JSS 2 First Term

Learning Objectives

• Revise all topics of the term.
• Answer objective and short answer questions accurately.
• Identify the topics that need more practice.
• Prepare a plan for the examination week.

Review of the Term

The term began with the classification of computers and the parts of a computer system: hardware, software and peopleware. It then studied the operating system and file management, and moved on to computer networks and the devices that connect them.

The second half looked outward and forward. The internet and the World Wide Web were studied, together with online services and cloud storage. Cybersecurity and online safety showed how to stay safe, and data protection showed how to handle personal data. The term closed with spreadsheets and presentations.

Revision Method

Revise by topic, not by page. Start with the list of topics and check that you can explain each one. Define a network in one sentence. Name the four network topologies. State three functions of an operating system. Explain the difference between the internet and the World Wide Web.

Then check practical skills. Can you create a folder and save a file with a clear name? Can you make a simple spreadsheet formula and a chart? Can you create and present a short slide show?

Common Weak Areas

Learners often confuse a hub with a switch and a router. The test is simple: a hub sends data to everyone, a switch sends data to the intended computer, and a router connects different networks.

Another weak area is data and information. Data is raw and meaningless on its own; information has been processed and given meaning. Learners also confuse the internet with the World Wide Web, and forget that the Web is one service on the internet.

Practical Work

1. Create a folder, save a file with a clear name and restore a file from the Recycle Bin.
2. Make a spreadsheet with a SUM and an AVERAGE function and insert one chart.
3. Create a three slide presentation and present it to the class.
4. List every weak topic found in the test and write one practice activity for each.

Scenario-Based Questions

1. In one sentence, define a computer network and name its four types by coverage.
2. Explain the difference between a hub and a switch.
3. Explain the difference between the internet and the World Wide Web.
4. Give two safe internet habits and explain why each one matters.
5. Explain how cloud storage keeps a file safe if a device breaks.
6. Explain the difference between data and information with one example.
7. State three functions of an operating system.

Examination and Continuous Assessment Practice

These questions are taken from the First Term examination and Continuous Assessment papers for this class. Answer them in full sentences.

1. (a) Define a Computer. (b) Mention and explain the three (3) classifications of computers based on their operating principles (type). (c) List four (4) classifications of computers based on size and capacity.
2. (a) State four (4) important rules and regulations to be observed in the computer laboratory. (b) Explain what is meant by Ergonomics in computer usage. (c) Mention two (2) ways to properly care for and maintain computer hardware equipment.
3. (a) Briefly describe the stages involved in the Data Processing Cycle. (b) Define Information Transmission. (c) Mention two (2) ancient methods and two (2) modern methods of transmitting information.
4. (a) Highlight the main technological components used in each of the first four generations of computers: (i) First Generation (ii) Second Generation (iii) Third Generation (iv) Fourth Generation (b) Mention two (2) early calculating or counting devices invented before modern computers. (c) State two (2) contributions of Charles Babbage to computer history.
5. A classmate says a calculator is a computer. Explain what a computer is, state why it is different from a simple calculator, and give three things a modern computer can do beyond calculation.
6. A school history project wants to explain why the Jacquard loom matters to computing. Describe the early counting tools, explain the contribution of the Pascaline, and state why the Jacquard loom is described as an ancestor of computer programming.
7. A display case in a museum holds an ENIAC and a UNIVAC. State who built ENIAC, when, and describe its size and power. Then explain what UNIVAC changed.
8. A computer shop assistant must advise a customer. State the years and main technology of the first, second and third generations of computers, give one example machine of each, and explain what the third generation added.