recycle bin and choose Open.

4. From the Recycle bin, choose Right Click the file/ folder and click restore
to restore it to its original location as it gets out of the recycle bin.

Identifying file path and other file properties

A file path is the exact location of a file. It includes the drive letter, folder, sub
folder, and file name.

For example, the file “Path” is in the DIT folder as shown in Figure below

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65 File and Folder Management

In the above example, file path is

"C:\Desktop\DIT\path.docx"
 C. is the drive name where the folder is stored.
 Desktop is the location where the folder DIT is found
 DIT is the folder on drive C in which the file is stored.
 Path is the name of the file.
 .docx is the file extension.

In case the DIT folder had a sub folder called Cleaning in which the file is
placed, the file path would appear as:
"C:\Desktop\DIT\Cleaning\path.docx"

Other folder properties can be got from right-clicking a file or folder and
then selecting 'Properties'

Measurement of Storage Capacity

When measuring distance, we use meters, like wise, we use various units to
measure storage Capacities. These range from Bits, Bytes, Kilobytes etc.
The larger the storage capacity, the more the amount of data a storage
media can hold

Figure 27 Examples of Storages and capacities

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 Files and Folder Management 66

One hard disk can be partitioned into several logical storage divisions

Activity 3.6: Identifying Storage Capacities

Do this activity in pairs

1. Identify the storage capacities of the devices in figure 27 above
Device/ folder Storage Capacity
Local Disk C:
New Volume D:
2. Go to the Desktop of your computer and check the size of any two
files and folders saved there

Units of Storage Capacities

In a computer system, data is represented using the binary system;
combinations of binary digits (bits). There are only two binary digits, 1 and 0.
These digits can be arranged in such a way that they represent characters,
digits and other values.
Data storage has various units including bits (b), Bytes (B), Kilobytes (KB),
Megabytes (MB), Gigabytes (GB), and Terabytes (TB).
i. Bit;
- Is the smallest unit of measurement of computer memory.
- Each 0 or 1 is called a ―Bit
iii. Byte;
- It is a group of eight binary digits (bits)
- A byte represents one character or digit.
- It is the fundamental (basic) unit for measuring computer‘s memory.
iv. A kilo byte (KB);
- Is a group of approximately 1000 bytes (or exactly 210 or 1024 bytes)
v. Megabyte (MB);
- Is a group of 1024 kilobytes (or exactly 220 bytes)
vi. Giga byte (GB);
- Is a group of 1024 megabytes (or exactly 230 bytes)
vii. Terabyte (TB);
- Is a group of one trillion bytes (240 bytes or 1024 GB)

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67 File and Folder Management

Unit Short Storage Capacity

Form
Bit b Binary digit. It can hold either 0 or 1
It is the smallest unit
Nibble N Is a group of 4 bits
Byte B 8 bits
Kilo Byte KB 1024 Bytes
Mega Byte MB 1024 Kilo Bytes
Giga Byte GB 1024Megabytes
Terabyte TB 1025 GB

Memory Units Conversions

1. How many bits are required to store the following words?
a) COMPUTING
b) HIGH_SCHOOL
c) 300C
2. Does a document with 1,001,024 characters fit onto a standard floppy
disk?
3. Convert:
(i) 200kb to bits
(ii) 5,120,000 bytes to Megabyte

Solutions:
1. (a) COMPUTER = 8 Characters
But 1 character = 8 bits
↔8characters = 8x8
=64 bits

(b) HIGH_SCHOOL =11 characters(bytes)

But 1 character a(byte) =8 bits
↔11characters =11x8
=88 bits

2. A standard floppy disk has a capacity of 1.4MB

1.4MB =1.44X1024X1024 bytes
= 1509949.44 bytes

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 Files and Folder Management 68

Therefore, since a floppy disk accommodates 1,509,949.44 characters,

the document of 1,001,024can fit well

3. (i) 200kb =200X1024X8

=1638400 bits

(ii) 5,120,000 bytes to Megabytes

1MB =1024X1024 =1048576 bytes
1
↔1 byte = MB
1048576
1
5,210,000 = 𝑥 5,120,000 𝑀𝐵
1048576

=4.8828125 MB

Activity 3.7: Storage Capacity Conversion

Do this activity in pairs
1. Convert the following:
(i) 1000000 KB to GB (ii) 16777216 bits to MB
(iii) 2.5 TB to MB
2. A flash disk has a storage capacity of 29GB. What is its capacity in
MBs?
3. How many times can the flash disk in 3 above be used to transfer data
from a Hard disk of 256GB?
Present your findings to the class

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69 File and Folder Management

Activity of Integration

1. A researcher saved her draft work on a CD ROM from a

friend’s computer with an intention of sending it to her
supervisor by e-mail once she got home. However, on
reaching home, she realized that her computer could not
read a CD ROM.

Task:
How can you advise this researcher to have her work sent to
the supervisor without physically going back to her friend

2. A student borrowed a computer with a hard disk of 40GB

on which he saved his project work for 3 years. The project
work on the hard disk is stored on a space of 30GB.
Recently, the owner of the computer requested to have it
backed up and provided the student with a pack of 100
CDs each with a storage capacity of 700MB on which
project data can be transferred.

Task:
a) Describe how the project data could be transferred from
the hard disk onto the CDs provided by the student.
b) How many CDs full of data do you think the student used?
Give reasons for you answer.

In this you have learnt

Summary
Chapter

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 Word Processing 1 70

Chapter 4

Word Processing I

Key Word By the end of this chapter, you will be able to

Word Processing 1. Understand what a word processor is and its
Editing interface
Formatting
2. Use a word processing software to create,
Layout
Ribbons edit, format and print documents

Introduction
Word processing is a very important skill for you if you are aiming at becoming
computer literate. Once you have learnt how to word process, you will be in
position to use word processing software (e.g. MS Word) appropriately to
create, edit and print documents.

There are specialized programs which you can use to word process. Such
programs are called word processors. A word processor has numerous
features whose uses you need to understand if you are to use it appropriately.

