FDEME3L

FDEME3L

Chapter 1 Integrating educational technology into curriculum

Curriculum-specific learning/ discipline specific learning when you are learning how to apply teaching principles, knowledge and ideas to authentic and practical classroom lessons and projects that can benefit your students

Computer literacy when you have knowledge and understanding of computers and their uses

Information literacy knowing how to find, analyse, use and communicate information; ability to gather information from multiple sources, select relevant material, and organise it into a form that will allow the user to make decisions or take specific actions

Integration literacy ability to use computers and other technologies combined with a variety of teaching and learning strategies to enhance student learning

In todays world, computers are everywhere at schools, home, and embedded in all kinds of appliances such as TVs, DVDs or in cars. Today most occupations involve the use of computers on a daily basis and people need to be computer literate and information literate. Students must learn to make informed decisions based on information obtained in all areas of their lives. They should learn to use modern technology to access and analyse information. Todays teachers must also use computers as a tool to facilitate learning. They must be able to assess technology resources and plan classroom activities using available technologies. They should be able to use computers and other technologies combined with a variety of teaching and learning strategies to enhance students learning.Data collection of unorganised facts

Information - data that is organised has meaning and is useful (reports, pictures, invoice etc.)

Input data entered into a computer

Output processed results of the input

Information processing cycle the cycle of input, process, output and storage

Hardware electronic and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer

Software the series of instructions that tell the HW how to perform tasksAge of convergence- 21st century; technologies are merging because significantly faster processors and high-speed networks make it possible

Digital media technologies that allow users to create new forms of interaction, expression; communication and entertainment in digital formatCategories of computers

Personal computer is a computer that performs all of its input, processing, output and storage activities by itself. A PC contains a processor, memory, input, output and storage devices; and have windows installed in case of this module

Mobile computers and devices

Mobile computers also called notebooks or laptops

Tablet PC special type of notebook computer that allows you to write on screen using digital pen Mobile devices - usually can wirelessly connect to the internet and dont have disk drives data is stored in memory disks or memory cards; e.g. handheld computers, PDAs, smart phones Handheld computer - fits in one hand; input by small keyboard or stylus

PDA personal digital assistant provides personal or organiser functions such as calendar, appointment books, address book, calculator, notepad, word processor, spreadsheet, access to internet and email etc

Smart phones internet enabled telephone that also provided PDA capabilities; also music, camera etc.

It is difficult to differentiate between smart phones and PDAs, because they have similar functions. Manufacturers often refer to them as handhelds.

Server manages the resources on a network and provides a centralised storage area for sw programs and data

Supercomputer is the fastest, most powerful computer; used for tasks such as analysing weather patterns

Embedded computer a special purpose computer that functions as one component in a larger product

Why use computer technology in education?

Educators recognise that they must teach students to use current technologies so that students become comfortable with them; also parents often insist on incorporating technology into the classroom; technology has the potential to enhance students achievements and assist them in meeting learning objectives; using technology can be motivational and can hold students attention; computers can also provide many opportunities for teaching and learning, including skill building practice, real-world problem solving, interactive learning, discovery learning and linking learners to a multitude of instructional resources.

International society for technology in education (ISTE) is a non-profit group that promotes the use of technology to support and improve teaching and learning.

21st century skills

Core subjects include English, reading, language arts, science, mathematics, foreign languages, civics, government, economics, art, history, geography, health awareness.Skills necessary for students to be able to succeed in the work environment are creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving communication and collaborationStudents need to be able to use new technology. These skills are known as ITC literacy (Information, communications and technology literacy)Students also need life and career skills: flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and cross-cultural skills, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility

Digital students/digital kids- today youth are much more media-centric then previous generations. They are often called the digital generation they use different technologies to communicate and to access information from multiple resources. They use computers, PDAs etc. with ease. Today students are different from previous generations in the way they think and access, absorb, interpret and apply information, and in the way they interact and communicate. Todays students are learning differently and therefore different modes of teaching are required to motivate students and empower them to invest in their own learning. There are numerous sw programs that teachers can use to stimulate students imagination. Teachers job is to teach students how to work on team projects and correspond, cooperate and collaborate with students not only in their classroom, but also with students worldwide through the internet. As students learn in this digital world, they have the opportunity to find and conduct various types of research the information is just a click away on the internet, which provides enormous amount of information, graphics and data. Students should learn skills for accessing and searching information, but they must also be taught the skills to evaluate and analyse information and to verify if the information is valid and reliable and then synthesise it.Information fluency when a person has mastered the ability to analyse and evaluate information. They can work confidently using computer, information and media literacy skills and effectively apply these skills.

Media literacy being able to create, develop and successfully communicate information in all forms. It is the ability to use critical thinking skills and to question all media music videos, web environments etc.

Students not only need to investigate data using critical thinking skills, they must also be able to synthesise, evaluate and create new information and knowledge once they have determined its quality. Activities must be active with authentic learning experiences. Teachers must look for the most innovative ways to teach their students and integrate technology tools.

Statistical literacy is an essential component of information literacy. Students must be statistically literate: be able to think critically about basic descriptive statistics. They should be able to analyse, interpret and evaluate statistics.

Data literacy students need to be able to view, manipulate, analyse and interpret data.

Teachers need to create activities for students to promote the use of higher order thinking skills that can increase students critical thinking and problem-solving skills e.g. learning to gather data, solve problems through inquiry, explore solutions with visualisation and data plots.Digital citizenship being a good digital citizen includes knowledge and commitment for understanding things like etiquette, communication techniques and standards, issues surrounding media and computers, business, commerce, entrepreneurship, privacy rights and responsibilities, ergonomic issues and issues about security and protection for losing data and personal information from computer crashes, asset management and hackers. A great way to teach students to be digital citizens is to have a debate activity e.g. about copyright.

Students should understand how computers work and understand the different HW, programs and applications.

ARCS motivational model students should be motivated to learn; 4 areas that could account for differences in student effort:

Attention capture students attention to eliminate boredom and arouse curiosity; digital media has the ability to capture learners attention Relevance when students feel that learning is relevant or important to their lives, they will become motivated to learn. By using digital media to develop lesson concepts, teachers bring familiar technology into the classroom Challenge-confidence students who believe they can achieve often do. Lesson created with digital media allow students to develop confidence by enabling them to succeed (e.g. by reaching new level etc.)

Satisfaction- success students gain success in achieving their objective, which promotes self-satisfaction from the learning experience. Digital media provides opportunities for students to use newly acquired knowledge or skills in simulated settings successfully. Lessons developed using digital media can be designed to provide feedback that will sustain the desired behaviour. Students can share their successes with othersAn example of how one school uses computers - all computers are part of LAN, high speed internet access, computer labs, wifi connection to the LAN, learners can work on online projects, make broadcasts etc. Teachers can communicate online with parents and use digital media in their lessons.Assistive adoptive technology refers to any equipment, modification or accommodation that can improve persons capability to learn, communicate, solve a problem or complete a task through the use of a computer (for people with disabilities) Apple and Microsoft provide accessibility features and assistance at their websites as well as built-in features in their operating systems.

