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Scheme of work – Cambridge IGCSE® Computer Studies (0420)
Unit 7: Generic software
Recommended prior knowledge
None, although students will be able to draw on any previous experience of using generic application software.
Context
Practical experience of generic application software supports many other units and students need to study this unit before or alongside Unit 12, as one or more
generic application programs may be needed to implement a solution to a coursework problem and document it. For this unit, together with Unit 8, Computer
Studies Support Booklet – Part 4 (http://teachers.cie.org.uk/docs/dynamic/31799.pdf) provides notes on section 4 of the syllabus and practice problems (with
answers in Computer Studies Support Booklet – Answers (http://teachers.cie.org.uk/docs/dynamic/31801.pdf).
Outline
Students need to gain a broad overview of generic application software through practical work. As a minimum, they need a general knowledge of the kinds of
features typical of different types of generic application program, although each candidate needs to develop greater expertise in the use of those programs that they
intend to use for coursework.
Syllabus
ref
Learning
objectives
4.1
Introduction to
generic
application
software, datalogging and
programming
Generic
application
software
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
If not already considered, it is helpful to distinguish between hardware and
software and what is meant by the term ‘package’.
LWS coursebook pp. 2–4
It is helpful to consider the kinds of feature that many application
programs have in common, especially import and export of data files and
the use of a graphical user interface.
Students need to start practical exercises with generic application
software and one or more programming languages early in the course to
allow time for skills to develop.
Commonly-used (“productivity”) generic application programs studied
should include: word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheets and
databases.
Word processing and spreadsheets are good types of application program
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Cambridge IGCSE Computer Studies (0420)
LWS coursebook pp. 4–10
http://download.openoffice.org/
Open Office, open source productivity suite, similar to
Microsoft Office, available for multiple platforms
1
Syllabus
ref
Learning
objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
with which to start, as students may already have familiarity with them and
students should use a word processing program to write up Paper 2
coursework.
Recorded macros are quite hard to modify
It may be helpful to explain to students the basic distinction between:
• a desktop publishing program, with which the user can create a
sequence of pages into which they can place graphical objects
including text boxes, and
• a word processing program, with which the user can create a
sequence or ‘string’ of text characters and formatting codes, into
which they can insert graphics ‘inline’ (by default), as if they were
blocks of text.
Use of spreadsheet programs to include:
• use of formulae
• text string entered is automatically interpreted as a type of data (text,
number, date, etc.)
• sorting
• filtering
• what-if scenarios
• charts or graphs.
Use of database programs to include:
• data types
• field length (for text string data type)
• sorting
• query search criteria
• features of relational databases.
Customisation of
generic
application
v1 2Y04
These short programs recorded or written in an API scripting language
such as Microsoft Office Word VBA or Excel VBA in order to automate
frequently-needed access to hard-to-access commands or series of timeCambridge IGCSE Computer Studies (0420)
www.teach-ict.com/videohome.htm
Links to video tutorials on Microsoft Office programs for
desktop publishing, word processing, spreadsheets and
databases
www.teachict.com/gcse/software/word/student/shome_wp.htm
Theory notes, activities and quizzes on word processing
www.teachict.com/gcse/software/dtp/students/shome_dtp.htm
Theory notes, activities and quizzes on desktop publishing
www.teachict.com/gcse/software/spread/student/shome_spreadsheet
.htm
Theory notes, activities and quizzes on spreadsheets
www.teachict.com/gcse_computing/ocr/databases/concepts/home_d
b_concepts.htm
Theory notes on databases
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ict/databases/2datab
asesrev1.shtml
First of 5 pages on databases and data capture
CD of notes from the former website
www.theteacher99.btinternet.co.uk/theteacher has:
• introduction to word processing
• introduction to spreadsheets
• introduction to databases
• sorting and searching of databases
LWS coursebook pp. 24–5
www.cedar.u-net.com/ict6/demoidx.htm
2
Syllabus
ref
Learning
objectives
software by the
use of macros
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
consuming commands are best studied through practical exercises.
Search for macro
In some software, such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint, it
is possible to open the VBA editor once the recording process has started
and watch the accumulation of recorded code or even delete mistakes.
Microsoft Office Access cannot record macros, but can have them written
as “macro actions”.
The advantages
and
disadvantages of
generic
application
software
compared with
bespoke software
Communications
software
Web authoring
and browsers
programs and
search engines
Graphics editing
programs
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Macros written or modified from recordings by the student may constitute
programming for a simpler coursework project.
Ask students why generic application software is often called “off-theshelf”.
(Ans: Because it is a mass-produced item generally available from stock)
Also, ask students what bespoke means.
(Ans: Made to suit a particular customer, not just a particular use)
Students can explore possible advantages and disadvantages of off-theshelf compared with bespoke software in groups or as a whole class
activity.
Students need to research the features of a range of software, such as
fax, telephony, VoIP, video-conferencing, email and instant messaging.
The study of search engines can be linked to their application in Unit 1.
