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THIRD FORM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

CURRICULUM

SECTION I: RATIONALE
This Information Technology Curriculum for Third Form Students at a secondary level has been
developed to address the needs that have been observed and experienced over the past few years.
The needs come in form of issues like; students being unaware of the history, development process
and technologies that have gone into computer/ information technology as we know it, and
perceptions like; information technology as primarily a practical course.

This curriculum will develop a holistic student in the field of Information Technology through a
more structured program of activities that will develop practical computer skills and encourage
critical thinking skills that are applicable throughout the curriculum. It doesn’t only have an
academic focus, but will also develop skills for life in an increasingly technological world.

The aim is to combine practical skills and theoretical facts in a course that uses multiple
progressive pedagogical strategies to prepare student for the remainder of their Informational
Technology courses as the progress through high school, as well as prepare them to function in the
world.

SECTION II: COURSE OBJECTIVE:

At the completion of this 3rd form year Information technology course, and having actively
participated in the various activities designed in this curriculum, including: active participation,
illustration, discussion, group work/projects and practical sessions; at the end of the school year all
students will be able to:

1. Recall and appreciate the fundamental hardware and software terminologies and concepts
2. Develop expertise in the operation and use of the personal computer
3. Expertly use the Word Processing program to produce various formatted documents
4. Expertly use the Microsoft Excel program to execute various functions and formulae.
5. Expertly use the Microsoft Access program to prepare forms, execute queries and generate
reports.

CONTENT/DELIVERY TIME LINE

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This curriculum details the course content that should be covered in approximately 34 weeks or 4
periods per week at each of the four levels of secondary school.

FIRST SEMESTER
Fundamentals of Hardware/ Word Processing/Spread Sheet
Time/Content Objectives Strategies Assessments

Week 1 At the end of this week, and having  Lecture  Question &
actively participated in class  Handout Answers
Topic: Review discussions and taken efficient notes notes  Worksheet
90% of the students will be able to:  Test
Key concepts of topics covered
in 1st and 2nd form 1. Recall key terms and concepts
covered in previous classes.
 The Computer System
 Processing
 Peripherals
 Storage
 Software
 Data Communication

Week 2-3 At the end of this topic and having

Topic: The System Unit
 Definition of term
 ID of main parts
 Labeling of diagram with
main parts
 Explanation of Main parts
Practical: Microsoft Word 2007 4. Label a diagram with the main
 Draw the Window
 ID and Label parts of the
Window
actively participated in class  Lectures  Question &
discussions and group activities 97%  Group work Answers
of the students will be able to:  Power point  Quiz
1. Define the System Unit  Test
 Presentation
2. Explain the function of the system
unit  Practical Skill
3. Identify the main parts of the
system unit
parts of the system unit
5. Explain the details regarding the
function and connectivity of each
unit.

 The Home Tab

-
1. Identify the steps to opening the
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Microsoft Word window

2. Draw the Microsoft Word window
3. Label the parts of the Window

1. Identify the different tool groups on

the home tab
2. Identify the different tools in the
Clipboard tool group
3. Use the Clipboard tools

Week 3 At the end of this topic and with the  Lectures  Quiz
use of physical parts for class  Group work  Presentation
Topic; The motherboard illustration, and discussion, all students  Models  Practical Skill
will be able to:  Text usage
1. list the parts of the mother board
2. Explain the functions of the
motherboard.
3. Explain the function of the parts of
the motherboard
4. Draw and label the parts on the
motherboard

5. 1. Identify the different tools in the font

tool group
Practical: The font tool group

6. 2. Use the Font tools

Week5-6 At the end of this topic and having

actively participated in class  Lectures  Question &
Topic: Peripherals (Hardware discussions and group activities 97%  Group work Answers
and Software) of the students will be able to: 
 Poster Quiz
1. Identify with and state explicitly  Text usage  Test
 Processing (input,
the stages of “Processing”  Presentation
processing , output,
storage)  Practical Skill
- How processing works
2. List the types and functions of
 Computer hardware Input and Output devices.
- Input devices

