Information Technologyfor CSEC® Examinations 3rd Edition

Howard Campbell and Alan Wood

Contributors: Keith Burkette (Trinidad and Tobago), Desrie Elwin (Dominica), Andrew Samuels (Jamaica), Nnaemeke Vesprey (Grenada), Camille Bruno-Audain (St Kitts and Nevis), Jesse James (St Vincent)

CSEC® is a registered trade mark of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC). INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY for CSEC® EXAMINATIONS THIRD EDITION is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by CXC.

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Macmillan Education 4 Crinan StreetLondon N1 9XW A division of Springer Nature Limited

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ISBN 978-1-380-02334-6

Text © Howard Campbell and Alan Wood 2020

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First published 2010 Second edition published 2014This edition published 2020

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The publishers would like to thank Keith Burkette (Trinidad and Tobago), Desrie Elwin (Dominica), Andrew Samuels (Jamaica), Nnaemeke Vesprey (Grenada), Camille Bruno-Audain (St Kitts and Nevis) and Jesse James (St Vincent) for their invaluable help in reviewing this manuscript.

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ContentsAbout this book v

Introduction vii

Theory

1 Computer fundamentals 2

The concept of information technology 3

Major types of computer systems 4

The major hardware components of a computer system 10

The interrelationship of the major hardware components of a computer system 17

Evaluating the relative merits of cloud storage and local storage 19

Selecting appropriate input and output devices 20

The role of the different types of software 29

Different types of user interface 33

Evaluating the suitability of a computer system 37

Troubleshooting basic hardware problems 40

2 Information processing 46

Information and data 47

Evaluating the reliability of information obtained from online sources 54

File organisation 61

Choosing an appropriate file access method 66

3 Computer networks and web technologies 71

Introduction to computer networks 72

Distinguish between different types of network: LANs, MANs and WANs 73

The functions of the basic components of a network 82

The importance of mobile communications technology 88

Key web technology concepts 90

4 Social and economic impact of Information and Communication Technology 98

Introduction to the concepts of computer security, cybersecurity and computer misuse 99

Assess the potential impact of computer misuse on the main entities impacted 103

Countermeasures to mitigate the effects of identified threats 113

Assess the effects of automation on job security 117

Describe the roles of various personnel in computer- related professions 119

Assess the impact of information and communications technology on selected fields 120

Productivity Tools

5 Mastering word processing 128

Creating documents using content from a variety of sources 129

Using appropriate document-formatting features 133

Using appropriate editing features to structure and organise a document 140

Using review features to enhance document readiness 146

Appropriately using features that allow protection of a document 150

Generating a table of contents for a document 151

Using mail merge features in a range of situations 152

Creating a fillable electronic form for online use 154

6 Mastering web page design 161

Planning a website structure and organisation of pages 162

Designing and creating simple pages 165

Inserting hyperlink into a web page 172

Testing and evaluating a website for accuracy, user- friendliness and effective display 176

7 Mastering spreadsheets 182

The purpose of spreadsheets 183

Using appropriate terminology associated with

spreadsheets 184

Using basic predefined functions 186

Creating advanced arithmetic formulae 193

Replicating (copying) formulae to other cells 194

Manipulating rows and columns: insert, delete and modify 199

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iv

Manipulating data in a spreadsheet 200

Performing charting operations 210

Manipulating one or more worksheets 215

8 Mastering databases 221

The concept of a database 222

Terminology commonly associated with a database 223

Creating a database 225

Manipulating data in a database 236

Programming

9 Problem-solving and program design 252

Outline steps in problem-solving 253

Using divide-and-conquer approach to decompose large everyday problems into smaller tasks 255

Defining a problem by decomposing it into its significant components 257

Distinguishing between variables and constants 265

The concept of an algorithm 267

Representing algorithms in the form of pseudocode and flowcharts 268

Testing algorithms for correctness 276

10 Program implementation 283

Distinguishing between low-level and high-level languages 284

The sequence of steps in implementing a program 285

Performing checks and tests on programs to verify correctness 291

Declaring variables and constants using basic data types 295

Translating algorithmic statements into high-level language syntax 296

Documenting programs effectively 322

11 The School-Based Assessment 327

Appendix A Specimen Paper 01 340

Appendix B Specimen Paper 02 346

Glossary 353

Index 358

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vv

About this Book

Unique, practical application-based approachThe 3rd edition takes a unique approach which provides real-life context for the concepts and skills taught: At the heart of

this approach are two companies: the fictional company, Caribbean Travel Services (CTS), and a second company created by the students themselves at the start of the course. Through examples and activities throughout the course, these companies are used to first show, and then to actively apply, the ways that a typical organisation uses Information Technology to help it with all aspects of the company’s operations. You can find out more about these in the introduction, which is an essential first lesson for this course.

