Computer Science JSS3 First Term

Week 2

Topic: Uses of Search Engine

A Search engine can be defined as a software program that assists a user in

locating various websites or information over the internet. A web search engine is
a software system that is designed to search for information on the World Wide
Web. The search results are generally presented in a line of results often referred to
as search engine results pages (SERPs). The information may be a mix of web
pages, images, and other types of files.

The benefit of search engines, to individuals and society, is immerse. In fact, it is

doubtful if the web would would be as advantageous and essential to so many, if it
were not for search engines. Certainly, the e-commerce environment would be
much different if it were not for search engines, which provide access to many
small to medium size enterprises.

Given the amount of information currently on the Web (estimates are at

approximately 30 trillion individual pages but increasing continually), one could
say that search engines are indispensable to locating the online information that has
become essential to the private, social, and professional lives of many individuals.
People use search engines to locate and then access information on websites in a
variety of areas, including health, business, government, education, entertainment,
news, religion, and e-commerce.

Assessment

Briefly explain the term Search Engine and its benefits

Computer Science JSS3 First Term

Week 1

Topic: Search Engine

What is a Search Engine?

A Search engine can be defined as a software program that assists a user in

locating various websites or information over the internet. A web search engine is
a software system that is designed to search for information on the World Wide
Web. The search results are generally presented in a line of results often referred to
as search engine results pages (SERPs). The information may be a mix of web
pages, images, and other types of files.

Search engines are particularly helpful in locating web pages on a certain topic or
in locating specific pages for which you do not know the exact URL (uniform
resource locator). To find a page or pages you enter a word or phrase called search
text or keyword, in the search engine text box. Many search engines use a program
called spider to display a list of all web pages that contain the words or phrases you
entered. It is also called a crawler or a bot. A spider reads pages on websites in
order to create a catalog or index of hit.

A hit is any web page name that is listed as a result of a search. For example, If
you want a listing of KFC outlet in your search text. The search engine would
return a hit of web page list that contains the phrase of KFC outlet in Lagos.

When you enter search text that contain multiple keywords, the search engine
usually locates a site that contains all the words. Some of the popular search
websites are Alta vista, Excite, Go, Google, Mammal, ask, Msn, Yahoo!, Reddit,
Look smart, Netscape search and Hot bot.

Search Method

Browsing through categories: you can browse categories such as art, science or
sport to find information that interest you. When you select a category of interest a
list of subcategories appears, you can continue till you get the web page that
interest you.

A search engine operates in the following order:

1. Web crawling
2. Indexing
3. Searching
Web search engines work by storing information about many web pages, which
they retrieve from the HTML markup of the pages. These pages are retrieved by a
Web crawler(sometimes also known as a spider) — an automated Web crawler
which follows every link on the site. The site owner can exclude specific pages by
using robots.txt.

The search engine then analyzes the contents of each page to determine how it
should be indexed (for example, words can be extracted from the titles, page
content, headings, or special fields called meta tags). Data about web pages are
stored in an index database for use in later queries. A query from a user can be a
single word. The index helps find information relating to the query as quickly as
possible. Some search engines, such as Google, store all or part of the source page
(referred to as a cache) as well as information about the web pages, whereas others,
such as Alta Vista, store every word of every page they find.

Search by Keyword

You can type a word in a search tool about a web page of your interest. The search
tool will display a list of webpages containing the word you specified. Some tools
allow you to enter a complete question when searching for web pages.

List of Search Engines according to categories

General – Google, Soso.com, Yahoo! and Bing

Metasearch (A metasearch engine (or aggregator) is a search tool that uses

another search engine’s data to produce their own results from the Internet.) –
Info.com, Mamma, Metacrawler, Excite.

Business – Business.com, Genieknows

Education – Noodle Education, Skilledup

Fashion – Fashion Net

Medical – Bing health, WebMD

News – Yahoo! News, Google News, Bing News

Video games – Wazap

Assessment

 Mention eight search engines

Week 3 & 4

Topic: Digital Divide

Introduction

Digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and
information technology and those with very limited or no access at all. The Digital
Divide, or the digital split, is a social issue referring to the differing amount of
information between those who have access to the Internet (specially broadband
access) and those who do not have access. The term became popular among
concerned parties, such as scholars, policy makers, and advocacy groups, in the
late 1990s.

In other words, digital divide refers to a situation in which people do not have
same degree of access to modern digital information and communication
technology (ICT) and for this reason, do not have the same opportunities for social
and economic development. It includes the imbalance both in physical access to
technology, the resource and skill needed to effectively participate as a digital
citizen.

BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

The digital can be bridged but the procedure has to be difference from different
country and region. The very basic step would be to provide digital access to those
in the community who do not have it. However, to be able to do so, countries
would have to reduce the base price of gadgets or subsidise them. This would be
too much of a burden on the economy of most developing countries. Steps are
being taken to over come this with projects like one laptop per child and so on.

