Information Processes and Technologyteaching Program

Information Processes and TechnologyTeaching Program

Preliminary Course

Term 1

1Prelim Topic 1: Introduction to information skills and systems (4 weeks)

2Word processing (2 weeks)

Assessment task: Written/oral presentation—PT1 (10%)

3Databases (2 weeks)

4Graphics (2 weeks)

Term 2

5Prelim Topic 2: Tools of Information Processes (4 weeks)

6Spreadsheets (3 weeks)

Assessment task: Practical & theory test—PT2 (20%)

7Prelim Topic 3: Planning, design and implementation (3 weeks)

Assessment task: Written test—PT3 (10%)

Term 3

8Multimedia (2 weeks)

9Internet (2 weeks)

10Prelim Topic 4: Personal and group systems and projects—Personal (3 weeks)

Assessment task: Project—PT4 (20%)

Assessment task: Yearly exam (40%)

Term 4

11Desktop publishing (2 weeks)

12Prelim Topic 4: Personal and group systems and projects—Group (2 weeks)

HSC Course

Term 4

1Core topic 2: Information systems and databases (5 weeks)

Assessment task: Practical & theory test—CT2 (12%)

Term 1

2Core topic 3: Communication systems (5 weeks)

3Core topic 1: Project work (3 weeks)

Assessment task: Electronic/oral presentation—CT3 (12%)

Term 2

4Option topic 1 (5 weeks)

5Option topic 2 (5 weeks)

Assessment task: Written test—OP1, OP2 (24%)

Term 3

Assessment task: Project CT1 (12%)

Assessment task: Trial HSC (40%)

Prelim Topic 1: Introduction to information skills and systems

Sample Teaching Program

Timing and resources

Time: 4 weeks

Syllabus: pages 14–17 Section 8.1

Software/course specifications:

Texts: Heinemann IPT Prelim—G. K. Powers (chapter 1)

Syllabus outcomes

P1.1Describes the nature of information processes and information technology

P1.2Classifies the functions and operations of information processes and information technology

P2.1Identifies the information processes within an information system

P2.2Recognises the interdependence between each of the information processes

P3.1Identifies social and ethical issues

P4.1Describes the historical developments of information systems and relates these to current and emerging technologies

Students learn to:

1.Introduction

(a)Define an information system and information technology.

(b)Explain the impact of information technology.

2.Information systems in context

(a)Represent diagrammatically an information system.

(b)Describe the environment and purpose of an information system.

(c)Describe the information system as a set of information processes requiring participants, data/information and information technology.

(d)Describe the information technology in terms of the hardware and software.

(e)Define a computer and describe the five basic functions called input, process, control, storage and output.

(f)Briefly outline the difference between data and information

(g)Identify the participants in an information system.

(h)Explain how a given need can be supported by an information system—Case Study: Woolworths.

3.Information processes

(a)Distinguish between and categorise the activities in terms of the seven information processes.

(b)Describe the nature of the seven information processes:

–Collecting as the information-input process that involves deciding what to collect, locating it and collecting it.

–Organising as the modification of data by arranging, representing, and formatting data.

–Analysing as the interpretation of data, transforming it into information. It involves examining data and giving meaning to it.

–Storing data saves data and information for later use and retrieving data obtains data and information that has been previously saved.

–Processing as the manipulation of data and information.

–Transmitting and receiving as the transfer of data and information within and between information systems.

–Displaying as the output from an information system to meet a purpose.

4.Nature of data and information

(a)Explain the nature of data and information.

(b)Categorise data as image, audio, video, text and numbers.

(c)Identify the data and the information into which it is transformed for a given scenario.

5.Digital representation of data

(a)Explain why information technology uses digital data.

(b)Outline the advantages and disadvantages of digital data.

(c)Describe current data digitising trends.

(d)Understand how data is represented digitally—bit, binary system, hexadecimal, ASCII, EBCDIC.

6.Social and ethical issues

(a)Describe social and ethical issues that relate to information system users and participants.

(b)Identify the social and ethical issue of data security, data accuracy and copyright.

