IT 402 CLASS 10 notes 

                                 Term 1 examination 
                         Holy Cross School Madhepura

​Session 1: Methods of Communication

The word ‘communication’ comes from the Latin
word commūnicāre, meaning ‘to share’. Clear and
concise communication is of immense importance in
work and business environment as there are several
parties involved.

Communication has three important parts:

1. Transmitting — The sender transmits the message

through one medium or another.

2. Listening — The receiver listens or understands the

message.

3. Feedback — The receiver conveys their

understanding of the message to the sender in the
form of feedback to complete the communication
cycle.

 
 
Communication Process and Elements

The various elements of the communication cycle are:

Sender: the person beginning the communication.

Message: the information that the sender wants to

convey.

Channel: the means by which the information is sent.

Receiver: the person to whom the message is sent.

Feedback: the receiver’s acknowledgment and

response to the message.

Methods of Communication
· Face-to-face informal

· communication

· e-mail

· Notices/Posters

· Business Meetings

· social networks, message, phone call for

communication, newsletter, blog, etc

Choosing the right method of communication

depends on

• Target audience

• Costs

• Kind/type of information

• Urgency/priority

Session 2: Verbal Communication

Verbal communication includes sounds, words,

language, and speech. Speaking is one of the most
effective and commonly used ways of
communicating. It helps in expressing our emotions
in words.

 
Type of Verbal Communication

Interpersonal Communication: This form of

communication takes place between two individuals
and is thus a one-on-one conversation. It can be
formal or informal.

 
Written Communication: This form of
communication involves writing words. It can be
letters, circulars, reports, manuals, SMS, social media
chats, etc. It can be between two or more people.

 
Small Group Communication: This type of
communication takes place when there are more
than two people involved. Each participant can
interact and converse with the rest.

 
Public Communication: This type of communication
takes place when one individual addresses a large
gathering.

 
 
Advantages of Verbal Communication

It is an easy mode of communication in which you

can exchange ideas by saying what you want and get
a quick response.

 
Disadvantages of Verbal Communication

Since verbal communication depends on written or

spoken words, sometimes the meanings can be
confusing and difficult to understand if the right
words are not used.

 
Mastering Verbal Communication

Think Before You Speak

• Think about your topic.

• Think about the most effective ways to make your

listeners

 
Understand the topic.

Write or note down whatever you plan to say.

Concise and Clear

Speak clearly, loudly and at moderate speed.

Be sure the information you want to share is to the

point.
Do not repeat the same sentences.

Confidence and Body Language

Be confident.

Maintain eye contact, stand straight and be attentive.

Be friendly.

Session 3: Non-verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is the expression or

exchange of information or messages without using
any spoken or written word.

 
Importance of Non-verbal Communication

In our day-to-day communication

• 55% communication is done using body movements,

face, arms, etc.

• 38% communication is done using voice, tone,

pauses, etc.

• only 7% communication is done using words.

 
Types of Non-verbal Communication

• Facial Expressions
• Posture

• Gestures or Body Language

• Touch

• Space

• Eye Contact

• Paralanguage : tone, speed and volume of our voice.

 
Examples of Visual Communication

 
 
Session 4: Communication Cycle and the Importance
of Feedback

 
For effective communication, it is important that the
sender receives an acknowledgement from the
receiver about getting the message across. While a
sender sends information, the receiver provides
feedback on the received message.

 
Types of Feedback

• Positive Feedback

• Negative Feedback

• No Feedback
 
A good feedback is one that is:

• Specific: Avoid general comments. Try to include

examples to clarify your statement. Offering
alternatives rather than just giving advice allows the
receiver to decide what to do with your feedback.

 
• Timely: Being prompt is the key, since feedback loses
its impact if delayed for too long.

 
• Polite: While it is important to share feedback, the
recipient should not feel offended by the language of
the feedback.

 
• Offering continuing support: Feedback sharing
should be a continuous process. After offering
feedback, let recipients know you are available

for support.

