I normally use these notes to teach in my classes. Well researched with plenty of questions to test at the end of the lesson. They are revisited over and over again to get rid of errors and other challenges. As a teacher, I recommend them, having taught computer studies for over 12 years and still continuing. ~ Maurice Nyamoti

KCSE COMPUTER STUDIES NOTES, schemes, lesson plans, practical session and syllabus

FORM ONE (1)

Topic 1: Introduction to Computers

Sub-Topic
  • Definition of a computer.
  • Parts of a computer.
Sub-Topic
Classification of computers 
  • Physical Size, Functionality, Purpose
Sub - Topic
  • Areas where computers are used
Sub - Topic
  • Definition of a Computer laboratory
  • Safety precautions and practices in a computer laboratory ​(Behaviour, Handling of materials and equipment, Fire, Cabling, Stable power supply, Burglar proofing, Ventilation, Lab layout, Dust/damp control, Lighting, Standard furniture)
Sub - Topic
  • ​Hands-on skills (Start-up, restarting and shut-down (Booting), Keyboard layout, Practical Keyboard and mouse skills)
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TOPIC 2: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Sub - Topics
  • Description of computer systems
  • Functional organization of the elements of a computer System. (Hardware, Software, Live-ware)
  •  Input devices e.g. Keying devices, Pointing devices
Sub - Topics
  • Scanning devices, Speech recognition devices, Other digital devices
  • Classification of scanning devices (optical and magnetic scanners) OMR, OCR, OBR AND MICR
  • Digitizers, Digital camera, Touch Screen, IWB-Interactive WhiteBoard, Microfilm
​Sub - Topics
  • Central Processing Unit (CPU) (Control Unit, Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), Memory, Processors [Types, clock speeds)
Sub - Topics
​Output Devices
  • Soft Copy (VDU (crt, lcd, flat panel, sound output, light emitting diode))
  • Hard Copy (Printers (impact, non impact), plotters)
Secondary/Auxiliary Storage Devices and Media
  > Fixed-e.g. Hard disk,   > Removable- e.g. (floppy disks, tape, optical disks (CD-R, WORM, CD-RW, DVDs) > zip disks
Power and Interface Cables (Power Cable, Parallel Cable, Serial Cable) 
Basic Computer Setup and Cabling (Connecting basic computer components, Connecting other computer peripherals)
Computer Software (Classification of software (Purpose -a) System software (i) firmware ii) networking software iii) operating system iv) utilities b) Application software  Acquisition a) standard software b) user developed (in-house) Criteria for selecting a Computer System (Specifications) Hardware Considerations, Software Considerations)

TOPIC 3: operating system

Definition of an operating system, Functions of an operating system (Job scheduling, Resource Control, Input/Output handling, Memory Management, Error handling, Interrupt handling), Types of Operating Systems (Number of users i) single user, ii) multi user (Number of tasks i) single tasking ii) multi tasking) Interface (i) Command line, ii) menu driven interface, iii) Graphical User Interface (GUI), Organization of Information using an Operating System (Files, Directories/folders, Storage media, File management using an Operating system (Description of files, Types of files (i) system files, ii) application files), Functions of files (i) storage of data, ii) organization of information(Creating files, Manipulating files -(i) viewing files and directories, ii) organization of information, iii) creating files/directories, iv) opening, v) editing, vi) renaming, vii) finding/searching, viii) sorting, ix) copying, x) moving, xi) deleting), Disk Management using an Operating system (Formatting,  Partitioning, De-fragmentation, Disk Diagnostics/Disk Compression, Back up), Devices under Operating System Control (Processor, Memory (Ram),  Storage devices, Input/Output devices and ports, Communication devices and ports), Installation and Configuration of an Operating system (Trouble shooting)

FORM 2

topic 4: word processors

Sub-Topics
  • ​Definition and purpose of a Word- processor (Letter preparation, Reports, Newsletters). Using a Word processing package (Getting started, Screen layout, Running the programme: i) creating a document, ii) saving, iii) retrieving, iv) closing, v) exiting)
Sub-Topics
Editing and formatting a document (Editing a document, Block Options - i) selecting, ii) moving, iii) copying, iv) deleting, v) inserting and type over). Find and Replace (i) search/find, ii) replace). Proof-Reading (i) spelling and grammar checking, ii) thesaurus, iii) auto-correct, iv) undo and redo)
Sub-Topics
​Formatting a document (a) Text formatting (i) bolding, ii) italicizing, iii) underlining, iv) fonts, v) drop caps, vi) change case, vii) superscript / sub-subscript) b) Paragraph Formatting (i) alignment, ii) indenting, iii) spacing, iv) section breaks, v) bullets and numbering)
Sub-Topics
​c) Page Formatting (Layout - i) columns, ii) headers/footers), Setup (i) margins, ii) orientations, iii) paper size, iv) tabs)
Sub-Topics
​Creating and Editing a Table (Create a table - i) rows, ii) columns (enter data, Editing Tables)(i) resizing rows/columns, ii) inserting rows/columns, iii) deleting rows/columns, iv) merging rows/columns, v) splitting rows/columns). Formatting tables (i) borders, ii) shading).  Table conversions (i) converting text to table, ii) converting tables to text, iii) importing). Arithmetic calculations i) perform calculation ii) insert formulae, Sorting)
Sub-Topics​
​Sorting Creating and updating a mail merge document (Creating main document 1) form letters) - ii) labels, iii) envelopes. Create/import data source - i) editing, ii) saving (Merging fields, Main and data source to i) printer or (ii) new window or, iii) fax or, iv) e-mail) Updating merged document.
Sub-Topics
​Printing a document (printer setup, print preview, print option - Printer selection, Orientation) Page and copies, Printing
Sub-Topics
​Inserting Graphics (Types of graphics - i) drawing, ii) pictures, ii) charts), Inserting (i) importing, ii) drawing - Editing graphical objects (i) updating, ii) resizing, iii) enhance)

topic 5: spreadsheets

topic 6: database

topic 7: desktop publishing

topic 8: internet & e-mail

topic 9: data security and controls

FORM 3

​TOPICS

1. DATA REPRESENTATION IN A COMPUTER​

2. ​DATA PROCESSING

3. ​ELEMENTARY PROGRAMMING PRINCIPLES

4. ​SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

FORM 4

TOPICS

1. ​INTRODUCTION TO NETWORKING AND DATA COMMUNICATION

2. ​APPLICATION AREAS OF ICT

3. ​IMPACT OF ICT IN SOCIETY

4. ​CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN ICT

5. ​COMPUTER PROJECT
















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