Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term - Senior Secondary 2

Concept of computer files

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  4. Concept of computer files

Term: 2nd Term

Week: 1

Class: Senior Secondary School 2

Age: 16 years

Duration: 40 minutes of 2 periods each

Date:       

Subject:      Data Processing

Topic:-       Concept of computer files

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to

  1. Define computer files, record, data items and field
  2. List the types of data items
  3. Discuss the types of files organization methods, methods of accessing files, computer files classification and criteria for classifying computer files

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES: Identification, explanation, questions and answers, demonstration, videos from source

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: Videos, loud speaker, pictures, Data Processing for senior Secondary Education by Hiit Plc, WAPB Computer Studies for Senior Secondary I by Adekunle et al, On-line Materials.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES

PERIOD 1-2

PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITY

STUDENT’S ACTIVITY

STEP 1

INTRODUCTION

The teacher reviews the previous lesson on the entity-relationship model

Students pay attention

STEP 2

EXPLANATION

He explains the meaning of computer files, field, record, data items. He then lists the examples of data items

 

Students pay attention and participates

STEP 3

DEMONSTRATION

He discusses the types of files organization methods, methods of accessing files, computer files classification and criterias for classifying files

Students pay attention and participate

STEP 4

NOTE TAKING

The teacher writes a summarized note on the board

The students copy the note in their books

 

NOTE

CONCEPT OF COMPUTER FILES

Computer files are the most basic unit of data that users can store on a disk. Every program, image, video, song employee numbers, a 3-digit, and document is stored as a file

Record: A record is a collection of related data items or fields. Each record normally corresponds to a specific unit of information. For example, employee number, employee’s name, basic salary and house rent allowance.

Field: Data items are physically arranged as fields in a computer file. Their length may be fixed or variable. Since all individuals have 3 digits field is required to store the particular data. Hence, it is a fixed field. In contrast, since customer’s name varies considerably from one customer to another, a variable amount of space must be available to store this element. This can be called variable field.

Data item: Data item is the smallest unit of information stored in computer file. It is a single element used to represent a fact such as an employee’s name, item price and so on.

 

TYPES OF DATA ITEMS

  1. Numeric:this type of data item consists of numbers 0-9.
  2. Alphabet:this type of data item consists of letters A-Z.
  3. Alphanumeric:also known as alphameric is a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters, and is used to describe the collection of Latin letters and Arabic digits or a text construct from this collection. There are either 36 (single case) or 62(case-sensitive) alphanumeric characters. The alphanumeric character set consists of the numbers 0-9 and letters A-Z.

File structure:

Data

Field

Record

File

 

Data: a data item is the smallest unit of information stored in computer file.

Field: is a collection of related items.

Record:  is a collection of related fields.

File: the collection of records is called a file

 

TYPES OF FILE ORGANIZATION METHOD

  1. Serial: A serial file is one which the records have been stored in the order in which they have arisen. An example of a serial file is an unsorted transaction file. A shopping list is an example of a non-computerized serial file. Serial files can be stored on tape, disc or in memory.
  2. Sequential: in sequential file organization, records are organized in the sequence by which they were added. A sequential file contains records organized in the order they were entered.
  3. Indexed:An indexed file organization contains reference numbers, like employee numbers, that identify a record in relation to other records. These references are called the primary keys that are unique to a particular record.
  4. Random file:This is the file organized via an index. Also called a “direct file” or “direct access file,’’ it enables quick access to specific records or other elements within the file rather than having to read the file sequentially.

 

METHODS OF ACCESSING FILES

  1. Serial files: To access a serially organized file is serially.
  2. Sequential files:the method of access used is still serial but of course the files are now in sequence, and for this reason the term sequential is often used in describing serial access of a sequential tape file.
  3. Random files: Generally speaking, the method of accessing random files is RANDOM.

 

COMPUTER FILES CLASSIFICATION

  1. Master file:these are files of a fairly permanent nature, e.g. customer ledger, payroll, inventory, and so on. A feature to know is the regular updating of these files to show a current position. For example, customer’s order will be processed, increasing the “balance owing “figure on a customer ledger record. It is seen therefore that master records will contain both data of a static nature, e.g. a customer name, address, and data that, by its nature will change each time a transaction occurs, e.g. the” balance” figure already mentioned.
  2. Transaction file:This is also known as movement file. This is made up of various transactions created from the source documents. In a sales ledger application, the file will contain all the orders received at a particular time. This file will be used to update the master file. As soon as it had been used for this purpose it is no longer required. It will therefore have a very short life, because it will be replaced by a file containing the next batch of orders.
  3. Reference files: A file with a reasonable amount of permanency. Examples of data used for reference purposes are price lists, tables of rates of pay, names and addresses.

 

Criteria for classifying computer files are:

  • By nature of content: it refers to the nature of file content.
  • By organization method: it refers to the way files are arranged e.g. . Serial, sequential, random and so on.
  • By storage medium: it refers to storage devices in which a file’s’ could only be stored such as magnetic or optical disk and magnetic tape and so on

 EVALUATION: 1. Define

  1. computer files
  2. field
  3. record
  4. data items
  5. List and explain the various types of data items
  6. Discuss three types of file organization methods
  7. Explain the classification of computer files and the criterias for the classification

CLASSWORK: As in evaluation

CONCLUSION: The teacher commends the students positively