The 3rd edition aligns directly to the 2017 CSEC® Information Technology syllabus:• Chapters are grouped into three main parts to mirror the three examination

profiles: Theory (Chapters 1–4), Productivity Tools (Chapters 5–8) and Programming (Chapters 9–10).

• Each Chapter corresponds to a section of the syllabus.

• Learning objectives from the syllabus are listed at the beginning of every chapter and then clearly sign-posted within the chapter via the handy ‘objective’ icon heading – so you’ll always know where in the syllabus you’ve got to.

Re-vamped Productivity and Programming sections

Application and programming skills are taught and practised in a way that instills broadly transferable skills, ensuring students aren’t limited to using specific programs and languages.

• In the Productivity Tools section, examples are demonstrated in Microsoft Office screenshots.

Key web technology concepts

ACTIVITY 1.2 Selecting the correct type of computer

Use the company you created in earlier activities or use St Luago Fashion.• As you read through the following section, consider whether the type of

computer being described might be utilised in your company.• Justify your reasoning.• Record your findings in your notebook.

Welcome to Caribbean Travel Services.

Caribbean Travel Services (CTS) operates scheduled bus services and vehicle rentals in several towns across several countries in the Caribbean. In each town CTS has an office, a garage and a depot from which its vehicles operate.

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Key features in every chapter

• Concept maps bring together all the different concepts in the chapter and show how they fit together – a great teaching tool for starting a new topic, or a handy revision aid later on.

• The activities are central to the learning experience of this book. They encourage students to apply what they have learnt to their own situation, and to practise the skills needed to complete the SBA project. Some activities can be completed individually, but many involve working with classmates in a collaborative way. Look out for these icons to see which are which.

• In-text questions (ITQs) check students’ understanding as they work through the text. If students can’t answer the ITQ, they should go back and re-read the section. Answers are provided at the end of each chapter.

• Key terms from the syllabus are flagged in the left-hand margin and defined clearly in the text on first use. These important terms are also listed in the glossary at the end of the book.

• Smartphone users can use ‘Scan-Me codes’ to access online resources. A list of these URLs is also provided in the teacher’s resources if teachers want to show them on a computer.

vi

• In the Programming section, two languages are demonstrated: Pascal, with which most teachers are familiar, and Python, an industry-leading language that will equip students with the foundation needed to pursue programming careers in the 21st century.

Pascal program

PROGRAM service;VARkms : REAL;BEGIN WRITELN ('A simple program to see if a vehicle service is required'); WRITELN ('Please give the kms covered since last service '); READ (kms); WRITELN (kms); IF (kms >=100000) THEN BEGIN WRITELN ('YES Service required'); END; WRITELN ('Press Enter to finish.'); READLN;END.

Python program

kmsCovered = 0print ('A simple program to see if a vehicle service has to be performed.')kmsCovered = input('Please give the kms the vehicle has covered since last service ')if int(kmsCovered) >= 100000: print('YES vehicle need a service')

Mobile devices are computing devices that are small enough to hold and operate in one’s hand and are easily portable.

Mobile devices ▶

About this book

Chapter 1

Major hardware components

IPOS cycle

Types ofsoftware

applicationsoftware

Computer fundamentals

Types of computer system

supercomputers

mainframes

desktopsystems

mobile devices

embedded devices

primary storage

cloud storage

local storage

secondary storage

Central Processing Unit

(CPU)

periperaldevices

input devices

ouut devices

operatingsystems

systemsoftware

systemutilities

Types ofuser interface

hardwareinterfaces

softwareinterfaces

command lineinterface

menu-driveninterface

graphical userinterface (GUI)

Chapter 2

Evaluating online data

verifi cation & validation

methods of verifi cation

methods of validation

File organisation

how data is stored

Choosing a fi le access method

how fi les are stored

serial fi le access

sequential fi le access

random fi le access

direct fi le access

Information processing

sources of data

Information & data

fi le access methods

types of document

ITQ 1.1Name the THREE fields of study that have been merged to form the field of IT.

End of chapter resources

At the end of each chapter you will find:• a summary of key content for that chapter to help you check your understanding

• revision notes that include suggested answers to the ITQs

• examination-style questions (multiple choice and structured) to check your learning and help practise your exam skills.

