NKUMBA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF LAW
INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Level: Degree/ Diploma
Course description
In today’s world of changing technology, people need the knowledge, skills and ability of identifying and
operating certain ICT devices like computers. This course provides learners with the basic knowledge of
working with computers, to allow them gain hands-on experience with software packages (such as word
processing, spreadsheets and presentation). The course looks at both the hardware and software aspects of
the computer.
Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to;
 Understand a brief history of computers, know about the physical make-up of a personal
computer and understand major concepts of Information technology (IT) such as data storage
and memory.
 Accomplish Web search tasks using a Web browser application and available search engine
tools, send, receive messages and send attachments search for information.
 Use the computer to create and Manage Files and folders; working with Ms-word, spreadsheets
and power point programs.
Expected Outcomes:

 An understanding of computer hardware and software;

 A working knowledge of the following Internet-related tasks: communicating via Email, Web
browsing, and information retrieval using Web resources
 A working knowledge of data processing tasks using word processors, spreadsheets and then
developing standardized presentations

UNIT 1: BASIC CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY-------------------------(5Hrs)

 What is a computer
 Computer Hardware
 Computer Software
 Types of computers
 Purpose of computers
 Health and Safety
UNIT 2: USING A COMPUTER AND MANAGING FILES-----------------------------------(4Hrs)
 Starting up, clicking around, shutting down
 Exploring the computer drives
 Working with Folders and Files
 Mastering Windows
UNIT 3: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION (individual work)---------------------(6Hrs)
 Starting Internet explorer
 Visiting and Exploring a website
 Moving around the web pages
 Saving information from the Web
 Logical searches
 Meta search engines
 Working with e-mails

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UNIT 4: MICROSOFT WORD PROCESSING 2007--------------------------------------(6Hrs)

 Inserting Text ; Navigating in a Document; Selecting Text

 Creating an AutoText Entry; Moving and Copying Text ;Deleting Blocks of Text;
Undoing Changes; Finding and Replacing Text
 Changing Font and Size; Applying Font Styles and Effects; Changing Text Color;
Highlighting Text ;Copying Formats
 Clearing Formatting; Finding and Replacing Text Formatting
 Setting Tabs; Changing Paragraph Alignment; Indenting Paragraphs; Adding Borders
and Shading; Applying Styles; Creating Lists; Changing Spacing Between Paragraphs
and Lines and designing Table of contents
 Using the Thesaurus; Checking Spelling and Grammar; Creating a New Default
Dictionary; Checking Word Count; Modifying a Document.

UNIT 5: INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT POWERPOINT 2007-----------------------(9Hrs)

 The Office 2007 Environment

 Overview of PowerPoint
 Basic PowerPoint Tasks
 Making Your Presentation
 Working with a Slide Master
 The Formatting Toolbar
 The Formatting Palette
 Slide designs and animation schemes
 Working with Text
 Working with Bullets and Numbering
 Printing Your Presentation
 The Outline View

UNIT 6: MICROSOFT EXCEL/SPREADSHEETS 2007

SECT A: Introduction to Microsoft excel 2003--------------------------------------------------(3Hrs)
 Microsoft Excel Window
 Working with cells, rows, columns
 Hiding and redisplaying columns and rows
 Changing column width
 Changing row heights
 Freezing panes
 Splitting a Window
SECT B: Entering Data in Worksheets-----------------------------------------------------------(3Hrs)
 Entering Data and Types of Data entry
 Retrieving or opening an existing file
 Finding and replacing text and values in Excel
 Correcting errors and spell checking
 Auto correcting common errors
SECT C: Formatting Excel Worksheets-----------------------------------------------------------(3Hrs)
 Font formatting
 Number and currency formats
 Changing alignment
 Adding cell borders

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  Working with borders
 Protecting workbooks and worksheets.
SECT 4: Using Functions and Formula in Excel----------------------------------------------------- (3Hrs)
 Introduction to Excel functions and formula
 Cell references; Relative, Absolute/mixed cell references
 Basic Excel functions

Course Evaluation (3Hrs)

Total 45Hrs

Mode of Delivery
Lectures, tutorials, presentations and demonstrations.

Assessment
Course work = 30%; Final Exam: Written = 20%; Practical = 50%

Resources
1. A+ Certification, (2003), Third Edition. Training Kit Prentice- Hall of India, private Limited New
Delhi.
2. Baschab, J., Piot J., Garr, N.G. (2007) The Executive’s Guide to Information Technology

3. Computer literacy, A comprehensive Guide, Connie Morvison and Dolores. J . Urells,2009

4. Cyganski, D., Orr, J. A., (2001) Information Technology: Inside and Outside; Prentice Hall

5. ECDL (European Computer Driving License), Training Version 4

6. Jennifer T. Campbel, Computer literacy Basics MS Office 2007 Companion, 2007.

7. Senn, J.A., Pearson Education (2003) Information Technology: Principles, Practices,

opportunities.

8. Snyder, L., Addison-Wesley (2007) Fluency with Information Technology: Skills, Concepts, and
Capabilities (3rd Edition)

9. Turban, E., Rainer, K.R., Porter R.E. (2007) Introduction to Information Technology

10. Walters, E.G. (2000) The Essential Guide to Computing: The Story of Information Technology
Prentice Hall Inc.

11. Williams, B. and Sawyer, S Career, Education (2009) Using Information Technology.