(OMR/OCR etc.)
- Output devices
(Printers/Plotters)
Practical: Home Tab
 Font tool group
 Paragraph Tool group
Week 7-8
Topic: Data Storage
 Measurements of storage
- Units of storage
 Storage devices
- Magnetic tapes, disks
etc.
Practical: Home Tab
1. 1. Identify the different tools in the
 Styles tool group
 Editing Tool group
2.
3. 2. Use the style tools
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3. Explain how each device listed
does the job of input of data or
output of information.
1. Identify the different tools in the
font tool group
2. Use the Font tools
3. Identify the different tools in the
paragraph tool group
4. Use the paragraph tools
At the end of this topic and having  Question &
actively participated in class  Lecture Answers
discussions, presentations and group  In class Pair  Quiz
activities 95% of the students will be work  Gallery
able to:  Research  Presentations
 Presentation  Practical Skill
1. Make a list of the different types of
storage & devices.
2. Explain why flash, disks, tapes etc.
are storage devices.
style tool group
4. Identify the different tools in the
editing tool group
5. Use the editing tools
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Week 9-10 At the end of this topic and having

actively participated drills and  Drills: work  worksheet
Topic: Binary Code sheets  Quiz
exercises 98% of the students will be
 Conversion able to:  Power point  Test
 Addition  Practical Skill
 Integers ( One’s
compliment, Two’s 1. Perform basic calculations using
compliment, BCD, Sign binary conversion
and Magnitude)
1. Identify the different tool groups on
the Insert tab

Practical: Insert Tab

2. Identify the different tools on the
 Pages tool group Pages tool group
 Tables
 Illustrations
3. Use the pages tools

4. Identify the different tools in the

tables tool group

5. Use the tables tools

6. Identify the different tools in the

Illustrations tool group

7. Use the illustration tools.

Weeks 11-12 At the end of this topic and having  Power point
actively participated practical  Lecture  Practical skills
Practical; Microsoft Word exercises 100% of the students will be test
 practices
able to:
 Page Layout tool group
 Editing tool group 1. Identify the tools in the page layout
tool group
2. Use the tools in the page layout tool
- group
3. Identify the tool in the editing tool

Week 13-14
Topic: Microsoft Excel
 Characteristics, uses of
spreadsheet.
 Diagram of the Excel
application window,
including: cell, cell
address, label, row,
column, range.
 Navigating around
worksheets
Week 15-16
Topic: Microsoft Excel
 Inserting and deleting,
resizing rows and columns
 Enter basic data into cells
 Formatting worksheet,
alignment, orientation,
wrapping text, decimal
places, currency,
percentages, background
colour, border
 Writing simple formulas:
=A1+A2
=A1-A2
=A1*A2
=A1/A2
Week 17
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group
4. Use the tools in the editing tool
group
5. Create their own poster using the
appropriate features of word
processing previously learnt.
Having taken notes, paid attention the  Power point  Test
presentations, and partaken in the  Practice  Practical Skill
practical lab sessions, all students will
be able to:
1. Correctly identify the parts that
makes up MS Excel interface and
the purpose of each.
2. Learn how to create a simple
spreadsheet, using appropriately the
notions commonly associated with
spreadsheet.
Having actively participated in  Power point  Practical Skill
practical session, taken notes and paid  Practice  Test
keen attention to instructions, all
students will be able to:
1. Create worksheet by using different
format techniques.
2. Write a simple formula in the
worksheet to perform basic
mathematical functions.
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REVIEW WEEK

Week 18
EXAM WEEK (theory exam only)

SECOND SEMESTER
Spread Sheet/ Database
Time/Content Objectives Strategies Assessments
Week 1 Having students continued
engagement in as many practical
activities as possible using  Lectures  Quiz
different scenarios, all students  Power point  Practical Skill
Practical: Excel
will be able to use formulae to
create worksheets.
1. Create spreadsheets

2. Inserting formulae,
addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division,
and exponentiation.

Week 2 - 3 Have kept engaged in the practical  Power point  Practical Skill
exercises and doing multiple practice  Practical
Topic: Excel exercises, all students will be able to exercises
1. Insert functions of SUM, use functions to create and manipulate
AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, worksheets.
COUNT, SQUARE ROOT,
brackets

2. Use of Autosum, fill handle

to duplicate formulae.
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Week 4-5 Having paid keen attention to lecture  Lectures

Topic: Excel
1. Apply the use of relative,
mixed and absolute cell
referencing in spreadsheet
calculations
and demonstrations, all students will be  Text usage  Question &
able to use advanced functions (sorting Answers
 Practice
and filtering) to create and manipulate  Practical Skill
worksheets.

