Course Title: Operate a personal computer

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2011

Course Code: COSC5379C

Course Title: Operate a personal computer

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C3209 - Certificate III in Science

Course Contact: Geoff Moss

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4852

Course Contact Email: geoff.moss@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 20

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

The use of a range of functions with a variety of software applications will enable students to become more competent in their use of the computer.  While this course defines the competency required to start up, identify and select icons, correctly navigate and organise the desktop environment and use a range of functions, it is used to support other courses within the Certificate 111 Science program.  Students will develop PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets in relation to other courses while developing the necessary skills for their personal use.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

ICAU1128A Operate a personal computer

Element:

01 Start computer and access basic system information and features

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Check peripheral device connections for correct position
1.2 Switch on power at both the power point and computer
1.3 Insert user name and password as prompted and note access, privacy, security and related conditions of use displayed on introductory screens
1.4 Navigate through the operating system to access system information to identify system configuration and application versions in operation
1.5 Use on-line help functions as required

Element:

02 Navigate and manipulate desktop environment

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Create and customise desktop icons
2.2 Select, open and close desktop icons to access application programs
2.3 Manipulate application windows and return desktop to original condition

Element:

03 Organise basic directory and folder structures

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Create and name directories and subdirectories
3.2 Identify attributes of directories
3.3 Move subdirectories between directories
3.4 Rename directories as required
3.5 Access directories and subdirectories via different paths

Element:

04 Organise files for user and/ or organisational requirements

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Use system browser to search drives for specific files
4.2 Access the most commonly used types of files in the directories
4.3 Select, open and rename groups of files as required
4.4 Move files between directories
4.5 Copy files to disk
4.6 Restore deleted files as necessary
4.7 Erase and format disks as necessary

Element:

05 Print information

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Add a printer if required and ensure correct printer settings
5.2 Change the default printer if appropriate
5.3 Print information from an installed printer
5.4 View and delete progress of print jobs as required

Element:

06 Correctly shut down computer

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Save any work to be retained and close all open application programs correctly
6.2 Shut down computer correctly


Learning Outcomes


Students will develop competency in the basic operation of a computer and the maintenance of directories and sub-directories. 

They will also learn how to use, and develop skills in using, the software packages: MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint to produce documents and reports.  

The use of a range of functions with a variety of software applications will enable students to become more competent in their use of the computer.

Students will develop PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets in relation to other courses while developing the necessary skills for their personal use.


Details of Learning Activities

This course is taught conjointly with COSC5380C Send and retrieve information using web browsers and email, during the semester rather than as a discreet term unit. As a result the learning activities and the assessment activities can, and do, overlap for the two courses.

The activities in this course are aimed at enhancing student skills in the use of their personal computer to meet the needs of their program in Certificate III in Science. Depending on the initial skills of the students, activities will be varied to meet the skills of students and the requirements in other courses.

Students will learn the basic functions of operating a personal computer, including saving files; copying files; management of their files and folders; management of the desktop and the creation of desktop shortcuts; etc.

Students will learn how to crop images (and/or text) and wrap text around images to improve their presentation of reports and assignments in other units within the Cert. III in Science program.

Students will produce a PowerPoint presentation for their Cell Biology course which will be assessed in both this course and Cell Biology. The task will involve Internet research on a topic assigned in the Cell Biology class and the preparation of a PowerPoint presentation in this course. The student will be expected to deliver a talk (of approx. 5 minutes duration) with the presentation. They will be required to produce notes within their presentation.

Students will learn the basic arithmetic operators in Excel as well as drag and fill functions, relative and absolute cell referencing. As students progress they will also learn IF and nested IF functions, Lookup functions and produce charts for the visual presentation of results produced in their Excel spreadsheets. A range of problem-solving tasks will be presented to test the student’s understanding of Excel and its basic functions.


Teaching Schedule

Refer to Teaching Schedule with complimentary course: COSC5380C Send and retrieve information using web browsers and email.  Weekly programme is subject to change, dependent on student requirements and the other courses within their program.

Week 2010     Topic Software Practical Exercises Assessment
1 7 Feb Introduction. Basic operation of computer; file and folder management. Windows Explorer As per class handout Practicals
2 14 Feb Internet search; search engines. Copying and cropping images. Text wrap; layout of documents for reports. Browser; search engines; MS Paint; MS Word As per class handout Assignment 1
3 21 Feb Introduction to PowerPoint MS PowerPoint; search engine    
4 28 Feb Inserting YouTube videos into PowerPoint presentations Google search engine; YouTube; MS PowerPoint As per class handout Practicals
5 7 Mar PowerPoint presentation development YouTube; MS PowerPoint   Practicals
6 14 Mar PowerPoint presentations MS PowerPoint   Assignment 2
7 21 Mar PowerPoint presentations MS PowerPoint    
8 28 Mar Internet Research; Copyright; Privacy; Security Browser; search engines    
9 4 Apr Communication on the Internet research Browser; search engines As per class handout  
10 11 Apr Communication on the Internet PowerPoint presentation Browser; search engines, MS PowerPoint    
11 2 May Communication on the Internet PowerPoint presentation Browser; search engines, MS PowerPoint   Assignment 3
12 9 May Excel basic functions MS Excel As per class handout; S:Drive Excel folder Excel Practicals
13 16 May Excel: If and Lookup functions; Charts; dynamic links to MS Word MS Excel; MS Word As per class handout; S:Drive Excel folder Excel Assignment
14 23 May Excel: Problem-solving exercises MS Excel As per class handout; S:Drive Excel folder  
15 30 May Excel Assignment MS Excel  As per class handout; S:Drive Excel folder  
16 6 Jun Excel Assignment MS Excel   Excel Assignment
17 13 Jun Excel Assignment MS Excel   Excel Assignment


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Varied resources will be available on the student share drive (S: Drive) and the Learning Hub as the semester progresses.

Various classroom handouts.

PowerPoint presentations presented in class.

Internet resources.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment will consist of the following:

  • PowerPoint presentations and talk
  • Practical tasks
  • Assignments
  • Problem-solving activities


Assessment Tasks

As this course is taught conjointly with Send and retrieve information using web browsers and email, during the semester rather than as a discreet term unit, the assessment tasks for this course can, and do, overlap between the two courses. The assessment for this course will continue throughout the semester.

• Assignment 1: Search Engine – Print Screen, Crop, Image placement
• Assignment 2: Cell Biology PowerPoint presentation and talk.
• Assignment 3: Communication on the Internet PowerPoint presentation
• Classroom practical exercises
• Excel practical tasks
• Assignment 4: Excel assignment


Assessment Matrix

Element Assignment Practical Tasks Observation Class Testing Individual/Group Discussion
1.1   x x x  
1.2   x x x  
1.3         x
1.4   x x x x
2.1   x x x x
2.2   x x   x
2.3   x x x x
2.4   x x   x
3.1 x x x   x
3.2 x x   x x
3.3 x x x x x
3.4 x x x x x
3.5 x x x x x
4.1 x x x x  
4.2 x x   x  
4.3 x x   x x
4.4 x x   x x
4.5 x     x x
4.6 x x x x x
5.1         x
5.2         x
5.3         x
6.1   x x x  
6.2   x x x  

Other Information

The 20 hours allowed for this unit are allocated as follows

● Class theory - 4 hours
● Practical Activities - 12 hours
● Research work / report completion -4 hours 

For information on late submission of work or absence on the day of assessment, please go to the Program site on the Learning Hub for C3209 Certificate III in Science or contact the Program Co-ordinator, Judi Mc Cann.



Course Overview: Access Course Overview