ICT SKILLS.pdf

Unit 3 Information and Communication Technology Skills Introduction ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology. It includ...

Unit 3 Information and Communication Technology Skills Introduction ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology. It includes a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, create, disseminate, store, and manage information. ICT includes computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television) and telephony. In digital technology, translation of information is into binary format (zero or one) where each bit is a representative of two distinct amplitudes, whereas in analog technology, information is translated into electric pulses of varying amplitude. UNESCO defines informatics as the science dealing with the design, realisation, evaluation, use, and maintenance of information processing systems, including hardware, software, organisational and human aspects, and the industrial, commercial, governmental and political implications of these. People use technology every day at home and at workplace. ICT tools enable anytime, anywhere access to information and resources. The various ICT tools that are used include computers we use at work, smartphones Unit 3.indd 83 15-03-2021 10:29:59  through which we talk, Internet for getting information, communicating with others through e-mail and social networks, watching movies and TV shows, etc. For example, to find a job you may have to search the Internet for job openings, create a resume on a computer, use e-mail to send the resume, send messages through your phone to communicate appear for telephonic interview and get your offer Figure 3.1: ICT technology letter through e-mail. ICT skills help us to communicate, run our business and stay connected with our family and friends. Hence, every person needs to acquire ICT skills and build them to stay updated with the latest software and applications (apps). Session 1: Introduction to ICT Information can be recorded or stored in many ways. It can be hand-written on paper, typed using a typewriter or a computer and so on. When information is stored and recorded on electronic devices, it takes on a ‘digital’ form. ICT devices are tablet, smartphones and laptops’ as shown in Figures 3.1 and 3.2. As a student you should be able to identify and understand the functions Figure 3.2: ICT Devices of the main components of a typical information and/ or communication system as well as the functions 84 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 84 10/8/2020 2:26:11 PM  of various computer peripherals. It will help you to Notes effectively utilise the knowledge and skills of ICT. The basic ICT skills that you need are knowing how to operate computers; and knowing how to browse the Internet for collecting, storing and disseminating information. ICT at Workplace ICT has become part of our workplace in all sectors of economy, right from carrying out money transactions through the online banking system to development of textbooks or research papers in educational institutions. At workplace, we use different computer software and applications to complete tasks like making documents, calculations, tables, graphs, etc. We can also use applications to do every day work, like buying things, booking train or bus tickets, Internet banking and making online payments. Modern ICT employs a variety of media forms, which includes text, graphics, animation, audio and video, etc. It also involves creating, curating, managing images and documents; gathering and processing data and presenting them; working with audio and video tools to create media rich communications, etc. Therefore, employees are expected to possess a sound knowledge of all these to work independently on various software and computers. ICT at Home These days most of the people uses television for entertainment and phones for calling up other people. New devices, such as smartphones with an Internet connection are now being used to stay connected with family and friends on a regular basis through social media networks, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We use computers and mobile phones for talking to each other, sending and receiving information, watching videos and news, listening to music and playing games. You can visit the following sites and know about the ICT activities which are being carried out in various sectors. Information and Communication Technology Skills 85 Unit 3.indd 85 23-08-2018 16:20:36  Sector ICT used for Website Agriculture Various activities related to research, http://dare.nic.in/ https://bit. development and training in agriculture ly/2H3DJfU and allied fields Retail Training programmes in the retail sector http://rasci.in/ Beauty and Training programmes in beauty and http://www.bwssc.in/ Wellness wellness sector Banking Training programmes in banking, http://www.bfsissc.com/ and Finance financial services and insurance sector Apparel Training programmes in Apparel sector http://sscamh.com/indexHome.php Logistics Training programmes in Logistics sector http://lsc-india.com/ Health Care Training programmes in Health Care http://www.healthcare-ssc.in sector The above-mentioned sites are suggestive. You may visit various other sites related to the sectors for more information about the activities being organised in the sector and understand the benefits of ICT in searching, collecting and using information for different purposes. These activities will be run under guidance and with feedback from vocational teacher. Activity 1 Past, present and future use of ICT Materials required Diagrams or models of the basic computer components, actual samples or illustrations of peripheral devices, chart sheets sketch pens and pencils Procedure Form groups of five students each Each group will divide the chart paper into three columns. Each group will choose one topic related to the past present and future use of ICT Activity 2 Application of ICT Materials required Poster and newspapers cutting, pens, etc. 86 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 86 23-08-2018 16:20:36  Procedure Notes Form groups of three students Discuss the role and importance of ICT in personal life and in workplace. List at least five points in each area. Prepare a poster depicting five ways each in which ICT is modifying: (a) personal life (b) workplace Make a mention of an activity using ICT (e.g., train reservations), the technology (e.g., online ticket booking through railway website), how ICT has affected the activity (e.g., getting train tickets sitting at home) and how the activity was conducted before the technology (e.g., queuing at railway stations) You can use newspaper cuttings, or other material that you can get from outside. Check Your Progress A. State whether the following statements are True or False 1. The full form of ICT is Information Commuting Technology. 