Banking Quest: Investigate Stage

Please respond to the following activities in MS word ensure that it does not exceed 5 pages of font 12 Times New Roman. All responses should be in paragraphs with sub-headings for identification. APA in-text citation and APA format of referencing should be applied. The process journal must be used throughout the design cycle.
Challenge
Many businesses have problems that can be solved by introducing information technology solutions.Your challenge is to identify a client with business type problem that can be addressed using information technology solution.
Our AOI on focus is Human ingenuity. You will identify a problem linked to AOI and one client who is not a student.
Your investigate should have the following headings

• Description of the problem.
• Design Brief
• Research
• Design Specification
• Test Strategy

Investigate Assessment criteria
Level 0
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
Level 1–2
The student states the problem. The student investigates the problem, collecting information from sources. The student lists some specifications.
Level 3–4
The student describes the problem, mentioning its relevance. The student investigates the problem, selecting and analysing information from some acknowledged sources. The student describes a test to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification.
Level 5–6
The student explains the problem, discussing its relevance. The student critically investigates the problem, evaluating information from a broad range of appropriate, acknowledged sources. The student describes detailed methods for appropriate testing to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification

Business Quest Unit

Unit Question:

What are the impacts of information technology systems on businesses?

Human Ingenuity

What are the consequences of what we create on businesses?

Central Idea

All businesses use or can use IT for launching, analyzing, storing and marketing of their services and products

AK Focus: Global Economics:

Trade and Development

The study of how individuals and societies exchange goods and services.

Summative Assessment

Students will investigate a local business and develop a suitable product that will help the identified client. They can design a website, develop a video for the business, create a commercial, produce a commercial song/advert, develop a database, etc. The product can address any specific themes in the business; marketing and advertising, Training, data analysis and storage.

Evaluate stage: Data bank Unit

In this stage you are expected to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification in an objective manner based on testing, and to evaluate its impact on life, society and/or the environment. You are expected to explain how the product/solution could be improved as a result of these evaluations.

You will also be expected to evaluate your own performance at each stage of the design cycle and suggest
ways in which your performance could be improved.

Wednesday's lesson:
In readiness for your evaluate stage your will have to work on the homework below. Develop the questions for client and peer evalauation (9th Nov 2011)

Homework (Due date 15th Nov 2011)

• Review your methods of testing. Have you used them?
• Show your client's responses to your 10 questions.
• §Show your three peers' responses to your 10 questions
Use the information above as part of the evaluate stage.

Assessment criteria
0: The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.

1-2: The student evaluates the product/solution or his or her own performance. The student makes some attempt to test the product/solution.

3-4:The student evaluates the product/solution and his or her own performance and suggests ways in which these could be improved.The student tests the product/solution to evaluate it against the design specification.

5-6:The student evaluates the success of the product/solution in an objective manner based on the results of testing, and the views of the intended users. The student provides an evaluation of his or her own performance at each stage of the design cycle and suggests improvements. The student provides an appropriate evaluation of the impact of the product/solution on life, society and/or the environment.

Sample examplar

Databases In hospitals

Research and make short notes on any FOUR types of medical or hospital databases.

a)For each describe its function.
b)Outline general benefits of using the databases identified
c)Outline some related problems resulting from using such databases as suggested in the research work
d) Write only two sources used in your investigation 

Create Stage: Banking Data

Start creating the product/ IT solution by following your Plan and taking into consideration the choosen design.

The process journal should be used frequently to document progress in this stage.

Appropriate quality: Ensure that the best possible product / solution is produced, taking into account the resources available, the skills and techniques used. Also, show how the product/solution addresses the identified need.

Assessment criteria
0
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1-2
The student considers the plan and creates at least part of a product/ solution.

3-4
The student uses appropriate techniques and equipment. The student follows the plan and mentions any modifications made, resulting in a product/solution of good quality.

5-6

The student competently uses appropriate techniques and equipment. The student follows the plan and justifies any modifications made, resulting in a product/solution of appropriate quality using the resources available.

Database Class Queries Activity

Open the link below and answer the questions in the handout provided

http://www.teach-ict.com/ecdl/module_5/resources/cars/cars.mdb

Plan Stage: Data Bank Unit

In your plan you should have;

·  Your steps for creation

·  A resource List

·  Time plan

· Evaluation of your plan: NB. Evaluation of plan and modifications will be completed after the create stage.

Assessment Criteria
0
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors
given below.

1-2
The student produces a plan that contains some details of the steps and/or
the resources required.

3-4
The student produces a plan that contains a number of logical steps that
include resources and time. The student makes some attempt to evaluate
the plan.

5-6
The student produces a plan that contains a number of detailed, logical
steps that describe the use of resources and time. The student critically
evaluates the plan and justifies any modifications to the design.

Example of student's Plan work
http://myp-tech.wikispaces.com/file/view/tech_05_C_en.pdf

Design Stage For Data bank Unit

In this Unit's design stage, you will develop three database designs. Designs are different possibilities to solving your problem. The designs can be drawn on A4 paper,  or developed using paint brush software.  
Each design will have;
- different tables fieldnames and datatypes used
- different form structure or appearances
- different report structure / design
- Different switchboard structure ( How do you want the welcome page to appear)


Each of the three designs should be measured against each design specifications with a brief personal self evaluation for each design.


