Select Technology

Select Technology

Developed by Russell Fox

Students must complete objective one and objective two. You must choose at least one situation from objective three.

Students: Prior to Objective 1, log on to the following web site to review basic operations of a computer: www.microsoft.com/windows98/using windows.

Objective #1 - The student will demonstrate a knowledge of technological terms verbally. Below are the terms and their definitions that students will be expected to know.

Spreadsheet - A software program that enables the user to enter data into cells where math operations can be performed. Companies use spreadsheets to track financial data and do forecasting.

Word processing - A computer program that turns a computer into an electronic typewriter. Some common uses for a word processor are report writing and letter writing.

Database management – A type of computer software program, which is used to store information and print special kinds of reports.

Printed circuit board – A thin plate on which chips (integrated circuits) and other electronic components are placed.

CD-Rom drive – compact disk read only memory drive, a device that can read information from a CD-Rom.

Floppy disk drive – a disk drive that can read and write to floppy disks.

Hard disk drive – the device that reads and writes data on a hard disk.

Microprocessor – a silicon chip that contains a CPU

CPU – central processing unit, the brains of the computer where most calculations take place.

Motherboard – the main circuit board of a microcomputer.

Bus – a collection of wires through which data is transmitted from one part of a computer to another.

RAM – random access memory (read-write memory) – Can have new data written into it as well as stored data read from it.

ROM – (read only memory) – computer memory on which data has been prerecorded.

BIOS – This is the Basic Input/Output system and is installed on the computer’s motherboard. It controls the most basic operations and is responsible for starting the computer up and initializing the hardware.

Cache – Cache is the fastest type of RAM available and is used in CPU’s. hard drives, and a variety of other components.

Byte – One megabyte is equal to one million bytes or one thousand kilobytes. Hard drive sizes are given in gigabytes, each of which is one thousand megabytes.

Modem – It stands for Modulator Demodulator. It enables a computer to “dial-up” to another computer for a variety of purposes including fax, gaming, or Internet purposes.

Video card – This component is used to transfer data to your monitor so that it can be displayed.

Bit – The smallest unit of data a computer can deal with. Eight bits make one byte, which forms a character such as the letter “a."

Control panel – A utility program that permits system-wide adjustments to settings for colors, fonts, ports, mouse, desktop, network, and printers.

Desktop – The surface of the screen that contains icons that are shortcuts to applications or programs.

Directory – A separate folder on a hard disk for storing files.

Download - To transfer files from one computer to another.

Local area network (LAN) – A group of computers physically connected in a manner that lets them communicate with each other. The network uses a server, which is a computer that holds data used by different computers on the network.

Pixel – The smallest part of an image ( a square dot) that a computer scanner or printer can control.

Search engine – A program that lets users locate specified information from a database or mass of data.

Objective 2- The student will be able to identify the correct technological device in a given situation.

Devices to select from:

1. Multimedia Projector - Enables presenter to display computer screen on big screen and input data while projecting.

2. Digital camera – A camera without film that stores photographs in digital format that can be downloaded onto a computer.

3. Graphing calculator – This device can be linked to a computer. Capable of higher function graphs and advanced computations.

4. DVD (digital video disc) player – Holds many times the data that a single disc does.

5. Laptop – A notebook computer.

Read the situations below. Tell what devices would be most appropriate and why.

Situation 1 - You are required to give a presentation to your class. There is substantial textual material to present. You don’t want to use an overhead projector because it involves too much interchanging of overlays. You want it to be a professional presentation where you are able to move quickly from one slide to the next.

What devices should you use and why?

Situation 2 - You are a real estate professional. You want to compile a directory of your listings including photographs. The directory will include a description of each house along with a picture.

What devices should you use and why?

Situation 3 - You have a technical report to present. In the report, you are expected to do a forecast model for your company’s growth plan over the next 10 years. There are numerous calculations, charts, and graphs that you want to use to enhance your presentation.

What devices should be used and why?

Situation 4 – You have an enormous amount of material that you want to condense onto as few cd-roms as possible. There will also be substantial visual information and movie clips that need to be included.

What devices should you use and why?

SELECT TECHNOLOGY - OBJECTIVE 3 – SELECT THE APPROPRIATE SOFTWARE FOR THE JOB AND COMPLETE 1 SITUATION.

Software to select from: (11th -12th)

Presentation – An example of presentation software is PowerPoint.

Word Processing – Word Perfect, Word and Works are commonly used.

Spreadsheet – Both Excel and Lotus have excellent spreadsheet capabilities.

Database-Works or Access

Publishing-Microsoft Publisher, Printshop, PageMaker

Students: Log on to the following web sites prior to this assignment and review the software descriptions.

Word processing and Presentation software – www.lgta.org

Spreadsheet software – www.utexas.edu/cc/training

Read the situations below. Tell what your software recommendations are and why.

Situation 1: You are a corporate executive and have been asked to give a presentation to stockholders at the upcoming annual meeting. Your company is a major player in the oil and gas exploration business. This is a very important meeting for you. Your stockholders are becoming impatient with your exploration efforts in Alaska. You have been unable to pay dividends for three quarters now due to the expense of your exploration efforts and lack of results. However, you are confident that you will be successful soon and you need to convince your Board of Directors and stockholders that success is at hand. Your presentation will have to include extensive graphics including charts, tables, text, and spreadsheet capabilities.

What are your software recommendations and how would you apply them?

Situation 2: You have decided to start a catering business. Your customers love your food and because they are telling their friends, your business is growing by word of mouth. You want news of your new enterprise to spread quickly. A direct mailing would be a great way to reach the largest number of people in the smallest amount of time. You want your mailing to have expressive letterhead. You also need to compile a mailing list and type individualized letters.

(six months later) Your mailing was a success. You have doubled the number of your customers. You have hired new employees and business is great. Because the seafood catering business is so involved, there is a lot of “down time” when new employees are hired to train them. You have a lot of information to convey and are getting tired of explaining the same details over and over again. You conceive of the idea of creating a manual entitled “The Employee Manual for the Seafood Catering Business.”

What are your software recommendations for the direct mailing? for the manual? Why?

Situation 3:

There is a situation in business called the “what if “ scenario. You want to decrease the price of your product and still make a reasonable profit. One obvious way is to cut costs and make more units. This is not easy to compute. Your product has 52 components and each component has a different price break. For example, when you purchase electric motors, you receive a 5% price break at 1000 units and a 10% break at 5000 units. But the flashing lights you purchase have a 10% discount only if you purchase in excess of 10,000 units. It would take hours with a calculator to figure out all the possibilities. You need a program that will enable you to create a worksheet and link it to the data from your existing component list. You can then enter formulas and the new worksheet will reflect various price breaks for each component.

What are your software recommendations and how would you apply them?