2. Live sports and news can only be shown using ICT. B. Short answer questions 1. Give any two uses of ICT at home. 2. What are the emerging skills in ICT? 3. What are the key skills one should possess to use ICT? What have you learnt? After completing this session, you will be able to identify the importance of information and communication technology. list the various tools that are being used for ICT. demonstrate the knowledge of application of ICT in our daily life Session 2: ICT Tools: Smartphones and Tablets — I Smartphones and tablets are becoming more and more important as most people carry them around and Information and Communication Technology Skills 87 Unit 3.indd 87 23-08-2018 16:20:36  use them in daily activities like sending e-mails and messages, sharing pictures, etc. Without these, most people cannot work with others. The spreading of an idea, or of news occurring somewhere in the world is now possible through social sites on the internet. As long as one person is able to connect to the internet and express their view about a situation or simply about an idea, then the information that individual will want to share, will get out into the world. Smartphones are now being used to stay connected with social media and exchange information. Smartphones Mobile phones are ICT tools for talking to people but smartphones are more advanced. With a simple mobile phone you can only make phone calls and receive calls. With a smartphone (Figure 3.3), you can make calls and do things that you normally do using a computer, such as browsing the web, sending e-mails, making video calls, playing games, listening to music, watching movies and much more. Smartphones are also called mobile phones as you can use them anywhere — at home, in office or on the Figure 3.3: A smartphone road (Figure 3.4). They do not need a telephone line. They use wireless (mobile) networks to make calls and to connect to the Internet. Some of the popular operating systems for smartphones are Android OS, Apple iOS and Windows Mobile. Tablets For some activities, such as reading a book for a longtime, the screen of a mobile may be too small. For such activities, we can use a tablet (Figure 3.4). A tablet is a mini computer with input, output and processing functions that are all combined into one ‘touchscreen’, where you can do various tasks just by touching its screen. It is bigger than a smartphone and you can perform all the functions that one can perform on a computer or Figure 3.4: A tablet a smartphone. 88 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 88 23-08-2018 16:20:37  TV and Radio TV and radio are being used as an ICT tool since a long time. Radio is used to broadcast audio while TV is used to broadcast audio-visual information to many people. Radio and TV are used for both entertainment and to learn new things. You can hear news, songs, stories, speeches, cricket commentary, etc., on radio, while TV is used for watching movies, news, weather forecast, songs, cartoons and educational lectures. Applications or apps How does a smartphone perform so many functions? It does so with the help of software applications (Apps). On the screen of a Smartphone or Tablet, you see a lot of small pictures (or ‘icons’). If you touch these, they start programs or functions required for watching movies, playing games, using camera, etc. Apps are software programs (a set of instructions, or a set of modules or procedures, that allow for a certain Figure 3.5: App. Stores type of computer operation) that perform different functions. Some of the apps are already present on the phone or tablet. These are called “default” apps. Besides, there are hundreds of other apps that can be purchased and downloaded or downloaded free of cost from online stores. There are several online stores, including Google Play Store for Android and Apple App Store for Apple (Figure 3.5). Commonly found applications Some of the default apps installed on all smartphones/ mobiles are given in Table 3.1. Table 3.1: Some of the default Apps installed on smartphones and simple mobile phones Phone: This app is used to Camera: Connects to the camera make calls. It also stores the in the phone and takes photos and names and phone numbers of videos. people you know. Mail: An e-mail app to send and Calendar: Shows a calendar receive e-mails using your E-mail and you can also enter account in Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, appointments, reminders, etc. etc. Information and Communication Technology Skills 89 Unit 3.indd 89 23-08-2018 16:20:37  Photos: This helps you store Clock: This shows the time and all your photos and video and also sets alarm, timers, etc. arrange them into albums. Maps: This app helps you find directions to where you want Messages: This is for sending and to go. It uses GPS (Global receiving SMS messages. Positioning System) Web Browser: This allows you Music: This allows you to play and to open a browser to search listen to songs and music. and visit different websites. Google Play store: This is the Apple Store: As Android Google store from where you smartphones have a Google can get apps like Facebook, Playstore, similarly, Apple devices WhatsApp, etc. Some apps have an Apple store where you can are free while some are paid download and use various apps. ones. Difference between a smartphone and a tablet are given in Table 3.2. Table 3.2: Smartphone vs. Tablet Smartphone Tablet Main usage As a phone but with some additional As a wireless portable personal features, such as camera. The computer with a touchscreen majority of smartphones run on interface which makes it more Apple iOS or Google Android but useful than the notebook computer. others use Windows Phone or Some tablets use Android OS, others BlackBerry