Pedagogy, Assessment and ICT in Education · Chapter 5

ICT Fundamentals: Hardware, Software, Internet, Netiquette and OER

What to remember

ICT (Information and Communication Technology) means all tools used to collect, store, process, share and present information. Hardware is the physical part of a computer; software is the set of programs that run on it.
Storage units: 8 bits = 1 byte; 1 KB = 1024 bytes; 1 MB = 1024 KB; 1 GB = 1024 MB; 1 TB = 1024 GB.
Netiquette is good behaviour online. OER are teaching and learning resources that are free to use and may be adapted under an open licence.

Computer and its basic parts

A computer is an electronic device that accepts data (input), processes it, stores it and gives results (output). Its work cycle is Input, Process, Output, Storage.

Hardware groups.

Group	Role	Examples
Input devices	Send data into the computer	Keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone, webcam, touch screen, barcode reader
Output devices	Show results	Monitor, printer, speaker, projector, plotter
Processing unit (CPU)	Brain of the computer	Control Unit (CU), Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU), registers
Memory	Holds data and programs	RAM, ROM, cache
Storage devices	Keep data permanently	Hard disk, SSD, pen drive, memory card, CD/DVD

CPU. The Control Unit directs the work of all parts. The ALU does arithmetic (add, subtract) and logic (compare) operations. Speed is measured in hertz (MHz, GHz).

Memory.

RAM (Random Access Memory): main working memory; volatile, so data is lost when power is off.
ROM (Read Only Memory): permanent; keeps start-up instructions (firmware); non-volatile.
Cache: very fast small memory between CPU and RAM.
Secondary storage: non-volatile; larger and slower than RAM.

Units. A bit is a 0 or 1. 8 bits = 1 byte = one character. Binary uses only 0 and 1.

*Worked examples.* Binary 1011 = 1×8 + 0×4 + 1×2 + 1×1 = 11. Decimal 13 = 8 + 4 + 1 = binary 1101. 2 MB = 2 × 1024 = 2048 KB.

Types of computers: supercomputer, mainframe, minicomputer, microcomputer (desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone). Generations: 1st vacuum tubes, 2nd transistors, 3rd integrated circuits (IC), 4th microprocessors (VLSI), 5th artificial intelligence.

Software

Software is a set of instructions that tells hardware what to do.

System software: runs and manages the computer. Includes the operating system (OS) (Windows, Linux, macOS, Android), device drivers, utility programs (antivirus, disk cleanup) and language translators.
Application software: used for user tasks: word processor (MS Word), spreadsheet (Excel), presentation (PowerPoint), database (Access), browsers, media players, educational apps.
Translators: Assembler (assembly to machine code), Compiler (whole program at once), Interpreter (line by line).
Open-source software: source code is free to view and change (Linux, LibreOffice). Proprietary software is owned and licensed. Freeware is free to use but code is closed. Shareware is free for a trial period.

Functions of an OS: manages memory, files, processes and devices, and gives a user interface (GUI: windows, icons, menus).

Common shortcuts. Ctrl+C copy, Ctrl+X cut, Ctrl+V paste, Ctrl+Z undo, Ctrl+S save, Ctrl+P print, Ctrl+A select all.

Networks and the Internet

Network types:

Type	Area	Example
LAN (Local Area Network)	Room or building	School computer lab
MAN (Metropolitan)	A city	Cable network of a city
WAN (Wide Area)	Country or world	The Internet

Internet is a worldwide network of networks. It began as ARPANET. The World Wide Web (WWW) is a collection of web pages linked by hyperlinks and was invented by Tim Berners-Lee. The Web is a service on the Internet; the Internet is not the same as the Web.

Key terms.

Browser: software to view web pages (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari).
Search engine: finds web pages by keywords (Google, Bing).
URL: web address, such as https://example.org/page.
HTTP / HTTPS: protocol for web pages; HTTPS is the secure version.
IP address: unique number of a device on a network. DNS converts website names into IP addresses.
ISP: Internet Service Provider.
Hyperlink, home page, web server, download, upload, bandwidth.
Email: electronic mail; To, CC (carbon copy; visible to all) and BCC (blind copy; hidden).
Wi-Fi: wireless networking; Bluetooth: short-range wireless.
Cloud computing: storage and services over the Internet (Google Drive, OneDrive).
Video conferencing, forums, blogs, wikis, social media, MOOCs.