 
Importance of Feedback

• It validates effective listening: The person providing

the feedback knows they have been understood (or
received) and that their feedback

provides some value.

 
• It motivates: Feedback can motivate people to build
better work relationships and continue the good
work that is being appreciated.

 
• It is always there: Every time you speak to a person,
we communicate feedback so it is impossible not to
provide one.

 
• It boosts learning: Feedback is important to remain
focussed on goals, plan better and develop improved
products and services.

 
• It improves performance: Feedback can help to form
better decisions to improve and increase
performance.

 
 
Session 5: Barriers to Effective Communication

What is Effective Communication?

Effective communication follows the basic principles

of professional communication skills.

 
Barriers to Effective Communication
Physical Barriers

Physical barrier is the environmental and natural

condition that act as a barrier in communication in
sending message from sender to receiver. Not being
able to see gestures, posture and general body
language can make communication less effective.

 
Linguistic Barriers

The inability to communicate using a language is

known as language barrier to communication.
Language barriers are the most common
communication barriers, which cause
misunderstandings misinterpretations between
people

 
Interpersonal Barriers

Barriers to interpersonal communication occur when

the sender’s message is received differently from how
it was intended.

 
Organisational Barriers

Organisations are designed on the basis of formal

hierarchical structures that follow performance
standards, rules and regulations, procedures, policies,
behavioural norms, etc. All these affect the free flow

of communication in organisations
 
Cultural Barriers

Cultural barriers is when people of different cultures

are unable to understand each other’s customs,
resulting in inconveniences and difficulties.People
sometimes make stereotypical assumptions about
others based on their cultural background

 
 
Ways to Overcome Barriers to Effective
Communication

• Use simple language

• Do not form assumptions on culture, religion or

geography

• Try to communicate in person as much as possible

• Use visuals

• Take help of a translator to overcome differences in

language

• Be respectful of other’s opinions

7 C's of Communication
Session 6: Writing Skills — Parts of Speech

 
Writing skills are part of verbal communication and
include e-mails, letters, notes, articles, SMS/chat,
blogs, etc.

 
Capitalisation Rules

Punctuation : Full stop, Comma, Question mark,

Exclamation mark

 
Basic Parts of Speech

The part of speech indicates how a particular word

functions in meaning as well as grammatically within
the sentence. Some examples are nouns, pronouns,
adjectives, verbs ,adverbs , Conjunctions,
Prepositions, Interjections

                 
Session 7: Writing Skills — Sentences Active and
Passive Sentences

Types of Sentences

1. Statement or Declarative Sentence

2. Question or Interrogative Sentence

3. Emotion/Reaction or Exclamatory Sentenc

4. Order or Impe rative Sentence

Following are some of the skills you must master to

succeed in life:

• Self-awareness: Ask for honest feedback. Gather

insights on your personality and work-specific
proficiencies. Think about your daily interactions and
how you handled situations well or could have
handled them differently.

• Responsibility: Taking responsibility for your tasks

is very important. Taking ownership is the step
towards self-development. For example, if you have
been assigned a task by a teacher; ensure you take
complete ownership. Even if you are unable to
complete the task on time, you must report it and
then correct it.
• Time Management: Prioritise the things you have to
do. Remove waste and redundancy from work. Make
a time table and follow it diligently.

• Adaptability: Stay current with best practices and

read up on new information always. Prepare yourself
for new changes, so that you can transition
seamlessly.

Session 1: Stress Management

What is Stress?

Stress can be defined as our emotional, mental,

physical and social reaction to any perceived
demands or threats. These demands or threats are
called stressors. Stressors are the reason for stress.

For example,

• you are too close to the exams but feel unprepared.

• you are experiencing a loss of someone close in the
family.

 
• you are worried about what people would think of
you if you don’t dress well or cannot speak
confidently.