Word Processing is the creating, editing, saving and printing of text

documents

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71 Word Processing 1

A Word processor is an application software used to create, edit, save and

print text based documents
Examples of Word Processor
 Microsoft word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365,etc.
 Word perfect  Open Office writer
 AbiWord  Polaris office
 Google Docs  WPS Word, etc.
Documents Created Using a Word processor
Word processed documents are mostly text based, but some may include
minimal graphics such as tables, shapes, simple photos etc.
Some of word processed documents include:
1. Letters 4. Magazines
2. Memos 5. News letters
3. Text books 6. Reports
7. Invoices etc.
Advantages of Electronic Word Processors
 Allow text to be edited easily e.g. insert, delete and move text
anywhere in the current document
 Errors can easily be corrected using features such as Spell
check, thesaurus, etc.
 It can be used in mailing documents using mail merge feature.
 It can be used in handling simple graphics e.g. tables, frames, shapes
 It is used in creation of tables which are used to present data in a more
organized way.
 It can be used in sharing of documents.
 It can be used by researches to compare data using graphs and charts.
 They are used in creation of letters, document, memos etc.
 Helps in electronically saving documents on a storage device.

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 Word Processing 1 72

Microsoft Word
Microsoft Office Word is one of the most commonly used word processing
software. Different versions of Microsoft Office Word include MS Word 2007,
2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365. In this book we are going to demonstrate using
Microsoft Office Word 2007 Platform.

Starting Microsoft Word 2016

To start any program, it must be installed on your computer, likewise for you
to open MS Word 2016, you must have installed MS Office 2016 on your
computer
Steps of Opening MS Word 2016
1. Click on the Windows icon (Start Button)

Start

2. Click All App or go to the Search Box and type Word and the MS
Word 2016 icon will appear
Search Box

Click on
the Word
Icon to
open

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 Word Processing 1 73

3. The word window will open with several templates. However there is a
blank template that you can select to start typing a fresh document.
See figure below

4. Word window opens

Parts of a word Window

Title bar. This displays the document name, followed by a program name.
Menu bar. This contains a list of options to manage and customize
documents.

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 Word Processing 1 74

Standard toolbar. This contains shortcut buttons for the most popular
commands its some times called Quick Access Tool Bar
Formatting toolbar. This contains buttons that are used for formatting and
contains command groups
Ruler. This is used to set margins, indents, and tabs.
Insertion point. This is the location where the next character appears.
End-of-document marker. This indicates the end of the document.
Help. This provides quick access to Help topics.
Scroll bars. These are used to view parts of the document.
Status bar. This displays the position of the insertion point and working mode
buttons.
Task pane. This provides easy access to commonly used menus, buttons, and
tools.
View buttons. This changes the layout view of the document to Normal view,
Web Layout view, Reading Layout view, Print Layout view, Outline view, and
Full Screen view.
Office Assistant. This links to the Microsoft Office Help feature.
Views in Word 2016
In order to provide various ways in which to view your work in progress and
remain organized, Word 2016 offers different views for your document. These
are; Normal view, Web Layout view, Reading Layout view, Print Layout
view, Outline view, and Full Screen view.

Normal view is best used for typing, editing, formatting, and proofreading. It
provides a maximum amount of space without rulers or page numbers
cluttering your view.
Web Layout view shows you what your text will look like on a webpage.
Reading Layout view is best for documents you do not need to edit. The
goal of this view is to increase legibility so users can read documents easily.
Print Layout view shows you what your document will look like when it is
printed. Under Print Layout view, you can see all elements of the page. Print
Preview shows you this as well.
Outline view is used to create and edit outlines. Outline view only shows the
headings in a document. This view is particularly handy when making notes.

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 Word Processing 1 75

Full Screen view displays ONLY the document you are working on. All other
pieces of the Word window are removed except for one button, which allows
you to Close View Screen.
Features of Word processor
Editing
It is the process of making changes to the existing content of a document.
This involves correcting some error, adding or removing some information
and making adjustment to the document

Common editing features

These include;
Copying Cutting Pasting Inserting Deleting Undo
Redo Selecting Find Replace, etc.
Undo
It is the feature that allows actions that have been performed to be reversed
such that if some text was accidentally deleted, then the action can be
undone.
Redo. It is the feature that allows actions that have been undone to be
reversed.
Inserting. It is an editing feature that allows adding text or graphics to a
document.
Deleting. Is the process of erasing text or graphics from a document.
Cutting. Is the process of removing the original text from its original
position onto the clipboard
Copying. Is the process of duplicating and storing text on the clipboard.
NB; When text is cut, the original text is removed from its place while when
text is copied, the original text remains in its original place.
Pasting. Is the process of removing the text from the clipboard into the
document.
Find. This feature allows the user to locate all occurrences of a particular
character, word or phrase.
Replace. It is a feature that allows a user to substitute existing characters,
words or phrases with new ones

Formatting
It is the process of making changes to the appearance of a document.
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 Word Processing 1 76

Levels of formatting
Character formatting;
This involves changing the font, font size, or font style of the text. It involves
applying the boldface, italics and underline text.
Paragraphs formatting;
Involves changing the alignment of text, line spacing, indenting text, tab
settings and boarders.
Section formatting;
It lets you specify page numbers, headers and footers for different sections
or chapters of a document.
Document formatting;
It helps you specify the overall page layout for printing.
It involves choosing the paper size (letter, legal, A4, A3), page orientation
(portrait or landscape), changing page margins (top, down, left or right) and
the distances between the main body of text and the edges of the paper.

Other features of word processing software

iii. Saving
It is the process of transferring data / information from memory to a storage
medium such as a floppy disk or a hard disk.
iv. Printing
Is the process of sending a file to a printer to generate output on medium
such as paper.
v. Word wrap
This is an Ms word feature which allows a user to type continually without
pressing the enter key at the end of each line.

Activity 4.1: Understanding Word Processing

Do this activity in pairs

1. Open a word processor.
2. Identify the groups of the word processing features.
3. Type the sentence “I love my school”.
Activity 4.1: Understanding the features of a word processor
4. Select (highlight) the sentence in 3 above and click on any three
features. Observe the changes which occur in the text.
6. State the function of each of the features identified.
Present your findings to the class

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 Word Processing 1 77

Hint: To open a Word Processor, go to Start →All Programs → MS Office → Word

Processing program

Navigating the Document

Navigation of the document means moving through or around and over the
document.
If the document is large, you cant see all
Scroll the content so you need to scroll using
Arrow a Scroll Bar

To scroll with a mouse, use the vertical

Scroll Bar scroll bar that appears on the right side
of the document

You can also use the Up Arrow to

Thumb move up and Arrow Down Arrow to
move down

Keyboard Shortcuts in MS Word

Shortcut Use
F5 Displays the Go To dialog box.