Unit 2 Communications, Networks, the Internet and the World Wide WebCommunications, also called telecommunications, is a process in which two or more computers or devices transfer data, instructions and information.Communications network is a collection of computers and other equipment organised to share data, information, HW and SW. A basic communication system consists of 2 computers, communications device (modem) and a communications channel over which data is sent. Communications software a program that manages the transmission of data is also needed. Communications channels are made of transmission media, such as twisted-paired cable, which is used in standard telephone lines. Digital signals are individual electronic pulses that computers use to represent data. Telephones can only carry analogue signal. For telephone lines to carry data, a communications device called modem converts digital signal from the computer to analogue signal for transmission over phone lines. At the receiving computer, a modem converts analogue signal back to digital signal. Cable modems and DSL modems provide fast internet connection. Network interface cards are used in computers connected to LAN or WAN networks.Local Area Network (LAN) is a communications network that covers a limited geographical area, e.g. building. A LAN consists of a number of computers connected to a server. Server manages the resources on a network and provides a centralised storage area for software and data.

Wireless LAN (WLAN) is a LAN that uses radio waves instead of wires.

Wide Area Network (WAN) covers a large geographical region e.g. city, district and uses regular telephone lines, digital cables, microwaves, wireless systems and satellites. A WAN can consist of numerous LANs organised into one large network.

Home network is practical if you have several computers in your home or office. All the computers can be connected to the internet at the same time and the computers can share files and peripherals. Home network can be either wired or wireless.

Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) short-range wireless network often based on Bluetooth technology that uses short-range radio waves to transmit data between two Bluetooth devices (within 1Om)

Wireless Metropolitan Area is a wireless network designed to cover an urban area (free access in public spaces or access for a fee)

Wireless wide area network (WWAN) wireless network that covers a wide geographic area and uses a variety of technologies including radio, satellite and mobile telephone technologies. WIMAX is a new technology.Networking the school - A School network server connects all the computers located within a school. A server manages the resources on a network and provides a centralised storage area for SW programs and data. Typically, any teacher and student can access SW and data on the server, although network administrator can limit access to specific records and applications. Many schools use wireless networks so students and teachers can connect to the network anywhere in the school.Benefits of computer networks in education

Administrators, teachers and students can share HW, SW and data resources available throughout the school district.

Administrators, teachers and students can access unlimited educational resources available on the internet and communicate with other people all over the world.

The internet is the worlds largest network, a collection of networks that link together millions of businesses, institutions and individuals. Reasons for connection: access to information, entertainment, shopping, communication with people around the world, accessing other computers and sharing files, downloading and listening to music and watching movies, access educational material.

History of internet

The internet has its roots in a networking project of the U.S. Department of Defence. They built a network called ARPANET in 1969, effectively linking together scientific and academic researchers in the USA. By 1984 ARPANET had more than 1000 host computers (servers). More and more organisations decided to connect their entire networks to ARPANET and this complex network became known as the Internet. Today a variety of organisations operate the backbone networks that provide access to the internet. These backbone networks, telephone, cable and satellite companies and educational institutions and the governments all contribute extensive resources to the internet.

Internet 2 is extremely high-speed network that develops and tests advanced internet technologies for research, teaching and learning. Members are universities, corporations, governmental agencies and laboratories

How the internet works when a computer or other device sends data over the internet, the computer software devides the data into small pieces called packets. Each packet contains the date, recipient, sender and sequence information needed to reassemble the data at the destination. Packets travel along the fastest path available to the recipients computer via hardware devices called routers.

Packet switching is the technique of breaking a message into packets and sending them along best route available and reassembling the data.

Communication protocol specifies the rules that define how devices connect to each other and transmit data over a network (TCP-IP)

Internet service provider (ISP) is a business that provides internet access.

Online service provider (OSP) provides access to the internet plus online services such as news, weather, educational info, games etc (AOL, MSN)

Wireless internet service provider is a company that provided wireless internet access to computers with wireless modems or to internet-enabled devices. An Antenna sends signals through the airwaves to wireless ISP.

Cable modem is used to connect to high-speed internet over cable television; CATV enters the house through a single line and then splits between TV and cable modem.

Digital subscriber line (DSL) is a high-speed internet connection that transmits data on existing standard telephone lines.

Satellite modems are another high-speed way how to connect to internet

Power line connection (PLC) allows broadband internet connection using an electric outlet.

Public internet access point a public place where people can access the internet free or for a fee

Internet backbone the main communications lines that have the heaviest amount of traffic on the internet

Internet addresses each computer location on the internet has a specific numeric address. The text version of a computer address is called a domain name (www.leli.com)

The World Wide Web is just one of the services available on the internet (since 1990s). The web consists of a worldwide collection of electronic documents that have built-in hyperlinks to other related documents.

Webpage is an electronic document viewed on the web. It can contain text, graphics, sounds, videos and hyperlinks; a webpage is a hypertext or hypermedia document residing on an internet computerWebsite is a collection of related web pages. Most websites have a starting point called a homepage. Each webpage has a unique address called a Uniform resource locator (URL), which consists of a protocol, domain name and path. You can access web pages by using sw program called web browser.

Static web page - all visitors see the same content

Dynamic webpage webpage is customised so visitors see content unique to their settings. Dynamic webpage can also be called Web 2 or participatory web.

Web server is a computer that delivers requested web pages. Web servers can store multiple websites.3 types of hyperlinks exist:

Target links link to another location in the same document

Relative hyperlink link to another document on the same internet computer

Absolute hyperlink link to another document on another internet computer

Hypertext and hypermedia allow students to learn in a nonlinear way = discovery learning - learners can investigate related topics.

Webmaster is the person responsible for developing web pages and maintaining a website. Webmasters create and format web pages using Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML), which is a set of special codes called tags that define the placement and format of text, graphics, video and sound on a webpage. HTML is difficult to master, so many people use web publishing tools such as Dreamweaver.

Web browser is a program that interprets HTML and displays web pages.

XML is a mark-up language that allows creating custom tags known as schema. The tags are stored in libraries and can be used in Cascading style sheets (CSS), a simple mechanism for adding style (font, colours) to web documents

XMTML is flexible and enables web pages to be displayed on PDAs and smart phones.

Search tools enable users to locate information found at website all over the world. Two basic types are:

Search engine bases the search on keywords you enter; using different search engines for the same keywords yields different results.

