VET INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY · 2018-05-15 · VET Information and Communication Technology YEAR 1 (Units 1&2) ... low and no research has found links between monitor

VET Information and Communication Technology YEAR 1 (Units 1&2)

Copyright © IVET 2018 Edition

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Innovative Vocational Education and Training Institute

VET INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

TECHNOLOGY

YEAR 1 (UNITS 1 & 2)

STUDENT WORKBOOK CERTIFICATE III (ICT30115)

CORE COMPETENCIES and SELECTED ELECTIVES



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CONTENTS

PAGES CHAPTER 1 ICTICT203 – Operate application software packages 6 CHAPTER 2 BSBWHS304 – Participate effectively in WHS communication and consultation process 67 CHAPTER 3 ICTICT202 – Work and communicate effectively in an ICT environment 83 CHAPTER 4 ICTSAS301 – Run standard diagnostic tests 114 CHAPTER 5 ICTWEB303 – Produce digital images for web 157 CHAPTER 6 ICTWEB201 – Use social media tools for collaboration 174 CHAPTER 7 BSBSUS301 – Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices 200 CHAPTER 8 ICTSAS303 – Care for computer hardware 217 CHAPTER 9 BSBWOR301 – Organise personal work priorities and development 231



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ICTICT203 Operate application software Packages

ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Use appropriate workplace health and safety (WHS) office work practices 1.1 Use safe work practices to ensure ergonomic, work organisation, energy and resource conservation

requirements are addressed 1.2 Use wrist rests and document holders where appropriate 1.3 Use monitor anti-glare and radiation reduction screens where appropriate Use appropriate word-processing software 2.1 Select word-processing software appropriate to perform activity 2.2 Identify document purpose, audience and presentation requirements, and clarify with personnel as

required 2.3 Identify organisational requirements for text-based business documents, and design document

structure and layout to ensure consistency of style and image 2.4 Match document requirements with software functions to provide efficient production of documents 2.5 Use technical functions, other data and formatting to finalise documents 2.6 Ensure the naming and storing of documents in appropriate directories or folders and the printing of

documents to the required specifications Use appropriate spreadsheet software 3.1 Select spreadsheet software appropriate to perform activity 3.2 Identify document purpose, audience and presentation requirements, and clarify with personnel as

required 3.3 Enter simple formulas and functions using cell referencing where required 3.4 Customise spreadsheet settings to meet requirements 3.5 Ensure the naming and storing of documents in appropriate directories or folders and the printing of

documents to the required specifications Use a third application software package 4.1 Select software application package appropriate to perform activity 4.2 Identify purpose, audience and presentation requirements, and clarify with personnel as required 4.3 Use technical functions, other data and formatting to finalise documents 4.4 Ensure documents are named and stored in appropriate directories or folders and printed to required

specifications



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CHAPTER 1

Operate application software packages

USE APPROPRIATE WHS OFFICE WORK PRACTICES Workers can spend many hours a day sitting at a desk completing tasks on a computer. This type of work can become very sedentary and repetitive, causing a number of health and ergonomic issues. This section will focus on what can be done to help reduce the risks to workers when working with computers, and effective ways to set up a computer workstation and desk area.

ERGONOMICS Ergonomics is the science of how equipment and devices ‘fit’ with the human body. Spending long periods sitting at a computer can have many harmful effects on the body without the proper workstation desk setup. The following describes common factors to consider when setting up a workstation area.

Avoiding radiation from computer screens Computer monitors are designed to emit visual radiation (light) however, they also produce other types of radiation such as X-rays, UV radiation and infrared (heat). The intensities of these types of radiation are very low and no research has found links between monitor use and issues such as eye/skin problems or cancer, however, there are some way you can reduce radiation exposure regardless:

• Replace all CRT monitors with LCD monitors. They produce less potentially harmful radiation • Use a radiation reduction screen on CRT monitors • Do not work closely to the sides/back of a CRT monitor, as radiation exposure from these angles is

often greater than from the front.