Stress Management

Managing stress is about making a plan to be able to

cope effectively with daily pressures. The ultimate
goal is to strike a balance between life, work,
relationships, relaxation, and fun. By doing this, you
are able to deal with daily stress triggers and meet
these challenges head-on.

Always keep in mind the ABC of stress management

A: Adversity or the stressful event

B: Beliefs or the way you respond to the event

C: Consequences or actions and outcomes of the event

Management Techniques

Here are a few simple stress management techniques.

• Time management: Proper time management is one

of the most effective stress-relieving techniques.

• Physical exercise and fresh air: A healthy lifestyle is

essential for students. Stress is generally lower in
people who maintain a healthy routine. Doing yoga,
meditation and deep breathing exercises help in
proper blood circulation and relaxes the body. Even
taking a walk or playing in the park will help you get
a lot of fresh oxygen, which will help you become
more active.
 
• Healthy diet: Having a healthy diet will also help
you reduce stress. Eating a balanced diet, such as Dal,
Roti, vegetables and fruits will give you the strength
to do your daily work efficiently.

• Positivity: Focussing on negative aspects of life will

add more stress. Instead, learn to look at the good
things and stay positive. For example, instead of
feeling upset over a scoring less in a test, try to
maintain a positive attitude and look at ways to
improve the next time.

• Sleep: We should get a good night’s sleep for at least

7 hours so that your brain and body gets recharged to
function better the next day.

• Holidays with family and friends: Going to a

relative’s place, such as your grandparents’ house or
a new place during your summer vacations can help
you break from the normal routine and come back
afresh.
Ability to Work Independently

If you can become a calm and relaxed person, you

will have the ability to work independently, which
means.

1. becoming self-aware, self-monitoring, and self-

correcting.

2. knowing what you need to do.

3. taking the initiative rather than being told what to

do.

4. recognising your mistakes and not blaming others.

5. having the ability and the will to learn

continuously. 

Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and
manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions
of others.

• Emotional awareness : the ability to identify and

name one’s own emotions.

• Harnessing emotions : the ability to harness and

apply emotions to tasks like thinking and problem
solving.

• Managing emotions : the ability to regulate one’s

own emotions when necessary and help others to do
the same.

Some steps to manage emotional intelligence are as

given below.

• Understand your emotions: Observe your behaviour

and note the things you need to work on. You can
then work on the things you need to improve.
• Rationalise: Do not take decisions abruptly; be
rational in your thinking.

• Practise: Do meditation and yoga to keep yourself

calm.

Session 2: Self-awareness — Strength and Weakness

Analysis

Techniques for Identifying your Strengths and

Weaknesses

Finding Strengths (or abilities)

 Think of anything that you are always successful at. 

Think about what others like in you.

Take out time and think about what you do well. 

Finding Weaknesses

Point out the areas where you struggle and the things
you find difficult to do.

 Look at the feedback others usually give you.

 Be open to feedback and accept your weaknesses
without feeling low about it. Take it as an area of
improvement.

Difference between Interests and Abilities (Strengths)

Interests

1. Things that you like to do in your free time that

make you happy. An acquired or natural capacity

2. Things you are curious about or would do even if

no one asked you to do it.

 
3. Things you want to learn or would like to do in the
future

Ability

1. An acquired or natural capacity

2. nable you to perform a particular job or task with

considerable proficiency.

Session 3: Self-motivation

Self-motivation is simply the force within you that

drives you to do things. Self-motivation is what
pushes us to achieve our goals, feel happy and
improve our quality of life. In other words, it is our
ability to do the things that need to be done without
someone or something influencing us.

Qualities of Self-motivated People

1. Know what they want from life

2. Are focussed

3. Know what is important

4. Are dedicated to fulfill their dreams

Building Self-motivation

Find out your strengths

Set and focus on your goals

Develop a plan

to achieve your goals

Stay loyal to your goals

Session 4: Self-regulation — Goal Setting

Goals : They are a set of dreams with a deadline to get

them, for example, saving pocket money to buy a
favourite mobile phone by a particular date.