Subject directory is provided by many search engines and allows users to navigate to areas of interest

Plug-in is a program that extends the capability of the browser. They can be often downloaded for free from various websites

Graphics a digital representation of non-text information such as a drawing, chart or photograph

Animation appearance of motion created by displaying a series of still images in a rapid sequenceThumbnail is a small version of a larger graphical image that you can click on.

Marque text that is animated to scroll across the screen

Animated GIF a group of images combined into a single GIF file.

Audio music, speech or other sound; typical audio formats are MP3, WAV, WMA, Real Audio and Quick Time. Audio files are compressed to reduce size, but quality is preserved. Most common players are Windows Media Player, Real Player and iTunes.

Streaming is a process of transferring data in a continuous and even flow.Streaming audio enables you to listen to sound files as they are being downloaded into your computer. Many radio and TV stations use streaming audio to broadcast their shows and videos.

Podcast is recorded audio, usually in MP3 file, stored on a website. It can be downloaded. Users can subscribe to a feed and receive new audio files automatically by using RSS, which is a protocol that allows users to automatically receive the feed. Podcasting can be very useful to teachers who want to automatically send class content, announcements etc. to their students.

Video consists of full-motion images that are played back at various speeds.Streaming video allows you to view video as it is downloading to your computer; Windows Media Player, Real Player and Apple Quick Time are common players.

Virtual reality (VR) is the simulation of real or imagined environment that appears in 3D space. Popular uses: games, creating advertisements, show products, virtual tours.

E-mail is the transmission of messages and files via computer network; email program can be used to create, send, receive, forward, store, print and delete messages and attachments can be added. When you receive a message, your ISP software stores the message in your personal mailbox on its mail server.

Mail server is a server that contains users mailboxes and associated email messages.

Email address is a combination of username and a domain name

File transfer Protocol (FTP) is an internet standard that allows you to exchange files with other computers on the internet.

FTP server is a computer that allows users to upload and download files using FTP. FTP server contains one or more FTP sites, a collection of files. Some FTP sites require passwords others allow anonymous FTP (usually websites offering freeware and shareware). If you want to upload a file to FTP site, you need to use FTP program.

Newsgroup is an online area in which users conduct written discussions about particular subject. The entire collection of internet newsgroups is called UseNet.News server is a computer that stores and distributes newsgroup messages. Most universities, corporations and other large organisations have a news server.

To participate in a newsgroup, you must use a program called a newsreader, which is included in most browsers. The newsreader enables you to access (user name and password is often required) a newsgroup to read messages called articles and add new articles, called postings. The original article and all subsequent related replies are called a thread.

Message boards (also discussion boards) are popular because they do not require a newsreader and are easier to use the newsgroups. Many websites provide message boards for their users.

Mailing list is a group of e-mail addresses given a single name. When a user sends a message to a mailing list, every person on the list receives a copy of the message. You have to subscribe and unsubscribe to the mailing list. LISTSERV is a popular SW program used to manage many educational mailing lists.

Instant messaging (IM) is a real-time internet communications service that notifies you when one or more people are online and then you can exchange messages or files or join a private chat room with them. Some IM services also support voice and video conversation. Some will also alert you to information such as calendar appointment, weather and sport scores.

Short message service is a service that permits the sending and receiving of short messages that is available on mobile phones and other mobile devices

Chat is a real-time typed conversation that takes place on a computer

Chat room refers to the communication medium that permits users to chat with each other. Anyone in a chat room can participate in the conversation, which usually deals with a specific topic. To start a chat session, you must connect to a chat server through a chat client, a program that is usually embedded in your browser. Some chat rooms support voice or video chats.

Internet telephony- voice over IP enables users to speak to other users over the internet using their computers or mobile devices

Netiquette is the code of acceptable behaviour users should follow while on the internet

Firewall hw and sw used to restrict access to data on a network.

Filtering software allows parents and teachers to block access to certain material on the internet

Acceptable use policy (AUP) an outline of user standards that remind teachers, students and parents that they are guests on the internet and thus need to use it appropriately. Most schools require everyone to sign AUPs.

EPals- project designed to enable digital students to develop an understanding of different cultures through student exchanges using many of the internet based tools described in this chapter.

The impact of the internet and World Wide Web on education by providing a variety of learning tools, the internet and the web are transforming the way teachers instruct and the way students learn basic skills and core subjects.

Media convergence it is predicted that in the future all mass media will eventually merge into one medium.

Unit 3 Application software prodictivity tools for educators

There are two types of software: system software and application software

System software consists of programs that control the operations of the computer and devices. System software serves as the interface between the user and the computers hardware. One type of system software, the operating system, contains instructions that coordinate all the activities of the hardware devices in a computer. Operating systems: MS Windows, Mac OS, Unix, Linux

User interface controls how you input data and how information is presented on the screen Many operating systems have Graphical User Interface (GUI) which combines text and graphics to make software easier to use.Application software consists of programs designed to perform specific tasks for users.

Desktop onscreen work area that uses common graphical elements such as icons, buttons, windows, menus and dialog boxes to make it easy for users to interact with the computer

Commands are instructions that cause a computer program to perform a specific action

File is a named collection of data e.g. document, a program or a set of data used by a program.

Document is a piece of work created with an application and saved on a storage medium with a unique filename.

Formatting changing the appearance of a document

Editing the process of making changes to the documents existing contentVoice recognition- speech recognition is the computers capability of distinguishing spoken word. You speak into the microphone and watch your words displayed on the screen as you talk. You can also edit and format a document by speaking or spelling instructions. Many SW applications support voice recognition.

Note taking Software is application software that enables users to enter typed text, handwritten comments, graphs, drawings and sketches anywhere on a page and then save then save the page as part of an electronic notebook; MS One Note

Productivity software is designed to make people more effective and efficient while performing daily activities. It includes applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation graphics, and personal information management and software suites.

Word processing software is used to create, edit and format documents that consist primarily of text; examples Word perfect, MS Word

Spreadsheet software allows you to organise numeric data in rows and columns. Formulas can be added to the spreadsheet and the formulas can perform calculations on numeric data in the spreadsheet and display the resulting value in all the cells containing the formula. A function is a predefined formula that performs common calculation. Spreadsheet sw can also turn numeric data into a chart that graphically illustrates the relationships of the numeric data; MS Excel

Database software a database is a collection of data organised in a manner that allows access, retrieval and use of that data. Database SW allows you to create a computerised database; MS Access, File Maker Pro.

Presentation graphics software can be used to create presentations, which you can use to communicate ideas, messages and other information to a group of people. The presentation can be viewed as slides that are displayed on a monitor or projected onto a screen. Slides can also be made into traditional overhead transparencies or be printed; MS PowerPoint, Keynote

Personal Information Manager (PIM) is a software application installed on PDA that includes an appointment calendar, address book, notepad and other features to help you organise personal information.

