4.2 Computer Hardware

• Meaning of computer hardware
• Importance of computer hardware devices in a user environment
• Categories of computer hardware: input, output and storage
• Input devices: keying and pointing devices
• Input devices: scanning, voice, touch screen, digitizer and digital cameras
• Output devices: softcopy and hardcopy
• Storage devices: fixed and removable
• Matching devices to their categories in a user environment
• Using input, output and storage devices to carry out a given task
• Care and value of hardware in a school lab and cybercafé

• classify computer hardware devices in a user environment
• use computer hardware devices to carry out a given task
• value the importance of computer hardware devices in a user environment

“How is computer hardware used?”

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1. What computer hardware is
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Define computer hardware as the physical devices you can touch in a school lab or cyber, and separate it from programs.
2. Why hardware matters in a user environment
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Value hardware in a school lab or cyber: without the right device a task cannot start, show, or stay.
3. Input, output and storage
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Classify hardware into input, output and storage, and place the system unit as the box that processes.
4. Keying devices
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Identify keyboards and keypads as input devices and use a keyboard to type a short line in a lab or on a picture of a cyber PC.
5. Pointing devices
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Identify mouse, trackpad and joystick as input pointing devices and practise move, click and scroll.
6. Scanning devices
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Identify scanners as input devices that copy paper or codes into the computer, as in a cyber ID scan.
7. Voice, touch, digitizer and camera
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Identify microphone, touch screen, digitizer and digital camera as further input devices in phones, labs and cybers.
8. Softcopy output
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Identify monitor, projector and speakers as softcopy output and use a screen to check work before printing.
9. Hardcopy output
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Identify printers and plotters as hardcopy output and describe a careful print job in a cyber or school lab.
10. Fixed storage devices
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Identify internal hard disks and SSDs as fixed storage that stays in the machine, and contrast them with a pocket USB.
11. Removable storage devices
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Identify USB flash, memory cards, optical discs and external drives as removable storage and practise saving and ejecting a stick.
12. Matching devices to categories
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Sort lab and cyber devices into input, output and storage, and handle devices that do two jobs by naming the job.
13. Using hardware to carry out a task
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Use input, output and storage together to type, check, save and optionally print a short document in a lab or cyber sequence.
14. Care and value of hardware
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Care for lab and cyber hardware so devices stay usable, and state why that kit matters in a Kenyan user environment.