ict revision

ict revision

1. Data and quality of data

   • data consists of raw facts and figures, that is, is just a set of characters, words, picture, videos or sound without any apparent meaning
   • if you knew that the data 10 11 12 represented a date, then you would have the information 10th November 2012
   • knowledge is obtained by applying rules to the information
   • GIGO
   • quality of data
     • fit for purpose?
     • is it accurate?
     • is the data biased?
     • is it up-to-date?
   • data validation checks
     • range check
     • presence check
     • format check
     • check digit
   • possible sources of errors
     • transcription error
     • transposition error

2. home entertainment

   • interactive TV is where the are able to use many services that were previously only available using the internet.
     • betting
     • voting
     • dating
     • gaming
       • play with others all over the world
     • shopping
     • user is being active, a number of different activities can be carried out on one device, the pictures are often better quality, there are a choice of languages, there are possibilities for interactive learning
     • there might be arguments over which vote to cast or which camera angle to look at, it could leadto becoming a 'couch potato', it can be expensive
   • images
     • digital camera is used in digital photography, it saves the images on a flash memory card.
     • a pixel is a tiny dot which makes up an image,. a mega pixel is made up of 1 million pixels
     • you can use photo editing software after you have taken your picture so that you can change the way it looks by adding an effect such as black and white or blur
   • webcam is a digital video camera connected directly to a computer. when using them you have to be careful because of the risk of paedophiles but webcams are good to contact relatives who you do not see much
   • social networking is a website where you can post videos, statuses, or images and you can see other people profiles. they are good because they are normally free but they are bad because of the risk of hackers and paedophiles
   • mobile phones are good because you can talk to people on the other side of the world but they are bad because they are very expensive to buy and to use

3. home and personal communication systems

   • the internet is a global network of computers. all computers on the internet can communicate with each other.
   • dial-up
   • broadband
     • fibre-optic
     • wireless
     • sattelite

4. home buisness

   • online shopping is using the internet in your home to buy items from websites.
   • advantages to the customer: large range of goods, saves time, delivered directly to your home
   • advantages to the business: not have to pay for premises such as an office or a shop
   • disadvantages to the customer: may have to wait some time before an item arrives, item may not be as described, high postage costs
   • disadvantages to the business: need to maintain an up to date website, have to rely on a delivery company
   • booking online
     • advantages to the customer: no double booking, fast response, cheaper, customer reviews
     • disadvantage to the customer: must have a debit or credit card
     • advantages to the business: will attract customers who are not local, no high street shops are needed
     • disadvantages to the business: initial costs of buying and installing the system will be high, agencies may close because customers are buying online
   • when you book online, you normally make an account. this account normally has a username, password and an email adress

5. organisations: school, home and environment

   • many schools use e-registration to register students
     • swipe card
     • optical mark reader
     • finger print
   • e-registration can tell you:
     • who is absent
     • if there are abnormal patterns of absense
     • know where each pupil is
     • know why a pupil is absent
   • management information systems.
     • database
       • personal details
       • home details
       • contact details
       • school details
       • produce class lists
       • find contact details of a pupil
       • find exam results
       • produce a list of failing pupils
       • data bases can be used to plan school events and timetables
   • data logging: data can be taken from sensors and put into a database. examples of sensors are light, heat, sound and movement sensors

6. ICT and learning

   • IWB - interactive whiteboard
   • CAL - computer assisted learning
   • distance learning - a means of studying for a qualification from home by learning online
     • you can learn anywhere, can be done in your own time and your own pace, there are often chat rooms and forums which you can use to share knowledge, there is a wide range of courses avaliable
     • no tutor to ask questions to, students may feel isolated, there may be a lack of motivation
   • online tutorials are good because they are readily available but there is no techer to ask questions
   • online assessments are good because they can be taken at any time but it is a impersonal way of testing
   • VLE- virtual learning environment
     • it is good because no teacher is needed but the equipment could fail
   • desktops can be customised for the user.
     • bigger icon size
     • window size
     • mouse settings
     • pointer speed/trails
     • fonts
   • a shortcut is a button(s) that you press to make something appear or happen
   • print settings include which pages to print or if the pages print double sided

7. application software

   • sources of information: disk, memory stick, cd, dvd, databases, websites
   • application software: word processors, desktop publishers, presentation software, spreadsheets, databases
   • ways to help the handicapped: desktop environments, voice recognition software, braille keyboards, touch sensitive data entry devices, concept keyboards

8. information handling software

   • a database is an organised collection of data
   • a field is a single data item, a record consists of a collection of related fields and a file is a collection of related records
   • validation: range check, type check, length check, look up list,. format check, input mask, presence check
   • reccords need to be updated regularly. records can be sorted into a set order
   • databases need to made secure

9. Email

   • to send an email, you must include the email address, the subject of the email and the actual message
   • CC- carbon copy
   • BCC- blind carbon copy
   • must be secure otherwise you can get viruses. never open an email from someone you do not know

10. Databases

    • a cell can contain text, data, labels and formulas
    • functions: SUM, AVERAGE, IF
    • cells can be merged to make one larger cell
    • you can make charts and graphs
    • automatic recalculation

11. data logging and control

    • central heating systems is controlled by a microprocessor
    • burglar alarms use senszors
    • robots can be programmed to operate in a certain way when given a command such as 'go'

12. DTP software

    • spellcheck
    • grammarcheck
    • thesaurus
    • mail merge
    • style sheets
    • headers and footers
    • page layout
    • justification
    • tabulation
    • tables
    • borders
    • graphics
    • autoshapes
    • watermarks