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Introduction

In the following pages we are going to cover all you need to know to achieve a great grade in your CSEC Information Technology examination. This introduction is an important place to start as it explains the book’s content and, most importantly of all, introduces you to a case study that you will be using throughout the course to help you understand and apply the information in the book. This is central to all the activities throughout the book, so pay attention!

On completion of this course of study in IT, as well as getting a great examination result, you will have developed an understanding of important IT concepts and practical, hands-on IT skills. These are listed in the table below.

The School Based Assessment (SBA) part of your examination requires you to apply the knowledge, skills and aptitudes you have learnt in a practical way. If you complete all the activities in this book, you will have all the skills you will need for a great SBA. We recommend that you start a notebook to record everything in one place.

Important IT knowledge Essential IT skills

• Develop an understanding of the fundamental hardware and software components and the interrelationships among them

• Develop expertise in evaluating computer systems

• Develop an understanding of basic information-processing principles and basic networking concepts, including mobile networks and Internet and web technology concepts

• Maintain safe and secure computing environments

• Develop computer-generated documents using a range of tools

• Apply a structured approach to solving problems

• Translate algorithms into high-level programs

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What is Information Technology?Information Technology is the use of technology to process data into useful information. You will already be familiar with some of the technologies because you will have used or seen computers, smartphones, laptops, tablets and games consoles in action.

An example of Information Technology in action that you will be familiar with is in your school. Students’ attendance, and examination and test scores, will be stored on a computer and processed so that questions such as ‘Which students passed the test?’ and ‘What is the attendance record of a particular student?’ can be answered quickly and easily. The answers are incorporated in the student’s term report to be viewed by parents or guardians. This is what Information Technology is all about: technology that manages information to make solving problems, answering questions and displaying results quicker and easier.

Information technology in the real worldIn this book we will be looking at how to use Information Technology to help Caribbean citizens operate more effectively. Whether the task is to process the payroll in a factory, advertise new products on the World Wide Web (WWW, a huge number of documents that can be accessed using the Internet) write letters to customers or keep supplier records up to date, Information Technology can help.

Introducing our study exampleThroughout this book we are going to use an example Caribbean company to show you how a typical organisation uses Information Technology to help with all aspects of its operations. Whenever you learn about a new topic in the book, you will be shown how it can be applied in the real world, using this company as an example.

Welcome to Caribbean Travel Services.

Caribbean Travel Services (CTS) operates scheduled bus services and vehicle rentals in several towns across several countries in the Caribbean. In each town CTS has an office, a garage and a depot from which its vehicles operate.

ACTIVITY Introductory activity

• Write down all the computers, smartphones, laptops, tablets and games consoles you have used or seen in the last week. Include devices that you have seen on TV or in films.

• For each device in your list, record what it was being used for.• Review your list with the other members of the group to create a combined list.• Share this list with the class by displaying it on the class noticeboard.

Introduction

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1 • Computer FundamentalsIntroduction

Creating your own study exampleAs well as seeing how the principles from the book can be applied to Caribbean Travel Services, you will be asked to apply them yourself, to your company. You are now going to get into groups and create that company.

The syllabus in contextEach of the chapters in this book relates to a section of the CXC syllabus. These sections cover really important aspects of Information Technology that will be relevant to almost any company, including the one you have created. Below is a summary of what each chapter is about. We are going to use these chapters to guide us through the development of your company and learn new skills on the way.

Chapter 1 Computer fundamentals

An understanding of the major types of computer systems and how they work will enable you to choose the correct technologies for your company. You will also need to consider what extra peripheral devices are required: a barcode reader or 3-D printer perhaps. What programs will you need to install on the company computers? You will certainly need a system to operate your computers, a word processor for documents, a spreadsheet to manage the finances and a database for storing all your records. You will also need to know how to fix any problems that may occur. We will cover all this in Chapter 1.

Chapter 2 Information-processing

Data and information are of central importance to almost all organisations. Your company will soon fail if you don’t know who your employees are, how they can be contacted or whether they have been paid or not. You will need to understand where any data comes from and how it will arrive. Will it be taken over the telephone (oral), written on a printed form, produced by another computer (a barcode for example), or directly captured by a sensor or measuring device (perhaps an anemometer, which is used to measure wind speed)? It is important to consider how reliable all this data and information is and how it can be checked to make sure it is correct. Finally you will need to know how the data will be stored and used inside the company’s Information Technology computer systems. As you work through Chapter 2 you will consider all this in relation to your company.

