Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - Basic 5

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Explain what a network is and identify different types.
• Describe how the internet works.
• Discuss the importance of social media.
• Identify safe practices for using the internet.
• Illustrate the basic components of a network.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces learners to the fundamental concept of computer networks, which are the backbone of the internet and digital communication. In Ghana, we use networks every day without even thinking about it – when we send a WhatsApp message, use Mobile Money (MoMo), watch videos on a phone, or use computers in an ICT lab. Understanding the two basic types of networks, LAN and WAN, will help learners become more knowledgeable digital citizens and appreciate how information travels from their device to the rest of the world.

Lesson notes

A. What is a Computer Network?

Before we talk about LAN and WAN, we must first understand what a "network" is. Definition: A computer network is simply two or more computers or devices (like phones, printers, tablets) that are connected together so they can share information and resources. Analogy: Think of your friends in school. You are all connected in a "friendship network." You share news, books, and play together. In the same way, computers in a network share things like files, internet connection, and printers. Key Purpose: Sharing. Sharing Information: Sending a document from one computer to another. Sharing Resources: Many computers in an office sharing one single printer. Sharing Connection: Several phones and laptops in a house sharing one internet connection from a WiFi router.

B. Type 1: Local Area Network (LAN)

The name gives us a big clue! "Local" means something is nearby. Definition: A LAN is a network that connects devices within a small geographical area. This area is usually a single building or a group of buildings that are close together. Characteristics: Small Area: Confined to a school, a house, an internet café, or a single office building. High Speed: Because the devices are close, data travels very fast between them. Private: The network is usually owned and managed by the person or organization that uses it (e.g., your school owns its ICT lab network). Ghanaian Examples: School ICT Lab: All the desktop computers in your school's computer lab are connected together. They can share files and maybe a single printer. This is a perfect example of a LAN. Home WiFi: When your family connects their phones, a laptop, and a smart TV to your home WiFi router, you have created a home LAN. All devices can communicate with each other and share the internet. Internet Café: The computers at an internet café in, for example, Kejetia Market in Kumasi, are all on a LAN. Simple Diagram: ``` [Computer 1] [ SWITCH / ROUTER ] [Computer 2] ^ | [Printer] ``` *(In this LAN, both computers can use the same printer.)*