CPST 50 Computer Studies - Advanced Level

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Hardware a. identify, name and describe basic components of a computer system unit: i. motherboard ii. Central Processing Unit (CPU) iii. memory (RAM) iv. peripheral connections (USB, firewire, HDMI...)
2. Memory and Secondary Storage a. identify, name and describe Secondary Storage Devices, including: i. hard drives (fixed and removable) ii. USB devices (flash drives and USB hard drives) iii. Memory cards (SD, SC) iv. Online storage (cloud storage) v. Optical and magneto-optical storage devices (CD-ROM, DVD) b. recognize and use capacity descriptors (KB, MB, GB, TB) c. distinguish between and describe the function of RAM, ROM and BIOS/UEFI
3. Input and Output a. identify, name, describe, and distinguish among input and output devices (and associated software): i. keyboard, pointing devices, scanners ii. video adapters and displays (LCD, touch screen) iii. printers (various types) iv. voice v. describe how various input and output devices can be used to assist people with disabilities vii. Option: digital camera, cell phone, or other devices
4. Operating a Computer a. distinguish between System Software, Utility Software and Application Software and describe the purpose of an operating system b. differentiate among various commonly used operating systems c. employ operating system(s) to perform basic operations of disk and file management i. Assign meaningful file and folder names ii. employ wildcard characters in file management iii. organize files on storage devices and designate drives, folders and files iv. perform management functions to locate, list, display properties of, copy, rename, move, (un)delete folders and files v. describe disc formatting (sectors, tracks, index) and defragment a disc vi. recognize a variety of common program and data file types and their associated extension d. describe the problem of computer malware (viruses and spyware) and methods to detect and remove them e. demonstrate care, maintenance, and protection of computer equipment f. demonstrate the ability to back up data g. option: identify workspace ergonomics conditions
5. Computers in Society a. identify the effect of computers on their everyday lives (databases-subscription lists, ATMs, the Internet, computer record systems, income tax) b. give examples of how computers are affecting career opportunities c. trace the history of computer technology and identify current trends d. state the purchasing considerations from the perspective of an informed consumer (warranty, service, licensing, needs assessment, market trends) e. provide examples of ethical issues involving computers in society, such as protection of privacy, social networking sites, identity theft, phishing sites, spam and copyright f. discuss ethical and political implications of advancing technology (artificial intelligence, block chain technology, targeted advertising)
6. Word Processing a. create a word processing document and save it to a specified location and directory b. select any amount of text and format the character attributes c. format the indentation, the alignment, and the spacing of lines and paragraphs d. identify non-printing characters (space, tab, new line, new paragraph) as displayed on the screen e. move, copy, and delete text f. insert a page break and section break into a document g. insert, format and manipulate a table h. use bulleted and numbered lists i. use footnotes/endnotes j. apply lines, shading and colour to a document k. use the find and the replace functions l. use the spell checker/thesaurus m. insert a graphic into a document n. set page margins o. use headers and footers (including page numbering, filename, and date codes) with p. multiple sections q. preview and print a document r. recognize different document output devices s. recognize that different file formats originating from different word processors and versions may be incompatible, requiring file conversion routines save in a variety of appropriate formats t. work collaboratively on documents online
7. Spreadsheets a. enter and format data (numbers, text, data series) b. create simple formulas (using basic operators and functions) c. copy or move data and/or formulas, utilizing absolute and relative cell addresses and ranges d. change cell characteristics (column widths, alignments, fonts, etc.) e. modify page layout (orientation, scaling, grid lines) f. use a formula to predict outcomes g. create several kinds of charts based on spreadsheet data h. save in a variety of appropriate formats i. preview and print using various print options j. work collaboratively on spreadsheets online
8. Internet a. describe the basic structure and functioning of the Internet and define current terminology (URL, ISP, WWW, http, https) b. describe the process of online commerce, including ATM cards, online banking, online shopping, online auctions and security issues c. describe the various options for computer connectivity (cable modems, XDSL, routers, wireless, 3G, 4G, 5G, satellite, LTE) d. send and receive email (including attachments) using proper etiquette e. use a web browser to access and navigate through a web site f. use search engines to locate and bookmark information g. save text and graphical information from a web site h. recognize computer problems associated with Internet use (spyware, viruses, spam, firewall) i. understand how the internet was developed and how it functions
9. Options a. Computer Programming i. create simple programs in a programming language ii. describe the purpose of compilers and/or interpreters iii. create and make use of computer designs or algorithms i. write basic input, processing and output instructions b. Keyboarding. i. significantly increase their typing speed ii. demonstrate proper keyboarding techniques c. Presentation Software i. create, manipulate and deliver a presentation d. Graphics Applications i. edit a digital photograph ii. create and manipulate a graphic image (Paintbrush, Draw) iii. differentiate between various bit-mapped and vector-based graphic file formats (BMP, JPG and PNG)