Beaming is a method of transferring data through an infrared port.

PDA operating systems are Palm OS, Pocket PC and Linux; wide selection of software for PDA is available on the internet (first download to your PC) and in shops.

Software suite is a collection of individual application software packages sold as a single package MS Office, MS Works, iWorks; advantages : cheap and easy to use

Graphics and multimedia software - Desktop publishing software (DTP) allows you to design, produce and deliver sophisticated documents that contain text, graphics and colours. These software supports page layout, which is the process of arranging text and graphics in a document DTP allows you to convert a document into a format for the use on the web often in PDF format (MS Publisher)Paint/ image editing software professionals use these software to create and modify graphics. Paint software allows you to draw pictures, shapes and other graphics. Image editing software provides capabilities of paint sw plus enables you to modify existing graphics

Photo editing software allows you to edit digital photographs

Multimedia authoring software is used to create electronic presentations, simulations and software demonstrations that include text, graphics, video, audio and screen captures (Camtasia Studio, Adobe Captivate)

Video and audio editing software allow you to add or remove clips; add special effects like sounds, banners, credits etc. (iMovie, Movie Maker, Final Cut)

Webpage authoring software helps you to create web pages, manage and maintain websites. Teachers can create a curriculum page that contains hyperlinks to teacher-selected websites that assist in teaching content-specific curriculum objectives. (MS publisher, Web Blender, Adobe Dreamweaver)

Software for school use

School management software is a centralised program that allows district and school personnel to manage the school district operations such as budgeting, inventory, technology and expenses. Most school management sw packages allow school districts to keep a database of all assets, salaries, benefits, food services inventory; some also include databases for attendance and other student information and have other functions similar to student management software.

Student management software is a centralised program that allows administrators, teachers and other staff to manage and track information about students, including attendance and academic records.

Gradebook software allows teachers to track and organise student tests, homework, lab work and other scores; search by name, student number or current average; weight various scores;(Engrades, Micro Grade, Grade Quick, template wizard in excel can also be used)

Educational software supports learning objectives and goals; available for all subjects

Resource software provides valuable and thorough information for everybody e.g. encyclopaedias, dictionaries, guidesSpecial needs software is designed specifically for students with physical impairments or learning disabilities to assist them in completing school assignments and everyday tasks. Special needs software includes speech synthesis software, text enlargement programs, talking calculators etc. when students use these programs in combination with assistive devices such as touch screens and adaptive keyboards, their ability to succeed increases

Software for home and personal use

Personal finance software is a simplified accounting program that helps you to pay bills, balance your check book, track your incomes and expenses and investments, evaluates financial plans and maintains home inventory. (Quicken, MS Money)

Online banking offers access to account balances, provides bill payment services and allows you to download transactions and statements from the web directly to your computer.

Tax preparation software guides individuals, families and small businesses through the process of filing taxes.

Legal software assists in the preparation of legal documents and provides standard documents associated with buying, selling and renting property, preparing a will.

Entertainment software includes games, videos and other programs designed to support a hobby or just provide amusement and enjoyment (games, family tree software, compose music etc.)

Learning aids and support tools

Help is the electronic equivalent of a user manual and it is usually integrated into application software package

Trade books can be bought to help you learn about specific software

Tutorials are step-by-step instructions using real examples that show you how to use an application. some are printed manuals, others are software or internet based.

Software versions and upgrades software programs are usually designed by a version number. A new version of a software product is called an upgrade, most software programs allow you to save a document in a format compatible with earlier version.

Unit 4 Hardware for educators

System unit is a boxlike case made of metal or plastic that houses the electronic components a computer uses to process data.

Data representation data in computers is represented by series of 1s and 0s. Each on or off digital value is called a bit and represents the smallest unit of data the computer can handle when 8 bits are grouped together as a unit, they are called a byte. The combination of 0s and 1s used to represent characters are defined by patterns called coding schemes. The most widely used coding scheme is ASCII.

The components of the system unit

The motherboard or circuit board

Chip is a small piece of semiconducting material and is made up of many layers of circuits and microscopic components

The CPU is a chip that interprets and carries out basic instructions that operate a computer; also called processor or microprocessor

Duel-core processor is a single chip with two separate processors

Multi-core processor is a single chip with two or more separate processors

The control unit is one component of the CPU. It directs and coordinates most of the operations in the computer.

Machine cycle=fetching (obtain data from memory) decoding (translating the instruction into commands the computer understands) executing (carrying out commands) storing (writing the results to memory)

The system clock the control unit relies on a small chip called the system clock to synchronise or control the timing of all operations

Clock speed is the speed at which a processor executes instructions measured in GHZ

The arithmetic-logic Unit (ALU) is a component of the CPU that performs the execution part of machine cycle

Memory a computer uses memory to store data and information. Memory stores the operating system and other system software, the application software and the data being processed by application sw. The computer stores each byte in a precise location, called an address

Byte Kb MB GB TB

The system unit contains 2 types of memory: Volatile memory lost when the power is turned off and non-volatile memory. Random access memory (RAM) is volatile memory. The most common form of RAM is SDRAM installed by using a DIMM that contains multiple RAM chips. DIMMs hold 356 and 512 MB or 1 to 2 GB.DIMM chips are installed in sockets on the motherboard and can be replaced easily.

Read-only memory (ROM) chips store information or instructions that dont change; non-volatile memory

Flash memory non-volatile memory that can be erased electronically and rewritten on. Most computers use flash memory to hold start up instructions; flash memory chips are used to store data on mobile computers and devices

Expansion slot is a socket on a motherboard that can hold adapter-expansion card that enhances functions of a system component and or provides connection to peripherals.

Peripheral is a device that connects to the system unit and is controlled by the processor in computer. Most devices are plug and play, which means that computer can configure devices automatically as they are installed.

Removable memory devices

Flash memory card is a removable flash memory device you insert and remove form a slot in a computer or mobile device pda, digital camera, printer etc; storage capacity 32MB to 8GB

USB flash drive plugs in a USB port on a computer or a portable device; storage capacity 32 MB to 64 GB

PC card is a thin, credit-card-sized removable flash memory device that is used primarily to enable notebooks to access the internet wirelessly

Express card module adds memory, communications, multimedia and security capabilities to computers

Ports and connectors

Port is a point of attachment to the system unit. Most computers contain ports on the back and at the front of the system unit. Ports use different types of connectors that can be male or female.

USB port can connect up to 127 different peripheral devices

Fire wire port can connect devices that require fast data transmission speeds such as digital video cameras, digital VCRs, printers and DVD drives

Other ports include microphone port, audio in port, speaker port, network port, printer port, mouse and keyboard ports, monitor port etc.

Input device is any hardware component that allows you to enter data, programs, commands and user responses into a computer. Input devices include keyboards, pointing devices, scanners, digital cameras etc.

