Digital Technology equips Grade 8 and 9 students with the skills and knowledge to use computers, computer applications and internet technologies to enable them to perform the following tasks:
- Communicate information
- Create information
- Store information
- Distribute information
- Manage information
- Solve real-life problems using appropriate tools and techniques
What Are The Aims Of Digital Technology?
This subject aims to produce students who will be able to do the following:
- Use software applications and development tools to produce solutions to problems in real-life scenarios
- Understand the concepts of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) with regard to the technologies that make up a computing system
- Use the Internet
- Understand the role that the Internet plays as part of the global information superhighway
- Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through computational thinking
- Use appropriate techniques and procedures to devise and plan solutions
- Process data and information to draw conclusions, and make decisions
- Become responsible digital citizens
What Topics Will I Study In Digital Technology?
Here are the seven (7) topics that you will study in Digital Technology:
- System Technologies
- Keyboarding – Typing Tutor
- Word Processing
- Spreadsheets
- Digital Citizenship
- Computational Thinking
- Coding
What Will I Learn In Digital Technology?
Here is what you will learn in the seven (7) topics of Digital Technology:
System Technologies
Students will learn the following in this topic:
- Basic components of a computer system
- Input/Output devices, storage devices, processing (Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Random Access Memory (RAM), digital communication devices
- Information processing cycle – Input, output, processing, storage, communication
- File Management – Folder, file extensions, naming conventions, drive and path, search utility
- System software
- Application software
- Utility software
- Cloud computing
- Search engine
- ICTs in everyday life
- Online banking and shopping
Keyboarding – Typing Tutor
Students will learn the following in this topic:
- Typing posture
- Finger positions
- Different sections of a keyboard – Home row, top row, bottom row
- Introduction to other keys – Shift, Caps Lock, Insert, Delete, Backspace, Page up, Page down, Home, End, Tab, undo, Redo, Print screen
- Speed and accuracy practise
- Number keys
- Numeric keypad
- Calculator utility
- Speed and accuracy practise
Word Processing
Students will learn the following in this topic:
- Purpose of word processing
- Basic use of a word processor
- Opening, saving and basic printing options
- Word wrapping, hard return, soft return
- Font
- Selection of text
- Cut, copy and paste
- Delete
- Built-in styles
- Spelling and grammar checking
- Basic Find and Replace
- Basic Illustrations
- Customise margins
- Page orientation
- Page breaks
- Paper size
- Page borders
- Line and paragraph spacing
- Paragraph alignment Indents
- Symbols
- Bullets and numbers
- Tab settings
- Tables – insert and delete rows, columns, table, merge, unmerge, text direction, table styles
- WordArt
- Text boxes
- Headers and Footers
- Page numbering
- Smart art
- Table of contents
Spreadsheets
Students will learn the following in this topic:
- Purpose of spreadsheets
- Cell, row, column, sheet
- Cell reference
- Resizing rows and columns
- Transferring common features from word processing skills, for example, copy, paste, save
- Basic formatting and editing (wrap, merge, alignment, borders)
- Autofill
- Common data types (Text, Number, Currency, General)
- Use formulae (calculations) with basic operators and order of precedence
- Simple functions (SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, COUNT)
- Sorting of data
- Basic error indicators (#VALUE, #NAME, #NUM, #REF, #DIV/0, #N/A, ####)
- Creating, editing graphs/charts
- Draw conclusions by analysing graphs/charts
- Working with sheets
- Functions (ROUND, COUNTA, COUNTBLANK, COUNTIF)
- Troubleshooting basic errors
- Paper size
- Page margins
- Page orientation
- Headers and footers
- Print area and print titles
Digital Citizenship
Students will learn the following in this topic:
- Browsers
- Safe internet and device usage
- Information privacy and piracy
- Cybercrime threats and issues (phishing, identity theft, hacking)
- Ethical, social and safety awareness when online
- Copyright and plagiarism
- Public domain
- Referencing sources
- Understand cybercrime, protection and legal consequences
Computational Thinking
Students will learn the following in this topic:
- Overview of computational thinking:
- Pattern recognition
- Decomposition
- Abstraction
- Algorithms
Coding
Students will learn the following in this topic:
- Introduction to coding environment and concepts
- Simple problems to illustrate spatial orientation / logical sequence, for example, draw shapes
- Introduction to events
- Variables operators
- Simple control structures
- Read code and explain what it does, test code, and code completion
- Simple, basic programs using one or two of the following:
- sequence
- single conditional
- single iteration construct
What Are The Career Opportunities In Digital Technology?
When you study Digital Technology further, here are some of your career opportunities:
- Machine Learning Engineer
- UX Designer
- Robotics Engineer
- Data Scientist
- Cloud Engineer
- Software Developer
- Information Security Analyst
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Web Developer
- Sales Engineer
- Information Technology Manager
- Computer Research Scientist
- Network and Systems Administrator
- Computer Support Specialist
How Will I Be Assessed?
You will be assessed based on the following:
- School-Based Assessments (SBA) – SBA will consist of 60% of the marks these are:
- 5 tests
- 1 theory, June exam
- End-of-year assessments – These consist of 40% of the total marks as follows:
- Practical Assessment Tasks (PATs)
- Theory examination
What Are The Different Types Of Digital Technology?
Here are some of the different types of Digital Technology:
- Virtual Reality (VR) – This is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way. This is done using special electronic equipment, such as a headset
- Augmented Reality (AR) – This technology adds various digital elements to a live view, for example, the filters used in the social media app, Snapchat
- Voice Assistance – Voice Assistants are devices/apps that use voice recognition technology, natural language processing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to respond to humans
- Motion UI – Motion user Interface (UI) helps in interacting with users of your website, for example, a warm greeting message to the user who comes to your website
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) – This Digital Technology applies human intelligence to machines
- Blockchain – Simply put, this technology allows both businesses and individuals to make instant transactions without any middlemen such as banks
- Internet Of Things (IoT) – This technology is focused on connecting everything in the world to the Internet
- Progressive Web Apps (PWA) – PWAs are websites that look and feel like they are apps. Instead of users downloading a mobile app to access all the information and capabilities, they can now visit the website.
- Fifth Generation Technology (5G) – 5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks. 5G is designed to meet the constantly growing data and connectivity in modern society.
What Is A Digital System?
Digital systems are designed to store, process, and communicate information in digital form. They are found in a wide range of applications such as communication systems, digital instruments, and consumer products.
What Is A Digital Device?
A digital device is an electronic device that can receive, store, process or send digital information. Here are some examples of digital devices:
- LED TV
- Computer Keyboard
- Laptop
- Mobile phone
- Digital Clock
- Flash drive
- Printer
- Digital Camera
- Stop Watch
What Are The Two Main Types Of Software?
The following are the two main types of software:
- System software
- Application software
What Are The 10 Advantages Of Technology?
Here are some of the advantages of Digital Technology:
- Easy access to information
- Saves time
- Ease of mobility
- Better communication means
- Cost efficiency
- Innovation in many fields
- Improved banking
- Better learning techniques, including distance learning
Author: Collin Wilbesi
Editor: Sive Ncanywa
Date: July 26 , 2022