Moves the text cursor to the next line but does not start a
Shift+Enter:
new paragraph or insert a paragraph mark.

Ctrl+left arrow: Moves the text cursor to the beginning of the word.

Ctrl+Shift+Left Moves the text cursor to the left and selects text as it
arrow: moves by highlighting the text.

Ctrl+Right arrow: Moves the text cursor to the end of the word.
Ctrl+Shift+right Moves the text cursor to the right and selects text as it
arrow: moves by highlighting the text.
Home: Goes to the beginning of the current line.

End Goes to the end of the current line.

Ctrl+Home: Moves the text cursor to the beginning of the document.

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 Word Processing 1 78

Ctrl+End. Moves the text cursor to the end of the document.

Page up Moves up one screen at a time.

Page down. Moves down one screen at a time.

Activity 4.2: Navigating through

Do this activity in a group

1. Open a new MS Word document and save it in the documents with your
name
2. Type the text below

Navigating through a document mean is moving around or over or

through a document. if you have a large document that consists of many
pages you cannot see all the pages at the same time. Instead you have to
scroll through the document using either a mouse or a keyboard as you
navigate it.

3. Copy that text typed above and pasted on the same document until
you make 3 pages
4. Practice using a mouse under scroll bar to move through the document
from page one to Page 3 repeat navigating through the document using
arrow keys. Hopes are how they text moves around screen. You can also
click your mouth within the document to press the insertion point where
you want.
5. Practice using keyboard shortcuts to navigate the document.

Demonstrate to your Class how you did it

Minimising and Maximising the Ribbon

3. Right-click anywhere in the main menu.
4. Select Minimize the Ribbon/ Collapse Ribbon in the menu that
appears. This will toggle the Ribbon on and off.

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 Word Processing 1 79

Saving an MS Word Document File

Saving is the process of storing a document in a certain location or creating a
file. This can be done on a newly created document or on an already existing
document.
Saving is normally in two categories; Save and Save As.
When saving for the very first time, Save and Save As behave the same way.
They both prompt for file name and location.

Click on the File>Save As>Type File

Name>Choose Location>Save

Otherwise, Save and Save As behave differently on

an existing document
Save
This is a command used when saving changes made
on an existing document without changing the file
name and location.
Save As
This is a command used when making a copy of the file in a different folder or
making a copy with a different name.
Click on the Office button>Save As>Type File Name>Choose Location>Save
Activity 4.3: Saving a Document

Do this activity in a group

Saving a document with file name Jimtechs in on the Desktop location:
1. Open MS Word program.
2. Select Office Button > Save or Save As.
3. Select Desktop as the location to save in.
4. Give the file a name, Jimtechs
Demonstrate to your Class how you did it

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Tip: Save your file immediately after creating it to prevent the possibility of
losing it later due to power failure.
Working with Texts in a word document
Activity 4.4: Working with Texts

Do this work in pairs

1. Type the text below in your text area this will help you practice word
processing skills. Press Enter key on your keyboard to get to the next
Paragraph.
While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights, she
noticed coming toward her a group of the oddest people she had ever seen.
They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but
neither were they very small. In fact, they were, so far as looks go, many years
older.

The cyclone had set the house down very gently for a cyclone in the midst of
a country of marvellous beauty. There were lovely patches of greensward all
about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. A little way off was a
small brock rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and
murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the
dry, gray prairies.

Selecting text
2. Move your cursor next to the text you want to select.
3. Left-click and while holding down, drag the mouse over the text
you want to select.
4. Release the mouse button. You will have selected the text. A
highlighted box will appear over the selected text.

Inserting text anywhere in your text

5. Move your mouse to the location where you want the text to appear
in the document.
6. Left-click the mouse. The insertion point appears.
7. Type the text you want to appear.

Deleting text
8. Place your cursor next to the text you want to delete.
9. Press the Backspace key on your keyboard to delete text to

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 Word Processing 1 81

the left of the cursor.

10. Press the Delete key on your keyboard to delete text to the
right of the cursor.
Copying and Pasting Text
11. Select the text you want to copy.
12. Click the Copy command on the
Home tab.
13. Place the cursor where you want text
to appear.
14. Click the Paste command on the Home tab.
Tip: Select the text before applying any formatting on it.

Undo and Redo

Undo allows the user to reverse an action that user may have mistakenly
made eg. When you accidentally delete something you can press undo to
reverse the action. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+Z

Undo Red
o

Formatting a Text in MS Word

This allows you to make changes to the appearance of an existing document.
We use the formatting features such as font colour, Font style and size, text
alignment, etc.
Formatting text using font group
This allows you to change the Font size, Colour, bold, italics style etc.

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Font style and Size Font face Font size

To change the font style
(Face) and size of a given
text, select it then select the
correct options in the font
group. The default font face
in MS Word 2016 is Calibri

Activity 4.5: Font style and size

1. Select the text you want to format.

2. Find the Font field on the Home ribbon.
3. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Font field.
4. A list with countless font choices appears as shown below
5. Select the font you want by clicking its name. You can also
change the font size to your preference.
6. First select the relevant text.
7. Find the Font Size field on the Home ribbon, and click the
drop-down arrow next to it.
On the list, find the font size that suits you and click it. You can also format
your text to be bold, italic or underlined.

Tip: You can also specify your own font size by clicking in the Font Size field
and typing in the size that you want and then press ENTER.
Bolding, italicizing and underlining
This allows you to make the selected text bold, Italic, or Underlined

Alignment of Text
This is the text position from the Margin
By default, paragraphs are usually left-aligned: the left margin is straight,

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 Word Processing 1 83

but the right margin is jagged.

Just position your cursor anywhere in the paragraph, and click on one
of the text alignment buttons on the Home ribbon.
Align left: text is aligned at the left margin but jagged on the
right.
Centre: text is centred within each line, with jagged margins on
both left and right.
Align right: Text is aligned at the right margin but jagged on the
left.
Justify: text is aligned at both the left and right margins (Word
does this by adjusting the amount of space between
words).
Font colour and text effects
This allows you to change the colour of your text to any colour of your
choice such as Red, Blue, Green Yellow, etc.
However the default font colour is black

How to Create a Bulleted and Number List

Using bullets
 First, type the points that you want to bullet, one under another.
Make sure you create them as individual paragraphs by pressing
[ENTER] after typing each point.
 Select the paragraphs that you would like to bullet.