-Justify your choice: From the three designs developed, which one will you use to create your final database product and why?(Write this in one paragraph )
Assessment Criteria
0
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1-2
The student generates two database designs, and makes some attempt to justify this against the design specification.
3-4
The student generates three database designs, justifying the choice of one design and fully evaluating this against the design specification.
5-6
The student generates three of feasible designs, each evaluated
against the design specification. The student justifies the chosen design and evaluates it fully and critically against the design specification


Student's Design Stage Sample
Sample 1
http://myp-tech.wikispaces.com/file/view/tech_05_B_en.pdf
Sample 2
http://myp-tech.wikispaces.com/file/view/tech_07_B_en.pdf

Examples of switchboards
http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/attachment.php?s=a236da8c759067d3ffaffbc898409522&attachmentid=28305&d=1249315260

http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/attachment.php?s=a236da8c759067d3ffaffbc898409522&attachmentid=28307&d=1249317155

http://www.databasedev.co.uk/user_interface_1.html

Designing an ID using Access

You have been contracted to design an Identification Card for a conference to be held in KICC Nairobi.

Design using a database program a suitable Identification Card. The card should have the following

• Picture of the Person attending
• Suitable logo
• Name of the person
• Title of Conference (Human Rights Watch 2011)
• Date of attendance
• Country of Origin
• Organization represented or Employer
• It should have appealing colours used.
• The card should measure 3.5" by 2.5"

Investigate Stage: Summative

Please respond to the following activities in MS word ensure that it does not exceed 6 pages of font 12 Times New Roman. All responses should be in paragraphs with sub-headings for identification. APA in-text citation and APA format of referencing should be applied. The process journal must be used throughout the design cycle.
Introduction
Database software has been used to produce different solutions for different purposes. Management of data have been streamlined by using database solutions or products. We will therefore use any database software to create a product that organize digital data and examine it's impact in our society.

Our AOI on focus is Human ingenuity. You will identify a problem linked to AOI and one client who is not a student.

Description of the problem.
- So what is your the problem? (describe) Who is your client ? Describe how the client is currently addressing the problem.

- Why do you think your client will need an IT solution to address the problem?

- Evaluate the importance of the problem (link it to the AOI).

- Include some brief research on impacts of  databases on society today and in the future. Look at how databases are being used right now in one or more of the following areas; Business, Governments, Employment, Education, entertainment, military, in the home, etc. How do database use affect peoples lives today? How do people feel about databases? Why?

Design Brief:
- Outline the design brief: (one paragraph)
(The Design Brief is a short statement of what you are going to make, why you are going to make it, and for whom are you making it for. It should be an open ended statement)

Develop the design Brief.
- Research into the task and how you can solve it. What do you need to know before you create the product?

Essential Questions
- Your research will be possible by formulating and discuss appropriate essential questions that will guide your investigation. (The questions can focus on skills required, Benefits, Security, administration, Policies, etc)

Examples of 2 essential questions

a) Which types of database software are there? what are some the main features of each database?

b) Which examples are there of database solutions and what are there benefits?

Information Seeking Strategies
In this section you should discuss where you are going to get the information to answer your essential and supporting questions and how you are going to get it. You need to have at least six different sources of information. Research can be either primary or secondary.

Primary Research
Surveys & Questionnaires
- What do other people think/like/want? about solving the problem using database?
Interviews
- Ask an expert who has produced a database or manages a database? or Interview your intended user

Design Specification
- List the specific requirements that must be met by the final product/solution. How many tables will be in the final product? Is it going to flat-file database or relational database, will you use macros, forms, reports, queries?
- The listing of specs will be possible if you have researched on other examples of database products.

Test Strategy
- Design tests to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification.

example of strategy
- To test that the correct reports and calculations are generated, I will use different types of test data to validate and verify that my database is functional. The results of my testing will be displayed a small table.

Investigate Assessment criteria
Level 0
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors
given below.

Level 1–2
The student states the problem. The student investigates the problem, collecting information from sources. The student lists some specifications.

Level 3–4
The student describes the problem, mentioning its relevance. The student investigates the problem, selecting and analysing information from some acknowledged sources. The student describes a test to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification.

Level 5–6
The student explains the problem, discussing its relevance. The student critically investigates the problem, evaluating information from a broad range of appropriate, acknowledged sources. The student describes detailed methods for appropriate testing to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification

Students' Investigate stage Sample
http://myp-tech.wikispaces.com/file/view/tech_05_A_en.pdf

Referencing and citation examples
http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/apa_examples.cfm#personal

Primary Key fields (30/08/2012)

Download and save the database in the link below in your desktop and answer the questions following in your note book

http://www.teach-ict.com/ecdl/module_5/resources/dvds/dvds.mdb

1. Name all the number of tables in dvds database above.
2. Which field is the primary key field in the Customers table?
3. Which field is the primary key field in the DVDs table?
4. Which field is the primary key field in the Rentals table?
5. How many records are in the customers table?
6. How many records are in the DVD table?
7. How many records are in the Rental table?
8. What is the field length for "Intial" and "Sex" fields in customers' database?
9. What field length would you recommend for "Intial" and "Sex'' fields in the customers database?
10. What are the field sizes for "Title", "Genre","Rating","Lead Actor" fields in the DVDs table?

Online quiz
Attempt the following online activities

1. http://teach-ict.com/xml/finished/709/qopt.htm

2. http://teach-ict.com/gcse/software/db/starters_plenaries/gcsedatayesno.htm

3. http://teach-ict.com/ks3_old/unit7_5/starters/wordsearchMOD2.html

Data Bank Unit: Task 2

Create a simple library database that can be used by the librarian to organize book records.

The following are the expected field names in the database

• Title 
• Book number
• Author
• Year Published
• Publisher
• Category
• Image of the book
• Condition of book (Good or Bad) 

For homework

Answer question 1-9 only in the link below

http://teach-ict.com/gcse/software/db/tasks/worksheet1.doc 

Print and stick the work in your note book.