LESSON 1.
INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe
TECHNOLOGY
Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) refers to all technology that is
used to handle telecommunication and access
information. It also includes broadcast media,
management systems, and network-based
control.
Modern definitions describe ICT as the
convergence of several technologies including
internet and wireless medium, but primary focus
is on the access and sharing of information and
communications.
It includes the use of computers, radio,
television, cellular phones, network hardware
and software, internet connections, satellite
systems, applications needed for video
conferencing and distance learning in the field
of education.
Mobile devices can communicate through the
following communication technologies:
 Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) – technology for
radio wireless local area networking of
devices based on the IEEE 802.11
standards.
 Bluetooth – a wireless technology
standard for exchanging data over short
distances from fixed and mobile
devices, and building personal area
networks (PANs).
 Infrared Radiation Wireless (IR) – the
use of wireless technology in devices or
systems that convey data through
infrared (IR) radiation.
 3G – short for third generation, is the
third generation of wireless mobile
telecommunications technology.
 4G – the fourth generation of broadband
cellular network technology, succeeding
3G. Potential and current applications
include amended mobile web access, IP
telephony, gaming services, high-
definition mobile TV, video
conferencing, and 3D television.
 GSM – a standard developed by the
European Telecommunications
the protocols for second-generation
digital cellular networks used by mobile
devices such as tablets.
 GPRS – packet oriented mobile data
standard on the 2G and 3G cellular
communication network's global system
for mobile communications (GSM).
 Data Services – data networking services
for mobile phones.
 Dial-up Services – data networking
services using modems and telephone
lines.
 Virtual Private Networks (VPN) –
extends across a public or shared
network, and acts like a tunnel so you
can exchange data securely and
anonymously across the internet as if
you were connected directly to a private
network.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
 Artificial Intelligence (AI) – an area of
computer science that emphasizes the
creation of intelligent machines that
work and react like humans. Some of the
activities computers with artificial
intelligence are designed for include:
o Speech recognition
o Learning
o Planning
o Problem solving
 Robotics – the field of computer science
and engineering concerned with
creating devices that can move and
react to sensory input. It is a form of
artificial intelligence.
 Biometrics – the technology used to
measure and analyze human body
characteristics such as DNA, finger
prints, eye retinas and irises, voice
patterns, facial patterns, and hand
measurements, mainly for
authentication purposes.
 Quantum Cryptography – the science of
encoding and decoding information or
messages which depends on physics, not
 mathematics. It is used for information
privacy and security.
 Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) –
the use of computers to assist in the
translation of one or more natural
languages into another or others, and
vice-versa.
 3D Imaging and Holography – knowledge of maximizing the user's personal
holography is a photographic technique
that uses light to project objects in a
way that appears three-dimensional.
 Virtual Reality – the term used to
describe a three-dimensional,
computer-generated environment that
can be explored and interacted with a
person.
ONLINE PLATFORMS
A platform is defined as a group of
technologies that are used as a base upon which
other applications, processes, or technologies
are developed. It can be programmed and
therefore customized by outside developers who
are the users.
COMMON ONLINE PLATFORMS
 Social Media – web-based technology
that allows the development,
deployment, and management of social
media solutions and services. It
provides solutions to creating social
media websites.
 E-Commerce and M-Commerce – e-
commerce is a collection of software
technologies that allows merchants to
create a storefront on the internet while
m-commerce transacts business entirely
on mobile technologies.
 Online Learning – an incorporated set of
interactive online services that provides
the teachers, learners, parents, and
others involved in education sector with
a wide range of tools and resources to
support and enhance the delivery and
management of education through the
internet.
 Online Video – a service providing end-
to-end tools used to create, customize,
publish, and manage videos online.
ONLINE SAFETY AND SECURITY
Internet safety or online safety is
trying to be safe on the internet and is the
safety and security risks to private information
and property associated with using the internet,
and the self-protection from computer crime in
general.
