Introduction to ICT
(CSc1L)
Course Co-ordinator: Prof Nomusa Dlodlo
The Introduction to ICT course is intended to do more than teach basic computer literacy skills on current packages. It provides a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills that together comprise a mental framework that will enable the student to adapt and learn new IT packages as they change, to solve new IT problems and use additional package features that are not explicitly taught in this course. The course has a strong practical focus with the intention of enabling students to use ICTs as tools for productivity and problem solving in their lives.
The course is delivered as four modules as described below:
Introduction [3 weeks]
This section provides an introduction to modern computing environments and use of the Internet. Key areas covered include:
- Introduction to computing hardware and peripherals
- Information storage and retrieval
- Searching for information sources online
- Word processing
- Ethics in computing
Spreadsheets and Problem Solving [4 weeks]
Building on concepts from the introductory module, this module introduces students to spreadsheets and their applications for solving common information processing challenges. The focus is on using spreadsheets as tools for modeling and addressing a variety of real-world problem types.
For example
- Tracking drugs in a pharmacy
- Investment management
- Bond repayments
- Monthly budget planning
- Lab test results tracking
Presentation Software [3 weeks]
Being able to present information and data in an accessible format is an important part of communication. This module introduces presentation software in the form of PowerPoint (MS Office) and discusses the main ideas behind presentation software. It also offers initial concepts on digital imaging, to enable better practical manipulation of images. So, the key areas discussed include:
- Using PowerPoint and Impress
- Basic concepts of digital imaging
Human Computing [3 weeks]
This module deals with the human aspects of computing, covering issues of both a personal and a wider social nature. Key elements include:
- Impact of computing on society
- Computing and ethics
Of course, it is too much to hope that computer problems can all be solved simply by finding the right “package”. In many cases, special packages have to be produced – and in any event, the general purpose tools for word processing, spreadsheets, communications and so on also have to be produced somewhere! Such software packages are developed by writing computer programs. Design and implementation of computer programs is covered in other Computer Science courses.
Prerequisites: None
Last Modified: Thu, 13 Mar 2025 10:10:28 SAST