Keyboard is an input device that contains keys users press to enter data and instruction into a computer; wireless cordless keyboards are now available.

Pointing devices are input devices that allow you to control a pointer on the screen. They include:

Mouse mechanical and optical; wireless

Touchpad and pointing stick touchpad is a small, flat, rectangular pointing device that is sensitive to pressure and motion. Most also have one or two buttons near the pad that work like mouse buttons; found on notebooks; pointing stick is a pressure sensitive pointing device shaped like a pencil eraser that is positioned between keys on the notebooks keyboard.

Trackball is a stationary pointing device with a ball mechanism on its top

Joystick and wheel joystick is a vertical lever mounted on a base. You move the lever to control the actions of a vehicle or a player in a game. The joystick usually has button called a trigger. A wheel is a steering wheel type of input device. You turn the wheel to simulate driving. Mostly pedals for acceleration and breaking are included.

Touch screen a monitor that has a touch-sensitive panel on the screen. You interact with the computer by touching the screen with your fingers; often used as an input device for a kiosk, which is freestanding computer that provides information to the user

Optical scanner scanner is an input device that captures an entire page of text or images electronically. Handheld devices that scan only part of the page are also available

Pen input two devices used for pen input are stylus and digital pen

Stylus is a small metal or plastic device that looks like a tiny ink pen but uses pressure instead of ink

Digital pen is slightly larger than the stylus; some are pressure sensitive, some have built-in digital camera; tablet PCs use digital pens, PDAs use a stylus.; handwriting recognition sw is used to transmit handwritten text into print text. Digital pen contains processor, memory and an ink cartage and can store text in its memory.

Digital camera allows you to take pictures and store it digitally; later you can download the pictures to your computer or print them

Audio and video input downloaded audio files, own sound or music from microphone, speech recognition, video from the web, your own video, TV shows, movies etc.

Input from PDAs, Smart Phones and media players voice, text etc.

Output is a data that has been processed into information outputs - text, graphics, audio, video

Output devices components capable of conveying information to a userDisplay devices are devices that display text, graphics, audio and video information. Information shown on a display device is often called softcopy; sizes of monitors 15, 17, 19, 21 inchesCRT monitors the core of the monitor is a large glass tube called cathode ray tube. The screen is coated with tiny dots of phosphor material that glow when electrically changed. The CRT moves an electron beam across, causing the dots to glow, which produces an image on the screen. Each dot, called a pixel, is a single point in an electronic image.

Flat panel display is a lightweight display with a shallow depth and flat screen that uses LCD or plasma technology.

LCD monitor, also called flat panel monitor is a monitor that uses a liquid crystal display to produce images; sharp, flicker free images; saves space on a desk; also used in notebooks, PDAs etc. The quality of an LCD depends primarily on its resolution response time, brightness, dot pitch and contrast ratio.

Plasma monitor is a display device that uses gas plasma technology, which sandwiches a layer of gas between two glass plates. When voltage is applied, the gas releases UV light that causes the pixels on the screen to glow and form an image; expensive

Resolution the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in a display device. Higher resolution means better quality picture

Television can be connected to a computer or a game console so you can watch movies or play games

Printers are output devices that produce text and graphical information on a physical medium such as paper or transparency film hard copy. We can print in portrait or landscape orientation.Nonimpact printer forms marks on paper without striking it e.g. ink-jet or laser printer

Ink-jet printer is a type of nonimpact printer that forms marks by spraying tiny drops of liquid ink onto paper; can print on a wide range of media: paper, labels, transparencies etc. ; ink cartridges

Photo printer is a printer that produces photos of lab quality.

Laser printer is a high quality nonimpact printer that uses tonner packed in a cartridge. When electricity is charged, the tonner sticks to a special drum inside the printer and then is transferred to the paper through a combination of pressure and hear; often can also print on transparencies and envelopes; better quality image then ink-jet

Data projector projects the image that displays on a computer screen onto a large screen so that audience can see the image clearly. DLP projector uses tiny mirrors to reflect light, producing images that can be clearly seen even in a well-lit room

LCD projector attaches directly to a computer and uses its own light source to display the information shown on the computer screen.

Facsimile (fax) machine is a device that transmits and receives documents over telephone lines. The fax machine scans the original document, converts the image into digitised data and transmits the digitised image. At the other end, the data are converted into an image and printed. You can add fax capability to your computer via fax modem.

Multifunctional device (MFD) is a single piece of equipment that provides the functionality of a printer, fax machine, copier and scanner.

Audio output device is a component of a computer that produces music, speech or other sounds;Speakers can be separate devices placed on the either side of the monitor or they can be built into the monitor or the system unit. Speakers are connected to the ports on the soundcard and they usually have tone and volume controls

Headphones cover outside of the ear so other people cant hear what you listen

Earphones-ear buds rest inside the ear canal

Storage

Storage medium, also called secondary storage, is the physical material on which data, instructions and information are kept (hard disk, cd, flashcards etc.)

Storage device is the mechanism used to record and retrieve storage media

Magnetic disks use magnetic patterns to store data, instructions and information on the disks surface in form of 0s and 1s. Before writing on the disk, the disk must be formatted (organised into tracks and sectors. The 3 types are floppy disks, zip disks and hard disks.

Hard disks consist of several circular disks called platters on which data, instructions and information are stored electronically. The platter is coated with material that allows data to be magnetically recorded on its surface; hard disks are read-write storage media (data can be rewritten)Miniature hard disks are found in devices like media players, digital cameras, smart phones and PDAs storage 4GB to 160GB or more

Portable hard disks: there are 2 types:

External hard disk separate HD that connects to USB or fire wire port by a cable

Removable hard disks use cartridges that you insert and remove from an external hard disk drive

Optical disks flat, round, portable discs made of metal, plastic and a layer that is written and read by a laser.

Cds and DVDs are type of optical storage media that consist of a flat, round, portable plastic disc with a protective metal coating. Some CD and DVD drives are read only, some are read-write, which allows users to save to the disc. The information is stored in microscopic pits. A high-powered laser creates the pits, low-power laser reads the information by reflecting light through the bottom of the disc. The reflected light is converted into bits

Picture cd is a type of compact disc that stores digital version of a single role of film using a .jpg format

CD-R is a compact disc onto which you can record your own information and you can also add information to the disc later. 650MB

CD-ROM cannot be erased or modified

CD-RW is an erasable disc you can write on multiple times

DVD is a high quality optical disc capable of storing 4.7 17GB;

Blue-Ray disc (BD) used in game consoles, capacity 10GB

Miniature mobile storage media many computers and other devices have slots and ports to read from and write to miniature mobile storage media; peripheral card readers-writers and also available; plug into USB ports

Flash memory card is a type of solid-state media used in digital cameras, PDAs, smart phones etc.