Sensitive information such as personal
information and identity, passwords are often
associated with personal property (for example,
bank accounts) and privacy and may present
security concerns if leaked. Unauthorized access
and usage of private information may result in
consequence such as identity theft, as well as
theft of property. Common causes of
information security breaches include:
HACKING
Hacking is an attempt to exploit a computer
system or a private network inside a computer.
Simply put, it is the unauthorized access to or
control over computer network security systems
for some illicit purpose.
PHISHING
Phishing is a type of scam where the scammers
disguise as a trustworthy source in attempt to
obtain private information such as passwords,
and credit card information, etc. through the
internet. Phishing often occurs through emails
and instant messaging and may contain links to
websites that direct the user to enter their
private information. These fake websites are
often designed to look identical to their
legitimate counterparts to avoid suspicion from
the user.
INTERNET SCAMS
Internet scams are schemes that deceive the
user in various ways in attempt to take
advantage of them. Internet scams often aim to
cheat the victim of personal property directly
rather than personal information through false
promises, confidence tricks and more.
MALWARE
Malware, particularly spyware, is malicious
software disguised as software designed to
collect and transmit private information, such as
passwords, without the user's consent or
knowledge. They are often distributed through
e-mail, software and files from unofficial
locations. Malware is one of the most prevalent
security concerns as often it is impossible to
determine whether a file is infected, despite the
source of the file.
PERSONAL SAFETY
The growth of the internet gave rise to many
important services accessible to anyone with a
connection. One of these important services is
digital communication. While this service
allowed communication with others through the
internet, this also allowed the communication
with malicious users. While malicious users often
use the internet for personal gain, this may not
be limited to financial/material gain. This is
especially a concern to parents and children, as
children are often targets of these malicious
users. Common threats to personal safety
include: phishing, internet scams, malware,
cyberstalking, cyberbullying, online predictions
and sextortion.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the "wrongful appropriation" and
"stealing and publication" of another author's
"language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions" and
the representation of them as one's own original
work. Plagiarism is considered academic
dishonesty and a breach of journalistic ethics. It
is subject to sanctions like penalties,
suspension, and even expulsion.
CYBERSTALKING
Cyberstalking is the use of the Internet or other
electronic means to stalk or harass an individual,
a group of individuals, or an organization. It may
include the making of false accusations or
statements of fact (as in defamation),
monitoring, making threats, identity theft,
damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of
minors for sex, or gathering information that
may be used to harass. According to a study
conducted by Baum et al. (2009), the rate of
assault through electronic means such as e-mail
or instant messaging was over one in four out of
all stalking victims in the study.
CYBERBULLYING
Cyberbullying is the attack upon an individual
or group through the use of electronic means
such as instant messaging, social media, e-mail
and other forms of online communication with
the intent to abuse, intimidate, or overpower.
In a 2012 study of over 11,925 students in the
United States, it was indicated that 23% of
adolescents reported being a victim of cyber
bullying, 30% of which reported experiencing
suicidal behavior.
ONLINE PREDATION
Online predation is the act of engaging an
underage minor into inappropriate sexual
relationships through the internet. Online
predators may attempt to initiate and seduce
minors into relationships through the use of chat
rooms or internet forums.
OBSCENE/OFFENSIVE CONTENT
Various websites on the internet contain
material that some deem offensive, distasteful
or explicit, which may often be not of the user's
liking. Such websites may include internet,
shock sites, hate speech or otherwise
inflammatory content. Such content may
manifest in many ways, such as pop-up ads and
unsuspecting links.
SEXTORTION
SEXTORTION, especially via the use of
webcams, is a concern, especially for those who
use webcams for flirting and cybersex. Often
this involves a cybercriminal posing as someone
else - such as an attractive person - initiating
communication of a sexual nature with the
victim. The victim is then persuaded to undress
in front of a webcam, and may also be persuaded
to engage in sexual behavior, such as
masturbation. The video is recorded by the
cybercriminal, who then reveals their true
intent and demands money or other services
(such as more explicit images of the victim, in
cases of online predation), threatening to
publicly release the video and send it to family
members and friends of the victim if they do not
comply.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND
COPYRIGHT ISSUES
Intellectual property refers to creations of the
mind: inventions; literary and artistic works; and
symbols, names and images used in commerce.