2. Sort data of spreadsheet by

single criterion and
multiple criterion

3. Select records using the

autofilter and advance filter

Week 6 Haven paid attention to power point  Question &

presentation and demonstrations, and  Lecture Answers
Topic: Excel practiced based on simulations, all  Practice  Test
1. Labelling/naming the students will be able to create graphs  Practical Skill
various parts of the and charts to represent their data and
charts/graphs appropriately analyze them.

2. Creating appropriate charts

and graphs to represent
various types of data to be
analyzed

3. Modifying a chart, moving,

resizing, deleting, editing
chart

4. Removing and inserting

elements of a chart

Having participated in class practices

Week 7 and adhered to the guidance of the
teacher, students will be able to use  Power point  Test
Topic: Excel
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1. Create/use advance more advance function which is the

functions like the “IF”, “IF” function in various scenarios.  Practical Skill
“COUNT” function for
data selections in various
situations

Weeks 8 Under the guidance of the teacher and  Power point

referencing skills now learnt in word  practices  Practical skills
Topic: Excel and excel all students will be able to
create spreadsheet, prepare a letter and
1. Mail Merge
perform a mail merge
-

Week 9
Topic: Database
1. Purpose of a database and
general terms associated
with the topic database.
2. Database application
window
3. Types of databases
(Manual & Electronic)
Having paid attention to the lecture and  Power point  Q&A
taken notes provided via a power point
presentation, all students will be able
to:
1. Describe what a Database is
2. Explain the different types of
databases
3. Identify the uses of databases.
4. Identify data fields and types

Week 10 Having actively participated in  Power point  Practical Skill

practical session, taken notes and paid  Practice  Vocab test
Topic: Microsoft Access keen attention to instructions, all
1. Save database file students will be able to:
appropriately
Create a basic database.
2. Set appropriate data type
for data entry
3. Edit properties of table
4. Set field name
5. Choose appropriate data
type
6. Give appropriate data
description

Week 11 Having paid keen attention to the  Practice *Practical Skills

lecture and participated in the practice
Topic; Microsoft Access exercises, all students will be able to
1. Purpose of sorting and index and sort data in chronological
indexing
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2. Sort data on a single field

or multiple fields order.

3. Create and delete index

Week 12 Having participated in class practical  Power point

exercise, all students will be able to create  Practice  Practical Skill
Topic: Microsoft Access queries – select queries and action queries.
1. List the different types of
queries
2. Differentiate among the
different types of queries
3. Create queries in design
view

Week 13 Having paid keen attention to the  Power point

teacher illustrating the steps in creating  Practice  Practical Skill
Topic: Microsoft Access two or more tables, all students will be
1. Purpose of setting up a able to:
relationship
1. Establish various relationships
2. Setting up Primary Key between two tables.
2. Create advance queries using the
3. Establishing a relationship relationships.
(One-To-One, One-To-
Many, Many-To-Many)
4. Create queries using the
relationships

Week 14 Having paid keen attention to lecture,  Power point

taken notes and followed the teacher’s  Practice  Practical Skill
Topic: Microsoft Access guidance showing the steps to creating
1. Purpose of using Forms forms, all students will be able to create
and adjust Forms for data entry purpose.
2. Terms associated with
Forms
3. Create a Form using Form
Wizard
4. Modify the design of Form

Week 15 Having participated in class and paid  Power point

Topic: Microsoft Access
1. Purpose of generating
Reports
2. Create a Report using the
keen attention to the step by step  Practice  Practical Skill
demonstrations, all students will be able to
generate and adjust reports.
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form wizard
3. Modifying design of the
report