OS. useApple iOS or Windows OS. Screen size Screen size is smaller Has a bigger screen Photos and Watching a movie or making changes Watching videos and making videos to a picture is difficult changes to a photo is better and easier due to bigger screen size Battery life You need to charge phones more often Usually have a longer battery life Storage Comes with different storage Usually have higher storage capacities, but phones with high capacity, i.e., they can store more storage are costly pics, videos and Apps 90 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 90 23-08-2018 16:20:37  Notes The teacher will facilitate these activities by showing you the e-learning module for this lesson via http://www.psscive.ac.in/ Employability_Skills.html. The module will include videos and e-content for the above topics as well as detailed instructions for some activities below. Activity Getting started with mobile devices Materials required Pen/pencil, notebook, smartphone, tablet Procedure Form groups depending on the number of smartphones and Tablet available. For example, if you have 2 smartphones and 3 tablet, form 5 groups. The group studies the basic features of smartphone or a tablet. Note down the names of the Apps or icons you see in the smartphone/tablet. Compare the differences between tablet and smartphones. Check Your Progress A. Short answer questions 1. Identify the following symbols and write the name in the blank space. a. b. c. d. e. f. 2. Write any two differences between a smartphone and a tablet. Information and Communication Technology Skills 91 Unit 3.indd 91 23-08-2018 16:20:37  What have you learnt? After completing this session, you will be able to demonstrate the knowledge of the uses of ICT tools, such as smartphones and tablet. differentiate between smartphones and tablets. Session 3: ICT Tools: Smartphones and Tablets — II To operate your smartphone, you need to know about basic controls and functions and their uses. Mobile Device Layout Some of the basic controls you see on mobile device are as follows: (Figure 3.6): Power button: This is used to start and shut down a mobile device. Screen: A screen on which we perform functions by touching with our fingers. Back button: You use the Back Button to go back to the previous screen in an application. Microphone: This is present at the bottom of the mobile and we speak into the microphone when we talk to someone. Menu button: This is used to show the Figure 3.6: Basic Controls of options available in a particular app. This a Mobile may not be present in all mobile devices. Home button: This brings you back to the Home Screen from wherever you are in your mobile, whether you are on another page or using an App. Earpiece: This helps you to listen to voice calls. Volume button: This helps you to increase or reduce the sound of your mobile. Basic features of a mobile device Some of the basic features present in all mobile devices are as given in Table 3.3. 92 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 92 23-08-2018 16:20:37  Table 3.3: Basic Features of a Mobile Device Bluetooth: This is a short-range wireless technology which helps you connect with other devices that are within 30 feet of where you are. Once connected, you can send messages and songs. Chargeable Battery: This is a portable power pack which can be recharged. It allows you to use the device anywhere. Wi-Fi: This is a wireless network technology that helps you connect to the local area network. This is used to connect to the Internet and work with e-mails, social media and anything to do which requires internet. Touch Screen: The output display of a mobile device is a touch screen. This helps you to run apps and type anything into the mobile by simply touching different areas of the screen with your finger. Camera: Smartphones and Tablet have a front and back camera to capture pictures and videos. Clock: Every mobile device has a clock which can be set according to the time in your country. Cellular network connectivity: This provides the network through which you can make calls. Global Positioning System: It is a navigation (direction finding) system that helps you to navigate, find direction and maps to specific locations. Home screen of a mobile device The home screen is the first (start) screen of a mobile device (Figure 3.7). There are three main parts of the home screen. Basic gestures used Gestures are used to interact with the touchscreen of your mobile device. For example, instead of clicking a mouse to open an App, you tap on the touchscreen. Some of these gestures’ as shown in Figure 3.8 are as follows: Tap: Touch the screen with your finger, once, to click. Figure 3.7: Home Screen of a Mobile Information and Communication Technology Skills 93 Unit 3.indd 93 23-08-2018 16:20:38  Tap and hold: This is similar to right-clicking your mouse. Drag: To tap, hold and move your finger across the screen. Swipe: To slide finger to the right, left, up or down of the screen like turning a page. Double tap: To tap twice quickly─this is to zoom out (increase the size of) of something. For example, to make a word appear bigger. Pinch: To bring thumb and finger together on the screen─to zoom in (reduce the size). For example, Figure 3.8: Basic gestures to make a picture appear smaller. The teacher will facilitate these activities by showing you the e-learning module for this lesson via http://www.psscive.ac.in/ Employability_Skills.html. The module will include videos and e-content for the above topics as well as detailed instructions for some activities below. Activity Getting familiar with a mobile device Materials required Pen, notebook, smartphone, tablet Procedure Form groups’ depending on the number of mobile devices available. For example, if you have 3 smartphones and 2 Tablet, form 5 groups. Each member starts the device and notes down the names of icons in the status bar and the dock. One group of volunteers shall come in front of the class and read aloud what they have noted. The class then discusses the various features of the icons. Check Your Progress A. Multiple choice questions 1. What is a short-range wireless communication technology called? (a) Wi-Fi (b) Internet (c) Bluetooth (d) PS 94 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 94 23-08-2018 16:20:38  2. Which part of the home screen is visible