Sample Teaching Program

Registration

Comment on topic: ______

______

Other resources used: ______

Date completed______Time taken______Teacher’s signature: ______

Sample Teaching Program

Word processing

Sample Teaching Program

Timing and resources

Time: 2 weeks

Syllabus: pages 18–25 Section 8.2

Software/course specifications: pages 11–12

Texts: Heinemann IPT Prelim—G. K. Powers (chapter 5)

Syllabus outcomes

P1.1Describes the nature of information processes and information technology

P5.1Selects and ethically uses computer based and non-computer based resources and tools to process information

P6.1Analyses and describes an identified need

P6.2Generates ideas, considers alternatives and develops solutions for a defined need

Students learn to:

1.Basic features

(a)Define a word processor.

(b)Describe the advantages of a word processor.

(c)Use a WYSIWYG screen to display text.

(d)Understand automatic wordwrap.

(e)Scroll through a document to view their writing.

(f)Move the cursor around a document using the mouse or the cursor control keys, such as arrow keys, pg dn, pg up, home and end.

(g)View the document in different ways, such as normal view, page layout view and outline view.

(h)Save and retrieve a document.

(i)Print a document and use print options, such as print preview, orientation, print quality and page range.

2.Editing text

(a)Define the process of editing text.

(b)Select a character or block of text for editing.

(c)Use the undo and redo commands to correct mistakes.

(d)Add text to a document by inserting and overwriting text.

(e)Remove text from a document by deleting text.

(f)Use both the ‘backspace’ key and the ‘delete’ key to remove text.

(g)Move a block of text by cut and paste.

(h)Copy a block of text by copy and paste.

(i)Move or copy text using drag and drop.

(j)Find and replace text in a document.

(k)Perform a spelling check on a document.

(l)Use a thesaurus and grammar checker.

3.Formatting text

(a)Define the process of formatting text.

(b)Describe a font as a set of characters in one typeface with a particular type size, type style and stroke weight.

(c)Explain the difference between serif and sans serif typefaces.

(d)Use generally accepted design principles to produce effective documents.

(e)Change the character spacing in a number of ways, such as scale, points, position and kerning.

(f)Align text using aligned left, aligned right, justified and centred.

(g)Change the line spacing of text.

(h)Indent text using left/right indents, standard indent, hanging indent and negative indent.

(i)Align text using tab stops.

(j)Organise text using bullets and numbering.

4.Additional tools

(a)Create and use styles for text elements such as headings, body text or lists.

(b)Hyphenate a section of text.

(c)Change the margins of a document.

(d)Insert hard page breaks.

(e)Insert headers and footers in a document.

(f)Create and format tables.

(g)Create a document containing columns.

(h)Use a range of tools to create a graphic or make a document more interesting, such as drawing tools, word art, shapes and symbols.

(i)Highlight a section of text using borders and shading.

Sample Teaching Program

Registration

Comment on topic: ______

______

Other resources used: ______

Date completed______Time taken______Teacher’s signature: ______

Sample Teaching Program

Databases

Sample Teaching Program

Timing and resources

Time: 2 weeks

Syllabus: pages 18–25 Section 8.2

Software/course specifications: pages 9–10

Texts: Heinemann IPT Prelim—G. K. Powers (chapter 6)

Syllabus outcomes

P1.1Describes the nature of information processes and information technology

P5.1Selects and ethically uses computer based and non-computer based resources and tools to process information

P6.1Analyses and describes an identified need

P6.2Generates ideas, considers alternatives and develops solutions for a defined need

Students learn to:

1.Basic features

(a)Explain the difference between a database and a database management system.

(b)Describe the advantages of electronic databases over manual databases.

(c)Create a simple flat file database.

(d)Understand and distinguish between the data structures—files, records, fields and characters.

(e)Define a database in a data dictionary—field names, data type, field size and description.

(f)Explain the purpose of a key, such as single key, composite key, primary key and secondary key.

(g)Design a table (list) to enter and display data.

(h)Design a form (record) to enter and display data.

(i)Understand when it is appropriate to use a table and a form.