Goal setting : It is all about finding and listing your

goals and then planning on how to achieve them.
How to Set Goals?

We can use SMART method to set goals. SMART stands

for:

• Specific : A specific and clear goal answers six

questions. Who is involved in the goal? What do I
want to do? Where do I start? When do I start and
finish? Which means do I use? Why am I doing this? 

Not a specific goal: “I would learn to speak English.”

Specific goal: “I would learn to speak English fluently

by joining coaching classes after my

school everyday, and in six months I will take part in

the inter-school debate competition.”

Measureable : A measureable goal answers the

questions “How much?”, “How many?” and “How do I
know that I have achieved results?”
Not measurable goal: “I want to be rich.”

Measurable goal: “I want to have 5 times more money

than what I have today in my hand at the

end of this year.”

Achievable : Breaking down big goals into smaller

parts will make the goal achievable. Bigger Goal: “I
want to become a teacher in my school.”

Realistic : A realistic goal would be something that we

want to achieve and can work towards.

Example of unrealistic goal: “I will read my entire

year’s syllabus in one day and get good

marks.”

Realistic goal: “I spend 3 hours every day of the year

after school to revise my subjects to get

good marks in the exams.”

• Time bound : A SMART goal should have a

timeframe by when the goal needs to be achieved.
This encourages us to take actions to completely fulfill
the goals.

Not a time bound goal: “I want to lose 10 kg someday.”

Time bound goal: “I want to lose 10kg in the next 6

months.”

Session 5: Self-regulation — Time Management

Time Management and Its Importance

Time management is the thinking skill that helps you

to

• complete tasks on time.

• make a daily timetable.

• make a good guess at how long it will take you to do

something.

• submit homework and assignments on time.

• not waste time during the day.

Four Steps for Effective Time Management Organise

1.Organise: We plan our day to- day activities. 

2. Pritortis: We make a to-do list that has all our

activities and we rank them in the order of
importance.

3. Control: We have a control over our activities and

time.

4. Track: We identify and note where we have spent

our time.

 Topics to Study:
Session 1: Basic Computer Operations

Session 2: Performing Basic File Operations

Session 3: Computer Care and Maintenance

Session 4: Computer Security and Privacy

In this chapter Basic Information and

Communication Skills of Employability Skills class 10,
you will learn about some basic knowledge of
computer and its maintenance. These skills will help
you to perform daily activities of computer easily.
Here, you will get to know hardware and software
information. Computer security is also a very
important thing to learn. in this chapter, you will also
study how to keep your computer safe from threats.
Employability Skills class 10 unit 3: Basic ICT Skills
gives you a complete understanding of computer
operations and its maintenance.

Session 1: Basic Computer Operations

ICT skills help us to communicate, run our business

and stay connected with our family and friends.
Hence, every person needs to acquire ICT skills and
build them to stay updated with the latest software
and applications (apps).

Computer Hardware and Software

A computer system consists of two main parts—

Hardware- The physical parts that we can see and

touch are called hardware. It is the machinery of a
computer. These are the keyboard, monitor, CPU, etc.

Software: The part which cannot be seen but it makes

hardware to work. Example: Windows, MS office etc.
 

Operating System (OS). This is the software that starts

working as soon as we switch on a computer. It
displays the desktop on the monitor. Some of the most
commonly used operating systems for laptops and
desktop are Ubuntu, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS.

Starting a Computer

To start a computer, press the Power button on the

CPU. This will start the operating system and display
the desktop on the monitor.

Basic Functions performed when a computer starts a

computer automatically runs a basic program called
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) as soon as it is
switched on or the power button is pushed on. The
BIOS first does a self-test. If the self-test shows that
the system is fine, the BIOS will load the Operating
System.
Login and Logout

When you login to the computer with your login-ID

and password (as shown in Figure 3.5), the computer
knows that you are an authorised person and allows
you to work on the applications in the computer.

