CHouseLive

Tutorial Overview

The tutorials listed in this section of the CHouseLive website are designed with the aims and objectives of the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) IGCSE Information and Communication Technology (ICT) course.

Software

Although CIE do not specify specific software the tutorials listed here have been created using a selection of software packages. Although the principles applied to each task is universal, the tutorials images relate to specific applications. The folllowing applications are commonly used:

  • Communication: Mozilla Thunderbird
  • Internet: Internet Explorer - version 7 or higher and Mozilla Firefox
  • Word Processing: MS Word 2007
  • Data Manipulation: MS Excel 2007
  • Sorting Data: MS Access 2007
  • Sorting Data: MS Access 2007
  • Webpage Design: MS Expression Web

IGCSE ICT syllabus requirements

Databases

Using database facilities, students must be able to enter data from different sources, perform calculations, search for data, sort the data and produce a report from the data

Load data from existing files
  • Load specified file
    • Locate file, open file, import file, identify file type (.csv, .txt, .rtf)
  • Define a database record structure as specified
    • Assign the following field/data types: Text, numeric, (integer, decimal, currency, percentage, date/time), Boolean/logical (yes/no, true/false).
    • Use meaningful file names
  • Format fields as specified
    • IdIdentify field sub-types and formatting (e.g. specify currency used, or number of decimal places)
Enter data
  • Enter data as specified with no errors
Enter formulae 
  • Use arithmetic operations/numeric functions to perform calculations
    • CaCalculated field, run time calculation, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, sum, average, maximum, minimum, count
Sort data
  • Use one criterion as specified
    • AsAscending, descending, alphanumeric, numeric, date
Select subsets of data
  • Use several criteria as specified
    • UsUse numeric, text and Boolean operators: AND, OR, NOT, >, <, =, >=, <=, Wildcards
Produce a report
  • Display fields as specified
    • Data aligned as specified (left, centred, right) and displayed in specified format (percentage, currency (various), decimal, specified number of decimal places, integer), hide data and labels, show hidden fields, display calculations/formulae, display data/labels in full (with no truncation)
  • Enter text as specified
    • Report titles
  • Layout as specified
    • Header, footer, page layout, label production 
  • Export a query or report as specified
    • ExExport data into a common text format .csv, .txt, .rtf format, export into graph/charting package
Produce a graph or chart
  • Select only the specified data series
    • Contiguous data, non-contiguous data, specified range/s
  • Label graph/chart as specified
    • Title, legend, segment labels, segment values, percentages, category axis labels, value axis labels, scales set axis scale maximum, set axis scale minimum

Multi-Media Presentations

Using presentation graphics facilities, students must be able to create, control and output information from a presentation

Set up presentation
  • Create/edit master slide as specified
    • Master slide, placing images/text/logos, slide footers, automated slide numbering, font styles, heading styles, colour scheme
Create presentation pages
  • Create the required number of presentation pages with information specified
    •  Headings, bullets, colours, text boxes, presenter notes, audience notes
  • Insert text as specified
    • Font styles, Font types (serif, sans-serif), point sizes, text colour, text alignment
  • Ensure consistency within the presentation
    • Consistently applied font styles, point sizes and colour schemes
Use graphical information
  • Image inserted as required
    • Resize, position, crop, copy, contrast, brightness
  • Create or insert chart as required
    • Create within the package, import from spreadsheet, from contiguous or non contiguous data, title, legend, segment labels, segment values, percentages, category axis labels, value axis labels, scales
  • Insert other features as specified
    • Symbols, lines, arrows, call out boxes
Use transitions
  • Automate the transition between pages as specified
    • Consistent, range of features
Use animation facilities
  • Add animation as specified
    • Text, images
Save and print presentation
  • Save and print the presentation as specified
    • File compression (zip files) floppy disk, presenter notes, audience notes (handouts)
  • Capture elements of the presentation as specified
    • Use screen shots to show features like animation/transition/builds

Spreadsheets

Using spreadsheet facilities, students must be able to create a model, extract data, use display features and output data from the model

Create a data model
  • Enter layout of model as specified
    • Cut, copy, paste, drag and drop, fill
  • Enter text and numerical test data with 100% accuracy
  • Enter formula/e to meet the requirements
    • Add, subtract, multiply, divide, indices, relative reference, absolute reference, named cells, named ranges, nested formulae
  • Use function/s to meet the requirements
    • Sum, average, maximum, minimum, integer, rounding, counting, if, lookup, nested functions
Test the data model
  • Demonstrate that the model works
Select subsets of data
  • Use several criteria as specified
    • Use numeric, text and Boolean operators: AND, OR, NOT>, <, =, >=, <=, Wildcards, string
Adjust display features
  • Display data/labels as specified
    • Select data, bold, underline, italic, highlight, specified row/column/item/s only, integer, percentage, decimal, specified number of decimal places, currency (various)
  • Adjust row/column/cell sizes so that all data/labels/formulae are visible
    • Display formulae/data, adjust column width, row height
  • Adjust page orientation as specified
    • Portrait, landscape, fit to page
Save and print data

