ICT COURSE
Fundamentals of I.C.T gives introduction about computer hardware system, generations of
computers, and elements of computer system, system softwares, application softwares, files and
files organization, DBMS, data communication to computer networks, topologies, internet and e-
commerce
General objectives
The learners are expected to gain the knowledge and understanding of information technology
and vast information on how to use computers and information technology to improve on
service delivery and ensure organization have a competitive advantage in this world of
competition.
Definitions of ICT terms
Computer: An electronic device which takes input from the user, which processes it and gives
you the required result in the form of display or print.
Hardware: Hardware are the physical parts of the system, which can be seen and touched by the
user.
Software: It is an application program, which performs some operations and gives you desired
results.
Network: It is group of interconnected computers or devices to have communication within
them.
Programming Language: A software or design logic that controls the system. Use to create
application and system softwares.
Operating System: A set of software programs supplied along with hardware for the effective
and easy use of machine.
Information Technology means the processing and distribution of data using computer
hardware and software, telecommunications, and digital electronics. This unit will give us a
background view on Information Communications Technology (ICT).
A computer is an electronic device/machine that accepts data and instructions from a user
through input unit, process the data according to the instructions in the processor, store it for
future use in the memory and produce output inform of information through output unit.
Data is a collection of raw facts that are fed into the computer using the input devices like the
keyboard. They are un-organized facts that sometime might appear meaningless to the user. Data
maybe inform of numbers, words, images and sound. Computers transform this data depending
, ICT COURSE
on the instructions given by the user.
Information is data that is transformed into a form that has meaning to the user, organized, and
is useful. Examples are reports, newsletters, a receipt, a picture, an invoice, or a check. Data is
processed and manipulated to create information by sorting, organizing and calculating.
Data entered into a computer is called input. The processed results are called output. Thus, a
computer processes input to create output. A computer also can hold data and information for
future use in an area called storage/memory. This cycle of input, process, output, and storage is
called the information processing cycle.
A person that communicates with a computer or uses the information it generates is called a user.
The electric, electronic, and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer is called hardware.
Software is a set of instruction that tells the hardware how to perform tasks. Without software,
hardware is useless; hardware needs the instructions provided by software to process data into
information.
Characteristics of information
i. Availability/accessibility
Information should be easy to obtain e.g. with the advanced computer systems
business like banks can access any customer’s data from any branch.
ii. Accuracy
Information should be accurate enough for the use to which it is going to be put.
iii. Reliability/objectivity
Reliability deals with the truth of information or the objectivity with which it is
presented.
iv. Relevance
Information should be relevant to the purpose for which it is required it must be
suitable.
v. Completeness
Information should contain all the details required by the user.
vi. Level of detail
Information should be in a form that is short enough to allow for its examination
and use.
vii. Presentation
Information should be presented in a way that it can be more easily absorbed.
viii. Timing: Information must be on time for the purpose for which it is required.
,ICT COURSE
Uses of information in a business
i. Monitoring and control
Businesses compare actual performance against its predicted budgeted
performance. Then they will act upon it.
ii. Decision-making
When managers are ready to make tough choices, they need good, accurate and
up to date information. If they act without relevant information it would lead to a
failure.
iii. Measuring performance
Organizations can compare their sales figure with their competitors or against
their own previous years.
iv. Identify new business opportunities
Organizations are always on the lookout for gaps in the market and they find ways
of filing these gaps with suitable services or products.
v. Information can be used to aid in budgeting control.
vi. Information creates knowledge/awareness in form of representations that provide
meaning and context for purposive action
Careers in Information technology
You don’t have to have a career in IT to be a “winner”, but if you are interested,
you might want to consider some of the following careers:-
1. Computer support specialist
2. Computer technician
3. Computer trainer
4. Cryptographer
5. Database administrator
6. Data entry worker
7. Desktop publisher
8. Information systems manager
9. Network administrator
10. Programmer
11. Software engineer
12. Systems analyst
13. Technical writer
14. Webmaster
, ICT COURSE
THE BENEFITS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The benefits of ICT are Information processing speed, consistency, accuracy and reliability
as illustrated in the diagram bellow.
The Benefits of Information Technology
• Data Update: This involves making changes to the stored data. Such changes may
be to insert new records or modify some data items of the existing record.
However, this is usually the exclusive preserve of a class of authorized data users
• Reproducing: This entails duplicating data from one medium to another or into
another position in the same medium. Example a file of data stored on a magnetic
disk may be reproduced onto another disk or onto a magnetic tape for further
processing or for security reasons.
• Transmission/Communication: The computer process of distributing information
over a communications network. This entails transfer of data from one place to
another e.g. data can be transferred from a device to a user in form of a report or a
display on the screen of a computer controlled terminal.
– Electronic Mail, or E-Mail
– Voice Messaging, or Voice Mail
• Generation: The process of organizing information into a useful form, whether as
numbers, text, sound, or visual image.