on all pages? (a) Status bar (b) Main icon area (c) Dock (d) Clock 3. What does GPS stand for? (a) Global Positioning System (b) Global Payment System (c) Global Program System (d) Global Pointing System What have you learnt? After completing this session, you will be able to identify various parts of a mobile device and list their functions. list the important features of a mobile device. Session 4: Parts of Computer and Peripherals Parts of a computer A computer system is a programmable machine designed to store and retrieve information and perform arithmetic and logical operations to produce meaningful results in desired format. It consists of three main units: Input Unit, Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Output Unit. Different computers have different ways in which the input, processing and output units are connected. In desktop computers, as shown in Figure 3.9, all three units are separate devices. It has: (i) a keyboard, which is the input unit, (ii) a box with the Central Processing Unit, which is the processing unit and (iii) a monitor, which is the output unit. Input unit helps the user to enter raw data and instructions into the computer system, central processing Figure 3.9: Desktop Computer unit performs the required operations Information and Communication Technology Skills 95 Unit 3.indd 95 06-06-2019 10:04:44  as per given instructions and the output unit produces meaningful results in the desired format for the user. The CPU is further divided into three parts: (i) control unit (CU), (ii) arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), and (iii) memory unit (MU). Control unit acts as a receptionist and a manager of a company. It receives each and every instruction from user and coordinates between different parts to perform various operations. Arithmetic and logic unit acts as an accountant of a company, which performs all the mathematical and logical calculations and the memory unit acts as a temporary store of a company, where small amount of data is stored while other operations are being performed. In a laptop, all three units, input, processing and output are combined into one device. Input and output devices are also called ‘peripherals’. These are plugged into the computer using connection ports. Input devices An input device is used to enter information into the computer. A keyboard, as shown in Figure 3.10, is an input device used to enter letters, numbers and Figure 3.10: Keyboard control functions. Microphone is an input device that is connected to the computer to record sound. A web camera is a device used to record videos. Many computers come with built-in microphones and webcams. Another input device is a scanner that copies physical documents and stores them in a computer in digital (computer-readable) format. For example, if you fill an admission form for a college, you can scan it and then e-mail it to the college instead of sending the actual form by post. Output devices Output devices bring information from the computer to the user. If you want to calculate the percentage marks, you input all your marks using a keyboard, the computer calculates using the formula and you see the results on a monitor screen. This monitor, as shown in Figure 3.11, is the output device on which the computer Figure 3.11: Monitor displays the output information. In the same way, a 96 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 96 23-08-2018 16:20:38  printer is an output device which gives us the hard copy of the information processed by the computer. If you want to hear the song you have recorded, you can use speakers to play them. Just like input devices, output devices can also be either separate or built-into the computer. The commonly used peripheral devices are given in Table 3.4. Table 3.4: Common Peripheral Devices Keyboard: It is used Mouse: We use it to Microphone: It Projector: It is used to provide input to the go to different parts is used to record to project images or computer on what to do, of the screen on the voice on the video from computer which could be in the monitor. computer, and on a screen. form of typed letters, communicate. numbers, and symbols. Monitor: It displays all Speakers: It plays Scanner: It is a Printer: It helps to the visual output that back all the sound- device that scans/ print out the visual CPU produces after based output. captures a paper output on the paper, processing the input. image, document as displayed on the and converts it monitor. to digital file on computer. Other peripheral devices and their functions In large retail stores, a peripheral device commonly found is the barcode reader or barcode scanner. It is used for recording the items purchased in order to create the receipt/bill. In offices and homes, we use a peripheral device known as scanner, and it is used to convert the information on a paper document into a digital information document. Figure 3.12: Barcode scanning Information and Communication Technology Skills 97 Unit 3.indd 97 23-08-2018 16:20:38  Central Processing Unit The Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the computer as shown in Figure 3.13, is like our brain. How does our brain work? Our eyes see (input) a mathematical problem and sends the details to the brain. The brain thinks (processes) and gets the result while the hand writes it on paper (output). In a similar way, the CPU also processes information received from the keyboard and gives the output to the monitor or the printer. Just as our brain can understand arithmetic and logical Figure 3.13: Central information, the CPU can also solve mathematical and Processing Unit logical problems. There are 3 main parts of the CPU. Control unit: It acts like a receiver and a manager of a company. It receives inputs from user and controls different parts to do the operations required. Processing unit: It acts as an accountant of a company and performs all the mathematical and logical calculations. Memory unit: It acts as the storage room of a company, where data is stored temporarily (RAM) as well as for a long time (ROM). Understanding RAM and ROM Let us take the example of a kitchen to understand the meaning of RAM and ROM. If you are a cook, what would you keep on the kitchen counter? And what would you store away in the kitchen shelves? Well, all the things you need immediately and regularly will be on the counter. And things that you do not access often will be in the shelves. Random Access Memory (RAM) is like the kitchen counter to a computer that is switched on, and Read Only Memory (ROM) is like the storage shelf. Flash memory is usually an external device which is a mix of both RAM and ROM. Some key differences between various storage devices are given in Table 3.5. 