Week 16 Having completed the exercises in  Power point

database, all students will be able to  Practice  Practical Skill
Topic: Microsoft Access complete one practice incorporating all  Test
skills taught during the course.
Review

Week 17

Review
Week 18

Exam Week

SECTION IV: ASSESSMENTS AND STRATEGIES

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the
improvement of student learning, teachers will use assessment and evaluation strategies that:

 Are fair to all students, and address both what students learn and how well they learn;

 Are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level
descriptions given in the achievement chart;

 Are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities
for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;

 Are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and
experiences of the students;

 Accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction (English);

 Ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement;

 Promote students’ ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals;
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 Include the use of samples of students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement;

 Are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the course or the school
term and at other appropriate points throughout the school year.

WHAT WILL BE ASSESSED

 Practical knowledge of the capabilities of Microsoft Word

 Tool bars
 Editing tools
 Formatting tools
 Practical knowledge of the capabilities of Microsoft Excel
 Tool bars
 Creating Formulas
 Writhing Functions
 Creating Charts
 Practical knowledge of the capabilities of Microsoft Access
 Tool bars
 Creating a File
 Creating a Field
 Entering Data
 Creating Records
 Mastery of basic theoretical fundamentals of:
o The Computer and its development
o Hardware ( System Unit, Mother Board, Input and Output Devices)
o Storage (Primary and Secondary storage devices)

GRADING SCHEME

During each semester tests/assignments/quizzes will be given. The average of these will be worth
2/3 of the final semester grade; the other 1/3 will come from the final exam.

Tests Theory 30%

Tests Practical 37%

Quizzes (points system)

Final Exam 33%

Course Text: Information Technology for CSEC Examinations. Howard Campbell & Alan Wood
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STRATEGIES

As a result of the volume and complexity of the information required for the students to absorb, a
mixture of the Active Learning and Cooperative Learning strategies will be used, as these
activities will see students in small groups working together to achieve their goals in a learning
environment that allows them to talk and listen, read, write, and reflect as they approach course
content through discussions, problem-solving exercises, research, craft, presentations and other
interactive activities.

 Brainstorming: This specific type of investigative method allows students to discuss, as a

whole class, all possible methods and meanings even if they are wrong to eventually arrive at a
right conclusion.

 Lectures: The teacher gives an oral presentation on the topic, and the students participate by
taking notes. Usually the strategy has little student involvement.

 Text/Dictionary usage: Students will learn how to utilize their text and dictionaries as a useful
resource.

 Discussions: students under the direction of the teacher or other students’ direction exchange
points of view concerning a topic, question or problem to arrive at a decision or conclusion.

 Research: Students will work cooperatively rather than individually to reach a specific goal
under the guidance of the teacher.

 Presentations: In groups as well as individuals students use their knowledge gained from
research and or discussion and orally deliver it in a formal as well as informal session.

 Peer tutoring: Structured and supervised sessions in class prior to chapter test will be
instituted, where advanced students are paired with slower learners.
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 Drills: Used for the mathematical functions in computer science, it is intended to help develop
a specific skill or aspects of knowledge.

 Collages: Using clippings from different sources to create posters that are then used to describe
the specific subject area.

 Timelines: For content that has a chronological component, this method allows the student to
make a graphical outline that is easier to understand and remember.

 Computer-assisted instruction: Students will use the computer to become familiar with
different software programs.

 Journals: Journals will be collected every 2 week. They will focus not only on writing but
also answer four major questions related to what they know, are comfortable with, and what
the need assistance with. This serves monitor student improvement. Journals can be graded
under a point system.

SECTION V: REFERENCES
CXC. (2008). Information Technology Syllabus.

Jon W. Wiles, Joseph C. Bondi. (2010). Curriculum Development.

Stann Creek Ecumenical College. (2011-2013). Regular High School and Evening Division Prospectus.

Itch, V. (2014-2015). Third Form Information Technology Course Outline. Stann Creek Ecumenical High School

Teck, A. (2010-2011). First Form Information Technology Course Outline. Stann Creek Ecumenical High School.