Intellectual property is divided into two
categories:
 Industrial Property includes patents for
inventions, trademarks, industrial
designs and geographical indications.
 Copyright covers literary works (such as
novels, poems and plays), films, music,
artistic works (e.g., drawings, paintings,
photographs and sculptures) and
architectural design. Rights related to
copyright include those of performing
artists, producers of phonograms and
broadcasters in their radio and
television programs.
LESSON 2. APPLICATION SOFTWARE
PACKAGES
SOFTWARE
Software refers to in to instructional
information that directs the activities of the
computer hardware or helps user control the
hardware components of the computer. They
are collectively known as “programs”.
TYPES OF SOFTWARE
• System Software – software that
directly operates the computer hardware to
provide basic functionality needed by users and
other software, and to provide a platform for
running application software.
• Operating Systems – essential
collections of software that manages resources
and provides common services for other
software.
• IOS – used in Apple devices such as IPad
and IPhone.
• Android – an open source operating
system developed by GOOGLE.
• Blackberry OS – used in Blackberry
devices.
• Windows Phone OS – a closed source
and proprietary operating system developed by
Microsoft.
• Symbian – the original smartphone OS
used by NOKIA devices.
• Web OS – originally used for
smartphones now used for smart TVs
• Device Drivers – software which operate
and control particular type of devices attached
to the computer.
• Utility Software – computer programs
designed to assist users in the maintenance and
care of the system.
• Anti-virus software – scan the computer
system for viruses and remove them.
• Memory testers – check for memory
failures.
• Registry cleaners – clean and optimizes
the System Registry by removing old registry
keys that are no longer in use.
• Screensavers – software that runs when
the computer is idle, usually displays images and
patterns for entertainment or security.
• Disk checkers – scan an operating hard
drive and check for logical or physical error.
• Disk compression utilities –
compress/uncompress the contents of a disk.
• Disk defragmenters – detect computer
files whose contents are scattered across several
locations on the hard disk and move the
fragments to one location to increase efficiency.
• Disk formatters – prepare a data
storage, such as hard disk, for initial use.
• Backup software – makes copies of all
information stored on a disk and restores either
the entire disk or selected files.
• File managers – provide a convenient
method of performing routine data
management.
• Disk cleaners – find files that are
unnecessary to computer operation.
• Application Software – software
designed to perform specific tasks.
• Word Processor – a computer program
or device that provides for input, editing,
formatting and output of text.
• Desktop Publisher – a computer
program that generates layouts for documents
to produce typographic quality text and images.
• Electronic Spreadsheet – an interactive
computer application for organization, analysis
and storage of data in tabular form.
• Paint Application – software graphics
program that allows the user to draw or paint
bitmapped images on a computer.
• Presentation Graphics – is a software
package used to display information in the form
of a slide show.
• Sound/Video Editor – software which
allows editing and generating video and audio
data.
• Database Management Systems –
software application that interacts with end
users, other applications, and the database
itself to capture and analyze data.
• Games –electronic games that involves
interaction with a user-interface to generate
visual feedback on a video device such as a
monitor.
WHY BINARY NUMBERS ARE USED BY
COMPUTERS?
Modern day computers use binary numbers to
operate—this is a fact well-known to people
studying computer science or to those using
these machines on a more than frequent basis.
When bit is uttered, the person using it is trying
to define the binary digit contraction—an item
that can only hold a 0 or 1. The bits are
organized into eight groups and these groups are
referred to as octets or bytes.