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 Click the Bullets button in the Paragraph section of the Home

ribbon.

Tip: The drop-down arrow on the right of the Bullets button allows you to
choose from different bullet styles.
Creating a Numbered List
Instead of clicking the Bullets button, click the Numbering
button just next to it. The best thing about Word numbering
is that the numbers adjust themselves automatically when you edit the
text.
Tip: To end a bulleted or numbered list, just press [ENTER] twice.

Changing the Bullet/Number Style

Go to the drop down list bullet or number
(figure below) and select an option.
Note: Adding a Numbered List follows
similar steps

Adjusting Line spacing

When words are close together or
sentences are compact, they can be difficult to read
for some people. Depending on the font type used, it
may not look nice to read. Therefore, word processors
have line spacing provision to allow space adjustments
between the lines.

Activity 4.5: Font and Paragraph Formatting

1. Select the relevant portion of your text.
2. Click the appropriate character formatting button on the
Home ribbon.
- Bold
- Italic
- Underline
3. The drop down arrow next to the underline button offers you a
choice of underlining styles.
4. To turn a character format off, select the text and click the

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 Word Processing 1 85

same button again.

5. Select the text you want to format.
6. Click the Line spacing command in the Paragraph group on
the Home tab.
7. Select a spacing option.
If you select Line Spacing Options, the Paragraph dialog box appears.
8. Use the Line spacing drop-down menu to select a spacing
option.
9. Modify the before and after points to adjust line spacing as
needed.
10. Click OK.

Page Layout
All along you have been using the default settings of your word processor.
You are now going to learn how to change these settings to suit your
document requirements. In the next set of activities you will learn how to
change the margins, document orientation, use columns in your
document as well as adjust the line spacing of text.

Page Orientation allows you the change the document to either Land
scape or Portrait
Margins are the white spaces from the page edges to the content of the
document
Activity 4.6: Changing Orientation

Open a page with text on it.

1. Select the Page Layout tab.
2. Click the Orientation
command in the Page Setup
group.
3. Left-click either Portrait or
Landscape to change the page
orientation.

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Activity 4.7: Setting the margins

The margins of the document determine the amount of text area for
your document. To change your margins:
1. Select the Page Layout tab.
2. Click the Margins command. A menu of options appears.
Normal is selected by default.
3. Left-click the predefined margin size you want

You can also change the page margins by clicking on the custom margins
from the menu. The page set up dialogue box appears from which you use
the arrows or directly type in the desired margin sizes.

Using Columns
This allows you arrange your text in columns
like in most newspapers, magazines,
academic journals, newsletters. The
default settings your word processor has
one column.

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 Word Processing 1 87

Using columns in text

You can change the number of columns by following these steps:
1. Create a paragraph of text or Copy and paste some text onto your
page.
2. Select the text you want to format.
4. Select the Page Layout tab.
5. Left-click the Columns command.
6. Select the number of columns you want to insert.
Note: More columns can be got by selecting the more Columns menu.
Find and Replacing Text
1. Select the text you want to
replace.
5. Click the Home ribbon’s
Replace button instead of the
Find button to display the Find
and Replace dialog box. OR
Press Ctrl+H to display the
Find and Replace dialog box.
2. Type the new text into the
“Replace with” text box.
3. Replace the Text.
4. Click the Replace button to replace the next occurrence of the found
text with your replacement text.
Grammar and spell check
When you are typing, sometimes a wavy red or green line appears
beneath your text. Red and Green wavy lines indicate spelling and
grammatical errors respectively. Missing space after a comma or a
period, or doubling of a word (the the), is also detected as a mistake. Below
is an example of a spell checker in action.

In case Word does not make any suggestions, then check whether
maybe you left out a space after a period or comma. Please note that
there are many proper nouns and specialist terms that Word does not
recognize.
Tip: A wavy red line does not always mean that you have made a mistake!

Working with Objects

In the previous activities, you have been working with text only. In this
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 Word Processing 1 88

section, you will add information to your text in form of objects. You will
learn how to add images/pictures, tables, charts smart arts, screenshots
and illustrations.
Inserting Images/ Picture
1. Click in the location where you
wish to insert the image and go
to Insert on the menu Bar
2. The select picture
3. Choose the location where the
image is found
4. Select the image and click on
Insert
Formatting Images/Pictures
Most times, images inserted may need some adjustments to fit properly into
spaces where they are inserted. This can be done in various ways including
cropping and compressing the images. When you crop an image, part of it is
removed. Cropping may be helpful when a picture has a lot of content and you
want to focus on only part of it.
Cropping images
1. Select the image you want to crop. The Format tab appears.
2. On the Format tab, click the Crop command.
3. Cropping handles will appear around the image. Click, hold, and
drag a handle to crop the image.
5. Click the Crop command to deselect the crop tool.

Note: The mouse pointer appearance may vary from MS Word version to
version.

Compressing Images
If you use large pictures in a document, its file size increases rapidly.
As a result it may be difficult to share such a file via the Internet. You

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 Word Processing 1 89

can reduce this problem by telling a word processor to compress the

pictures inserted in a document.
Steps
1. Select the picture.
2. Select the Format tab.
3. Click the Compress Pictures command in the Adjust group; a dialog box
appears.
4. Click the Options button to access the Compression Setting dialog
box.
5. Choose the target output.
6. Change any of the default picture settings you want.
7. Click OK in the Compression Settings dialog box.
8. Click OK in the Compress Pictures dialog box.

Activity 4.8: Comparison of compressing

Inand croppi
groups, distinguish between cropping and compression in relation
to images in a document.

Working with Tables in a Document

A table is made up of rows and columns. Tables are mainly used to
organize and present information. You can also use tables to align
numbers and create interesting page layouts.
Inserting a table
1. Click where you want to insert the table.
2. Click the Insert tab and click on the
[Table] button - a table grid and other
options appear
3. Create a 3 x 3 Table. Drag the mouse
cursor over the cells and click the mouse
button when the table is of the desired

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 Word Processing 1 90

size (if you hold down the mouse button, the table is drawn when you
release it).
Tip: You do not have to set up the number of rows required when you first
create a table as Word will automatically add extra rows for you as you type.
4. To move out of the table, press <Ctrl+End> or use the <down arrow>
key several times – the Table Tools tabs disappear, showing that you are
no longer in the table.
5. Press <Enter> for a blank line.

