ICSE syllabus for class 9 Computer Application

Syllabus of Computer Applications for Class 9

Aims:

1. To empower students by enabling them to build their own applications.
2. To introduce students to some effective tools to enable them to enhance their knowledge, broaden horizons, foster creativity, improve the quality of work and increase efficiency.
3. To enable students to learn to use the World Wide Web in order to gather knowledge and communicate with students and the academic community all over the world.
4. To enable students to learn to process words and numbers, analyze data, communicate ideas effectively and make the optimum use of computer resources.
5. To help students learn fundamental concepts of computing using object oriented approach in one computer language.
6. To provide students with a clear idea of ethical issues involved in the field of computing.

CLASS IX

There will be one written paper of two hours duration carrying 100 marks and Internal Assessment of 100 marks.
The paper will be divided into two sections A and B.
Section A (Compulsory – 40 marks) will consist of compulsory short answer questions covering the entire syllabus.
Section B (60 marks) will consist of questions which will require detailed answers and there will be a choice of questions in this section

THEORY -100 Marks

1. Operating System

i) Introduction to Operating System The need for an operating system, features and functions of an operating system and familiarity with installing and uninstalling software. Functions and features of an operating system (examples of single user and multiple users); familiarize the students with installation and un-installation of connected peripherals and other related softwares like dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.
i) Graphic User Interface Working with the Graphical User Interface (GUI), Elements of a GUI, handling files and directories under GUI, managing the desktop. Concept of an active window. Familiarity with the icons, the buttons and the task bar. Resizing a window. Handling multiple windows. Creating folders. Copying items. Moving items. Deleting Items. Setting attributes of items. Creating shortcuts on the desktop, arranging the folders on the desktop.

2. The Internet

Internet, e-mail, WWW, modem and related protocols. Working of internet, creating an e-mail account, sending and receiving e-mails, web servers, search engines to perform a simple search and Boolean operators to fine tune a search, basic working of a modem (modulation and demodulation) through block diagrams only. Protocols and its need (FTP, HTTP, IMAP, POP, SMTP). Downloading information.

3. Computing and Ethics

Ethical issues in computing. Intellectual property rights; protection of individual’s right to privacy; data protection on the internet; protection against Spam; software piracy, cyber crime, hacking, protection against malicious intent and malicious code. The stress should be on good etiquette and ethical practices.

4. Office Application Software:

Word processor, Multimedia presentation and Spreadsheets. Discuss the following features for Word Processor, Multimedia Presentation and Spreadsheets: Opening and closing, saving, editing, formatting,printing, spell check, grammar and header/footer.
Special features:
Word Processor– inserting a table and working with tables.
Multimedia Presentation – the students should be able to create a presentation using images / pictures, sound, video and custom animation. Students should be able to import material from word processors, spreadsheets, databases and internet.
Spreadsheets – Using formulae functions (mathematical), working with ranges, graphs and charts. Difference between absolute and relative references.

5. Database Packages

The need for database management; creating and saving a database; editing a database; performing calculations; modifying the structure of a database; sorting, indexing; querying; report generation. Working with multiple databases, object linking and embedding, creating applications. The need for database management for handling vast amount of data- storing, sorting, summarizing, classifying and retrieving quickly. Defining the structure of a database, entering data of various types, saving it in an appropriate area.Adding, deleting and modifying records, global editing. Performing calculations on one record or a group of records.Modifying the structure of a database by inserting, deleting or modifying fields. Sorting on one field/ multiple fields, sorting selected records/ all the records.Indexing on one field/ multiple fields. The need for re- indexing. Sorting vs. Indexing. Setting query condition, Relational and Logical Operators, setting query using multiple conditions.Generating detailed or summary reports.Working with multiple databases and explain the relationship (one to one, one too many, many to one and many to many) through real life examples.Linking objects/embedding objects, linking vs. embedding.Creating database applications depending upon the requirement of the user.

6. Elementary Concept of Objects and Classes

Modelling entities and their behaviour by objects; a class as a specification for objects and as an object factory; computation as message passing/function calls between objects (many examples should be done to illustrate this). Objects encapsulate state (attributes)and have behaviour (functions). Class as a user defined type.
A class may be regarded as a blueprint to create objects. It may be viewed as a factory that produces similar objects. A class may also be considered as a new data type created by the user, that has its own functionality.
All the four features of Object Oriented Programming should be defined and explained using real life examples.
Analyze each object and show how each contains attributes and responds to certain messages or permits certain operations.
Emphasize that an object is an instance of a class. A single object is just a bundle of values, one for each attribute in the class.