(j)Open existing data from a storage medium.

2.Modifying a database

(a)Insert data into a field in a table and a form.

(b)Delete data from a field in a table and a form.

(c)Edit data by using cut, copy and paste commands.

(d)Amend the design by adding a field, deleting a field and changing a field name.

(e)Change the layout in forms (moving fields, headings, instructions or graphics) and tables (column width, rearranging columns or hiding columns).

(f)Alter the format of text in forms and tables using different fonts, styles and colour.

3.Finding information

(a)Sort data in a particular order—ascending and descending.

(b)Sort data using more than one field or level.

(c)Create a filter to view particular records.

(d)Search a database using the find or search command.

(e)Create a simple query to search a database.

(f)Apply a range of relational operators (=, >, <, >, <=, >=) in a query including the use of wildcards.

(g)Combine simple queries using logical operators—AND, OR, NOT.

4.Reporting

(a)Organise and present data using a report.

(b)Create a report based on a query.

(c)Position, format and sort fields in a report.

(d)Display data in different report sections, such as the report header, page header, details, page footer and report footer.

(e)Format a report using good design principles.

(f)Print a report and use the print options.

(g)Mail merge data from a database into a document created by a word processor.

Sample Teaching Program

Registration

Comment on topic: ______

______

Other resources used: ______

Date completed______Time taken______Teacher’s signature: ______

Sample Teaching Program

Graphics

Sample Teaching Program

Timing and resources

Time: 2 weeks

Syllabus: pages 18–25 Section 8.2

Software/course specifications: pages 15–16

Texts: Heinemann IPT Prelim—G. K. Powers (chapter 8)

Syllabus outcomes

P1.1 Describes the nature of information processes and information technology

P5.1 Selects and ethically uses computer based and non-computer based resources and tools to process information

P6.1 Analyses and describes an identified need

P6.2 Generates ideas, considers alternatives and develops solutions for a defined need

Students learn to:

1.Basic features

(a)Define a graphic and a computer graphic.

(b)Describe the reasons for using a graphic and the purposes of a sign, logo, chart and diagram.

(c)Explain the meaning of a pixel and resolution.

(d)Import a piece of clip art into a document.

(e)Capture a graphic from paper, digital camera, video camera or the Internet.

(f)Create a graphic using a paint and a draw program.

(g)Outline the advantages of a graphic created in a paint program and a draw program.

(h)Describe and use some of the common graphic tools and techniques.

2.Modifying a graphic

(a)Select a graphic to be moved or edited:

–paint program: select a region using a selection rectangle or a lasso.

–draw program: choose the object by clicking the interior or border. Select multiple objects.

(b)Move a selected graphic to a particular position—drag and use rulers/grids to position exactly.

(c)Crop a graphic so that only part of the graphic is visible.

(d)Resize a graphic—smaller and larger.

(e)Distort a graphic—stretching, tilting, flipping and rotating a picture.

3.Bit-mapped graphic

(a)Define a bit-mapped graphic and describe its uses.

(b)Explain the relationship between memory and a bit-mapped graphics resolution—bit mapping.

(c)Calculate the size of a graphic given information about its resolution and tones/colours.

(d)Create a bit-mapped graphic using a painting program.

(e)Edit a bit-mapped graphic using a painting program: aliasing, anti-aliasing.

(f)Identify some common bit-mapped file storage formats—BMP, PCX, TIF, JPG, GIF.

4.Vector graphic

(a)Define a vector graphic and describe its uses.

(b)Create a vector graphic using a drawing program.

(c)Edit a vector graphic using a drawing program: delete, move and copy objects.

(d)Resize, distort, rotate and flip objects.

(e)Overlap at least two objects.

(f)Align objects with one another

(g)Group and ungroup objects together as if they were a single object.

(h)Identify some common vector file storage formats.

