DU Foundation Course Syllabus - Information Technology

1. Preamble

Information Technology has acquired a central and integral role for a student in the University. Students use these technologies primarily for communication and networking. This course stretches that domain to education and research. Information and Communication Technology is an essential and efficient mode of receiving education information, documentation and presentation. The course is designed to enable the UG students with the skills, basic knowledge, and legal aspects of using information technology.

2. Objective & Expected Outcomes

To enable student to be aware of the role of IT in education, society and business.
To enable students to be aware of basic hardware and software components that make the data processing possible.
To enable students to prepare documents and presentations for their academic work.
To enable students to explore Internet for various purposes in an effective, secure and legal manner.
To enable students to understand the organization of information resources available at different sources specially the library.

Every Semester, teaching will be spread over 16 weeks including two weeks for review.

3. Organization of Teaching (28+14 periods over 14 weeks)

Specific suggestive projects:

Study a government website (delhi.gov.in) lookout for e-facilities
Study a banks website (www.sbi.co.in) lookout for e-facilities
Visit a nearby Panchayat and update them about IT initiatives
Prepare a document or presentation on change made by use of IT your society/locality
Open CPU to see the components of computers inside make your own block diagram
Demonstrate how to connect and set up a projector through computer and laptop for power point presentation
Demonstrate how to connect and set up a printer and a scanner for use in computer lab
Demonstrate how to connect an active Wi-Fi network to a computer, a laptop and a mobile
Use of Bluetooth technology for sharing data files like lecture notes
Prepare a four page word document on any theme that contains pictures, graphs, tables etc.
Prepare a five page power point presentation on any theme with pictures, tables, animation, movies and dynamic information.
Create your own personal weblog
Send an email to the teacher and a group created for group communication.
How to make effective use of social networking site for awareness programmes.
Suggest methods of making your college website more effective.
Make a movie using power point
Make a poster on a topic using power point
Create your letterhead
Prepare your CV. Visit different sites to prepare a list of recommendations about preparing an effective CV.
Demonstrate how will you configure a network printer
Hold a class-room discussion how the lifestyle of your parents and yourself is different because of the role of IT
Create a face-book group for your course
Create a list of websites containing resources for a topic
Create a group email for your classmates
Prepare a document how to use the site IRCTC (Indian Railways)
Locate an effective lecture on the internet on this course
Make a presentation on any open source software
Make a presentations on public domain library management software
Create an online management system for your departmental library
Prepare bibliography on selected subject using Library Online Resources.
Prepare a full-text report on select subject using citation style.
Create a list of DU books and online reservations available in the library OPAC.
Create presentations on use of IT in census, library and stock exchange.
Visit a job site and submit your resume with the job site. Prepare a document to summarize the kinds of information sought by the job sites.
Visit a job site and compile information about different job vacancies that may be available.

Tools and Techniques used in the subject

Linux, Windows or Mac systems as available in a college
Open Office or Microsoft Office for making documents and presentations etc.
The classes are preferable held in the lab having computing and Internet facilities.
Projects will be carried out in groups of 2-4 students with mixed background in using computers. This is likely to encourage peer learning amongst the students.
The projects included are optional and suggestive. Teachers have the freedom to offer any other projects linked to the topics.
The one period per week allocated for presentation and discussion of projects should be used for creative project formulation and exchange of new ideas by all students in the class.

4 Class Learning and Project Execution
Information Technology (IT) & Society (4 periods)

Information, information processing & Information Technology. Evolution of IT. IT business and entrepreneurship, education, communication, entertainment, healthcare, agriculture, and its contribution to Indias development. Government Initiatives: Particular initiatives AADHAR, E-Panchayat, National Knowledge Network.

Information Handling ( 3 periods)

Devices assisting IT with special focus on Computers and Mobiles. Components of computer: Hardware and Software. Connecting and Configuring External Devices like Printer, scanner, projectors etc. Hardware Connectivity Options Ports, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc.

Document Preparation & Presentation (7 periods)

Document preparation and presentations using tables, pictures, graphs, animations, audio and video contents. Use of shortcut keys. Ways to make effective presentations. Use of references and citations. Document format and their conversion.

Internet, Security & Legal Aspects (7 periods)

WWW, Basics of webpage, Social network sites. Effective Searching. Popular Online Applications – e-ticketing, e-payment. Email & internet Forums. Issues virus, malware, spam, phishing, copyright, plagiarism, cybercrime; Protective measures: password, https; Cyber Laws IT Act.

Open source philosophy. Licensing and domain of open source technology. Open source software development. Commonly used open source technologies.

Library and Information Resource Centers (7 periods)

E-Information Resources: Concept and types (e-books, e-journals, on-line databases: subscribed, free and open access databases)
Institutional Repository: concepts, components

Library Systems Introduction to library, Library and Information sciences (User and reference services , Current Awareness Service, Selective Dissemination of Information, Online Information Bulletin Board), Call Number (Class Number, Book Number, Location Number)
Arrangement of Information Resources: Call Number (Class Number, Book Number, Location Number), On-line Public Access Catalogue (Data Fields and elements, search options, Reservation facilities)

Bibliographic Standards for Citation Modern Language Association Style, American Psychology Association style. Article Reference, Book Reference, Conference Reference, Web Resource Reference.

5 Study Material
Printed Material

Introduction to Information Technology by V. Rajaraman published by Prentice Hall India, Edition 2, 2013 (P 20-38, 41-66,67-79, 80-89,165-178, 339-349, 258-27)
Introduction to Information Technology by I.T.L. Education Solutions Limited published by Pearson Education India, Edition 2, 2012 (P 14-20, 476-482, 314-316, 230-247, 532-546, 553-555, 563-569, 572, 588-590, 327-331, Sec 13.1-13.4, 15.1- 15.3)

Introduction to Computers by Peter Norton published by McGraw Hill Joseph Janes. Introduction to Reference Work in Digital Age. Neal-Schuman Publishers July 31, 2003 | ISBN-10: 1555704298 | ISBN-13: 978-1555704292. 213 pages Suzanne S. Bell. Librarians Guide to Online Searching. Third Edition. Libraries Unlimited. April 6, 2012 | ISBN-10: 1610690354 | ISBN-13: 978-1610690355 | 286 pages

APA/MLA Guidelines (Quick Study: Academic) [Pamphlet]. Quick Study.2011. 6pages.

Katz William, Introduction to Reference Work, Ed.-8;Vol II, 2002, Chapter 4 & 6. Krishan Kumar, Library Manual, Vikas Publishing House, New Delhi 2011. P 230- 335.

Shokeen,N S, Granthalaya Vigyan ke mool Siddhant, Y.K. Publishers, Agra. 2005

Video lecture on essential topics http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/video.php?subjectId=106105084

http://deity.gov.in/sites/upload_files/dit/files/Compendium_FINAL_Version_220211. pdf

http://www.ficci.com/sector/21/Project_docs/FICCI_website_content_-IT.pdf

http://www.roseindia.net/technology/mobile/recent-trends-in-mobile- technology.shtml

http://www.roseindia.net/management/how_technology_brought_change_in_modern _management.html

http://www.roseindia.net/services/mobile/What-are-Handheld-Devices.shtml

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/add-or-remove-a-printer

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-vista/add-or-remove-a-scanner

http://www.stanford.edu/class/cs101/how-computers-work-hardware.html

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows7/connect-to-bluetooth-and-other- wireless-or-network-devices

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308127