USB flash drives also called pen or thumb drives is a flash memory storage device that plugs into a USB port (128MB 64GB)

Smart card - similar size to credit card; stores data on a thin processor embedded in the card; use: storing medical records, identification info, storing prepaid amount of money etc.

Unit 5 Digital media and educational software application

Digital media are technologies that allow users to create new forms of interaction, expression, communication and entertainment in a digital format. With digital media, students can interact with and become part of learning adventures (view Mona Lisa, visit New York etc. Without physically setting foot outside of the classroom).

Digital media software refers to any computer-based presentation or application software that uses multimedia elements.

Interactive digital media allow users to move through information at their own pace. It accepts input from the user and performs and action in response. Digital media encourages students to think creatively and independently. Digital media include text and hypertext, graphics, animation, audio and video.

Musical instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is the electronic music industry standard that defines how digital music devices represent sound electronically. SW programs that conform to MIDI standards allow you to compose and edit music and other sounds.

Video compression is used to make video smaller. Prior to viewing, the compressed video must be decompressed so that it is restored to its original condition. MPEG is a standardised codec (compress and decompress) for video compression

Digital media application involves the use of digital media technology in education, business and entertainment. Teachers use digital media applications to deliver classroom presentations that enhance student learning. Students, in turn, use digital media applications to learn by reading, seeing, hearing and interacting with subject content. Another important application of digital media is to create simulations, computer-based models of real-life situations that often replace costly and hazardous demonstrations and training.

Computer-based training (CBT) is a tool that allows individuals to learn by using and completing exercises using instructional software on computers, also called individual-lead training (ILT); popular in business, industry and education to teach new skills or enhance existing skills of employees; CBT software available on CD, DVD or the WEB is called courseware.

Electronic book (e-books) are small, book-sized computers that allow users to read, save, highlight, bookmark and add text to online text. To read book on your computer, you need to install e-book reader software program such as MS Reader or Adobe Acrobat eBook reader.

IPod Books are digital books that are accessed on an iPod. Some books must be purchased (unlimited or time-based permits), some are free (e.g. project Gutenberg).

Electronic reference text, graphics, sound, animation, video is used to explain a topic e.g. MS Encarta or Wikipedia

How-to guides digital media applications that include step-by-step instructions and interactive demonstrations to teach you new practical skills e.g. how to buy a car or plan a vacation etc.

Digital media newspaper, magazines and journals are digital versions of newspapers, magazines and journals distributed on CD, DVD or online; audio and video clips are often included.

Peer review-referencing is used in journals and it is a process of submitting an authors work or ideas to the scrutiny of others who are experts in the field; used primarily by journal editors to select and screen manuscripts for publication.

Entertainment and edutainment computer games that are combination of simulation, animations, graphics, audio and video

Virtual reality (VR) is the use of a computer to create and artificial environment that appears and feels like a real environment and allows you to explore space and manipulate the setting

Converged media the interaction of virtual reality with life performance; especially useful in e.g. police and military training where real training might be dangerous. Some forms of VR software require you to wear specialised headgear, bodysuits and gloves to enhance the experience of the artificial environment; simple form of VR is a 3D game e.g. second life or Sims; companies use VR for virtual tours and showrooms

Information kiosks are computerised information centres that allow you to select various options to browse through or find specific information; often touch screens are used, provide info in public places on e.g. available services, product location, maps etc.

Web-based training (WBT) is an approach to computer-based training that uses technologies of the internet and the web. It typically consists of self-directed, self-paced instruction on a topic; easy to update, offers anyplace anytime training

Distance learning is the delivery of education from one location to another; the learning takes place at a remote location; most colleges and universities offer distance-learning courses that are usually web-based or web-enhanced. A web-based course, also called online course, is taught mostly or completely on the web. A blended course has a combination of face-to-face class meetings and online course sessions. A web-enhanced course is a traditional course that uses web to enhance the content of the course. High schools can also provide web-based courses - they prevent overcrowding and provide instruction for homebound students; less populated districts and rural areas can share teachers

Professional development training is often web-based now. Teachers that need additional training can now do online course training that is often self-paced. Teachers sign up for the course, complete it and receive credits for it.

Instructor-led training involves continuous interaction with an instructor and the courses are more structured, often include schedules and assignment due dates. It has a lower dropout rate then self-paced training, but it is more expensive.

K-12 educational software applications

Educational sw application refers to computer software products used to support teaching and learning of subject-related content; they allow students to examine their skills in a risk-free environment and provide instant feedback, testing and review.

Computer assisted instruction (CAI) is sw designed to help teach facts, information and skills associated with subject-related materials.

Drill-and-practice skill reinforcement software first supplies factual information and then through repetitive exersises allows students to continue to work on specific materials to remember the information. Provides instant feedback and usually has built-in features that allow the computer to move the student to the next level when he masters the level.

Remediation is reviewing content many times and using alternative ways until the student grasps the concepts being taught.

Tutorial is a teaching program designed to help individuals learn to use a product or concept. Many SW products contain tutorials to teach the user how to use the SW; branching is sometimes used=non-linear approach that offers alternative path through the lesson based on students responses

Educational simulation-video game is a computerised model of real life that represents a physical or simulated process. User can cause things to happen, change conditions and make decisions e.g. SimCityIntegrated learning system (ILS) is a computerised SW program usually developed by an established educational SW corporation as a complete educational SW solution in one package. These SW solutions provide individual student diagnostic data, continuous monitoring of student performance with automatic adjustments in instruction when needed, a variety of format for teaching content, and multilevel of content comprehensive management solution for maintaining the sw and for tracking student use and progress is also often available; expensive; suitable especially for low achieving schools; examples: Plato learning, compass-learning

Open learning system advanced learning system is an integrated learning system that includes sw titles form leading publishers. The teacher determines and prescribes the appropriate assessment, chooses the ideal activities, matches SW to objectives and standards and integrates the SW into the curriculum (example Classwork)

Curriculum-specific educational software

Creativity applications students often start with blank canvas and have complete control over the design and graphics

Critical thinking applications stimulate critical thinking skills; students are presented with a problem and a variety of ways to solve it

Early learning applications provide young learners with head start in reading, language arts, science and other curriculum areas; wide variety of activities

ESL-foreign language applications provide students with assistance in learning languages

Language arts application support learning through reading and writing; available for all grade levels

Math applications helps learners with math; available for all grade levels

Science applications helps with science concepts; available for all grade levels

Social studies software applications encourages high order thinking skills, provide reinforcement of facts

Creating and presenting digital media presentations involves producing various digital media elements, defining the elements relationships to each other, and then sequencing them in an appropriate order. Digital media authoring software lets you create the application or presentation by controlling the placement of text and graphics and the duration of sounds, video and animations. Digital media authoring software allows you to create interactivity by defining places in the program that respond to user input e.g. MS PowerPoint, Photo Story, Apple iLife. They are very easy to use so even younger learners can do projects on various topics. These projects then can be shown to the whole class by use of projector, electronic whiteboards or on computer screens

Interactive whiteboards electronic whiteboards e.g. Smart Board you can project computer image on Smart Board, you can press on its large, touch-sensitive surface to access and control any computer application. You can write notes, draw diagrams, highlight information, save and print notes that you can then hand out.

