Computer Concepts: Enquiry-Based Appr

Update to Unit 1 – Software Applications chapter - download 2009 updates!

Business Computing: An enquiry-based approach has been written for students who are studying the New Zealand Diploma in Business 550 Business Computing paper. Students will learn IT concepts and processes within authentic contexts, through enquiry-based learning projects and case studies. There are four key sections:

• The Toolkit guides students in computer applications, using a problem-solving approach. The learning tasks are meaningful, with projects relating to students’ daily lives.
• The IT and Me unit presents a series of investigative projects on how people use IT in everyday life. The projects encourage students to direct their own learning through collaboration, enquiry, and information literacy and research skills. This unit sets students up to work independently on the case studies which follow.
• The three case studies are based on real companies. Students are expected to use their gained knowledge to problem-solve issues related to each company through planning, designing and creating.
• The IT 4 U Magazine, presented at the end of the book, introduces students to the theory in a format that is easy to read and comprehend.

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Update to Unit 1 – Software Applications chapter updated for Microsoft Office 2007

Unit 1 tasks have been updated for Microsoft Office 2007 software and can be downloaded from the links below. The revised unit follows the same format as the original unit in the textbook, however all instructions have been updated for users of MSOffice 2007.

Depending on how you wish to view the changes to Unit 1, two separate files have been included on this website. One file consists of only the revised pages to Unit 1 (Unit 1 – Revised pages for MSOffice 2007); the other is the complete revised Unit 1 (Complete revised Unit 1 for MSOffice 2007). Changes to Unit 1 in both files are distinguishable by the blue highlighted text.

 Introduction
Computer and software requirements
A problem-solving approach

Unit 1 Toolkit: software applications
About the toolkit
Generic functions
Multimedia
Word processing
Spreadsheets
Databases

Unit 2 IT and Me
About the projects
The projects

Unit 3 Case studies
About the case studies
Cameron Balloons
AutoBase
Sharon Steed Designer

IT 4 U Magazine

• An enquiry-based approach to learning, which fosters knowledge construction using collaboration, discussion and reflection.
• Projects and case studies, using authentic examples, which provide plenty of scope for the facilitator to change, add or update questions to keep abreast of IT change.
• All learning activities are suitable for use as assessment tasks.
• The material is particularly suited to adaptation for online learning.

Julia Hallas (BEd, MEd (Hons) Massey, DipTchg) is an experienced author and teacher of more than 20 years. Julia works in the Centre for Educational and Professional Development at AUT University, where a major part of her role is to support staff in online learning. Along with researching learning and teaching online, she explores the use of digital technologies to enhance learning and teaching.