Safe and responsible use

Threats: virus, worm, trojan, spyware, ransomware, phishing (fake messages to steal data), hacking, cyber bullying. Safeguards: antivirus, firewall, regular updates, strong passwords (long, mixed characters, not shared), two-step verification, backups, and care with unknown links and attachments. The Information Technology Act, 2000 is the main Indian law on cyber crime and electronic records.

Digital citizenship: responsible, ethical and safe use of technology. Copyright protects the rights of creators. Plagiarism is using another person's work without credit. Fair use and creative commons are ways of allowed reuse.

Netiquette

Netiquette (network etiquette) means polite behaviour online.

Be respectful and kind; no abuse, no bullying.
Do not type in ALL CAPS (it looks like shouting).
Think before you post; online content stays for long.
Do not share private details, passwords, or others' photos without permission.
Give credit to the source; do not copy.
Use a clear subject in emails; be brief and correct in language.
Do not spread false news or forward unverified messages.
Respect others' time and privacy in groups; reply politely.

Open Educational Resources (OER)

OER are teaching, learning and research materials in the public domain or released with an open licence that lets others use and adapt them at no cost. The term was adopted at a UNESCO forum in 2002.

David Wiley's 5Rs: Retain (keep copies), Reuse, Revise (adapt), Remix (combine) and Redistribute (share).

Creative Commons (CC) licence elements:

Code	Meaning
BY	Attribution: must credit the author
SA	ShareAlike: share new work under the same licence
NC	NonCommercial: not for sale
ND	NoDerivatives: do not change

Indian and global examples. NROER (National Repository of Open Educational Resources), DIKSHA (digital platform for school education), e-Pathshala (NCERT), SWAYAM (online courses), NPTEL (engineering and science lectures), Wikipedia, Khan Academy, and OpenStax. Teachers can find, adapt and share OER to save cost and time, and can also release their own work under a CC licence.

Evaluating an online resource: check the author, date, accuracy, purpose, licence and suitability for the learners' age.

Office tools a teacher uses

Word processor: type, format and print notes, question papers and letters. Features: font, alignment, bullets, tables, header and footer, spell check, mail merge.
Spreadsheet: cells in rows and columns; a cell address is a column letter and row number (for example B3). Formulas begin with =. Common functions: SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, COUNT. Used for marks lists, attendance and charts. *Example:* =AVERAGE(B2:B6) finds the mean of five marks.
Presentation software: slides with text, pictures, audio, video and animation. Good slides use little text, large fonts and high contrast.
File formats: .docx (document), .xlsx (spreadsheet), .pptx (presentation), .pdf (fixed layout), .jpg and .png (images), .mp3 (audio), .mp4 (video), .txt (plain text).
Email and cloud tools: share files by link, set view or edit rights, and keep a backup copy.

Classroom angle: digital literacy

Teachers need digital literacy: the ability to find, judge, create and share information safely with digital tools. Learners must also be taught to check sources, spot false news, protect privacy and balance screen time. The teacher sets class rules for device use, supervises online tasks, uses school-approved platforms, and teaches children not to share passwords. Where Internet access is poor, resources can be downloaded in advance and used offline. Accessibility features, such as screen readers, captions and large text, help learners with disabilities. ICT is a tool; it supports good teaching but does not replace the teacher.

Exam traps

Internet and WWW are not the same.
RAM is volatile; ROM and secondary storage are not.
Compiler translates the whole program; interpreter translates line by line.
BCC hides recipients; CC shows them.
HTTPS is secure; HTTP is not.
CC licence "ND" forbids changes; "SA" asks for same-licence sharing.
Open source is not always free of licence; it has licence terms.
1 KB is 1024 bytes in computing, not 1000 in this syllabus.

One-liners

1. 8 bits make 1 byte.
2. The CPU has a control unit and an ALU.
3. RAM loses data when power goes off.
4. Linux is open-source operating system software.
5. Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web.
6. DNS converts domain names into IP addresses.
7. A firewall blocks unauthorised network access.
8. Phishing tries to steal data by fake messages.
9. The IT Act is from the year 2000.
10. Typing in capitals is called shouting online.
11. David Wiley described the 5Rs of OER.
12. NROER and DIKSHA are Indian digital education platforms.

