KS3 Computing · Using technology well means staying safe, knowing the laws about computers, data and creative work, and asking who technology helps and who it harms.
Networks and Digital CommunicationCambridge Lower Secondary Computing 0860
You will learn to
Write an email with a clear subject, a greeting, one request and a sign-off.
Explain why tone matters when the reader cannot see your face.
Use comments to give polite, specific feedback on a shared document.
Success criteria
I can send my teacher a short, polite email with a clear subject line.
I can explain when to use Reply all and when not to.
I can leave a kind, useful comment without changing someone else's work.
Key words
Say each word, then read what it means. Every one is in the glossary too.
Digital footprint
The trail of everything you do online.
Phishing
Fake messages that trick people into giving details.
Computer Misuse Act
UK law (1990) that makes hacking and spreading malware crimes.
Data Protection Act
UK law (2018), with UK GDPR, controlling how personal data is used.
Copyright
Automatic legal protection for original creative work.
Open source
Software whose code anyone can see, change and share.
Ethics
AI that is biased because its training data was. Cameras that keep us safe and also watch us. The digital divide: who is left out when everything moves online. Screen time and sleep. Practise arguing both sides.
The explanation
Read it here, or open the study page below to go one step at a time with things to try.
The parts of a good email
An email is a message sent from one account to another over the internet.
A good email has five parts. Each part has one job.
Part
Its job
Example
To
Who gets it. Check the address twice.
Your teacher's school address
Subject
Says what the email is about, in a few words.
Question about Monday's homework
Greeting
Says hello politely.
Dear Mr Khan,
Body
Says the one thing you need. Keep it short.
Please could I have the sheet from Monday's lesson?
Sign-off
Ends politely and says who you are.
Thank you, Sam (7B)
★Remember
One email, one request. A short, clear email gets a faster answer.
Tone: how your words sound
Tone means how your words sound to the reader. The reader cannot see your face or hear your voice.
Writing in CAPITALS looks like SHOUTING.
Say please and thank you.
Keep emojis and text-speak for friends, not for teachers.
Read it again before you send. Would you say it face to face?
CC means 'carbon copy'. A person in the CC box gets a copy too.
Reply all sends your answer to everyone on the email. Use it only when everyone needs to read it.
!Watch out
Once you press Send, you cannot take it back. The reader can copy it or forward it to other people.
Shared documents: comment, don't change
A shared document is one file that several people can open and edit.
Do not delete or change someone else's work.
Use a comment to suggest a change. A comment is a note at the side of the page.
Be kind and specific. Say what works, then one thing to improve.
Do not type anything you would not say to the person.
e.g.Example
Helpful comment: 'Your opening is clear. Could you add one example in paragraph 2?' Unhelpful comment: 'This is bad.'
★Remember
A shared file keeps a history of who changed what. Everything you type there is part of your digital footprint.
e.g.Worked example
Fix this email. To: teacher. Subject: (blank). Body: 'hey i need the homework'. No name at the end.
Add a subject that says what it is about: 'Homework sheet for Unit 1'.
Swap 'hey' for a polite greeting: 'Dear Mr Khan,'.
Make the request clear and polite: 'Please could you send me the homework sheet? I was absent on Monday.'
Add a sign-off with your name and class: 'Thank you, Sam (7B)'.
Read it once more, check the address, then press Send.