7. Values and types

Tokens and its types, Primitive types, operations on primitive values, expressions, assignment (assignment is also an expression).
Introduce the primitive types and the range of values each represents. Discuss all the operations that can be done with primitive types namely mathematical, relational and logical. Discuss precedence and associativity of operators.
Introduce the concept of type casting.Introduce System.out.println and System.out.print, for simple output. Discuss different types of errors occurring during execution and compilation of the program (syntax errors, runtime errors and logical errors).

8. Conditionals and non-nested loops

Application of if else, if else if ladder, switch-case(default, break).Fixed number of iterations- the for loop. Unknown number of iterations - while loop, do-while loop. The conditional/ternary operator (? : ) should beintroduced at this point. Loops are fundamental to computation and their need should be shown by examples. .
Examples: various number based problems: prime numbers, composite numbers, perfect numbers, fibonacci numbers, etc.-

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT - 100 Marks

This segment of the syllabus is totally practice oriented. The accent is on acquiring basic usage skills quickly and efficiently.
Assignments and Application Building
Students should complete a number of laboratory assignments during the whole year to reinforce the concepts studied in the class.
The students should build one real life application using elements from most of the packages used (topics 1- 7). Great care should be exercised to ensure that most of the components of the packages are used while building the application.
Important: In Class IX mostly primitive types should be used to construct Objects.

Suggested list of Assignments:

For topics (1 – 5)
1. Connect to net. If you are already connected start a browser and a search engine and perform a simple search on any of the subjects. Then perform a Boolean search for the same topic and note the difference. Create your own email ID and send an e-mail.
2. A story is given in which the main character is a lady, Mrs. James. Make changes in the document using find and replace so that the main character becomes a gentleman Mr. Brown. Take care of the pronouns.
3. Design a presentation to launch an awareness program like “Save the Earth”.
4. Create a presentation to highlight the activities in your school.
5. Build a friendly database to access phone numbers, emails and addresses conveniently.

For topics (6-8)
The laboratory assignments will form the bulk of the course. Good assignments should have problems which require design, invention of an algorithm and only then implementation and testing. The problems will mimic a real life problem and require careful design or will require an interesting algorithm to solve it. They should also embody one or more concepts that have been discussed in the theory class. A significant proportion of the time has to be spent in the laboratory. Computing can only be learnt by doing.
Some sample problems are given below as examples. The problems are of varying levels of difficulty:
6. Enter marks of ten students in six subjects, find the total marks and the average of each student using Mathematical functions and make a chart on the basis of their average marks.
7. Create a table in a Word Processor for your class with the following fields: Roll No., Name, Date of Birth and Optional Subject.
8. Implement a Calculator class that models a hand held calculator. It should have (at least) the following functionality: addition, subtraction, multiplication, integer division, remainder, unary minus, enter, clear.
9. A student has a name, roll number, class in which studying, and marks in 6 subjects. Design a class for student. Write constructors, get and setfunctions and separate functions to return the total, percentage and grade.
10. Fibbonacci series is obtained by adding the previous two terms. For example: 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21...etc.
Fibbonacci primes are prime numbers that belong to the Fibbonacci series. For example 2,3,5,13... etc. Define a class NumberSeries with suitable methods which takes an integer argument and prints out all the Fibbonacci primes below that number.
11. n is a perfect number if the sum of all the factors of the number (including 1) excluding itself is n. For example:
6 = 1+2+3
28=1+2+4+7+14
Define a class called Number Problems which have the following functions:
int sum Of Factors(int n) - which returns sum of all the factors of the number n except itself.
boolean is Perfect(int n) – which returns true if the number n is perfect and false otherwise.
void Perfect Nos Below(int lim) - which first prints out all perfect numbers less than lim. Each perfect number should be printed on a single line along with its factors (see below). So for example the output from PerfectNosBelow(10) will be:
6= (1,2,3)

Important: This list is indicative only. Teachers and students should use their imagination to create innovative and original assignments.