THE OLD ECONOMY VERSUS THE NEW ECONOMY

Earlier, development in the agricultural sector was slow. Agriculture was time
consuming because works were done manually, but if we look recently there has
been a change because digital equipment have increased the speed of agricultural
production. This also applies to other sections too.

FEATURES OF THE OLD ECONOMY

In the old economy, companies were experienced to decline in growth because of

the following

1. TIME CONSUMING: Operations were time consuming because of limited

technology
2. LABOUR BASE: Man power was much required because work was done
manually
3. MECHANICAL: The transport system was mechanical in old time because
of the process it passes through from stream engine to work
4. CONSTRAINT OF TIME, SPACE AND DISTANCE: These occur because
business owners established their industries far from the city in order to
avoid pollution of the atmosphere. Sometimes these machines are large and
require lots of space.

FEATURES OF THE NEW ECONOMY

1. DIGITAL: Digital technology in the new economy is very fast and it

requires less time and man power.
2. TIME, DISTANCE AND SPACE IS IRRELEVANT: All because of the use
of latest digital equipment, like mobile phone, internet, laptop, e.t.c which
enables information go fast from one place to another, time and distance
have become quite irrelevant.
3. TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN: In the world today, technology plays a major
role in life of humanity. The brilliance of these technologies is that
communication is not limited. Hence it is in continuous revolution.
4. KNOWLEDGE BASED: In recent times labour is not too efficient in day to
day activities because digital technology is visible in almost every field of
our lives and it will continue to bring to light the areas of limitation of the
old economy. In the old economy, method of operation was slow and time
consuming.

BENEFITS OF THE NEW ECONOMY

1. The size of equipment is reduced.

2. Business can start with small capital.
Assessment

 Briefly differentiate the Old Economy and the New Economy

 List 5 features each of the Old Economy and the New Economy

Computer Science JSS3 First Term

Week 5 & 6

Topic: Digital Literacy

What is Digital Literacy?

Digital literacy is the ability to effectively and critically navigate, evaluate and
create information using a range of digital technology. It requires one to recognize
and use the power to manipulate and transform digital media to distribute
pervasively and to easily adopt them to new form. Digital literacy does not replace
traditional form of literacy. It builds upon the foundation of the traditional form of
literacy. Digital literacy is the knowledge, skills, and behaviors used in a broad
range of digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop PCs, all
of which are seen as network rather than computing devices. Digital literacy
initially focused on digital skills and stand-alone computers, but the focus has
moved from stand-alone to network devices.

The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate,

evaluate, use and create information.

The ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide
range of sources when it is presented via computers.

A person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment… Literacy

includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images
through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained
from digital environments.

Digital literacy is the merging of two terms ‘DIGITAL AND LITERACY’.

However it is much more than a combination of the two terms “DIGITAL”
Information is a symbol representation of data and “LITERACY” refers to the
ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about the
written word.

Digital literacy research explores a wide variety of topic, including how people
find, use, summaries, evaluate, create and communicate information while using
digital technologies. A digital literate person can be described as a digital citizen.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF DIGITAL LITERACY

The characteristics of digital literacy is being aware and able to use the digital
tools to identify, manage, access, evaluate, integrate, and analyze digital to
understand multiple format, represented by the computer and also create new
knowledge.

BENEFITS OF DIGITAL LITERACY

1. It saves time: Multiple tasks can be done at the same time.

2. You learn faster: Study at your own pace, look up words, facts and figures.

3. It keeps you informed: You have access to current happenings and event all
around the world.

4. It keeps you connected: Technology allows you to talk to anyone, anytime and
anywhere.

5. Decision making: Digital literacy allows you to search, study, analyze and
compare things.

BENEFITS OF DIGITAL LITERACY IN THE CLASSROOM

1. Easily modified for differentiating instruction

2. Effective way to teach vocabulary through intentional scaffolding
3. Provides multiple exposures to academic language
4. Allows for learning with real world context
5. Measures authentic assessment
6. Makes learning easily accessible
7. Encourages peer collaboration (both students and teachers)
8. Increases motivation and self esteem (both students and teachers)
9. Promotes the effective use of technology
Assessment

 Define Digital literacy and state its characteristics

 Mention five benefits of digital literacy

Computer Science JSS3 First Term

Week 8 & 9

Topic: DataBase

WHAT IS DATABASE?

A database is a collection of data organized in a manner that allows access,

retrieval and uses of data. In a manual database, it can be recorded on paper and
stored in a filing cabinet. While in a computerized database, it is stored in an
electronic format on a storage media. A database is a collection of information
that is organized so that it can easily be accessed, managed, and updated. In one
view, databases can be classified according to types of content: bibliographic, full-
text, numeric, and images.

A database is an organized collection of data. It is the collection of schemes,

tables, queries, reports, views and other objects. The data is typically organized to
model aspects of reality in a way that supports processes requiring information,
such as modelling the availability of rooms in hotels in a way that supports finding
a hotel with vacancies.