Fundamentals of I.C.T gives introduction about computer hardware system, generations of
computers, and elements of computer system, system softwares, application softwares, files and
files organization, DBMS, data communication to computer networks, topologies, internet and e-
commerce
General objectives
The learners are expected to gain the knowledge and understanding of information technology
and vast information on how to use computers and information technology to improve on
service delivery and ensure organization have a competitive advantage in this world of
competition.
Definitions of ICT terms
Computer: An electronic device which takes input from the user, which processes it and gives
you the required result in the form of display or print.
Hardware: Hardware are the physical parts of the system, which can be seen and touched by the
user.
Software: It is an application program, which performs some operations and gives you desired
results.
Network: It is group of interconnected computers or devices to have communication within
them.
Programming Language: A software or design logic that controls the system. Use to create
application and system softwares.
Operating System: A set of software programs supplied along with hardware for the effective
and easy use of machine.
Information Technology means the processing and distribution of data using computer
hardware and software, telecommunications, and digital electronics. This unit will give us a
background view on Information Communications Technology (ICT).
A computer is an electronic device/machine that accepts data and instructions from a user
through input unit, process the data according to the instructions in the processor, store it for
future use in the memory and produce output inform of information through output unit.
Data is a collection of raw facts that are fed into the computer using the input devices like the
keyboard. They are un-organized facts that sometime might appear meaningless to the user. Data
maybe inform of numbers, words, images and sound. Computers transform this data depending
, ICT COURSE
on the instructions given by the user.
Information is data that is transformed into a form that has meaning to the user, organized, and
is useful. Examples are reports, newsletters, a receipt, a picture, an invoice, or a check. Data is
processed and manipulated to create information by sorting, organizing and calculating.
Data entered into a computer is called input. The processed results are called output. Thus, a
computer processes input to create output. A computer also can hold data and information for
future use in an area called storage/memory. This cycle of input, process, output, and storage is
called the information processing cycle.
A person that communicates with a computer or uses the information it generates is called a user.
The electric, electronic, and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer is called hardware.
Software is a set of instruction that tells the hardware how to perform tasks. Without software,
hardware is useless; hardware needs the instructions provided by software to process data into
information.
Characteristics of information
i. Availability/accessibility
Information should be easy to obtain e.g. with the advanced computer systems
business like banks can access any customer’s data from any branch.
ii. Accuracy
Information should be accurate enough for the use to which it is going to be put.
iii. Reliability/objectivity
Reliability deals with the truth of information or the objectivity with which it is
presented.
iv. Relevance
Information should be relevant to the purpose for which it is required it must be
suitable.
v. Completeness
Information should contain all the details required by the user.
vi. Level of detail
Information should be in a form that is short enough to allow for its examination
and use.
vii. Presentation
Information should be presented in a way that it can be more easily absorbed.
viii. Timing: Information must be on time for the purpose for which it is required.
,ICT COURSE
Uses of information in a business
i. Monitoring and control
Businesses compare actual performance against its predicted budgeted
performance. Then they will act upon it.
ii. Decision-making
When managers are ready to make tough choices, they need good, accurate and
up to date information. If they act without relevant information it would lead to a
failure.
iii. Measuring performance
Organizations can compare their sales figure with their competitors or against
their own previous years.
iv. Identify new business opportunities
Organizations are always on the lookout for gaps in the market and they find ways
of filing these gaps with suitable services or products.
v. Information can be used to aid in budgeting control.
vi. Information creates knowledge/awareness in form of representations that provide
meaning and context for purposive action
Careers in Information technology
You don’t have to have a career in IT to be a “winner”, but if you are interested,
you might want to consider some of the following careers:-
1. Computer support specialist
2. Computer technician
3. Computer trainer
4. Cryptographer
5. Database administrator
6. Data entry worker
7. Desktop publisher
8. Information systems manager
9. Network administrator
10. Programmer
11. Software engineer
12. Systems analyst
13. Technical writer
14. Webmaster
, ICT COURSE
THE BENEFITS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The benefits of ICT are Information processing speed, consistency, accuracy and reliability
as illustrated in the diagram bellow.
The Benefits of Information Technology
• Data Update: This involves making changes to the stored data. Such changes may
be to insert new records or modify some data items of the existing record.
However, this is usually the exclusive preserve of a class of authorized data users
• Reproducing: This entails duplicating data from one medium to another or into
another position in the same medium. Example a file of data stored on a magnetic
disk may be reproduced onto another disk or onto a magnetic tape for further
processing or for security reasons.
• Transmission/Communication: The computer process of distributing information
over a communications network. This entails transfer of data from one place to
another e.g. data can be transferred from a device to a user in form of a report or a
display on the screen of a computer controlled terminal.
– Electronic Mail, or E-Mail
– Voice Messaging, or Voice Mail
• Generation: The process of organizing information into a useful form, whether as
numbers, text, sound, or visual image.