Some Ideas for Application Building:
1. Trace the evolution of Computing over the centuries.
2. How computers affect human beings. Focus upon the Ergonomic, Psychological and Social aspects.
3. Visualize the future based on current developments in technology. Focus upon its impact and the ethical questions involved.
4. Find out how each component of the computer works. Build a presentation to explain what really goes on, inside a computer.
5. Build a dictionary or a thesaurus database and use it to find synonyms, antonyms and the pronunciation of words.
6. Build a project to store the data of various cricket teams and output it in a variety of ways. Make future projections on the basis of this data.
7. Collect the data on the state of air/water/noise pollution in your area with the help of your chemistry teacher. Use your computer to keep track of this data and analyze it. Launch an awareness campaign and find ways to improve the situation. You can make pamphlets and presentations with the help of your computer.
8. Ask your teacher/ father/ mother/ Principal as to what are the documents they need for their work. Prepare a list and see if you can make some templates to help them. Help them with their budgets, accounting and future planning.
9. Write a small book of poems or quotations and index it. Build the table of contents.
10. You are building your own web page. What material will you require? Create it.
11. Visit your school library. Build a project to handle the issuing and returning of books.
12. Build a project to generate various quizzes and puzzles automatically.
13. Imagine you are organizing an event; say a three-day computer festival in your school. Use your computer to manage all the planning and details.
14. Visit your Bank. Find out about the various kinds of accounts e.g. Saving Accounts, Current Accounts, Fixed Deposit Accounts, and Recurring Deposit Accounts. Design a project to handle at least one kind of account.
15. Visit a small retail organization. Build a project to handle the bills and inventory.
16. Visit your school office. Study the teachers’ payroll system. Design a system to print pay slips.
17. Visit a hotel. Study the various processes. Design a project to handle the booking and checking out.
18. Visit the LIC office. Study how they handle various policies. Design a project to handle any one kind of policy.
19. Design a Booklet (Giving details of the organization, courses offered and the additional facilities provide by the Institute), Handbills and Posters for advertisement for a newly established Computer Institute.
20. Create a multi page brochure for a travelling agency, including the following points:
• Description of the places to be visited•Schedules of various trips
• Costs Involved

Important: This list is indicative only. Teachers and students should use their imagination to create innovative and original applications.

Application Building Assignments (Class IX)

Proposed Guidelines for Marking
The teacher should use the criteria below to judge the internal work done. Basically, four criteria are being suggested: analysis, design, execution and effectiveness. The important questions to be asked when evaluating each criterion are shown. 25% of the total credit is assigned to each criterion - so each is equally important. The actual grading will be done by the internal teacher based on his/her judgment. However, one possible way: divide the outcome for each criterion into one of 4 groups: excellent, good, fair/acceptable, poor/unacceptable, then use numeric values for each grade and add to get the total which can be multiplied by a suitable factor to get the final marks.
Analysis:
Has the problem been analyzed carefully?
Have suitable tools been chosen?
Design:
Is the choice of data structures proper?
Is the logic suitable for the problem?
How efficient is it?
Execution:
Does the application run correctly?
Effectiveness:
Does the application solve the problem effectively?

EVALUATION

The teacher in-charge shall keep the record of all the assignments and evaluate them internally.
The teacher-in-charge shall evaluate one application built by the student. He/She shall ensure that most of the components of the syllabus have been used appropriately in the chosen application.

SOFTWARE FOR CLASS IX:

There is a wide variety of software packages and operating systems available but software has to be chosen very carefully. Schools are expected to explore any suitable Operating System or Software Package, which is being used currently and is likely to be used in future, and choose it for covering topics 1-5 of the syllabus.
The criteria used in the selection of software should be:
• It should have a good user interface so that the beginners may learn to use it easily.
• It should be used widely and be easily available.
• The material related to the software should be abundantly available.
In this respect the latest versions of the chosen software should be made available.
Great emphasis should be placed on ethics. Some people do not object to using pirated software. They do not realize that it has something to do with ethics. It is important to introduce these concepts to the students in the very beginning.
For covering topics 6-8
• Any suitable Operating System can be used.
For teaching fundamental concepts of computing using object oriented approach, BlueJ environment (1.2 or higher version) compatible with JDK (1.3 or higher version) as the base or any other editor or IDE, compatible with JDK (1.3 or higher version) as the base may be used. Ensure that the latest versions of software are used.