Inserting a Table by Setting the Number of

Rows and Columns
1. Position the Insertion Point where the
table is required.
2. Click on the [Table] button (on the
Insert tab) and choose Insert Table…
command.
3. The Insert Table dialog box appears -
under Table size, enter the Number of
columns: and Number of rows: required
(here, set up 4 columns and 2 rows).

The next set of options down, AutoFit ,

determine how the column widths are
defined. By default, column widths are set so that the table fills the page
horizontally with equally-sized columns (as you saw with the first table). If you
require specific widths (of an equal size) change Fixed column width: from
Auto to the desired size.
4. Here, change AutoFit behavior to AutoFit to contents.
5. Press <Enter> or [OK] and a very small skeleton table appears.

Printing a Document
This allows you to produce a hard copy of the document on paper using a
printer. To print your document
1. Ensure that the document you want to print is open, the printer is
properly connected and its drivers properly installed on your computer
2. Click on file and select print or press Ctrl+P on the keyboard
3. Then click print

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 Word Processing 1 91

Activity of Integration

Your class is planning an end of year party scheduled for 21st

November this year. It will take place in the main hall starting at 8:30
am.

Task:
Word process a letter inviting the head teacher and members of staff
to the party.

In this chapter, you have learnt about:

a) how to load word processing application
software.
b) format a Word document (page orientation,
Summary
Chapter

margins, size, fonts, paragraphing, etc.).

c) insert objects in a Word document (tables,
images, shapes, header and footer).
d) print documents.

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Spreadsheet 1
A spreadsheet is an electronic worksheet that is used to organize data in
rows and columns and perform calculations on the data.
Or
It is an electronic worksheet that is used to organize, manipulate and
graph data.
Spreadsheet software on the other hand is an application software used
to organize data in rows and columns and perform calculations on the
data

Uses of spreadsheets
 It can be used by business men to record sales
 It can be used by business men to produce invoices
 It can be used to compile statements (e.g. Bank statements)
 Managers use them to keep track of the current payments from
customers.
 It helps researchers to compile and analyze their results quickly
 Teachers can use them to create tables of figures and manipulate
them quickly as required.
Types of Spreadsheets
1. Manual Spreadsheets
2. Electronic spreadsheet
Manual Spreadsheet is like a ledger book with many sheets of paper
divided into rows and columns for entering data created using a pen or
pencil.
Data is entered manually using pens or pencils

Advantages of using electronic spreadsheets over

manual worksheets
 It is easy to make changes and corrections to data on the worksheet.
 The rest of the worksheet is recalculated whenever data on a
worksheet changes.
 It is fast with the help of built-in functions and macros.
 Calculation is always accurate, provided that data and formulae

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93 Senior Two Notes

entered are correct.

 It is easy to create different kinds of charts or to change chart types.
 Information on charts is updated automatically whenever
related data on the worksheet changes
 Spreadsheets are much larger than manual worksheets
 They can perform mathematical, statistical and financial calculations
quickly and accurately.
 Cells in electronic spreadsheets can use information from other cells
 Electronic spreadsheets can be stored and retrieved for repeated
use.

Examples of spreadsheet programs

- Microsoft excel - Google Sheets
- Corel Quattro Pro - Lotus 1-2-3
- Super Calc - VisiCalc

MICROSOFT EXCEL (Ms Excel)

It is an electronic spreadsheet that can be used for practically entering
data in rows and columns and manipulating it.
Terms Associated with Ms Excel document
i) A cell. This is the intersection of a column and a row.
ii) A cell address. Is a unique address which defines the location of a
cell in a worksheet (e.g. A1, A2, Q7, etc)
iii) Range. Is a rectangular selection of a worksheet containing two or
more cells
iv) Worksheet. This is the biggest range consisting of all the cells in one
sheet.
v) Workbook. It is a collection of various worksheets
vi) Range address. It is a range reference which has a format of top-left
cell address : bottom-right cell address (e.g. D12:F19)
vii) Labels. Labels are text that identify the data and help to organize the
worksheet
All label entries are left aligned by default.
viii) Values. These are numbers to be used for calculations.
ix) Cell reference. This is the location of a cell on a worksheet.

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Types of cell References

a) Relative cell reference
It is a cell reference in which the cell address (e.g. B1 + C1) will be self
adjusted when the formula is moved or copied to another cell
(e.g. B2 + C2)
b) Absolute cell reference;
It is a cell reference in which the cell address (e.g. $B$2) is always fixed
and can not change or adjust when copied to another cell.
c) Mixed cell reference
Is a cell reference that uses absolute column and a relative row
reference. Example $A2 and A$2

Formulas and Operators

- A formula is a set of instructions for performing a calculation and
displaying the resulting value in the cell that contains it.
- Formulae normally begin with (=)

Types of Formulae
(a) Numeric (Arithmetic) formulae
These perform calculations on values and use +, -, *, ^ and % numeric
operators for calculation.
Examples
=25+5, =A15*B1/B5
(b) Text formulae
These are used to manipulate text.
- The text is normally enclosed in ―, (quotation marks) and to combine
strings of text, use & (ampersand)
Example
A3 B3 C3
Term one Term two Term three
Enter =B3&―and―&C3 in B10 to have Term one and Term two.
Or
=A3&―Marks‖ in A10 to have student marks.
(c) Logical formulas

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95 Senior Two Notes

These are statements that evaluate a condition.