98 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 98 23-08-2018 16:20:39  Table 3.5: Types of Memory Storage Devices RAM ROM Flash Memory When you are Permanently stores Can permanently store doing tasks on your information information computer, you use RAM Temporarily stores Information is stored Information is not lost when information when computer is off computer is switched off Information is lost Information cannot be Information can be changed when computer is changed easily on easily. It is mainly used switched off It is mainly used when in removable storage devices Information can be starting the computer. (like USB), and its usage is changed easily. based on user’s needs. Motherboard Motherboard, also referred to as a system board, is the main circuit board inside a computer. It connects input, processing and output devices. Some other important parts of a computer system are storage devices, ports and connections. Storage devices In order to transfer files from one computer to another one, you need smaller storage devices which you can carry easily from one place to another. These storage devices are used to store digital information. The commonly used storage devices are USB flash drive, hard disk, CD, DVD, etc., as shown in Figure 3.14. They Compact Disc USB Flash Drive DVD External Hard Disk Figure 3.14: Storage Devices Information and Communication Technology Skills 99 Unit 3.indd 99 23-08-2018 16:20:39  mainly differ in their storage capacity (how much data they can store). You may have heard of a computer with data storage capacity of 500 MB or 2GB. What does that mean? Data is stored in the form of bits and bytes. Bit (Binary Digit, represented by 0 or 1) is the smallest storage unit. Eight bits combined together form a byte, which in turn represents a character (numerals/letters/symbols). 8 bits make a byte and 1024 bytes make a kilobyte (KB). 1024 KB make 1 megabyte (MB) 1024 megabyte make 1 gigabyte (GB) 1024 gigabyte make 1 terabyte (TB) Very simply, more the number of bytes, larger and more number of files can be stored. Ports and connections How do you think we connect our keyboard or mouse to the CPU? We do it with the help of wires. Where do you think the wires go in the CPU? The slots or channels into which we connect the mouse/keyboard/external hard disk wires are called ports. Thus, ports help us connect input, output and storage devices in a computer system. There are several types of ports that you can use to connect a computer to an external devices and networks. These are: Universal serial bus or the USB port (as shown in Figure 3.15) which connects peripheral devices, Figure 3.15: USB Port such as a mouse or a keyboard or a printer to a computer using the cable. Display port (as shown in Figure 3.16) which connects the monitor, or any display unit, to the computer using the cable. These can be of Figure 3.16: RGB Display port different types, like Video Graphics Array (VGA) (Left) and HDMI port (Right) and High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), depending on the requirement. Audio ports (as shown in Figure 3.17) help to connect microphone, speakers, and headphones Figure 3.17: Audio Ports to a computer system. Often, the speaker and 100 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 100 23-08-2018 16:20:39  headphone port is called the line out port, i.e., it is meant for sound output. Ethernet port (as shown in Figure 3.18) is used for connecting the system to high speed Internet cable. Figure 3.18: Ethernet Port Power port (as shown in Figure 3.19) is used for connecting the computer system to the power supply. Figure 3.19: Power Port The teacher will facilitate these activities by showing you the e-learning module for this lesson via http://www.psscive.ac.in/ Employability_Skills.html. The module will include videos and e-content for the above topics as well as detailed instructions for some activities below. Initial thinking activity After watching the initial video write why do you think it is important to know the different parts of a computer? Activity 1 Knowing your computer Materials required Pen/pencil, notebook Procedure Form groups of 5 students each group. List the basic input output devices you need in a computer. Draw a diagram of a computer system showing all the devices connected to it. Label the diagram and mention the uses of the various devices. One volunteer from the group presents the illustration to the class and explains it to the students. Activity 2 Connecting devices to a computer Materials required Pen/pencil, notebook, computer Procedure Form groups of 5 students in each group. Each member of the group connects one of the parts of the computer, such as printer, monitor, keyboard, mouse and the speakers to the central processing unit. Fit the cables into the correct ports as explained and check if each device is working properly. Information and Communication Technology Skills 101 Unit 3.indd 101 23-08-2018 16:20:39  Notes Check Your Progress A. Multiple choice questions 1.Which of the following units make up the CPU? Choose and tick all the correct options. (a) Processing Unit (b) Input Unit (c) Memory Unit (d) Control Unit (e) Output Unit 2. Which of the following are names of ports in a computer? Choose and tick all the correct options. (a) HDMI (b) Input (c) VGA (d) USB (e) Ethernet 3. There is a talent contest in your town. For participating in the audition, you have to send a recording of a song. What would you connect to your computer to record your song? (a) Keyboard (b) Microphone (c) Scanner (d) Mouse B. Short answer questions Write the purpose of the I/O devices Input/Output device Purpose Mic/microphone Scanner Camera Barcode Reader Printer Speaker What have you learnt? After completing this session, you will be able to identify the basic parts of a computer. list the use of input and output devices. list the functions of the CPU. differentiate between RAM and ROM. identify the different ports and connections on a computer. 