ACTIVITY Create a Caribbean company

Working with a small group of classmates (groups of four to six), invent a Caribbean company and establish:• a name for the company• the main product area of the company.If you are short of ideas, think of a clothing retailer. Your company might specialise in selling shoes, outdoor clothing, wedding clothing or children’s clothing.Don’t forget, you’ll be using this company and working with your group all the way through the two years of your course, so make sure you are all happy with it.

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Chapter 3 Computer networks and web technologies

An organisation of any size will have many computing devices. Company administration in head office will have computers that need to be connected to each other as well as to the sales offices. Travelling representatives, using mobile devices such as smartphones and laptops, also need to be connected to head office. As your company grows you need to understand the basics of computer networks and the different options (wired and wireless) for networking devices together. The Internet and World Wide Web are likely to be important to your new company so you will need to understand key web technology concepts, such as “hyperlink” and “web server”. We will lead you through the basics of computer networks in Chapter 3.

Chapter 4 Social and economic impact of Information and Communication Technology

As the world, and your company, become more connected, it becomes more important to understand the need for computer security and cybersecurity. Unfortunately, successful companies like yours can become the target of criminals. You need to consider the vulnerabilities, threats and potential attacks but most importantly the countermeasures that you can employ to eliminate or minimise these risks. You are not alone as there is a range of computer-related professionals you can call on to help you develop, maintain and secure your computer systems. In Chapter 4 we will introduce many of these professions and explain how they can help your company.

Chapter 5 Mastering word processing

A word processing program is a tool with which you can manipulate text. All companies rely heavily on documentation: letters to clients, brochures, reports, memos and user manuals to name a few. All your company documents need to be well presented and will probably include formatted text, images, tables and bullet points, and may include headers, footers, a table of contents and forms. Of course, all your documents need to be free of spelling and grammar errors and may need to be reviewed by others within the company. Finally we will show you how to do a bulk mail to your customers. Chapter 5 is a practical chapter, giving you a range of skills to create great-looking documents.

Chapter 6 Mastering web page design

Companies like yours need a presence on the WWW to advertise and attract customers. In order to do this you will need to understand the main concepts of web page design and develop the practical skills to create, evaluate and test a website. We cover this in Chapter 6.

Chapter 7 Mastering spreadsheets

A spreadsheet program is an automatic calculation tool. The finance department in your company will almost certainly be using a spreadsheet program to manage the finances. We will introduce you to the basic concepts of spreadsheets. You will gain the practical skills to sort, filter and even create charts from the data in a spreadsheet. In Chapter 7 you will gain the skills necessary to keep your company on a strong financial footing.

Introduction

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Introduction

Chapter 8 Mastering databases

A database management system is a powerful tool for manipulating records of data. All organisations need to keep records and your company will be no exception. Staff records, stock records, sales or rental records and supplier records are just a few of the types of records your company may need to keep. A well-designed database management system can store all your records in a set of related tables and provide the tools to search, sort and view the data in meaningful ways. You will need to summarise the data in the database and generate professional-looking reports. Chapter 8 will give you the understanding to design and create a great database system.

Chapter 9 Problem-solving and program design

As your company grows, problems may arise for which general-purpose programs such as word processing, spreadsheets or database programs don’t offer a good solution. You will need to create your own special-purpose program. We will help you define the problem by decomposing it into its significant components, which can be easily solved. You will then propose and evaluate possible solutions before selecting the best. From this you will need to develop an algorithm, test it and validate the solution. In other words you will need to split the problem into small, easy-to-deal-with parts and then write the instructions to solve each part of the problem before testing and checking the whole solution. Don’t worry, in Chapter 9 we will lead you through this process step by step.

Chapter 10 Program implementation

Following on from Chapter 9 you need to take your program design and use it to develop a computer program that will run on the company’s computers. In order to do this you will need to understand the sequence of steps that must be followed to implement and run a program. We will lead you through translating your algorithm into a working computer program written in a high-level language. You will also need to test your new program and create a user manual document for it. Chapter 10 covers all the essentials for program implementation.

Now your company is set up, we think you are ready to start.

ACTIVITY Creating departments for your company

Working with your small group of classmates, build on the Caribbean company you established in the earlier activity. You already have a name and the main activity; now identify some of the departments your company might have and how they will support the company. These are some ideas to get you started:• The advertising department is responsible for activities such as the company

website, bulk emails to customers and production of brochures.• The human resources department manages all aspects of employee wellbeing

including recruitment, training, benefits and holiday entitlements.• The finance department manages the income and expenditure of the company.• The operations department is responsible for the day-to-day running of the business.

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