Sample Teaching Program

Registration

Comment on topic: ______

______

Other resources used: ______

Date completed______Time taken______Teacher’s signature: ______

Sample Teaching Program

Prelim Topic 2: Tools for information processes

Sample Teaching Program

Timing and resources

Time: 4 weeks

Syllabus: pages 18–25 Section 8.2

Texts: Heinemann IPT Prelim—G. K. Powers (chapter 2)

Syllabus outcomes

P1.1Describes the nature of information processes and information technology

P1.2Classifies the functions and operations of information processes and information technology

P2.1Identifies the information processes within an information system

P2.2Recognises the interdependence between each of the information processes

P3.1Identifies social and ethical issues

P4.1Describes the historical developments of information systems and relates these to current and emerging technologies

P5.1Selects and ethically uses computer based and non-computer based resources and tools to process information

P6.1Analyses and describes an identified need

P6.2Generates ideas, considers alternatives and develops solutions for a defined need

Students learn to:

1.Collecting

(a)Describe and use a range of hardware collection devices—pointing devices, scanners, digital cameras, video cameras, microphones, keyboards and optical character readers.

(b)Describe and use software for collection—operating system, data entry into application software and Internet as a collection source.

(c)Identify some of the non-computer tools for collection—literature searches, surveys, interviews, form design and manual recording.

(d)Describe the social/ethical issues related to collection—bias, accuracy, copyright, privacy and ergonomics.

2.Organising

(a)Describe how hardware collection devices organise data by digitising—text, numbers, images and audio.

(b)Explain how application software organises data

(c)Identify some non-computer tools for organising—hardcopy systems, pen and paper methods.

(d)Describe the social/ethical issues related to organising—current trends, poorly organised data, suitable data.

3.Analysing

(a)Identify the hardware requirements to carry out analysis—large amounts of storage, fast processing.

(b)Describe and use software analysis features for analysis—searching, sorting, modelling and simulations, ‘what-if’ predictions, charts.

(c)Identify some non-computer tools for analysing.

(d)Compare and contrast computer/non-computer tools.

(e)Describe the social/ethical issues related to analysing—unauthorised analysis, incorrect analysis, privacy.

4.Storing and retrieving

(a)Describe and use a range of hardware devices to store and retrieve data—magnetic disk, magnetic tape, optical disk and flash memory.

(b)Describe and use the software used in storing and retrieving—hard interface software, file management software, file formats, DBMS, browsers, passwords.

(c)Identify non-computer tools for storing and retrieving—paper-based storage systems, microfiche, library.

(d)Describe the social/ethical issues related to storing and retrieving—security, unauthorised retrieval of data.

5.Processing

(a)Describe the hardware used for processing—system unit, CPU, integrated circuit, motherboard, control unit, ALU, registers, processing speed, memory (RAM, volatile, cache, ROM).

(b)Explain the operation of the CPU—fetch-execute cycle, i-time, e-time, pipelining.

(c)Identify the different types of processing—centralised, distributed, parallel.

(d)Explain how each piece of application software processes data by editing.

(e)Identify some non-computer tools for processing—documentation, DFD, system flowcharts.

(f)Describe the social/ethical issues related to processing—type of processing, ownership, bias.

6.Transmitting and receiving

(a)Explain communication concepts—serial/parallel, asynchronous/synchronous, simplex, half duplex and full duplex, baud rate, bits per second.

(b)Describe the hardware used in transmitting and receiving—communication within the computer (bus, expansion cards, port), modem, networks.

(c)Describe the software used in transmitting and receiving—communication software.

(d)Identify some non-computer tools for transmitting and receiving—mail system, telephone, fax, radio, TV.

(e)Describe the social/ethical issues related to transmitting and receiving—accuracy, security, net-etiquette, acknowledgment of source, privacy, nature of work, impact of the Internet on traditional business.

7.Displaying

(a)Describe and use a range of hardware devices for display—screens, printers speakers, plotters.

(b)Describe software display features—reporting, formatting, spacing, mail merge, tables, charts.

(c)Identify some non-computer tools for display—storyboard, traditional methods.

(d)Describe the social/ethical issues related to display—communication skills, current trends, visually impaired, offensive material.

Sample Teaching Program

Registration

Comment on topic: ______

______

Other resources used: ______

Date completed______Time taken______Teacher’s signature: ______