To present numerical data in our daily life, we
use the decimal number systems. Unfortunately,
computers can’t do the same. Instead,
computers represent numbers by using the
lowest base number system used by us, which is
two. This is the binary number system. In the
Binary number system, 0s and 1s are represented
by OFF and ON respectively. This indicates the
turning on or off an electrical signal or a base 2
exponent. Computers use voltages and since
voltages changes often, no specific voltage is set
for each number in the decimal system. For this
reason, binary is measured as a two-state system
i.e. on or off. Also, to keep calculations simple
and convert into binary online, computers use
the binary number system.
User Interface
User interface (UI) is a conduit between human
and computer interaction – the space where a
user will interact with a computer or machine to
complete tasks. The purpose of a UI is to enable
a user to effectively control a computer or
machine they are interacting with, and for
feedback to be received in order to
communicate effective completion of tasks. A
successful user interface should be intuitive (not
require training to operate), efficient (not
create additional or unnecessary friction) and
user-friendly (be enjoyable to use). A Graphical
User Interface (GUI) is specifically for software.
It utilizes generated UI elements such as text,
links, buttons and images to construct a design
system that form the user experience.
WORD PROCESSORS
Word processing software is used to manipulate
a text document, such as a resume or a report.
You typically enter text by typing, and the
software provides tools for copying, deleting and
various types of formatting. Some of the
functions of word processing software include:
• Creating, editing, saving and printing
documents.
• Copying, pasting, moving and deleting
text within a document.
• Formatting text, such as font type,
bolding, underlining or italicizing.
• Creating and editing tables.
• Inserting elements from other software,
such as illustrations or photographs.
• Correcting spelling and grammar.
Word processing includes a number of tools to
format your pages. For example, you can
organize your text into columns, add page
numbers, insert illustrations, etc. However,
word processing does not give you complete
control over the look and feel of your document.
When design becomes important, you may need
to use desktop publishing software to give you
more control over the layout of your pages.
Word processing software typically also contains
features to make it easier for you to perform
repetitive tasks. For example, let's say you need
to send a letter to all your customers regarding
a new policy. The letter is the same for all
customers except for the name and address at
the top of the letter. A mail merge function
allows you to produce all the letters using one
template document and a table with customer
names and addresses in the database.
Text editors shouldn't be confused with word
processing software. While they do also allow
you to create, edit and save text documents,
they only work on plain text. Text editors don't
use any formatting, such as underlined text or
different fonts. Text editors serve a very
different purpose from word processing
software. They are used to work with files in
plain text format, such as source code of
computer programs or configuration files of an
operating system. An example of a text editor
would be Notepad on the Windows platform.
ADVANCED TECHNIQUES IN MICROSOFT WORD
Performing Calculation without Tables
• Press CTRL + F9 then type the formula.
Press F9 again or RIGHT-CLICK and select
UPDATE to get the result.
Inserting automatically changing Date, Time,
and Page Number
• Press ALT + SHIFT + D for DATE
• Press ALT + SHIFT + T for TIME
• Press ALT + SHIFT + P for PAGE
Text Wrapping
• Allows you to place your images where
you want it to be in your document.
• In Line with Text – default setting for
images that are inserted or integrated in your
document. It treats your
image like a text font with the bottom side
totally aligned with the text line.
• Square – This setting allows the image
you inserted to be placed anywhere within the
paragraph with the text going around the image
in a square pattern like a frame
• Tight – This is almost the same as the
Square setting, but here the text “hugs” or
conforms to the general shape of the image. This
allows you to get a more creative effect on your
document. This setting can mostly be achieved
if you are using an image the supports
transparency like a .GIF or .PNG file.
• Through – This setting allows the text on
your document to flow even tighter, taking the
contours and shape of the image. Again, this can
be best used with a .GIF or .PNG type of image.
• Top and bottom – This setting pushes
the texts away vertically to the top and/or the
bottom of the image so that image occupies a
whole text line on its own.
• Behind text – This allows your image to
dragged and placed on your document but with
all the texts floating in front of it. It effectively
makes your image look like a background.
• In front of Text – As it suggests, this
setting allows your image to be placed right on
top of the text as if your image was dropped
right on it.