Practice questions

Which of these is an input device?
1. Monitor
2. Speaker
3. Printer
4. Scanner
Answer
D. Scanner
A scanner sends data into the computer.
Which of these is an output device?
1. Microphone
2. Keyboard
3. Monitor
4. Mouse
Answer
C. Monitor
A monitor displays results.
The 'brain' of the computer is the
1. printer
2. hard disk
3. monitor
4. CPU
Answer
D. CPU
The CPU processes data and controls other parts.
Arithmetic and logic operations are done by the
1. Control Unit only
2. ALU
3. ROM
4. Cache
Answer
B. ALU
The Arithmetic Logic Unit does calculations and comparisons.
Memory that loses its data when power is switched off is
1. hard disk
2. ROM
3. RAM
4. pen drive
Answer
C. RAM
RAM is volatile.
Start-up instructions are permanently stored in
1. cache
2. RAM
3. clipboard
4. ROM
Answer
D. ROM
ROM keeps firmware and is non-volatile.
Which of these is system software?
1. Operating system
2. Excel
3. MS Word
4. A game
Answer
A. Operating system
An OS manages the computer's resources.
Which of these is application software?
1. Device driver
2. BIOS
3. Spreadsheet
4. Compiler
Answer
C. Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets serve user tasks.
Which translator converts a whole program at once into machine code?
1. Interpreter
2. Compiler
3. Linker
4. Browser
Answer
B. Compiler
A compiler translates the whole program; an interpreter translates line by line.
Linux is an example of
1. open-source software
2. shareware only
3. hardware
4. a search engine
Answer
A. open-source software
Linux has freely available, modifiable source code.
The World Wide Web was invented by
1. Charles Babbage
2. Bill Gates
3. Vint Cerf
4. Tim Berners-Lee
Answer
D. Tim Berners-Lee
Berners-Lee created the WWW.
The system that converts domain names into IP addresses is
1. SMTP
2. URL
3. DNS
4. HTTP
Answer
C. DNS
The Domain Name System maps names to numbers.
A secure web address begins with
1. http
2. ftp
3. https
4. www only
Answer
C. https
HTTPS means a secure protocol.
A network that covers a school building is a
1. MAN
2. WAN
3. PAN
4. LAN
Answer
D. LAN
LAN covers a small area.
In an email, the recipient list that is hidden from others is
1. Subject
2. BCC
3. CC
4. To
Answer
B. BCC
BCC means blind carbon copy.
Fake messages meant to steal passwords or bank data are called
1. phishing
2. firewalling
3. streaming
4. compiling
Answer
A. phishing
Phishing tricks users into giving data.
A firewall is used to
1. block unauthorised access to a network
2. increase RAM
3. compress files
4. print documents faster
Answer
A. block unauthorised access to a network
Firewalls filter network traffic.
Typing a message in ALL CAPITAL letters online is treated as
1. correct style
2. shouting
3. polite emphasis
4. a safety measure
Answer
B. shouting
Netiquette advises against it.
Using another person's work without giving credit is
1. encryption
2. backup
3. plagiarism
4. netiquette
Answer
C. plagiarism
Plagiarism is copying without acknowledgement.
The abbreviation OER stands for
1. Official Education Rules
2. Online Education Records
3. Open Electronic Routers
4. Open Educational Resources
Answer
D. Open Educational Resources
OER are openly licensed education resources.
Which of the following is NOT one of the 5Rs of OER?
1. Remix
2. Redistribute
3. Restrict
4. Retain
Answer
C. Restrict
The 5Rs: Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix, Redistribute.
In a Creative Commons licence, 'BY' means
1. no commercial use
2. no changes allowed
3. share under the same licence
4. you must credit the author
Answer
D. you must credit the author
BY is attribution.
A CC licence element that does not allow the work to be changed is
1. ND
2. BY
3. SA
4. NC
Answer
A. ND
ND means NoDerivatives.
Which of these is an Indian digital platform for school education?
1. Wikipedia
2. DIKSHA
3. OpenStax
4. Coursera only
Answer
B. DIKSHA
DIKSHA is the national digital platform for school education.