Save and print data as specified  Formulae, values, extracts, test data

Website Authoring

Using Web Page Authoring facilities, students must be able to create webpage structures using external stylesheets, tables, images and output the webpage/s

Use stylesheets
  • Create an external stylesheet
    • <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheetname.css">
  • Create styles for common tags
    • h1, h2, h3, p, li
  • Specify font appearance
    • h1{color:#FF0000; font-family:Arial; text-align:Center; font-size:larger; font-weight:bolder;}
  • Apply tags
    • <meta name="keywords" content ="text string, text string">
Create webpage/s
  • Create webpage/s as specified
    • Homepage, other pages, menu options, text hyperlink, graphics hyperlink, foreground colour, background colour, text colour
  • Apply menu options to pages as specified
    • Text hyperlink, graphics hyperlink
Create links
  • Create links as specified
    • Links to the same page (e.g. top), anchors, links to other pages <a href="page name">linkname</a>, external links
    • <a href="page name" target="new windowname">linkname</a>
    • web addressing with correct URL
  • Open in a specified location
    • Same window, new window
Use tables
  • Insert table
    • Table, table heading, table row, table data, cellspacing, cellpadding,
  • Specify borders
    • Use of tables with visible or invisible borders, set border thickness <table border ="4">
  • Merge cells
    • Use merged cells within tables <td colspan ="2">
Insert image
  • Insert image
    • Insert image <img src="image name" align="centre">
  • Place images relative to text
    • Use of tables to place images
Alter image
  • Use tags to adjust image size and alignment
    • Resize and position on the page width="500" height="300" valign="top" align="left"
  • Use software to resize image/adjust colour depth
    • Resize/resample, .gif, .jpg, .png, screen shot evidence
Save and print web pages

Save and print web pages as specified in browser, in HTML format

Word Processing

Using word processing facilities, the students must be able to enter, edit and format data from different sources and set text appearance and layout.

Load data from an existing file
  • Load/open specified file
    • Locate file, identify file type, csv, txt, rtf
Key in and edit text
  • Enter text as specified with no errors
  • Edit text as specified
    • Highlight, delete, move, cut, copy, paste, drag and drop
Import image from external source
  • Place image as specified
    • Import clip art, import from a digital source, import from file, import from website
  • Manipulate image as specified
    • Move image, resize image, crop image, text wrap (around image, square, tight, above, below), maintain aspect ratio
Include information downloaded from the Internet
  • Specified data only, positioned as required
    • Text, graphic image, table, chart
Set up a page format
  • Page size as specified
    • A4, A5, Letter
  • Page orientation as specified
    • Portrait, landscape
  • Set margins as specified
    • Top margin, bottom margin, left margin, right margin
  • Create/edit headers and footers as specified
    • Headers, footers, automatic file information, automated page numbering, text, date, position, consistency of position
  • Set columns as specified
    • Number of columns, column width, spacing between columns
  • Set breaks as specified
    • Page breaks, section breaks, column breaks, inserted, deleted, widows, orphans
Format the text
  • Set fonts as specified
    • Font style, Font type (serif, sans-serif), point size, increase, decrease, use an appropriate font for the task
  • Use text emphasis as specified
    • Select text, bold, underline, italic, highlight, specified item/s only
  • Format a list as specified
    • Bulleted list, numbered list
  • Insert/edit table as specified
    • Specified number of rows and columns, insert row/s, delete row/s, insert column/s, delete column/s, format cells/cell contents
Text alignment and spacing
  • Set alignment as specified
    • Left, centred, right, fully justified
  • Line spacing as specified
    • Single, 1.5 times, double, multiple, consistent, between lines, between paragraphs, before and after headings
  • Indent text as specified
    • Indent text, indent paragraph, hanging indent, specified portion only
Proof read and correct errors
  • Use spell-check facilities
    • Spelling is checked and free from error
  • Proof-read and correct the document
    • Document is proof-read and corrected for accuracy, consistent line spacing, consistent character spacing, re-pagination, remove blank pages, check for widows/orphans, tables/lists split over pages, specified orientation
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