- They result into 1 if true and 0 if false.
- They use =, <,>,>=, <= and <>, AND, OR, and NOT to
calculate various conditions.
Example of Logical formulas
Entry Results
=5>4 - Results in true or 1
=5<A1 - Result in 1 or true if A1 has a value less than
=AND(A1=1,A2=2) 5- Result in 1 or true (if A1 contains 1 and A2
contains 2
=OR(A1=1,A2=2) - Result in 1 or true (if A1 contains 1 or A2
contains 2)
=NOT(A1=0) - Result in 1 or true (if A1 contains any value
but not zero)
Operators in spreadsheets
An operator is a symbol that can be used in a formula or function
Basic mathematical operators used in spreadsheets
Symbol Description Example
() Parentheses =B2*(C4+D5)
* Multiplication =B2*C4
/ Division =B2/C4
+ Addition =(B2+C4)
- Subtraction =(B2-C4)
% Percentage =C5*60%
^ Exponential =C4^2

Functions
A function is a predefined formula that helps to perform common
mathematical functions.
- Each function has a specific order, called a syntax which must be
strictly followed for the function to work correctly.
- Functions include; SUM, AVERAGE, SQRT, LOG, ROUND, MAX, MIN
etc.
Syntax order of Functions in Spreadsheet
o All functions begin with the = sign.
o After the = sign, define the function name (e.g. SUM)

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 Spreadsheet 1 96

o Must have one or more arguments, numbers, text or cell references

enclosed in parentheses ().
If these are more than one argument, separate each by a comma.
An example of a function with one argument that adds a range of cells
B2 through B12
=SUM (B2:B12)
An example of a function with more than one argument that calculates
the average of numbers in a range of cells, B2 through B12 and C2
through C12
=AVERAGE (B2:B12, C2:C12)

Examples of functions used in spreadsheets

a) Mathematical functions
ABS (number) Returns the absolute value of a number

INT (number) Rounds a number down to the nearest integer

LN (number) Calculates the natural logarithm of a number

LOG (number) Calculates the logarithm of a number to a
specified base
ROUND Rounds a number to a specified number of
digits
SQRT (number) Calculates the square root of a number

SUM (range) Calculates the total of a range of numbers

b) Statistical functions
AVERAGE (range) Calculates the average value of a range of
numbers

COUNT (range) Counts how many cells in the range have

entries
MAX (range) Returns the maximum value in a range of
numbers

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97 Senior Two Notes

MIN (range) Returns the minimum value in a range of

numbers

STDEV (range) Calculates the standard deviation of a range of

numbers

c) Logical functions
IF (logical test, value Performs a test and returns 1 value if the result
if result of the test is of the test is true and another value if the result
true, value if false is false)

d) Financial functions
FV (rate, no. of Calculates the future value of an investment
periods, payments)
NPV (rate, range) Calculates the net present value of an
investment
e) Date and Time functions
DATE Returns the current date
NOW Returns the current date and time
TIME Returns the current time

Errors in Microsoft Excel

ERROR DESCRIPTIONRIPTION
This error occurs when a column is not wide enough,
##### error
or a negative date or time is used.
This error occurs when a number is divided by zero
#DIV/0! error
(0).
This error occurs when a value is not available to a
#N/A error
function or formula.
This error occurs when Microsoft Office Excel doesn't
#NAME? error
recognize text in a formula.

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This error occurs when you specify an intersection of

#NULL! error two areas that do not intersect. The intersection
operator is a space between references.

This error occurs with invalid numeric values in a

#NUM! error
formula or function.

#REF! error This error occurs when a cell reference is not valid.

This error occurs when the wrong type of argument

#VALUE! error
or operand is used.

Features of Spreadsheet programs

Recalculation;
This feature allow recalculation of the rest of the worksheet whenever
data in worksheet changes
Built – in functions;
Allows the user to use functions to add, multiply, get percentage,
count and perform other basic statistical functions.
Adjusting rows and columns;
Allows the user to adjust the size of Rows and columns
Data sorting;
Allows the user to sort (organize) data either in ascending or descending
order.
Data validation;
Allows a user to ensure that correct data is entered in the spreadsheet
Printing;
Allows the user to print the entire worksheets, portions of a worksheet
and several worksheets
Templates and wizards;
Allows the user to use the basis of other similar workbooks and apply
them in an existing worksheet
- All formula and formatting for similar invoices can be saved as
templates and then used to automate a task without having to
create a new workbook again.

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99 Senior Two Notes

Summarizing data
Allows the user to summarize data using consolidation and pivot tables
Consolidation allows the merging of several workbooks into a summary
sheet.
Ability to perform what – if analysis;
Allows the user to perform what – if analysis which can be used to find
out effects of performances of companies.
Charting;
Allows a user to display data in a graphical, rather than a numerical form
Macro
Allows a user to record or save a sequence of keystrokes or instructions
that can be run later

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 Presentation Notes 100

PRESENTATION SOFTWARE
This is the type of software used to create presentations which can
communicate ideas and other information to a group or audience
Or
It is a software program that helps you to organize information in slides
and present it to an audience. The presentation can be viewed as a slide
show on a large monitor or a projection screen.

Examples of presentation software;

Microsoft power point Corel presentations
Lotus Freelance graphics Harvard Graphics
Micro media Director etc.
NB;
A presentation; this is a collection of slides, handouts, speaker‘s notes
and outlines in a single file.
A slide; is an individual page in a presentation

Microsoft power Point

Presentation Elements
1. Slides. A slide is an individual page in a presentation.
- They are normally viewed using projectors
2. Slide Master. This is a single slide that controls all other slides in a given
presentation.
- Any changes made to it affect the rest, respectively.
3. Handouts. A handout is a combination of 2 to 6 slide images on a single
page.
4. Speaker’s notes. These help in the actual delivery of a presentation.
- Power point lets you enter and print a notes page for each slide
5. Outlines. They help in brainstorming and organizing one‘s thoughts.
- In the outline form, the headings and the main body text appears
without the slide‘s background, colors and graphics.
6. Templates. Power point provides over 100 professionally designed
templates containing proven layouts, color schemes and background
textures.

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101 Senior Two Notes

NB: A template defines what your presentation will look like, where
text and other objects will appear the foreground and the
background colors to be used, etc.
7. Auto features. These make it easier for one to perform his or her work.
- They include the clip art commands which enable the user to include
clip arts in his or her presentation.
8. Slide Layout. This is the given design of a slide showing divisions/areas
or sections of a slide where work can be done. E.g. title only and blank
slide layouts.
9. Wizards. Power point employs many wizards to help in simplifying
work.
10. Transitional looping. It is a facility which sets up the presentation to
run continuously until it is stopped by the presenter.

Features of Microsoft Power Point;

(i) Auto correct
- It helps to correct any typing errors and capitalization mistakes.
(ii) Auto clip art;
- It provides clip art suggestions that relate to the presentation topic.
(iii)Style checker;
- Allows the user to scan the presentation for design problems such
as spelling errors, incorrect and inconsistent use of capitalization or
punctuation and inconsistent use of font sizes and other related
style attributes.
(iv)The pack and Go wizard;
This feature helps in leading you step by step through
preparing your presentation for delivery on another
computer.
(v) Ability to present onscreen presentation in color;
- It enables the user to design his presentations in any color he / she
want.
- It also provides different background colors which make the

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 Presentation Notes 102

presentations appear nice and attractive.

