Benefits of new ICTs

Computers for personal use (see also textbook Practical Computer Education for Cameroon Colleges, by Coni T. Tawong, page 6). These computers come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) to the hefty Personal computer towers, Hand-Held Computers (HPC), Palmtop (PPC), Tablet Personal Computer, Laptop, Desktop, Mini tower, Notebook... More specialised models are announced each week. Trip planners, Accounts, Language translators, Students, Teachers, Businessmen etc should check for most recent models. When talking about Personal Computers (PCs) most people probably think of the desktop type, which are designed to sit on the desk. The Minitower and the smaller mini tower style cases have become popular as people are needing more room for extra drives inside. Computer technicians certainly appreciate the mini tower types for the more space inside for all the cables and circuit boards and their knockles.

Aworkstation is part of a computer network and generally would be expected to have more than a regular PC (desktop) of most everything like memory, storage space and speed. The market for smallest PCs is expanding rapidly. Software is becoming available for the small types of PCs like the Palmtop (PPC) and Hand-Held (HPC). This new software is based on new operating systems like Windows CE (for consumer electronics). You may find simplified versions of the major application programs you use. One big advantage for the newer programs is the ability to link the small computers to your home or work computer and coordinate the data. With this, you can carry a tiny computer like a palm pilot around to enter new telephone numbers and appointments and those great ideas you have just had then later move it to your home computer.

With a Tablet PC you use electronic stylus to write on the screen, just like with a pen and paper, only your words are in digital ink. It saves your work just like you wrote it, or you turn your chicken-scratches to regular text. A Personal Computer can function as a server to run a network of computers that is handling sharing of equipment between computers on the network. This PC would need more power, large memory, large storage capacity and high speed communication.

Before proceeding, let us have in mind that computer science refers to the study of computers and how they can be used. The act of using computers is also known as computing. In a radio programme the Chief Executive Officer of St. Louis University Institute in Bamenda-Cameroon (see “The Guardian Post No 0499”) says that the only way to change character and thinking is by changing Cameroon’s educational system. With our book in the market Practical Computer Education for Cameroon Colleges it is in line with the thinking of the CEO St. Louis University Institute Bamenda because we found out that many graduates leave school after studying concepts which needs to be applied today using computers but since they have no knowledge of computing, they find it difficult to fit in the global world and move ahead. In the exercises in our book, we have tried to show students how to apply the knowledge they learn using the computer and hope that school authorities and particularly teachers can orientate our students to begin to think of how to apply knowledge they acquire in schools in any field. If students have banking knowledge and cannot apply same using the computers nowadays, there is no opening for them.

 “The curricula that were put in primary and secondary schools and universities in Cameroon in the 1960s were subject-based. We ended up with subjects in our pockets with no capacity of producing anything or to understand much such that if you had someone with a Bachelor’s degree in Geography, he could be able to interpret a map but could not produce a map....”Let our Geography students study Geography and try to apply it by producing maps, better our environment etc and those of motor mechanics to try to produce cars and if we do so in all the subjects we can have an emerging Cameroon nation by 2035. We can produce anything that is required to be produced by the computer and even computers in our country. Boolean was a self made mathematician and his functions may be practically implemented by using electronic gates. Let our students know that all inventions are done by people like them and begin to ask questions which will necessitate them begin something.

Coni T. Tawong.

Programming Concepts