Shutting Down a Computer

You can shut down the windows computer clicking

Star button at the bottom left corner and then click
Shut Down. When you click Shut down, the Operating
System will close all the applications and turn off the
computer.

Using the Keyboard

A keyboard is an input device used to type text,
numbers and commands into the computer.

Function Keys

Keys labeled from F1 to F12 are function keys. You

use them to perform specific functions.

(a) Control keys: Keys, such as Control (CTRL), SHIFT,

SPACEBAR, ALT, CAPS LOCK and TAB, are special
control keys

 
(b) Enter key: The label on this key can be either
ENTER or RETURN, depending on the brand of
computer that you are using. You use the ENTER or
the RETURN key to move the cursor to the beginning
of a new line.

(c) Punctuation keys: Punctuation keys include keys

for punctuation marks, such as colon (:), semicolon (;),
question mark (?), single quotation marks (‘ ’), and
double quotation marks (“ ”). (d) 
(d) Navigation keys: Keys, such as the arrow keys,
HOME, END, PAGE UP, and PAGE DOWN are
navigation keys.

(e) Command keys: Keys, such as INSERT (INS),

DELETE (DEL), and BACKSPACE are command

keys. When the INSERT key is turned ON, it helps you

overwrite characters to the right of the

cursor

(f) Windows key: Pressing this key opens the Start

menu

Using a Mouse

a small device that you can use to move, select and

open items on your computer screen.

Roll Over or Hover

Some actions can be done by simply rolling over or

hovering over an item. When you bring the mouse
over a file in File Explorer, it will show the details of
that file
Point and Click

As you move the mouse on your desk, a pointer

moves correspondingly on your screen.When you
click a particular file, it gets selected

Drag and Drop

To move an item, you need to click it, and then

holding the mouse button down, move the item to a
new location. After you move the item to the new
location, you release the mouse button. This is called
drag and drop.

Double-click

Double-clicking means to quickly click the left mouse

button twice. When we double-click on a file, it will
open the file.

Session 2: Performing Basic File Operations

Files and Folders

All information stored in a computer is kept in

files.Each file is given a file name and has a file name
extension that identifies the file type.Example: .txt,
.jpg, .mp3.
A folder is a location where a group of files can be
stored

Basic Shortcuts

CTRL+z — undo

CTRL+y — redo

CTRL+a — select all

CTRL+x — cut

CTRL+c — copy

CTRL+v — paste

CTRL+p — print

CTRL+s — save.

Session 3: Computer Care and Maintenance

Importance of Care and Maintenance of Computers

Taking care of electronic devices, such as computer

and mobiles helps them to work properly.

Basic Tips for Taking Care of Devices

(i) Keyboard: You can clean a keyboard with a soft
brush

(ii) Screen: You can wipe the screen with a soft cloth
to remove any finger marks.

(iii) Handle devices carefully: Handle and move your

laptop carefully and avoid dropping or banging it
against a hard surface.

(v) Keep the computer cool: If a computer, laptop or

mobile device gets overheated, the internal parts can
be damaged. The CPU has an internal fan to keep it
cool. We should make sure the fan is functioning.

 
(vi) Do not overcharge your battery: Sometimes we
keep a device plugged in for charging even after it is
fully charged.This reduces the battery life. Always
unplug the device once it

is charged 100%.

(vii) Always plug in devices carefully: Any device

being connected to a laptop or computer such as a
USB drive or headphones, should be done gently. It
should not be forced into the port.
 
(viii) Do not run too many programs at a time: When
too many programs are running at the same time, the
computer can become slow and even crash.