LCD (foreground) and CRT (background) monitors

Chair height, seat and back adjustment An adjustable chair allows you to change the height and position of the backrest, to fit you. The height of the chair should be adjusted so that your knees and hips are at 90° angles, and your feet flat on the floor. The back of the chair should be adjusted so that it fits with the natural curve of your lower back. Incorrectly adjusting the height and backrest can lead to a stiff neck, back and leg muscles, or poor posture (discussed later in this chapter).



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Document holder Constantly changing between looking down on a desk to read documents, and looking up to a monitor for a long time can lead to strains in the muscles of the neck and shoulders. Document holders are designed to hold books and other reading materials at the same height as the monitor. They are placed to the left or right of the monitor so you can read documents with minimal movement of the neck.

Exercise breaks Getting up and moving around is the best way to break up prolonged sitting at a computer desk. A 20-30 second walk to pick up photocopying or to get some water, every 20-30 minutes, is a great way to change the body’s overall posture and give muscles a chance to relax. Almost all parts of the body benefit from short exercise breaks. These include the neck, shoulders, wrists, back, legs and eyes. WorkSafe Victoria produces a document called Officewise – A guide to health and safety in the office, which details many of the ergonomic issues faced by computer users. Appendix B – Exercises for office workers on pages 68-71 contain descriptions and diagrams of many common exercises that can be used during these breaks.

EXERCISES FOR COMPUTER USERS

Software Required: • Word Processor (Microsoft Word) • Adobe Reader

Periods Required

• 2

Instructions • Read through Appendix B of Officewise – A guide to health and safety in the office –

found on the WorkSafe Victoria website. • Perform each of the 12 exercises that have been described in the document • Select six (6) exercises and have another student take a photo of you completing the

exercise. Place these images in the left-hand side of a two column table within a word document.

• In the right-hand side of the table, include instructions on how to complete the exercise

• Show the completed document to your teacher.



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Footrest A footrest should be used whenever the height of the desk and chair cannot be adjusted so that you can place your feet flat on the ground. A footrest should contain its own height and angle adjustment, so you can set it up as desired.

Keyboard and mouse position The position of the keyboard and mouse is very important to the health and comfort of the arms, wrists and hands. The keyboard should be positioned in line with the monitor, so that there is no need to twist the torso to use the keyboard and view the monitor at the same time. Adjustable feet on the keyboard should be kept in the lowest position where possible, to reduce the angle of the wrists resting on top of the keys. The mouse should be placed to the left or right hand side of the keyboard, depending on the user. When holding the mouse, the position of the arm and wrist should be as neutral as possible with the desk supporting the weight of the arm. The mouse should be a comfortable size for your hand.

Mix of repetitive and other activities Physically using a computer (typing, clicking the mouse) is very repetitive. Completing the same physical movements day-in, day-out can lead to issues such as occupational overuse syndrome (OOS) or repetitive strain injury (RSI). These issues can cause severe pain and discomfort in the muscles or joints in areas of the body that complete these repetitive tasks. Designing work rosters and time allocations that allow workers to complete different tasks can reduce this level of repetitiveness in the workplace, therefore reducing the risk of workers developing these problems. Workers can often feel mentally refreshed and become more productive if they have some variety in their work during the day.

Noise minimisation Unwanted noise in the workplace can be a major annoyance. Noise in an IT environment can come from many sources such as telephones and photocopiers, people having loud conversations, and building noise such as air-conditioners and toilets. If workers are complaining about noise there are a number of steps that can be taken, including:

• Moving noise-making equipment such as photocopiers to isolated rooms • Installing noise absorbing materials onto walls to reduce the amount of reflected noise • Ensuring meetings and large conversations are held in designated meeting areas away from

normal workstations

Lighting Sufficient lighting is extremely important for allowing workers to complete their jobs effectively and safely. The amount of lighting needed in an area depends on a number of factors, such as the amount of light already present, the position of current light sources and the visual complexity of the tasks performed. For example, walking down a straight corridor requires much less light then reading a document containing very small, printed text. The amount of light in an area can be measured using a light meter, a device that measures the intensity of light hitting a surface in units of lux (lx). The recommended level of light for computer-based work is 240 lx. Another lighting issue is glare and reflections from monitors. Glare occurs when one area is much brighter then another (such as the background). This is often the case when a monitor is placed with its back facing a window. Intense light from outside can cause eyestrain and irritation for the user.



