New E-Components - Online Resources & Exam Revision

The Edexcel GCSE ICT has extra online resources these can now be accessed by logging on to the Sixth Form Moodle site. 

On the right hand side is number of topics:
GMail
My Courses
Personal Learning Plan

Select My Courses and find  [SG1004] - GCSE ICT on this page you will under Section 1 a link to the online resources for Unit 1: Living in the Digital Age called Edexcel GCSE ICT 2010 Student Active Teach -Unit 1

The Extra Worksheets, Links and Tasks can be found on this link

In Section 3 Exam Revision
There is also a link to three examination papers and the marks schemes for these papers. 

Remember the exam is in January on 15th in the morning starting at 9:30 am be early.

Solving a Last-Minute Hitch

Passports and Identification Needed for Travel

Satya and Simon realise that now that they are seventeen they will need to replace their child passports with adult one.

Your task should you accept it is to help them do this?
Read Pages 43 to 44 this details all the security feature that are included in passport to protect travellers. 

Task 2.3
Use the following sites to look for information about applying for a passport
https://passports.ips.gov.uk
http://www.passport.uk.com
http://www.passports-office.co.uk/
How could you recognise that Real Website from the unofficial ones

Task 2.4
Why did the Official Site come so low down on the search list

Planning a Trip

Unit 1: Living the Digital Age
On the Move
Read Pages 41 to 42. 
Tasks
Skill Builder 2.1 Write down the keywords that Satya & Simon could enter into a search engine to find out information about InterRail passes.
Skill Builder 2.2: Using the Inter Rail Website answer Satya & Simon Questions.
Task 2.1 - plan a trip to Paris using differnet methods of transport to get there. 
Which is the cheapest?
Skill Builder 2.3 once you arrive in Paris where do you stay to be near to the tourist sites.

The Digital Divide in the UK

What is the Digital Divide?

Generally this has been defined as the fact that some people have access and use lots of new technologies.  Other people do not have access to technology for many different reasons. 

Your Task is to read pages 31 to 33 which details the digital divide and some of the reasons why different people do not access the available technology.  As you will see from the map below: 

 

 

It shows that there are regional divisions within the UK which can be explained by some of the factors listed in Task 1.26. Please complete Task 1.26 on page 31.  Then examine the implications of the digital divide and add any that you think of, or give example of each of the points raised.

 

The implications of the digital divide are divided into four sections:

1. Economic
2. Educational
3. Social
4. Cultural
 

Copyright Images & Social Networks

There is debate being had over copyrighted images and Social Network sites like Facebook as these sites claim rights over all images posted on Facebook even if you delete your account.

Please read this article and add to your post on Copyright images.

Internet Safety & The Law

When we us the Internet we are faced with many dangers.  In the outside world we protect ourselves from dangers.  When we drive a car we wear a seat belt. When we enter a building site we wear a hard hat and reflective clothing.  When we ride a motorbike we wear a crash helmet.  We do all these things to protect ourselves from potential harm. 

 

We should do the same when we go onto the Internet, as here two there are dangers not of a person physical nature, but risks to our files and programs. 

 

This week we will look at the risks, the protections methods, and the law that exist to cover the Internet.

The Data Protection Act 1998 - concerns data about people - There are 8 Principles

The Computer Misuse Act 1990 - covers hacking.

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 - covers copyright.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 -

covers employers looking at workers' email security etc.

The Communications Act 2003 is often used when people send offensive emails etc

The Digital Economy Act 2010 - covers software piracy.

These laws protect the use of images, software, hardware and what is called Intellectual Property. 

 
What is Intellectual Property?
The Government has a department that protect our Intellectual Property see their website for informationon copyright law and intellectual property; Intellectual Property Office.

Task
Explain each of the risks that are faced by anyone using the internet, from Viruses, Spyware, Cookies, Spam, Phishing , Hackers and Identity Theft, and how the Act listed and linked above help to protect us from the risks and also explain each of the following:

• Copyright
• Patents
• Trade Marks
• Designs
• Other protection 

History of Mobile Phones - how have they changed?

Here an article on Mobile Phones - Read through it and draw out any interesting points?
Consider questions like:
How have phone altered over time?
How has mobile phone usage changed over time?
How has phone design improved?
Why do some people keep using their first phone?
Why are phone companies keen to offer you a new phone every few years?

MSN pull the plug on Messaging Sevice

With the news that MSN have cut their Instant Messaging Service how does this change the post we wrote about Instant Messaging.  Please read this article below and others on the Internet about this change and how will effect the current users. 

Virtual Learing Environments

This has become a very popular way for Schools, College and Universities to store their course materials and allow students access to tasks and resources.

On Page 24 there is list of benefits of VLE's can you make your own list of disadvantages.
Aslo compare the College or Sixth Form VLE (Moodle) with your old schools VLE.
What information do they hold and does it work. 

Email - Protocols

When you open emails or send emails it will use one of two different systems, POP3 or IMAP4

Task 1.21
Find out the difference between IMAP4 and POP3.
Write a Brief description of how each protocol works.

London Twitter Map

Here is an interesting use of technology to show the different languages used on twitter.

Link to Metro Article online

Online Marketing the Future?

With the growth of online marketing and web sales will all catalogue go the way of Argos?
Make a list of catologues and which are still being printed and how many are now being replaced by online versions.  Is there a problem with this trend?

Using Mobile Phones in Public

What are the social norms of using phones in public places, including shops, trains, buses, schools, colleges, pubs, or while driving or crossing roads as a pedestrian.   Should we?

Make a list of the pros and cons of using mobile phones in public places. 

