Transcript Introductory PowerPoint

Using Technology in
the FL Classroom:
An Introduction
By Sandy Dugan
Technology: Tools and Ideas
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Tool: Earth turner - Idea: Plant for harvest
Tool: Telescope - Idea: Heliocentric cosmos
Tool: Microscope - Idea: Germs => disease
Tool: Printing press - Idea: Man & God
Tool: Atomic Bomb - Idea: Nuclear Physics
Tool: Electron microscope - Idea: Double helix
Tool: Computer - Idea: Operating System
Certain Technologies Useful in
Learning / Teaching
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Images, Music, Dance - 35,000 years ago
Writing - 8,000 years ago
Printing press - 550 years ago
Photography - 150 years ago
Typewriter - 130 Years ago
Telephone - 100 years ago
Film - 100 years ago
More Technologies for Learning
/ Teaching
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Radio - 85 years ago
Polycopiers - 65 years ago
Television - 55 years ago
Audio recorders - 55 years ago
Camcorder - 30 years ago
Computers - 20 years ago
Internet / Web - 10 years ago
What does a computer do?
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It takes in information and it puts out
information.
It does routine transformations (math, spelling,
music, images, drills).
What it cannot and should not be asked to do:
replace the instructor.
What makes up a computer?
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Hardware - electronic circuits (chips, cards),
cables (wires to transmit information),
information storage devices (RAM, hard drive,
other drives)
Software - instructions, routines, programs,
applications, files (text, graphics, sound, video,
animations - these are things we produce and are
often called “data”.)
Essential Hardware
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A Central processing Unit (CPU)
Display screen (monitor)
Bus
Input devices
Memory devices
Information Storage devices
Communication ports
Slots for add-on cards (e.g., wireless)
Essential Software
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BIOS, located in a ROM chip
Operating System
Programs
Device Drivers (keyboard, display, ports, etc.)
 Applications (word processor, spread sheet, etc.)
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Files that you create (your “data”)
What are the basic parts and their
functions?
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1. CPU (central processing unit)
processes all information on computer
 runs very fast 
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Often in megahertz (MH) up to gigahertz (GH)
some common names:
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Pentium II, Pentium III (Intel, Windows); G3, G4 (Mac)
What are the basic parts and their
functions?
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2. RAM (random access memory)
The computer first loads the operating system (OS)
into RAM, then it loads into RAM any applications
the user calls, and any new information (“data” ) that
we create.
 Having enough “memory” (= RAM) is crucial to
running applications simultaneously.
 When the computer turns off, RAM deactivates, and
the information loaded into RAM disappears. That’s
why we “save” often.
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What are the basic parts and their
functions?
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3. Information storage devices
Hard disk (hard drive)
 CD-ROM, floppy, Zip, flash
 This is where “applications” and “data” are stored.
The surface of the medium is altered to represent
the 0s and 1s that compose digital information.
When the computer turns off, this information
remains. When the storage device fails, the
information is lost. That’s why we “back up” often.
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What are the basic parts and their
functions?
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4. Ports
These are the places where external devices plug into
the computer.
 Obsolescent: serial, parallel, SCSI
 Surviving or new: Ethernet, modem, USB (Universal
Serial Bus), fire wire
 Remember that a new device often needs new
software (a “driver”) to be loaded onto the computer
hard drive in order for the device to work.
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What is the Internet?
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Two or more computers connected in order to
share information are called a network. Local
Area Networks (LANs) are common in offices
and other work places.
A Wide Area Network, like Michnet, connects
many networks together.
On the Internet, networks agree to use a
common protocol: Transmission control
Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
How does the Internet work?
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The user clicks “Send”, and the file is broken
down into packets.
For each packet, the names of the sending and
receiving computers are converted to their
unique identity number.
Packets may go by different routes, depending
on traffic flow.
At the receiving end, the packets are
reassembled in proper order and presented.
Protocols on the Internet
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E-mail is the most common, e.g., Simple Mail
Transfer protocol (SMTP), Post Office Protocol
(POP), etc.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http) is used for
hyperlinking.
Telnet is used for logging onto a remote
computer.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used to transfer
files form ons computer to another.
Can these be done on the Web?
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Many of the Internet protocols are supported
by the common browsers.
What is the Web?
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Http was created for researchers to transfer files.
In a text, words that are “links” are called
“hypertext”. When clicked on, they take the user
to another text.
Actually what happens is that clicking on the
link causes another file to be loaded into the
browser.
What is a browser?
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A browser is a software application that displays
information (text, graphics, etc.) in a window on
the computer screen.
Common browsers are Internet Explorer,
Netscape Navigator, Opera, Firefox Mozilla,
Browsers cause files to be transferred to the
hard disk and then displays them on the screen.
What is a “client”? A “server”?
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Software (or a computer) the provides data to
other computers when requested through a
network is called a “server”.
Software (or a computer) that is used to send a
request for information across a network is
called a “client”.
Conclusion
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The computer’s advantage is to do many kinds
of repetitious tasks very rapidly. It is weak on
synthesizing information.
Various aspects of computer science require
specialists, the “Tech People”.
It is important to understand what Tech
specialists are talking about.
It’s fun to learn new things to do with Tech.