102 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 102 23-08-2018 16:20:39  Session 5: Basic Computer Operations Computer hardware and software A computer system consists of two main parts—the hardware and the software. The physical parts that we can see and touch are called the hardware. It is the machinery of a Figure 3.20: Hardware and Software computer. These are the keyboard, monitor, CPU, etc. The software that we cannot see makes the hardware work the way we want. For example, as shown in Figure 3.20, the monitor is a physical device or the hardware. When we start a program, it is displayed on the monitor. This is done by the software which displays things on monitor. Hardware would not be of any use without the software. The most important software in any computer is the Operating System (OS). This is the software that starts Figure 3.21: Ubuntu Desktop working as soon as we switch on a computer. It displays the desktop on the monitor. Some of the most commonly used operating systems for laptops and desktop are Ubuntu (as shown in Figure 3.21), Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. Mobile devices also have operating system that helps them perform their functions. Some of the mobile Information and Communication Technology Skills 103 Unit 3.indd 103 23-08-2018 16:20:39  operating systems are Apple iOS and Google Android (as shown in Figure 3.22). All the computer applications, such as browsers, games, Office tools, etc., are also software programs that perform a particular function. Starting a computer What is the first thing you do after you wake up in Figure 3.22: Mobile Android OS the morning? What if your father tells you to do your homework immediately? Can you do it? Maybe, but normally you would do some daily activities and get ready before you start working? Similarly when a computer is switched on, it performs some basic processes/ functions, before it is ready to take instructions from the user. To start a computer, press the Power button on the CPU. This will start the Windows operating system and display the Windows desktop on the monitor. Basic functions performed when a computer starts Just as we go about with our morning routine, without Figure 3.23: Starting a Computer anyone telling us what to do, a computer automatically runs a basic program called BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) as soon as it is switched on or the power button is pushed on. The BIOS first does a self-test. If the self-test shows that the system is fine, the BIOS will load the Operating System. This means that the computer’s operating system, for example Ubuntu, is now ready to take inputs from the user. Login and logout When multiple people use the same computer, each person has his/her own files and applications. To make sure nobody else sees your work, you have login-IDs and passwords. A login Figure 3.24: Sign-in in Windows and password is like a key to the lock which allows you to use the computer. 104 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 104 23-08-2018 16:20:40  When you login to the computer with your login-ID and password (as shown in Figures 3.24 and 3.25), the computer knows that you are an authorised person and allows you to work on the applications in the computer. Once you finish working, you must log out or sign out so that no one else can see your work. Shutting down a computer You can shut down the computer in Ubuntu by clicking Figure 3.25: Sign-in in Ubuntu “Systems” at the top right and then click on Shut Down as shown in Figure 3.25. When you click Shut down, the Operating System will close all the applications and turn off the computer. Using the keyboard A keyboard is an input device used to type text, numbers and commands into the computer, as shown in Figure 3.26. Function keys Keys labelled from F1 to F12 are function keys. You use them to perform Figure 3.26: Parts of a Keyboard specific functions. Their functions differ from program to program. The function of the F1 key in most programs is to get help on that program. Some keyboards may have fewer function keys. Control keys Keys, such as Control (CTRL), SHIFT, SPACEBAR, ALT, CAPS LOCK, and TAB, are special control keys that perform special functions depending on when and where they are used. Enter key The label on this key can be either ENTER or RETURN, depending on the brand of computer that you are using. You use the ENTER or the RETURN key to move the Information and Communication Technology Skills 105 Unit 3.indd 105 23-08-2018 16:20:40  cursor to the beginning of a new line. In some programs, it is used to send commands and to confirm a task on a computer. Punctuation keys It includes keys for punctuation marks, such as colon (:), semicolon (;), question mark (?), single quotation marks (‘ ’), and double quotation marks (“ ”). Navigation keys Keys, such as the arrow keys, HOME, END, PAGE UP, and PAGE DOWN are navigation keys. These are used to move up and down, right and left in a document. The HOME and END keys move the cursor to the left/right end of a line of text, respectively. The PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys are used to move one page up and one page down, respectively. Command keys Keys, such as INSERT (INS), DELETE (DEL), and BACKSPACE are command keys. When the INSERT key is turned ON, it helps you overwrite characters to the right of the cursor. The DELETE key and the BACKSPACE key are used to remove typed text, characters, and other objects on the right and left side of the cursor, respectively. Windows key Pressing this key opens the Start menu. Using a mouse A mouse, as shown in Figure 3.27 is a small device that you can use to move, select, and open items on your computer screen. Let us see some of the functions that can be performed using a mouse. Different application will behave differently to the mouse actions. Here we use the File Explorer to see the effect of the mouse action. Figure 3.27: Mouse Roll over/hover Some actions can be done by simply rolling over or hovering over an item. When you bring the mouse 106 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 106 23-08-2018 16:20:40  over a file in File Explorer, it will show the details of that file as shown in Figure 3.28. Point and click As