CONCEPT OF DATABASE

The concept of database is simply described as the terminologies of database such

as

1. FIELD
2. RECORDS
3. FILE
4. KEY
FORMS OF DATABASE

The following are the forms of database

1. FLAT FILE DATABASE: flat file database store data in plain text file. Each
line of the text file holds one record with field separated by diameters such
as command or tabs.
2. HIERARCHICAL DATABASE: in hierarchical database records are linked
in a tree like structure and each record type has only one owner. E.g an order
is owned by only one customer
3. RELATIONAL DATABASE: This is a collection of data items organized is
a set formally. Described table from which data can be accessed or
reassemble in many different ways without having to recognize the database
table. Each table contains one or more data categories in column. Each role
contains unique types of data for the categories defined by columns.

DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

A database management system (DBMS) is a computer program (or more

typically, a suite of them) designed to manage a database, a large set of structured
data, and run operations on the data requested by numerous users. Typical
examples of DBMS use include accounting, human resources and customer
support systems.

APPLICATION AREAS OF DATA BASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

1. Banking: For customer information, accounts, and loans, and banking

transactions.

2. Airlines: For reservations and schedule information. Airlines were among the
first to use databases in a geographically distributed manner – terminals situated
around the world accessed the central database system through phone lines and
other data networks.

3. Universities: For student information, course registrations, and grades.

4. Credit card transactions: For purchases on credit cards and generation of

monthly statements.
5. Telecommunication: For keeping records of calls made, generating monthly
bills, maintaining balances on prepaid calling cards, and storing information about
the communication networks.

6. Finance: For storing information about holdings, sales, and purchases of

financial instruments such as stocks and bonds.

7. Sales: For customer, product, and purchase information.

8. Manufacturing: For management of supply chain and for tracking production of

items in factories, inventories of items in warehouses / stores, and orders for items.

9. Human resources: For information about employees, salaries, payroll taxes and
benefits, and for generation of paychecks

EXAMPLES OF DATABASE APPLICATIONS

The following are examples of database applications:

 computerized library systems

 automated teller machines
 flight reservation systems
 computerized parts inventory systems
Assessment

 Briefly explain the forms of Database

 State five areas Data base management systems can be applied
 Give examples of Database applications

Computer Science JSS3 First Term

Week 10

Topic: Spread Sheet

SPREED SHEET

A Spread sheet application is a productivity software in which a computer user can

manage personal and business finance with the help of a spread sheet program.

A spreadsheet is an interactive computer application program for organization,

analysis and storage of data in tabular form. Spreadsheets developed as
computerized simulations of paper accounting worksheets. The program operates
on data represented as cells of an array, organized in rows and columns. Each cell
of the array is a model–view–controller element that may contain either numeric or
text data, or the results of formulas that automatically calculate and display a value
based on the contents of other cells.

Spreadsheet users may adjust any stored value and observe the effects on
calculated values. This makes the spreadsheet useful for “what-if” analysis since
many cases can be rapidly investigated without manual recalculation. Modern
spreadsheet software can have multiple interacting sheets, and can display data
either as text and numerals, or in graphical form.

Productivity software is a software that assists people to gain more efficiency and
effectiveness while performing daily activities. You can use a spread sheet
program to perform calculations, analyze data and present information.

Example of spread sheet

1. LOTUS 1-2-3: This is a spread sheet program from lotus software (now part
of IBM) which has added integrated charting, plotting and database
capabilities
2. STAT VIEWS: This is a spread sheet program than can perform many
analyses by template. It creates presentation quality graph and table with a
singles of the mouse.
3. MICROSOFT EXCEL: This is powerful spread sheet that allows you to
organize data complete calculate take decision, graph data and develop
reports. It is also has basic features to help you create, edit and format
worksheet

GRAPH IN EXCEL
A graph is a great way of representing your data. With graph, data are easily
understood and also they are easily edited for better data presentation. You can
create dozens of different charts, from pie chart to bar chart and more.

DATA SENSE: This is the foundation of any chart in the worksheet that you use to
create. Chart data is the content of a group of related cells, such as one row or
column of data in your worksheet.

CUSTOMIZED CHARTS: Any chart created can be customized and can also
change to the formatting of the chart, text, change the chart type and much more.

CHART TYPES

1. COLUMN
2. BAR
3. LINE GRAPH
4. PIE
5. SCATTER
6. AREA
7. DOUGHNUT E.T.C

USES OF SPREAD SHEET

  do calculations on data
 visualize relationships with dynamic graphs
 build and use analytical models
 build and use numerical models

Spreadsheet programs also include software that creates graphs and charts from the
data provided within the table. This is good for presentations, such as business
meetings and research projects, and offers a fresh view of the data. These graphs
and charts are customizable and can be specific or general depending on the
settings and options chosen.

Assessment

 List examples of spread sheet

 Mention four uses of spread sheet