(vi)Animations. It enables the user to put Life and impact to the
presentation by adding motion and sound effects to objects in the
presentation.
(vii) Meeting minder
- It can help to improve communication during and after meetings.
- It can enable you to take the meeting‘s minutes and export
them directly to a word processor for printing.
(viii) Presentation conferencing;
Allows you to deliver a presentation or run a meeting from your
computer onto a network of computers.
Viewing a Presentation
Power point provides five different ways of viewing your presentation i.e.
- Slide view
- Outline view
- Slide sorter view
- Notes page view
- Slide Show view
a) Slide view
- It shows you how the slide will appear when printed or displayed.
- It is similar to page layout in a word processor for windows
- All text, graphics and other media elements appear in slide view.
One can perform the following in slide view;
 Insert, edit and delete text.
 Add a clip art, charts, scanned photographs and other media
elements.
 Draw lines, squares, ovals, polygons and other objects.
 Add graphs, charts or data from other applications.
 Change the appearance of text and objects.
 Change a template‘s style or color scheme.
b) Outline view
It enables one to outline content much as you would in a word processor
to enter, arrange and edit textual information

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One can perform the following in outline view;

 Insert, arrange and edit textual information.
 Display a slide‘s title with or without formatting.
 Show a slide‘s title only or show titles and full text.
 Promote and /or demote textual content in your outline.

c) Slide sorter view

- It provides a light table for viewing multiple slides.
- When selected, this view arranges small thumbnail
presentations of your slides, complete with text and graphics,
rows and columns.
One can perform the following with the slide sorter view;
 Manipulate the order of the slides
 Add transition effects from one slide to another.
 Incorporate special ―build effects‖ for a particular slide such as
high lighting each point in turn.
 Hide slides from being displayed in a computer – based slide show.
 Set timing options for rehearsing your presentation.

d) Notes page view

- This allows you to insert, edit and delete reminder notes for yourself
on each slide.
- It lets you enter text and graphics in a notes place holder located
below the image of the slide.

It can allow you to perform the following;

 Insert, edit and delete text.
 Add a clip art, charts, scanned photographs and other media
elements.
 Draw lines, squares, ovals, polygons and other objects.
 Add graphs, charts or data from other applications.
 Change the appearance of text and objects.
 Change a template‘s style or color scheme.

e) Slide show view (Also called on-screen presentation)

- It is a view that takes up the full computer screen, like an actual
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presentation. It lets you see how your graphics, timings, movies,

animated effects, and transition effects will look during the actual
presentation to the audience.
Advantages of Presentation Software
 It provides a wide variety of presentation formats and layouts for
the slides.
 Allows addition of multimedia components such as clipart images,
video clips and audio clips.
 Allows setting of timing for the slides so that the presentation
automatically displays the next slide after a predetermined period
of time.
 Allows application of special transition effects on each slide.

Information Access and Sharing

Information Access
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105 Information Access and Sharing

This is the ability to identify, obtain/ get and use a piece of information
effectively

Information Sharing
This is the exchange/ sharing of information between people,
organisations and devices

How is information Accessed and Shared?

Through the:
1. Internet
2. Emails
3. News papers
4. Text books
5. Television and Radio news, etc.

Using ICTs for Information Access and Sharing

Various ICT tools are used for information access and sharing and these
include;
1. Computers and Laptops
2. Camera, and Microphones
3. Tablets and the Internet, etc.

Using the Internet for Information Access

Internet is a global system of interconnected computer network.

The internet is a very large network covering the whole world, which
enables various ICT user in different parts of the world to access and
share information

Items Required to have Internet Connection

 Modem and Router
 Register with an ISP (Internet service provider)
 Network Interface Card (NIC).
 Transmission medium (cables or wireless)
 Required software. E.g. Network operating system (NOS), web
browsers such as Internet explorer or Mozilla Fire fox

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Why people connect to the internet

- To access information such as news, weather reports, and airline
schedules
- To shop for goods and services through e – commerce
- To use online banking services and managing investments
- In order to do research across long distances.
- To take online courses most especially through Cyber Schools.
- There are a number of files, games and other programs which are
very useful to human beings. Therefore, most people connect to
the internet to download these files, programs, etc.
- To send and receive messages to and from other connected users
- To communicate with other uses around the world.
- To access sources of entertainment and leisure such as online
games, magazines, etc.
- To share network resources such as printers, scanners etc.
- Getting new information such as news and information
- For electronic discussions through teleconferencing.
- To enjoy online employment system
- To use the online internet library which has a lot of useful academic
material
Disadvantage of using the internet
- Personal insecurity problems
- Data insecurity across networks
- Moral and cultural degradation such as pornography.
- High initial costs of setting up and maintaining the network
- Over reliance on networks
- Spread of viruses
- Addiction especially among the youth leading to laziness
- Requires expensive skilled personnel to maintain the network
which makes it costly.

How the Internet Works

Information on the internet is found on a collection of website known
as the World Wide Web (WWW).

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107 Information Access and Sharing

WWW is a collection of extensively interlinked/ interconnected web

pages (HTML documents) all over the world accessed over the internet.

A website
It is a collection of web pages where information of a particular
individual, organization or company is stored.
A web page. Is an electronic/ HTML document or files of information
stored on the website.

Types of websites
 News websites
 Informational websites
 Business / marketing websites o Wikis
 Online social networks[e.g. facebook, twitter, etc.
Each webpage has a Unique address known as a Uniform Resource
Locator (URL).

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

This is an internet or web address describing the location of the
server where the website is located.
For example; http//www.dit.go.ug
To access the internet, one also needs a Web Browser

A web browser
This is the application software used to access and view web pages.
Or
This is an application software that is used to view content on the world
wide web or open web pages/ HTML documents
Examples of web browsers
 Opera mini  SeaMonkey
 Google Chrome  Galeon
 Mozilla Firefox  Microsoft Edge
 Microsoft Internet Explorer  Camino
 Safari  iCab
 Netscape  Mozilla Suite
 K-Meleon  Sunrise

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 Senior Two Notes 108

A web server. It is a computer that keeps and delivers web pages

requested by users.
A web master. Is the individual responsible for developing web pages
and maintaining a website.