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Providing blinds and/or repositioning the monitor can overcome this. Reflections off surfaces and poorly directed artificial lights can make working and reading off a monitor very difficult. As before, correctly positioning lights and monitors is important in reducing this irritation for the worker

LIGHTING IN AN IT ENVIRONMENT

Software Required: • Word Processor (Microsoft Word) • Adobe Reader

Periods Required

• 3

Instructions • Read the Lighting section on pages 22-25 Officewise – A guide to health and safety in the

office – found on the WorkSafe Victoria website. • Use a camera to take images that demonstrate each of the hazards associated with poor

lighting in the office listed below: o Shadows o Glare o Reflections o Amount of light based on task difficulty o Colour of light o Flickering lights

• Place the images in a Word document. • Write a short paragraph for each hazard, describing how to reduce its effect.

Print off the report and submit it to your teacher.

Posture Posture refers to the position the human body takes while performing a task. In an IT setting, workers may be sitting down for long periods. Using an incorrect posture, such as leaning too far forward on the desk, hunching over the keyboard or resting legs and feet on the desk, can lead to a number of issues including stiffness, pain, and in the long term posture abnormalities that can cause chronic discomfort and damage to the body. Seated posture can be improved by ensuring the correct setup of:

• desk • monitor • keyboard/mouse • adjustable chair



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Monitor position The monitor should be placed directly in-front of the user, perpendicular to any sources of light that may cause reflections. The height of the monitor should be adjusted such that the top of the monitor is in line with, or just below eye level. This stops the user from using their neck to look down at the monitor, which may lead to neck soreness. The monitor should also be at least an arm’s length away from the user at all times, to reduce the likelihood of eye strain.

Workstation height and layout Following the descriptions above for the various parts of a workstation will give you a layout that reduces the likelihood of workers developing health issues associated with poor posture and repetitive movements.

WORKSTATION DESK LAYOUT

Software Required:

• Word Processor (Microsoft Word)

• Adobe Reader

Periods Required

• 4

Instructions

• Read the Appendix A on pages 66 – 67 of Officewise

• Attempt to set up your desk at home or school using the guidelines described

• Use a camera to take images of an appropriate desk setup at home or school

• Create a report that includes your images, detailing the correct way to set up a

workstation desk. The following aspects should be included:

o Monitor / keyboard / mouse placement

o Desk / chair adjustments

o Telephone /document placements



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USE APPROPRIATE WORD PROCESSING SOFTWARE Word processing software can be defined as any program where the main focus is the creation, editing, and formatting of documents for reading in print or online. While predominately focused on editing text (letters, words and numbers), word processors contain many others features such as spell checkers, graph/chart creation and automatic mail merge. The most popular example of word processing software is Microsoft Word, created by Microsoft and part of the Microsoft Office suite of applications (http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/word/). Alternatives to Word include the free and open-source LibreOffice Writer created by The Document Foundation (http://www.libreoffice.org/features/writer/), and the MacOS X and iPad focused Pages, part of the iWork application suite created by Apple. This book has been developed for Microsoft Word 2016. Files created with a particular word processer are usually compatible with other common word processing software.

Microsoft Word 2016 Icon

CHAPTER 1 - REVIEW QUESTIONS (SET 1)

1. Define the term ergonomics.

2. Give two benefits of using LCD monitors over CRT monitors

3. What is the purpose of a footrest?

4. What is ‘occupational overuse syndrome’ and how can it be avoided?

5. List three possible causes of noise in an office area / IT environment

6. Draw and label a diagram that shows the position and angle of the back, hips, knees

and ankles that should be used when sitting at a computer desk.