Internet Safety

Socialising on the Internet

There are different types of communication that we use to keep in touch with people.
We have looked at Instant messaging (IM) and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), see pages 19 and 20.

Social Networking has grown massively in a very short space of time, read page 21.

• The first site were set up in 1995 like www.classmate.com
• One of the first social newtorks was friend reunited in UK in 2000.

This area has grow with the development of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, MySpace, Google Plus+ etc,.

Facebook has grown massively: since it launch in 2004.

 

Facebook has also been critised for a number of things from lack of control over users to false accounts.

 

 

One major issue that has grown along side the growth of social network sites is the issue of false users.  Internet users who pretend to be someone or something they are not.

Twitter: has also grown beyond all figures. 

 

 

 

Buying a Computer System?

In this task you need to research the cost of buying a computer system plus associated peripherals (printer, scanners etc,.) for a particular customer.
You can choice from the list of people in Task 1.11:

• teacher
• news reporter
• website designer
• doctor (in a GP surgery)
• traffic warden

or choose another person like:

• professional photographer
• small business person
• small catering business

You will need to decide on a brief (what you customer will need)
Then you will need to search the internet using several sites for comparision of prices:
PC World, John Lewis, Tesco, Staples

You can assume a budget of approx. £1000

4G Networks - What effect will it have?

What is 4G?  Basically it is the replacement for 3G, which repaced 2G and 1G networks in some parts of the world:  see map below

 

 

Consider what effect 4G will have on what we can do with our mobile phones?

Transfering an Images between Phones

Task 1.3
Your friends want to a copy of a photo you took on a day out in London.
It is common to send images between phones via an MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service or text with a photo attached), but imagine that this ervice is down and you cannot use this method.

Your task is to send the photo from your phone (A) to all your friends' phones without using MMS.

Discuss different ways of getting the picture to each of the phones using only the features specified in the table below:

See page 10 of the Edexcel ICT Student Book

Which kind of computer?

Please read through the pages 15 - 18 of the Edexcel GCSE ICT student book.

Types of Computer
You need to look through the different types of computers and make your own notes.  Please include the types of computer that are not included.

Then look at Task 1.11 and give reasons for your choice of computer for each of the people listed. 

Buying a Computer
Explain the different features of a computer, include any items that are not fully explained or not included. (See diagram on page 17).

Attempt Task 1.12

Make sure that you understand what peripherals are? page 18

Remember to Blog it!

Designing Mobile Phones

There are lots of issues that influence the design of mobile phones: from the needs to the user;

• Personal (fashion) Phones
• Business Phone

We have seen that phones have many features and some of these are best suited to personal use others are more useful for business users. 

We now need to consider different users and their specific needs:
{Read Pages 11-14 in the Edexcel GCSE ICT student book}

In your own words consider the issues and questions that are being raised, write a short paragraph on these issues and explain any solutions that are offered or that you could think of.  You may decide to answer tasks 1.5, 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9 as part of the writing you do.  Remember to Blog your results.

It is also important to look at the different age profiles of customers today.  How can mobile phones cater for the specific needs of the oldest and younger customers. 

What's in an Image?

There are many ways to same images on computers.  Most camera will save images as JPEG's, but in Paint you can save images in several formats.

Please explain what each of these picture types is and where they can be used best. 

Mobile Phones tend to take pictures as jpeg's, but it is also possible to reduce picture file size without reducing the quality of the image greatly. 

If we save an image of the internet we are usually only offered two choices: jpeg and bitmap.  If you use Microsoft Office Picture Manager it will open a variety of additional picture types:

Your Task:  Research all image file types and explain the major differences and options. Blog your results and you should include images in your work. 

Tasks list for September 2012

Assessment Tasks: here is the list of tasks that you should have completed by today

1. Create a Blog
2. Write your first Post
3. Email your blog address to stuartgcburke@gmail.com
4. From the Phone Features on Page 8 of Edexcel GCSE ICT Student Book make a list of defintions of mobile phone features
5. Explain How a Mobile Phone Works (how do you call another mobile phone or land line)
6. List of Mobile Phone Networks, Mobile Phone Providers and Mobile Phone Manufactuers
7. Buying an iPhone5

I will make up a task spreadsheet and by the 28th September, I would like to be able to tick off all these tasks on your name!

Buying a iPhone5

Using the link listed below or otherwise research which phone provider offers the best deal on an iPhone 5

http://www.o2.co.uk/
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/personal/mobile-phones/index.htm?WT.srch=1&cid=ppc-msn-cbu-c10-602-br
http://www.orange.co.uk/
http://www.three.co.uk/
http://www.apple.com/uk/

Home Study Task for Week 1:

Home Study Task for Week 1:

How Mobile Work - Useful Link and Images

Useful web link to an article on How Mobile Phones work

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone2.htm

Here are two images that help to explain how a call can be made from one mobile phone to another mobile phone (on the same network or another network)



BTS - Base Telecommications (phone masts)
BSC - Base Switching Centre
MSC - Mobile Switching Centre

Welcome to the GCSE ICT Blog @ Bedford Sixth Form.  This blog is designed for students of the Bedford Sixth Form enrolled on the Edexcel GCSE ICT Course.

There are three groups:
ICT 1
ICT 2
ICT 3

ICT 1: In your first lesson we discussed the various features of Mobile Phones and I ask you to design and investigate what each of the terms means on the slide below:

 

Lesson 2: In this lesson we have learnt how to make a blog and once you have finished the lesson one task please post your results on your blog.

Then can you send me an email with a link to your blog and your features of Mobile Phone work.

 

Thanks

Stuart Burke