School Pad can be used with interactive whiteboard or independently to create an electronic whiteboard on any wall surface. Mimo interactive converts existing whiteboard into an electronic sharing tool.

Why are digital media and educational software applications important for education?

When properly evaluated and integrated into teaching at the point of instruction, digital media applications are highly effective teaching tools, because when students are able to see and hear, they learn more. When they are able to interact with learning environment, they can retain as much as 80% of information.

One of the main reasons for teachers to utilise digital media SW in the classroom is that it appeals to a variety of learning styles. Digital media SW is also engaging and motivational for todays digital students. Students become active participants in the learning process instead of passive recipient of information. Many students enjoy the creation of digital media presentation; using digital media SW increases learners self-esteem and confidence. Teachers can use digital media SW both as a productivity tool and as an integration tool. You can use a multimedia SW applications such as PowerPoint to present lectures and introduce new concepts. Teachers can also create presentation for their students. When teachers effectively use digital media sw as a productivity tool, they are modelling for their students how to use this powerful software. This can be the first step in learning to integrate digital media SW effectively into the curriculum. Teachers can have students demonstrate their learning by creating their own digital media presentation and presenting them to the class. Using and integrating digital media can help the teacher to manage digital kids in the classroom, because technology motivates students to learn when it is properly organised, managed and matched to instructional objectives and strategies.

Strategies to help you manage digital students

Break projects into well-defined tasks, not huge projects

Discuss with the students the amount of time their projects will involve. Give grades for productive lab time.

Storyboarding have the group create a visual plan before going to the computers.

Assign searching and investigations as hw since it can erode valuable lab time

Train classmates to assist others on the computers

Assign individual and group projects so that all types of knowledge is evaluated and all students participate.

Maximise one-to-one computing (use iPods, e-books, PDAs, cell phones etc.)

Help students use colour flags or cups on computers (green I am ok; yellow I need help; red need help urgently)

Have students ask two students a question before they can ask you

Post a list of all your procedures and guidelines for technology use on a visible place.

Unit 8 Security issues, ethics and emerging technologies in Education

Computer security risk can be any event or action that has the potential of causing a loss of computer equipment, SW, data, information or processing capability. These risks are viruses, unauthorised access and use and information theft. An illegal act involving a computer is referred to as computer crime.

Virus is a potentially damaging computer program designed to affect your knowledge or permission by altering way it works; more specifically, a virus is a segment of program code that implants itself in a computer file and spreads systematically from one file to another. Many viruses are designed to destroy data stored on the infected computer. The symptoms caused by a virus is called virus payload.

There are 100s of new viruses and variants every month. Viruses attract computers especially when connected to the internet. They can spread through email attachments - first ensure the email is from trusted source, then scan with antivirus SW.

There are 3 main types of viruses:

Boot sector virus replaces the boot program used to start the computer with modified, infected version of the boot program. When the computer runs the infected boot program, it loads the virus into the computers memory from where it spreads to any storage media inserted into the computer.

A file virus inserts virus code into program files and then spreads to any program that accesses the infected file.

A macro virus uses the macro language of an application, such as word processing to hide virus codes. When you open a document with an infected macro, the virus loads into memory often part of templates!

There are two common variations of computer viruses:

Worms are programs that copy themselves repeatedly in a computers memory or on a network, using up resources and possibly shutting down the computer or network

Trojan horse a virus malicious sw program that hides within or is designed to look like a legitimate program.

Logical bomb is a program that activates when it detects certain condition

Time bomb is a type of logical bomb that activates on a particular date

Virus detection and removal

You should take precautions to protect your computer from viruses by:

Purchase and install reliable antivirus software

Scan all removable media

Scan all files downloaded from the internet

Scan all attached files before opening them

Turn off email preview

Scan all software before using Avoid illegal copies of copyrighted software

Never start your computer with removable media in the driver unless the media is uninfected

Install a personal firewall program

Backup you files often

Set your antivirus program to scan automatically

Antivirus program is designed to detect, disinfect and protect computers and networks from viruses. It looks for programs that attempt to modify the boot program, the operating system or other programs that normally are read from but not written to. Most antivirus sw can also remove or repair infected programs and files. If the virus has infected the boot program, the antivirus program may require you to restart the computer with a rescue disc. After that you can run repair and removal programs. If the program cannot repair the damaged files, you might have to replace them with uninfected backup copies of the files. (Norton antivirus, McAfee)

Virus hoaxes warnings that describe viruses that arent actually known to exist

Unauthorised access is the use of a computer network without permission

Cracker-hacker an individual who tries to access a computer or network illegally; some want to cause damage to the computers files, some want to steal information and use it for illegal purposes, some just want to leave evidence of their presence

Unauthorised use use of computer or data for unapproved or possibly illegal activities (ranges from employee using a company computer to send an email to someone gaining access to bank system and completing an unauthorised transfer of funds. Unauthorised access can be prevented by access controls, which are security measures that define who can access a computer, when they can access it and what actions they can take while using the computer. To prevent unauthorised use and access to sensitive information, schools install different levels and types of access controls. Schools set up their networks so that users have access only to those programs, data and information for which they are approved (user Ids and passwords are assigned). Passwords should be at least 8 characters long-letters and numbers and should be changed frequently.

Possessed object is any item that you must carry to gain access to a computer or computer facility e.g. badges, cards, keys; often used in combination with a PIN.

Biometric devices authenticate a persons identity by translating a personal characteristic, such as fingerprint, into a digital code stored in the computer to verify the personal characteristic. If it doesnt match, the access is denied.

Firewall is a security system consisting of HW and SW that prevents unauthorised access to data and information on a network. Many schools route all communications through a proxy server that screens all incoming and outgoing messages. Windows XP and Vista and MC OS x have a personal firewall. A router serves as a hardware firewall.

Personal firewall is a SW program that detects and protects your PC and its data from unauthorised intrusions. These products constantly monitor all transmissions to and from your computer and inform you of any attempted intrusions.

Hardware theft and vandalism is common in schools and schools can implement a variety of security precaution: lock the equipment to a desk, alarm systems, do backups frequently in case a notebook is stolen. Schools can insure computers and purchase service that tracks down a stolen notebook. Computer vandalism takes many forms: cutting cable, deleting files etc.