Prepare a Maintenance Schedule

(a) Daily Maintenance

i. Clean up your e-mail inbox

ii. Download e-mail attachments and save in proper

folders

(b) Weekly Maintenance

i. Clean your keyboard

ii. Clean your monitor

iii. Dust CPU and printer

iv. Backup your data to an external drive

(c) Monthly Maintenance

i. Transfer photographs to computer and delete from

drive
ii. Organise photos into folders or albums

iii. Clean up ‘Download’ folder

iv. Uninstall unused programs and apps

v. Run disk-cleaner software

vi. Run full system virus scan

(d) Yearly/Annual Maintenance

(i) Clean up contacts list on social media accounts

(ii) Clean up e-mail contact list

(iii) Update your operating system

(iv) Check for expiry of anti-virus software

and renew

  

Backup Your Data

Backing up data means to save the information

present on your computer on another device, such as
CD/DVD drives Data can recovered from here in case
the computer stops working completely. Computers
can crash, humans can make mistakes and natural
disasters, such as floods can happen

Scanning and Cleaning Viruses

Sometimes computer viruses can enter a computer
from such attacks we can install anti-virus software.
This will prevent any viruses from entering and will
also clean any viruses that may enter our system
before they affect the data.

Increasing Computer Performance If we have been

using a computer for a long time we

have a lot of unnecessary files and data, such as

temporary files and images. When they use too much
hard-disk space, the performance of the computer
goes down. It is important that we keep cleaning by
removing any extra files.

Removing SPAM from your Computer

Sometimes we get emails from companies who are

advertising a product or trying to

attract you to their website. Such mails are called

SPAM. We should never respond to SPAM and delete
it on a regular basis.

Session 4: Computer Security and Privacy

Threats to Computer
Threats are the ways in which personal information
can be leaked from a computer without our
knowledge.

(a) Theft: Theft means stealing of information or

hardware. These may be of three types:

• Physical: Where a person may steal your desktop

computer or laptop.

• Identity: Where a hacker steals your personal

information and assumes your identity. Using this
false identity, the hacker can gain access to your
account information or perform illegal activity.

• Software Piracy: This is stealing of software and

includes using or distributing unlicensed and
unauthorised copies of a computer program or
software.

(b) Virus: Viruses are computer programs that can

damage the data and software programs or steal the
information stored on a computer. Major types of
viruses are Worms and Trojan Horse.
Worms: These are viruses that replicate themselves
and spread to all files once they

Information and Communication Technology Skills 81

attack a computer. This makes it very difficult to
remove them.

Trojan Horse: A Trojan Horse disguises itself i.e., it

appears to be a useful software program but once it
reaches a computer it starts behaving like a virus and
destroying data.

• Online Predator: Online predators are people who

trap you into inappropriate relationships.

They may be older people posing to be your age,

bullying you into doing illegal activities

online and sometimes face to face.

• Internet Scams: Sometimes you may receive very

attractive offers saying you have won huge money in
a lottery and that you can claim the prize by
depositing a certain amount of money. When you
deposit the money using credit card or online
banking, you not only lose the deposit money but
your card/account information may be misused later.
Protecting your Data

(a) Use passwords to login to your computer: Use

passwords that are difficult to guess. Passwords are
difficult to hack if they are a mix of small (For
example ‘a b c d’) and capital letters (For example, ‘H
J E R’), numbers (For example ‘8 7 6 5’) and special
characters

(For example, ’% ^ # $’). This would prevent

unauthorised people from using your computer.

(b) Install Anti-virus and Firewall: Anti-viruses and

Firewall monitor the data coming in and out of a
computer and prevent and viruses from entering.
Anti-viruses can also detect and clean viruses that
may have entered a computer.

(c) Encrypt Data: This is usually done by banks and

companies in which important customer information
is stored. They can encrypt their entire hard disk
using the encrypting feature in Windows (Bitlocker).
This would force users to use a decryption password
(or key) before starting the computer thus preventing
unauthorised usage.

(d) Secure sites: Give details of your credit card or

bank account only on secure sites. See in the address
bar of the browser. If the site address starts with
https://and a lock symbol, then it is safe to give your
credit card and bank details.