Basic Computer Literacy – BCL 111
Course Description
Covers computer concepts and Internet skills and uses a software suite, which includes word
processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software to demonstrate skills. Lecture - 4 hours
per week
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Identify and discuss the four main functions of computer hardware: input, processing, output,
and storage.
Identify and describe major hardware components.
Identify, describe and use communications and networking terminology and technology to
include Internet operations and its uses.
Describe the major operating system functions and demonstrate usage of operating system
services to include: disk management, file management, and memory management.
Identify and discuss computer ethics and security issues.
Demonstrate searching, validation, and evaluation of information found online and in library
databases.
Identify, discuss and use important categories of application software: word processing,
spreadsheet, database management, and presentation graphics.
Course Content
Computer Hardware
Input/Output
Define the term hardware.
Describe the different monitor and resolution types:
Describe the use of the keyboard and other input devices.
Describe various pointing devices (mouse, trackball, joystick, touchpad).
Discuss different print technologies.
Discuss the function of hardware ports (serial, parallel, USB, firewire).
Processing
1
Define the term CPU.
Discuss the function of the motherboard.
Define the term expansion slot.
Discuss the processing speed/system clock.
Discuss the function of the bus.
Storage
Differentiate between the different types of storage (primary and secondary).
Describe types of storage (dynamic and persistent).
List the data storage hierarchy (Bits, Bytes, Kilobytes, Megabytes, Gigabytes, and Terabytes).
Communications Technologies
Discuss essential Telephony principles.
Describe telecommunication devices
Describe LANS, WANS, the Internet
Define Wireless
Define Intranets
Define the following terms and use the capabilities within the Internet - World Wide Web,
Uniform Resource Locator, Domain Names, File Transfer, Telnet and other common protocols
Explain the operations of Web servers and browsers.
Define the term Search Engine and use a search engine to identify relevant Web sites.
Explain how to evaluate a Web site for relevancy, bias and credibility.
Send and receive email with an attachment.
Name and define the parts that make up a search engine.
Operating Systems
Define the term operating system and discuss major operating system functions
Compare and contrast commonly used operating systems • Windows
Unix/Linux
Distinguish between system software and application software
Distinguish between a command-based system and graphical user interface.
Identify and describe the parts and use of a window in a GUI
Distinguish between active window and background items
2
Identify the various shapes and significance of the mouse pointer.
Explain the concept of disk formatting
Demonstrate desktop management skills
Use themes, screen savers, backgrounds
Use Tiling, cascading
Use Short-cuts and icons
Use Task bar, Quick Launch, Desktop menus
Demonstrate file management skills
Create and recognize valid file names and folders
Use find, copy, move, rename, delete files and folders • Explain the deletion process and
recovery methods
Navigation and selection via GUI tools
Use the operating system Help system to find answers to questions about operations and
command usage
Ethics And Security
Distinguish among a computer virus, worm, Trojan horse, denial of service attack, back door
and spoofing, and identify ways to safeguard against these attacks.
Discuss and explain the concepts of:
Hacking and Cracking
Authorization
Attacks, Spam, Phishing, Malware
Discuss and explain intellectual property rights, piracy, and information theft.
Discuss and explain plagiarism and issues associated with using the Web for research.
Discuss and explain codes of conduct and privacy issues associated with computing.
Discuss social, legal, and ethical issues including privacy, intellectual property, health
concerns, green computing, and accessibility.
Productivity Tools
Word Processing
o Identify the significant components of the word processing interface.
3
o Use the Help system.
o Perform basic editing, text formatting, move, copy, and cut and paste functions.
o Use available view modes.
o Use essential save and backup options.
o Use print functions.
o Create headers and footers.
o Use document identification features such as embedded date, time and pagination in headers
and/or footers
o Use document style features such as font styles, sizes, colors, margins, alignment, and
indentation
o Use document context manipulation functions, such as find, search and replace, spell checker,
and a grammarian.
Spreadsheets
o Identify and explain the significant components of the spreadsheet interface. Note: emphasis
should be on the CUI (common user interface) shared between most productivity tools.
o Use the Help system.
o Perform basic editing, data entry, move, copy, and cut and paste functions.
o Perform basic insertion, deletion and modifications to at the sheet/workbook level.
o Create, and use formulas.
o Use basic, built-in spreadsheet functions
o Use various addressing and referencing schemes.
o Use essential formatting features, including data type, color, alignment, shading, and font
characteristics.
o Use print functions.
o Perform basic data representation using graphs and charts.
Databases
4
o Distinguish among file, record, field and character
o Describe the purpose and uses of:
o Tables
o Forms
o Reports
o Queries
o Use various GUI based design tools for database creation and manipulation such as wizards or
manual database design.
o Use relational concepts such as primary and foreign keys, constraints, and referential integrity.
o Create and use simple queries for searching and manipulating datasets.
o Create simple reports and forms using a GUI interface, including grouping and sorting features.
Presentation Graphics
o Describe use of presentations, including discussion on appropriate data display techniques.
o Create and manipulate simple slide shows with outlines and notes.
o Create slide presentation that includes text, graphics, animation, and transitions.
o Use design layouts and templates for presentations.
Course work
Please note that as part of your coursework, you are required to write an in-class practical test
supervised by the subject Lecturer. For the in-class dates, please contact Mr Cry Kuranga on:
kurangacry@gmail.com
Reference Book
INTRODUCTION TO TECHNOLOGY, Alan J. Pierce & Dennis Karwatka, Glencoe-McGraw Hill,
2005
Web Resources
http://office.microsoft.com
