Grade 13 ICT Syllabus Sri Lanka – Lessons, Notes and Study Resources

The Grade 13 ICT syllabus in Sri Lanka is an important part of the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination. It develops students’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills in programming, database management, web development and modern ICT applications.

Main Topics in the Grade 13 ICT Syllabus

The Grade 13 A/L ICT syllabus covers these major units:

System Analysis and Design: System development life cycle, data flow diagrams and system design.
Database Management: Database concepts, SQL queries, ER diagrams and normalization.
Programming: Python programming, algorithms, flowcharts and pseudocode.
Web Development: HTML, CSS and dynamic website development.
Internet of Things (IoT): Connected devices and IoT applications.
ICT in Business: E-commerce, e-business and digital marketing.
New Trends in ICT: Emerging technologies and future developments.

1: Designs and develops database systems to manage data efficiently and effectively.

1.1 Learns the basics of information and data, and the need for databases

Data vs. information
Structured Vs. unstructured data
Definition of database
Database models
o Flat file system
o Hierarchical model
o Network model
o Relational model
o Object relational model
Comparison of database models

1.2 Describes the main components of the relational database model

Relations / Tables
o Attributes / Columns
o Tuples / Rows
o Relationships
Types of Constraints
o A NOT NULL Constraint
o A Unique Constraint
o A Primary Key Constraint
o A Foreign Key Constraint
o A (Table) Check Constraint

1.3 Analyzes the main components of a database system

Data Base Management System
 Data definition language (DDL)
o Introduction to SQL
o Classification of SQL
o Creating, using relational database using DDL
Creating table
Alter table – Inserting and deleting attributes – Adding and deleting foreign key and primary key
Drop tables
Drop databases
Data manipulation Language (DML)
o DML Features in SQL
Inserting, modifying, retrieving, updating deleting data
o Select Query
Extracting rows and columns from single table
Extracting rows and columns from multiple tables using inner join operation
Insert Query
Update Query
Delete Query

1.4 Designs the conceptual schema of a database

ER (Entity Relationship) diagrams
o Entities, attributes
o Entity identifiers
o Relationships
o Cardinality
Introduction to EER (Extended ER) diagrams

1.5 Designs the logical schema of a database

Definition of the logical schema
Database schema design
o Relational schema
o Relation instances
o Candidate key
o Primary key
o Alternate key
o Foreign key
Domain

1.6 Transforms ER diagrams to logical schema

Entity transformation
Attribute transformation
Relationship transformation

1.7 Normalizes database schema to improve performance

Need for normalization-
o Redundancies and anomalies
Insert
Update
Delete
Functional dependencies
o Full dependency
o Partial dependency
o Transitive dependency
Levels of normalization
o Zero normal form
o First normal form
o Second normal form
o Third normal form

2: Develops algorithms to solve problems and uses python programming language to encode algorithms

2.1 Uses problem-solving process

Understanding the problem
Defining the problem and boundaries
Planning solution
Implementation

2.2 Explores the top down and stepwise refinement methodologies in solving problems

Modularization
Top down design and stepwise refinement
Structure charts

2.3 Uses algorithmic approach to solve problems

Algorithms
o Flow charts
o Pseudo codes
o Hand traces

2.4 Compares and Contrasts different programming paradigms

Evolution of programming languages
Programming paradigms
o Imperative languages
o Declarative languages
o Object oriented languages

2.5 Explores the need of program translation and the type of program translators

Need of program translation
Source program
Object program
Program translators
o Interpreters
o Compilers
o Hybrid approach
Linkers

2.6 Explores integrated development environment (IDE) to identify their basic features

Basic features of IDE
Instructions to use
o Opening and saving files
o Compiling, executing programs
Debugging facilities

2.7 Uses an imperative programming language to encode algorithms

Structure of a program
Comments
Constants and Variables
Primitive data types
Operator categories
o Arithmetical, relational, logical, bitwise
Operator precedence
Input / output
o Input from keyboard
o Output to standard devices

2.8 Uses control structures in developing programs

Control Structures
o Sequence
o Selection
o Repetition
Iteration
Looping

2.9 Uses sub-programs in programming

Types of subprograms
o Built in
o User defined
Structure
Parameter passing
Return values
Default values
Scope of variables

2.10 Uses data structures in programs

Data structures
o Strings
o Lists
o Tuples
o Dictionaries

2.11 Handles files and databases in programs

File handling
o Basic file operations

2.12 Manages data in databases

Connecting to a database
Retrieve data
Add, modify and delete data

2.13 Searches and sorts data

Searching techniques
o Sequential search
Sorting techniques
o Bubble sort

3: Develops websites incorporating multi-media technologies (using HTML 5)

3.1 Explores the need for web

The world wide web (www)
Types of web sites
o Information, news
o Personal, educational, commercial, Research
o Web portals