you move the mouse on your desk, a pointer moves correspondingly on your screen. The mouse allows you to select an item on the screen. When you click a Figure 3.28: Roll Over particular file, it gets selected as shown in Figure 3.29. Drag and drop To move an item, you need to click it, and then holding the mouse button down, move the item to a new location. After you move the item to the new location, you release the mouse button. Figure 3.29: Point and Click This is called drag and drop. When you drag a file in File Explorer, you can pick it up from the present location and drop it in a new location where you release the mouse as shown in Figure 3.30. Double-click It means to quickly click the left mouse button twice. When we double-click the file icon, it will open the file. Figure 3.30: Drag and Drop The teacher will facilitate these activities by showing you the e-learning module for this lesson via http://www.psscive.ac.in/ Employability_Skills.html. The module will include videos and e-content for the above topics as well as detailed instructions for some activities below. Initial thinking activity After watching the initial video write what do you think happens when you start a computer and how do you enter data using a keyboard and mouse? Information and Communication Technology Skills 107 Unit 3.indd 107 23-08-2018 16:20:40  Notes Activity 1 Use of computer Materials required Pen/pencil, notebook, computer Procedure 1. Form groups depending on the number of computers available. 2. One student starts the computer and logs in. Another student identifies the keys on the keyboard. Another student then performs all the functions of the mouse, such as hover, click, double-click, etc. 3. After the students have performed all the activities, they will shut down the computer. Other students watch and give feedback on what was done right and which tasks can be improved. Activity 2 Using the keyboard Material required Computer Procedure Form groups depending on the number of computers available. Open a text editor in Ubuntu by typing ‘editor’ in the search bar and then selecting the Text Editor. You can also open Notepad in Windows by typing Notepad on the Windows Search Figure 3.31: Typing bar and then selecting Notepad from the search result. Each student types the following letters on the text editor. Position your hands on the keyboard, as given in the Figure 3.31 and type the given letters and words. After one student is done, the next student practices the same until. All student should get a chance. Letters in the home: rowasdf; lkjhj; asdfgf; lkjhj; Letters in the top row: qwerty poiuy trewq yuiop Letters in the bottom: rowzxcvb nm,./bvcxz.,mn Now, each student types five words using the keyboard. For example, add, all, ask, sad, gas, dad, lad, had, hall, fall, row, tow, top, out, pot, rot, wire, tire, type, write, cab, nab, man, can, van, ban. All students in the group should get a chance to practice. 108 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 108 23-08-2018 16:20:40  Check Your Progress A. Multiple choice questions 1. Which of the following functions are performed using a mouse. Choose and tick all the correct options. (a) Turn on computer (b) Typing (c) Right click (d) Drag and Drop an Icon 2. What is the term used when you press and hold the left mouse key and move the mouse around? (a) Highlighting (b) Dragging (c) Selecting (d) Moving 3. Rearrange the steps for starting a computer in the correct sequence. (a) Desktop appears after login ( ) (b) Login screen appears ( ) (c) Power on Self-Test (POST) starts ( ) (d) Operating system starts ( ) (e) Welcome screen appears ( ) B. Short answer questions 1. Describe the functions of at least 5 types of keys. 2. Describe the functions of a mouse. What Have You Learnt? After completing this session, you will be able to start and shut down a computer. identify the various keys on a keyboard and their associated functions. use a mouse. type simple words. Session 6: Performing Basic File Operations Need to perform basic file operations In any school (or office), each teacher has a separate cabinet, as shown in Figure 3.32 where they keep the files of different students/classes on separate shelves. Similarly, information on a computer is stored in Figure 3.32: File Cabinet Information and Communication Technology Skills 109 Unit 3.indd 109 23-08-2018 16:20:40  electronic files, which can be put into separate folders. It is easier to manage the electronic files as they can be simply copied, moved, renamed or even deleted. Files and folders All information stored in a computer is kept in files. Different types of files store different types of information. Each file is given a file name and has a file name extension that identifies the file type. (The file name and file name extension are separated by a period or a ‘dot’.) For example, a document (e.g., with the name Neha) created using Notepad (a type of computer application to create simple text files) will have the extension.txt. There are other types like.doc,.xls, etc. An image file usually has an extension.jpg, while a sound file usually has.mp3. A folder is a location where a group of files can be stored. Creating a file (using a text editor in Ubuntu) When a student, Neha, joins a class, the teacher creates a file on the computer to store Neha’s information, such as name, address, phone number, etc. Let us create a new file using a text editor in Ubuntu. To open a text editor, type ‘editor’ in the search dialog box. Then double-click the text editor option as shown in Figure 3.33 and 3.34. This will open a blank document. In Windows, you can open Notepad and type in the text. Figure 3.33: Opening Text Editor Figure 3.34: Text Editor 110 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 110 23-08-2018 16:20:40  Here you can add text, such as ‘Neha Tiwari, Shakti Nagar, New Delhi. M: 7856453451’ To save the file click Save. In the Save As dialog box, browse to the Desktop folder, type the name as ‘Neha’ and click Save as shown in Figure 3.35. Figure 3.35: Saving a File The teacher will facilitate these activities by showing you the e-learning module for this lesson viahttp://www.psscive.ac.in/ Employability_Skills.html. The module will include videos and e-content for the above topics as well as detailed instructions for some activities