7. What is the purpose of a document holder?

8. How often, and for how long, should exercise breaks be implemented?

9. In what unit is light intensity measured?

10. What is glare and how can it be avoided?

11. What body positions are associated with bad posture while sitting at a computer?

12. How should the height of the monitor be adjusted?



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WORD PROCESSORS

Software Required: • None

Periods Required

• 1

Instructions • Use the internet to fill in the table below for each of the main word processing

applications

Name Developer Latest Version

Default file type URL Price Suite

Word

Writer

Pages

ENSURE THE NAMING AND STORING OF DOCUMENTS IN APPROPRIATE DIRECTORIES OR FOLDERS Before typing any text into a Word document, the file must be saved. There are two major reasons why it is important to save the empty document before starting to type:

1. Makes the user think about how to name and where to save the file before starting the document 2. The document is created on the hard disk drive of the computer, making it more likely that the

contents of the document can be recovered with the built-in Auto-Recover tool in case the program unexpectedly closes or the computer suffers a power failure.



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WHERE TO SAVE WORD DOCUMENTS Word documents, along with files of any type, must be saved into an appropriate folder. A bad example would be to save all Word documents on the Desktop of the computer. This clutters the Desktop and makes them easily accessible to other users. The following decisions about where to save files need to be made:

1. Which drive should be used? 2. Which folder should the document be saved in?

Organisations often give users access to drives connected to a network. This makes documents saved on them accessible from any computer in the organisation. If a network drive is not available, the user can save the document to a local hard disk drive on the computer they are currently using (commonly the C: drive). However, the user must always return to this computer in order to access the document. Files could also be saved to a USB flash drive, or in cloud storage such as Google Drive or Dropbox. An appropriate folder structure must be created regardless of the drive used. Folder names are usually based around the subjects or activity the document relates to. A common folder structure used in secondary schools is to start with a year folder, followed by folders for each subject (Maths, Science, ICT, etc.). Subject folders then contain either unit folders or topic folders related to the work completed in that subject. This type of structure is shown below:

FOLDERS

Software Required:

• None

Instructions

• On your network drive, create appropriate folders to organise all the documents you may create this year.

NetworkDrive:

Year

MathsUnit1- Algebra

Science

ICT

Unit1- OperateApplicationsoftware

Worddocuments

Spreadsheets

Databases



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SAVING WITH DIFFERENT WORD FILE TYPES Microsoft Word allows you to save documents as a number of different file types. Each file type offers different features, and may allow the document to be opened in different programs for compatibility reasons. For example, the default file type used in Microsoft Word 2016 is a ‘Word Document’ with the filename extension .docx (the part after the dot in the filename that identifies the type of file a document has been saved as to the operating system). Saving a document using this file type allows the document to be opened only in programs that support the .docx file type. This includes Word 2007, and newer versions of LibreOffice. Microsoft Word 2003 DOES NOT support .docx files, without the installation of extra plugins. Simple text editors such as Notepad also do not support .docx files. The list of file types available for saving in Microsoft Word can be viewed by selecting File > Save As, and clicking in the ‘Save as type:’ drop down box.

‘Save as type:’ drop down box in Microsoft Word

Saving documents using non-Word file types may set the file to be opened by another program when the file is double-clicked, depending on the programs installed on the computer and the settings of the operating system. A typical example would be saving a document using the web page (*.htm, *.html) file type. This file type will most likely be set to open using a web browser such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Chrome. While Word is able to SAVE documents with the file types shown, it cannot OPEN all of the above file types to allow further editing of the document. Some of the file types for saving are designed for final versions of edited documents, and cannot be changed once saved as that file type. It is important to keep Word-based versions of all documents to allow for future editing.

Documents

VET INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY · 2018-05-15 · VET Information and Communication Technology YEAR 1 (Units 1&2) ... low and no research has found links between monitor