Accessing Information Using Search Engine

This is a web based application software that can be used to find
websites/ web pages basing on key words typed by the user.
Search engines are some times referred to as answer machines.
Examples of search engines
 Google  msn
 Bing  Dogpile
 Yahoo  Ask Jeev
Online Services for Information Access and Sharing
Using the internet we can access the following services

Cloud computing
Is the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the
internet to store, manage, and process data rather than using a local
server or a personal computer.

Google Drive
This is a cloud based storage service that enable users to store, access
and share files online

Social Media & Social Networks

Social media is a website and application that enables users to create
and share content using internet. E.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Social networking on the other hand is the use of a dedicated

website and application to interact with other users or find people with
similar interest with yours

Videoconferencing

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109 Information Access and Sharing

A videoconference is a real time meeting between two or more

geographically separated people who use a network or internet to
transmit audio and video information.

Instant Messaging (IM)

It is a real-time communications service that notifies a user when
one or more people are online and then allows the user to exchange
messages or files with them.

Electronic Commerce (e – commerce)

It is the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet
(Online)
E-business is the conducting of business on the Internet, not only
buying and selling, but also serving customers and collaborating with
business partners.
Examples of transactions conducted online
 Online shopping
 Online banking
NB: E – Money: it is a means of paying for goods and services over the
internet.
Advantages of e-commerce
 It operates 24 hours a day hence transactions can be conducted at
any time.
 Information about a product can be changed and be available
quickly (i.e. it is easy to update)
 It gives immediate feedback
 Allows manufacturers to buy and sell directly hence avoiding the
cost of middle men.
 Customers can easily compare prices.
 It allows business to gather customer information, analyze it and
react appropriately.
 Businesses have access to millions of people with internet
connections.
 It widens the market easily. It can work globally hence saving time
for participants on both ends.
 Distribution costs for information is reduced or completely

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eliminated.

Multimedia
It is the use of computers to integrate text, graphics, audio, animations
and videos together in order to convey messages.
A web page can contain text, graphics, animations, audio, video, and
hyperlinks to other documents. These are called multimedia elements.

The Electronic Mail (Email)

It is an Internet based communication service which allows Internet users
to create, send and receive mail messages electronically.
In order for any two users to receive or exchange E-mail messages
online, they must have Email addresses

Email Address
An email address is a set of characters that are required to send and
receive emails

Structure of an Email address

Consider the email address below; [email protected]
jimtech is the Username. It helps to identify the user address on the email
server.
@: Means at. It separates your account name from the name of the mail
server.
gmail.com is the Domain name
It consists of;
- gmail which is the email server name after @, and
- com which is a top-level domain, usually a three letter extension
which shows the type of organization.
Using an Email System
To send or receive an email, you need the following;
1. A computer
2. An active internet connection
3. An email address of both the sender and receiver
4. Information you need to share

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Parts of an Email Message

It comprises of the:-
- Message Header
- Message Body
The Message Header comprises of specified information which appears
in the following fields:
From: Contains the E-mail address and in some cases the actual name
of the sender of the e-mail message.
To: Contains the E-mail address and in some cases the actual name
of the recipient of the e-mail message

Date: Contains the date and time when the E-mail message was sent.
This information is automatically generated by the e-mail client software
on the server.
Subject: Contains a phrase or statement summarizing the main theme/
topic of the mail message. In some cases it is recommended that it is
preceded by the prefix RE: e.g, RE: Mum’s Health
Cc: Carbon Copy
Contains other E-mail addresses of recipients to whom the
same copy of the E- mail message is being sent.
The recipients of such an E-mail are able to view the e-mail
addresses of all the other recipients who have received the same
mail.
Bcc: Blind Carbon Copy
Contains other E-mail addresses of recipients to whom the
same copy of the E- mail message is being sent.
In this however, the recipients of such an E-mail are not able to
view the e-mail addresses of all the other recipients who have
received the same mail. That is why it is called a Blind Copy.

The Body
The body contains the actual message/ or information being sent in a
detailed form.

Email attachment. This is a separate file which is sent together with

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an email message. It can be a document, image, video or audio file. In

Gmail, the maximum file size of an attachment is 25MB.
Compose. Allows the user to create a new email message
Advantages of email
 It is very quick in delivering information. Email usually reaches its
destination in a matter of minutes or seconds.
 It is a cheap means of transferring files. As one can add other files
to an email message in form of an attachment.
 Records and copies are kept automatically online.
 Can be picked up anywhere in the world.
 Can be sent at any time to its destination (it works 24-7)
 You can deal with your email at a convenient time, ie. You can send
and reply to emails at your own convenient time
 You can send letters, notes, files, data, or reports all using the same
techniques. Once you learn how to use your email program,
everything is sent the same way.
 You don't have to worry about interrupting someone or be
interrupted when you send or receive an email.
Disadvantages of an email
 A computer and other hardware such as a modem are required
which makes it expensive.
 It is not secure as it may be hacked
 It is easy to get on junk (useless) mail lists.
 Email isn't necessarily private. Since messages are passed from one
system to another, and sometimes through several systems or
networks, there are many opportunities for someone to intercept
or read email.
 Some email systems can send or receive text files only. They don’t
support multimedia
 It's possible to forge email and it password.
 It's difficult to express emotion using email
 You may not know about the person with whom you are
communicating.
 You can’t access your email if you forget your account name or
password.

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Netiquette
It is short form for Internet etiquette.
It is the code of acceptable behaviors users should follow while on the
Internet.
Rules of Netiquette
Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like them to treat you.
a) In e-mail, chat rooms and news groups;
 Keep messages brief. Use proper grammar, spelling and
punctuation.
 Be careful when using sarcasm and humor as it might be
misinterpreted.
 Be polite. Avoid offensive language.
 Read the message before you send it.
 Use meaningful subject lines.
 Avoid sending or posting flames, which are abusive or insulting
messages.
 Avoid sending spam, which is the internet‘s version of junk mail.
 Do not use all capital letters which is equivalent to SHOUTING!
 Use emoticons to express emotion.
Digital Divide
This is the gap between those with access to technology/ computers and
those who do not
Causes of Digital Divide
1. Low levels of literacy
2. Low income levels
3. Geographical restrictions
4. Lack of motivation to use technology
5. Lack of physical access to technology
6. Digital illiteracy, etc.

Harmonizing ICT | Lower Secondary Curriculum