Software theft takes many forms - from students physically stealing a CD to intentional piracy of software

Software piracy is the unauthorised and illegal duplication of copyrighted software

When you purchase software, you only purchase the right to use it, as outlined in the software licence, an agreement that provides specific conditions for use of the software, which the user must accept before using the software. The most common type of licence agreement is a single-user licence agreement-end user licence agreement (EULA), which usually states that the SW can only be used on one computer and one laptop, you can only make one copy for backup purposes and that users may not give copies to friends.

Product activation is an antipiracy technology designed to verify that SW products have been licensed legitimately. Product activation works by verifying that SW programs product key, which you must use to install the product, hasnt been used on more computers then allowed by the software licence

Shareware SW that is distributed free for a trial period

Freeware sw provided to the user at no cost

Site licences gives the buyer right to install the SW on multiple computers at a single site cheaper

Network licence allows network users to share a single copy of the software, which resides on the network server. The price is based on a fee for an unlimited number of users, or per user.

Community site licence gives an entire region or state the right to install an unlimited number of educational copies of a particular SW program on individual computers or a network cheaper

Information theft can occur for a variety of reasons to steal or buy information about competitors; steal credit card information to make purchases. Theft can be prevented by implementing the user ID controls and by encryption.

System failure is a malfunction of a computer that occurs because of electrical power problems, HW component failure or SW error.

Under voltage can occur when the electrical power supply drops

Brownout prolonged under voltageBlackout complete power failure

Overvoltage-power surge occurs when the incoming electrical power increases significantly. A momentary overvoltage is called a spike and is caused by uncontrollable disturbances such as lightning or controllable disturbances such as turning on a piece of equipment that uses the same electrical circuit..Overvoltage can cause permanent equipment damage. To prevent the damage, a surge protector can be used. It is a device that uses special electrical components to provide a stable current flow and to prevent damage to computer equipment. Many surge protectors include also plug-ins for telephone lines and other cables or special device that protects these lines can be purchased; however, surge protectors arent completely effective - large overvoltage can still damage the equipment.

Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a device that contains surge protection circuits and batteries that provide power during loss of power.

Backup is a duplication of files, programs or disks that can be used if the original is lost, damaged or destroyed. When a file is corrupted, the backup copy is used to restore the file on a computer or network file server. It is best to store backup on an offsite location. Most schools have a backup procedure that outlines a regular plan of copying and backing up important data and program files. Teachers should also teach students to do backups.

Computer ethics are the moral guidelines that govern the use of computers, networks and information systems. There are 5 areas of computer ethics:

Unauthorised use of computers

HW, SW and Information theft

Information privacy

Copyright

The existence of objectionable material on the internet

Information privacy is the right of individuals and organisations to deny or restrict the collection and use of information about them

Marketing organisations create an electronic profile of an individual by combining data acquired form public and other sources. The organisation sells these electronic profiles to organisations that distribute information on products and services.

Phishing is a scam in which the perpetrator sends an official-looking email that attempts to obtain personal and financial information from the recipient.

Spam is an unsolicitated email message or newsgroup posting sent to many recipients or newsgroups at once; spam sent through an instant message system is called spim; spam sent via internet telephony is called split; to reduce spam, some email programs have built-in settings that delete spam automatically ; internet service providers allow you to sign-up for email filtering that blocks emails from designated sources; anti-spam program attempts to remove spam before it reaches inbox

Privacy laws schools have a legal and moral responsibility to protect sensitive information

Employee monitoring uses computers to observe, record and review an individuals use of a computer, including communications such as email, keyboard activity and internet sites visited

Copyright means the original author of the work retains ownership of the work and has the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute the creative work. All educators need to understand how copyright laws impact the manner in which they and their students use information created by others. 3 areas of copyright directly impact todays classroom:

Illegal copying or using copyrighted SW programs

Fair use laws and their application

Use of copyrighted material on teacher and student web pagesAnything considered public domain is free from copyright restrictions

Web page guidelines Always protect the identity of students

Never list students last names, phone numbers, emails etc.

You can use first names, but not in conjunction with personal info such as photos

Avoid close-up pictures

Provide only well selected links to other websites

Internet ethics and objectionable materials

Objectionable material including racist literature, obscene pictures and videos, gambling and age-restricted items such as alcohol are widely available on the internet. You must always try to ensure that learners dont encounter such materials and you should ensure they know what to do if they do.

Filtering software prevents browsers form displaying material from target sites or sites that contain certain keywords or phases

Cyber bullying is the posting or sending of detrimental or cruel text of images using the internet or other digital devices. Both teachers and students can become the victims of cyber bullying; teachers should tell students that bullying is wrong.

Parental controls parents can take number of steps to prevent children from accessing pornographic and other objectible material on the internet

Use the parental controls available with the operating system change windows settings after you created separate user accounts for each of your children.

Install filtering sw programs that allow parents to filter harmful websites, restrict internet access, monitor childrens online activities and prevent children from accidentally providing personal information

Keep the family computer in the family room or where you can observe your children while they are working on the computer; check browser history frequently

Educational controls

Schools should use 4 approaches to control student access to objectable material:

Filtering sw prevents browser from accepting material from target sites or material that contains certain keywords or phrases. Drawback it can block access to legitimate material or research on controversial issues

Acceptable user policies standards schools set for the ethical use of computers, school networks and the internet.

Curriculum pages - teacher creates a webpage that contains hyperlinks to well-selected resources. A curriculum page significantly reduces the chance that students will view an inappropriate site.

Teacher observation or supervision permits teachers to monitor their students while they are on the internet.

Health issues

Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) also called repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an injury or disorder of the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments and joints. Computer related RSIs include tendonitis and a carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tendronitis is inflammation of a tendon due to repeated motion or stress on the tendon. Symptoms: extreme pain of the forearm and the wrist, tingling in the fingers.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is inflammation of the nerve that connects the forearm to the palm of the wrist. Symptoms: burning pain and numbness and tingling in the thumb and first 2 fingers.

Repeated or forceful bending of the wrist, prolonged typing and using mouse can cause CTS or tendonis of the wrist. Prevention: frequent breaks in which you should exercise your hands and arms; wrist rest between keyboard and the edge of the desk; mouse pad at least 15 cm form the edge of the desk.

Computer vision syndrome (CVS) symptoms: sore, tired, dry, itching eyes, blurred or double vision, headache, sore neck difficulty shifting focus between a display divide and documents and focusing on the screen image, sensitivity to light. Prevention: short eye breaks every 15 minutes; every 60 minutes stretch your body, sit properly and teach students the same.

Ergonomics is an applied science devoted to incorporating comfort, efficiency and safety into design of items in the workplace e.g. brightness can be adjusted on monitors, chair can be adjusted to height, keyboard is designed to prevent RSI etc.