The main Indian law dealing with cyber crime and electronic records is the
1. Right to Information Act
2. Copyright Act only
3. Information Technology Act, 2000
4. RTE Act, 2009
Answer
C. Information Technology Act, 2000
The IT Act came in 2000.
The binary number 1011 equals which decimal number?
1. 9
2. 11
3. 15
4. 13
Answer
B. 11
8 + 0 + 2 + 1 = 11.
The decimal number 13 in binary is
1. 1101
2. 1110
3. 1001
4. 1011
Answer
A. 1101
13 = 8 + 4 + 1, which is 1101.
How many KB are there in 2 MB?
1. 2000
2. 4096
3. 1024
4. 2048
Answer
D. 2048
2 × 1024 = 2048.
How many MB are there in 4 GB?
1. 4096
2. 1024
3. 2048
4. 4000
Answer
A. 4096
4 × 1024 = 4096.
How many bits are there in 3 bytes?
1. 12
2. 24
3. 30
4. 8
Answer
B. 24
3 × 8 = 24.
The binary number 110 equals
1. 5
2. 8
3. 6
4. 7
Answer
C. 6
4 + 2 + 0 = 6.
How many bytes are there in 5 KB?
1. 5000
2. 1024
3. 512
4. 5120
Answer
D. 5120
5 × 1024 = 5120.
In a spreadsheet, cells A1, A2 and A3 hold 4, 5 and 6. The formula =SUM(A1:A3) gives
1. 456
2. 120
3. 15
4. 5
Answer
C. 15
4 + 5 + 6 = 15.
In a spreadsheet, B2 to B6 hold 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50. =AVERAGE(B2:B6) gives
1. 150
2. 25
3. 35
4. 30
Answer
D. 30
Sum 150 divided by 5 is 30.
A teacher shares a recorded lesson on a platform and lets others edit and re-share it with credit. The teacher is most likely using
1. a spreadsheet
2. an open licence
3. a firewall
4. a virus
Answer
B. an open licence
Open licences allow reuse and adaptation with credit.
A student receives an email asking for his bank password through a link. The best action is to
1. ignore it and report it as phishing
2. reply with the password
3. forward to all friends
4. click the link to check
Answer
A. ignore it and report it as phishing
Never share passwords through links.
Consider the statements: 1. The Internet is a network of networks. 2. The Internet and the World Wide Web are the same thing.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
WWW is a service on the Internet.
Consider the statements: 1. ROM loses data when power is off. 2. RAM is volatile memory.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
ROM is non-volatile.
Consider the statements about software: 1. An interpreter translates a program line by line. 2. An assembler translates assembly language to machine code.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both are correct.
Consider the statements about netiquette: 1. One may share others' photos freely without permission. 2. One should think before posting online.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Permission is needed.
Consider the statements about Creative Commons licences: 1. 'SA' asks that new work be shared under the same licence. 2. 'NC' allows commercial sale.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
NC means non-commercial.
Consider the statements about OER: 1. They can only be used after paying a fee. 2. They can be adapted if the licence permits.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
OER are free to use.
Match the term with its meaning: 1. DNS 2. ISP 3. URL 4. IP address P. Web address Q. Provider of Internet service R. Name to number conversion S. Number of a device on a network
1. 1-R, 2-P, 3-Q, 4-S
2. 1-Q, 2-R, 3-S, 4-P
3. 1-S, 2-Q, 3-P, 4-R
4. 1-R, 2-Q, 3-P, 4-S
Answer
D. 1-R, 2-Q, 3-P, 4-S
Standard network terms.
Match the software with its type: 1. Linux 2. MS Excel 3. Antivirus 4. Compiler P. Spreadsheet application Q. Utility R. Operating system S. Translator
1. 1-P, 2-R, 3-S, 4-Q
2. 1-S, 2-P, 3-R, 4-Q
3. 1-R, 2-P, 3-Q, 4-S
4. 1-R, 2-Q, 3-P, 4-S
Answer
C. 1-R, 2-P, 3-Q, 4-S
Linux is an OS; Excel a spreadsheet; antivirus a utility; compiler a translator.
Consider the statements about hardware units: 1. 1 KB is 1024 bytes in computing. 2. 1 MB is 1024 KB.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both are standard.

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