It may be helpful to draw students’ attention to the fact that “web design”
software commonly refers to programs for building or authoring websites,
blurring the distinction required in Units 3 and 12 between design (detailed
planning) and implementation (building).
Students often find Microsoft Paint or other simple graphics programs
fascinating, but it is helpful to give them practical exercises that illustrate
the differences between bitmap and vector graphics.
Cambridge IGCSE Computer Studies (0420)
LWS coursebook pp. 25–6
www.teachict.com/gcse_computing/ocr/213_software/custom_offshel
f/home_custom_offshelf_sw.htm
Theory notes, activities and quizzes on off-the-shelf
compared with bespoke software
LWS coursebook pp. 10–3
LWS coursebook pp. 13–6
www.teach-ict.com/videohome.htm
Links to video tutorials on Dreamweaver & FrontPage web
authoring programs
LWS coursebook pp. 16–7
www.gimp.org/downloads/
GIMP, open source graphics program for a variety of
operating systems
It differs from many other programs in the way that a
selected graphical object is moved and each text box is its
own layer
3
Syllabus
ref
Learning
objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
Microsoft Office Tools contains Picture Manager contains
a relatively small number of powerful photo editing
features
CAD programs
Students need to research the features of CAD programs, preferably
through practical work.
Multimedia
authoring and
presentation
programs
Students need to research the features of these programs, preferably
through practical work.
Data-logging
Consider using a simulation if no data logger is available for practical
work.
Note that Impress is a presentation program available as part of the open
source Open Office suite.
A data logger typically exports a CSV file, which can be imported by a
spreadsheet program for analysis.
Students can research the features and hardware components of a data
logger:
• automatic scheduled data capture
• allows 24/7 monitoring
• improved accuracy since it eliminates transcription errors
• contains:
o ROM memory to store the program to control its operation
o RAM or flash memory to store the captured data
Programming
As with generic application software, students need to start practical
exercises with one or more programming languages early in the course to
allow time for skills to develop.
www.teach-ict.com/videohome.htm
Links to video tutorials on Adobe Photoshop photo editing
program
LWS coursebook pp. 17–8
http://sketchup.google.com/
Sketchup, free CAD program
LWS coursebook pp. 18–21
www.teach-ict.com/videohome.htm
Links to video tutorials on Adobe Flash multimedia
authoring program, Microsoft Office PowerPoint
presentation program and MissionMaker 3-D game
authoring program
LWS coursebook pp. 21–3
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ict/measurecon
trol/3dataloggingrev1.shtml
First of 3 pages of introduction to data-logging
www.teachict.com/gcse/software/datalogging/students/shome_datalo
gging.htm
Theory notes, activities and quizzes on data-logging
www.valianttechnology.com/archive/freebies/cdsamples/datalogger/lo
gger.swf
Flash simulation of the operation of a data logger
LWS coursebook pp. 23–4
www.mathplayground.com/mathprogramming.html
Applet for programming a turtle in Logo
Introductory exercises should include programming a turtle in Logo, which
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Cambridge IGCSE Computer Studies (0420)
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Syllabus
ref
Learning
objectives
Suggested teaching activities
Learning resources
although simple, sometimes appears in exam questions.
http://education.mit.edu/starlogo/
StarLogo, MIT’s free, agent-based simulation language
Has a 2-D version, OpenStarLogo and a 3-D version,
StarLogo TNG
Explain to students that, although program code can be written with a
simple text editor program, it needs software to compile (if required) and
debug it, which is usually provided, together with other facilities, by a
single program called an integrated development environment (IDE) for
their chosen programming language.
Amongst free languages that are well documented and have large user
communities, Python is prominent.
Students need to perform practical exercises to develop programming
skills that will prepare them for coursework.
These should cover the range required for pseudocode in Unit 5, namely:
• processes:
o input
o output
o assignment
o totals
o counting
• structures:
o iteration (repetition)
o selection
Additionally, students need to learn how to handle data types and
structures and probably files.
http://gcsecomputing.org.uk/theory/1_7/1_7_programming
_languages.html
End of page describes an IDE
http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Scratch_1.4_Download
Scratch, a free programming language that lets you create
your own interactive stories, animations, games, music,
and art
www.briggs.net.nz/log/writing/snake-wrangling-for-kids/
Snake Wrangling for Kids, a free, printable electronic book
that covers the basics of programming in Python 3
www.pythonsummerschool.net/course.php
A free teacher’s course in the Python programming
language
Prerequisite resources:
www.pythonsummerschool.net/get_ready.php
www.justbasic.com/download.html
A free version of the BASIC programming language
Help requires download in Windows Vista and 7 and does
not include the tutorial mentioned in the Welcome screen
As mentioned above, macros written or modified from recordings by the
student may constitute programming for a simpler coursework project.
Note that while Microsoft Office VBA is common to many members of the
suite of programs, each member of the suite has its own “dialect” of VBA,
as the language has to interact with different sets of objects in each
member of the suite.
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Cambridge IGCSE Computer Studies (0420)
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