3.2 Analyses user requirements(multimedia contents)

Defining the objectives of a website
Contents to be displayed

3.3 Identifies appropriate HTML tags to design a single web page

Building blocks of a web page
o Page definition
<html></html>
o Head section
<head></head>
<title></title>
o Body section
<body></body>
Background color
o Text formatting
<h1>…<h6>tags
<p></p>
<br/>
Underline, bold, italic
<font></font> – Size and color
Adding comments

3.4 Uses HTML to create linked web pages

Contents of a website
o Home page
o Linked pages
o Hyperlink
Different sections of the same page(book mark)
Different pages of a same site(local link)
Pages of different sites (External link)
Lists
o Ordered lists
o Unordered lists
o Definition lists
Image
Tables
o <table></table>
o <th></th>
o <tr></tr>
o <td></td>
o <caption>
o Merging columns and rows
Multimedia objects
o Audio
o Video

3.5 Uses Style sheet to change the appearance of web pages

Introduction to style sheet
CSS
o Syntax, comments
CSS selectors
o element, id, class, group
Ways of inserting CSS
o Internal, external, inline
Appearance formatting
o Background (color, image)
o Text and fonts
o Links
o Lists
o Tables

3.6 Uses an authoring tool to create web pages

Introduction to web authoring tools

3.7 Creates dynamic web pages using PHP and MySQL

Introduction to dynamic web pages
Embedding PHP code into web page
o Variables
o Arrays
o Control structures
o Functions
o Database connectivity
o Working with databases
Forms
o Input element
Type attribute
Name attribute
Value attribute
o Text input (Password)
o Radio buttons
o Check box
o Selection
o Submit buttons
o Reset button
o Action attribute
Method attribute
Get
Post
Grouping form data using <fieldset> tag
Saving form data into database
Creating data source and entering data
Creating PHP code to retrieve data from MySQL database
Set form values using retrieved data

3.8 Publishes and maintains web sites

Local publishing
o Own computer, intranet
Internet publishing
o Connecting to the web Service provider
o Publishing web Pages on web server
Factors affecting performance of website

4: Explores IoT and identify the building blocks of embedded systems to develop simple applications

4.1 Acquires the knowledge of basic building blocks of embedded systems

Microcontroller – Based Development Systems (Arduino and other similar systems)
o Introduction
Microcontroller based Development Systems vs. microprocessor based systems
o Features
Analog Input
Digital Input
Microcontroller
Digital Output
Receiver and Transmitter Pins
Communication Port
Power supply
o Connect to the computer
USB Connectivity
IDE Software (code editor, compiler and programmer)
o Simple applications
Switch on/off a LED
Sensing ambient light intensity with a LDR and switching a LED on and off depending on the light intensity
Sensing the room temperature with temperature sensor and switching a fan on and off depending on the temperature
Detection of opening/closing a door using a read switch

4.2 Explores the Internet of Things (IoT) to create a simple application

Introduction to IoT
○ Definition
○ Needs
○ IoT applications
○ Enabling technologies
Simple IoT application to construct a remote switch

5: Explores applicability of ICT to business organizations and the competitive marketplace

5.1 Explores the role of ICT in the world of business

Digital economy
o New business methods in digital economy
Reverse auctions
Group purchasing
e-Marketplace
Pure brick, brick and click, and pure click organizations
Business functions and the role of ICT
o Accounting and ICT
o Human resource and ICT
o Production and ICT
o Marketing & sales and ICT
o Supply chain management and ICT
o Business communication and ICT
o Secure payment mechanisms
Payment gateways
Secure credit card payments
Third party systems – PayPal etc
Mechanisms
– Data encryption – Micro credit payments (bit coin etc.)
Threats and opportunities in ecommerce
o Privacy
o Product commercialization

5.2 Analyses the relationship between ICT and business operations

E-Commerce and e-business
o The scope of e-commerce and ebusiness
o Types of e-business transactions
B2B, B2C, C2C, C2B, B2E, G2C
E-Business
o Virtual storefronts
o Information brokers
o Online marketplace
o Content provider
o Online service provider
o Portal
o Virtual Community
Advantages and disadvantages of ebusiness

5.3 Analyses the ICT in terms of generating and delivering an improved products and services to consumers

E-marketing
o Concepts of marketing
o Use of ICT in marketing
Web advertising etc
Databases in marketing
o Predicting customer behavior with Al tools and techniques
o Gaining competitive advantages through ICT
Mobile Marketing

6: Explores new trends and future directions of ICT

6.1 Explores new trends and future directions in computing

Intelligent and emotional computing
Artificial intelligence
Man-machine coexistence
Machine to machine coexistence

6.2 Explores the fundamentals and applications of agent technology

Software agents
Multi-agent systems
Applications of Agent systems

6.3 Analyzes the existing models of computing and proposes new models

Beyond von-Neumann computer
Nature inspired computing
Biology inspired computing
Fundamentals of quantum computing
Applications