below. Initial thinking activity After watching the initial video in the e-learning lesson for this topic why do you think it’s important to know how files are stored in a computer? Activity 1 Create a file Materials required Pen/pencil, notebook, computer Procedure Form groups, depending on the number of computers available. Each member of the group creates a file. Others can watch and give feedback on what was done correctly and what can be improved. Open a text editor in Ubuntu or Notepad in Windows. Type details, such as name, class, address, parent’s name, etc., for a student Save the file on the desktop. Each student studies the shortcut given below: CTRL+z undo CTRL+c copy CTRL+y redo CTRL+v paste CTRL+a select all CTRL+p print CTRL+x cut CTRL+s save The first group asks the other groups a questions (e.g., what does CRTL+Z do? or what is the shortcut for Copy). Information and Communication Technology Skills 111 Unit 3.indd 111 23-08-2018 16:20:40  Check Your Progress A. Multiple choice questions 1. Which one of the following shortcut key is used to paste a file? Tick mark the correct answer. (a) Ctrl + C (b) Ctrl + P (c) Ctrl + V (d) Ctrl + X 2. Which of the following is a valid file extension for Notepad file? Tick mark the correct answer. (a).jpg (b).doc (c).text (d).txt 3. Which key do you use to copy something? Tick mark the correct answer. (a) Ctrl+X (b) Ctrl+C (c) Ctrl+Z (d) Ctrl+T What Have You Learnt? After completing this session, you will be able to demonstrate the knowledge of the computer files and folders. open a new file in a text editor, type in the details and save the file. Session 7: Communication and Networking — Basics of Internet The Internet is a huge network of computers around the world. Using the Internet you can get any information that is stored in a web page on the World Wide Web. You can do all this by connecting your computer to the Internet. If your computer is connected to the Internet, you say that your computer is online. With the help of the Figure 3.36: The Internet Internet, you can gather a lot of knowledge which is available on it. The knowledge is stored in a big library/ storehouse, called the World Wide Web (WWW) or the Web. It is a collection of different websites that you can view if you are connected to the Internet. You can also 112 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 112 06-06-2019 10:04:57  use these websites to buy something, watch movies, read books, learn new skills, educate yourself, find the best colleges to study further, etc. Uses of the Internet There is no limit to what you can do online, but some of the most common uses are given in Table 3.6. Table 3.6: Common uses of Internet Search information: You can Shopping: You can buy and sell get the latest information about products, such as books and anything that is uploaded on electronic goods over the Internet. the web, whether it is result, You can also pay for these products news about an earthquake, a via digital modes of payments, cricket match or the election such as wallets, plastic cardsor details. through e-banking. Entertainment: You can listen Online booking: You can book to music, play games, watch movie tickets, hotels, bus/train/ movies or share pictures. plane tickets, etc., online. E-mail and chatting: You can Online learning: There are a talk or send messages to people number of courses available all around the world quickly online─some are free while others and easily. The messages you are not. You can do a course on send over the Internet can a topic you like or want to know reach any part of world in just more about. a few seconds. For example, Gmail and Outlook. Social networking: You can Online banking: You can do share your interests, knowledge banking operations, like checking and stories with your family details of your bank account and friends around the world. or transferring money from one For example, Facebook and account to another through mobile Twitter. banking/NEFT/RTGS. Connecting to the Internet As shown in Figure 3.37, to connect to the Internet, you need: (a) A device, such as a computer, laptop or mobile. (b) A connection device, i.e., a modem. An Internet Service Provider (ISP)─i.e., the telephone company which provides the Internet connectivity using the phone lines or a wireless network. Information and Communication Technology Skills 113 Unit 3.indd 113 23-08-2018 16:20:41  Figure 3.37: Connecting to the Internet Types of connections (a) Wired connections: When our computer is connected to the Internet using a wire, it is called a wired connection (as shown in Figure 3.38). We use Ethernet cables (cables used for connecting to the Internet) to connect to the modem which connects to the ISP using a phone line. Figure 3.38: Wired connection (b) Wireless connection: You can also connect your computer to the Internet using wireless technology as shown in Figure 3.38A. Laptops need a wireless Internet card to connect to a modem with using any cables. Bandwidth Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted over a network in a Figure 3.38A: Wireless connection certain amount of time. To understand bandwidth, Let us take the example of a pipe, the amount of water flowing through a pipe depends on its thickness. Similarly, the amount of data that your network can receive or send depends on its bandwidth. In case of digital devices, the bandwidth is usually expressed in bits per second (bps) or bytes per second and in case 114 Employability Skills – Class IX Unit 3.indd 114 23-08-2018 16:20:41  of analog devices, the bandwidth is expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz). Data transfer speed over the networks (including the internet) is calculated in terms of bits per second. 1 Kbps (kilo bits per second) = 1000 bits per second 1 Mbps (mega bits per second) = 1000 kilo bits per second 1 Gbps (giga bits per second) = 1,000 mega bits per second Internet browser To see the information on the various websites, you need an Internet Browser. An Internet Browser is an application or a software program on your computer or laptop which helps you visit the various websites. Some examples of browsers are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer (Figure 3.39). Figure 3.39: Some Internet Browsers (a) Searching for information: Do the steps below to search for information