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Unit 1
CIE A Level Computer Science
Unit 1 – Information Representation
1.1 Data Representation
- Binary & Denary Number Systems
- Hexadecimal Number Systems
- Binary and Decimal Prefixes
- One’s Compliment and Two’s Compliment
- Binary Addition and Subtraction
- Binary Coded Decimal
- ASCII, Extended ASCII and Unicode
- Binary Addition
1.2 Multimedia – Graphics, Sound
1.3 Compression
2
Unit 2 – Communication
2.1 Networks including the internet
- Purpose of networking of devices
- LAN vs WAN
- Client-Server vs Peer to Peer
- Thin and Thick Clients
- Network Topologies
- Cloud Computing
- Wired and Wireless Networks
- Network Hardware
- Ethernet
- Network routing and collisions(CSMA/CD)
- Bit Streaming
- WWW and the Internet
- Internet Hardware
- IPv4 & IPv6 Addresses
- Subnets & Network Masks
- Public vs Private IP Addresses
- Static Vs Dynamic IP, DHCP
- URLs, DNS and Serving Web Pages
- Client Side & Server Side Scripting
- Protocols
3
Unit 3 – Hardware
3.1 Computers and their components
- Input Devices
- Output Devices
- Primary Storage
- Secondary Storage Devices
- Embedded Systems
- Virtual and Augmented Reality
- Buffers
- RAM and ROM
- SRAM vs DRAM
- ROM,PROM,EPROM,EEPROM
- Monitoring and Control Systems
CIE Teacher Support Materials Input/Output Devices
3.2 Logic Gates and Logic Circuits
4
Unit 4 – Processor Fundamentals
4.1 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Architecture
- VON Neumann Architecture
- Motherboard Ports
- Fetch – Execute Cycle
- Registers
- Register Transfer Notation
- ALU,CU,IAS, System Clock
- Busses
- CPU Performance Factors
- Interrupts
4.2 Assembly Language
- Assembly Language Vs Machine Code & The assembly process
- Grouping Instruction Sets
- Modes of addressing
- Dynamic Link Libraries
4.3 Bit manipulation
5
Unit 5 – System Software
5.1 Operating Systems
- Purpose of an Operating System
- Operating System User Interface Types
- Management tasks
- Utility Software
- Program Libraries
5.2 Language Translators
- Assembler Software
- Compilers
- Interpreters
6
Unit 6 – Security, privacy and data integrity
6.1 Data Security
- Security, Privacy and Integrity
- Data and System Security
- Computer & Network Threats
- Security / Threat reduction measures
- Passwords
- Backing Up Data
6.2 Data Integrity
7
Unit 7 – Ethics and Ownership
7.1 Ethics and Ownership
8
Unit 8 – Databases
8.1 Database Concepts
- Introduction to Relational Databases
- Entity relationship diagrams
- Referential Integrity
- Normalisation process – First, Second, Third Normal Form
8.2 Database Management System (DBMS)
- Features of a database management system & Query Processor
- DBMS Software Tools
- Backup Procedures
- Online,Offline, Onsite,Offsite Backups
8.3 Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation
Language (DML)
- Role of Data Definition Language
- Role of Data Manipulation Language
- SQL Language
- SQL DDL Queries
- SQL DML Queries
Helpful Resources
9
Unit 9 – Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving
9.1 Computational Thinking Skills
9.2 Algorithms
- Algorithms
- Identifier names and tables
- Pseudocode
- Logic statements
10
Unit 10 – Data Types and structures
10.1 Data Types and Records
- Selection of data types
- User Defined Types (Record, Enumerator, Set)
10.2 Arrays
Search Algorithms
Sorting Algorithms
10.3 Files
- Read and writing read files
10.4 Introduction to Abstract Data Types (ADT)
- Introduction to abstract data types
- Stack
- Queue
- Linked List
11
Unit 11 – Programming
11.1 Programming Basics
- Basic input, processing & output
- Data Types
- Conditionals
- Loops
- Arrays
- Dictionaries
- Text Files
- Subroutines
CIE Pseudocode
- Introduction, Input, Output, Variables
- If & Case Statements
- Loops
- Arrays
- File Handling
- Functions & Procedures
- Abstract Data Types
(Also create a cheat sheet and add it here)
11.2 Constructs
- Programming Constructs
11.3 Structured Programming
- Procedures
- Functions
- Input Parameters
- Efficient code
12
Unit 12 – Software Development
12.1 Program Development Life Cycle
12.2 Program Design
13. Program Testing & Maintenance
13
Unit 13 – Data Representation (A – level)
13.1 User Defined Types
13.2 File Organisation & Access
13.3 Floating-point numbers, representation and
manipulation
14
Unit 14 – Communication & Internet Technologies
14.1 Protocols
14.2 Circuit switching, packet switching
- Circuit Switching
- Packet Switching
- Function of a router
15
Unit 15 – Hardware & Virtual Machines
15.1 Processors, Parallel Processing and Virtual Machines
- RISC & CISC Computers
- Interrupt Handling in RISC & CISC
- Pipelining & Registers
- SISD,SIMD,MISD,MIMD
- Massively Parallel Computers
- Virtual Machines
15.2 Boolean Algebra and Logic Circuits
16
Unit 16 – System Software
16.1 Purposes of an Operating System (OS)
16.2 Translation Software
- Interpreters
- Compilers and compilation stages
- Syntax Diagrams
- Backus-Naur Form
- Reverse Polish Notation
17
Unit 17 – Security
17.1 Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital certificates
- Protocols
- Symmetric Encryption
- Asymmetric Encryption
- Digital Certificates
- Transport Layer Security & Digital Certificates (SSL/TLS)
- Quantum Cryptography
18
Unit 18 – Artificial Intelligence
18.1 Artificial Intelligence
19
Unit 19 – Computational thinking and problem solving
19.1 Algorithms
Big O Notation with searching and sorting algorithms
Abstract Data Types
20
Unit 20 – Further Programming
20.1 Programming Paradigms
- Low Level Programming
- Imperative (Procedural) Programming
- Object Orientated Programming
- Declarative Programming
20.2 File Processing and Exception Handling
Syllabus
Exams
AS & A Level Exam Components
Year 12
Paper 1 -Theory Fundamentals
- Sections 1 to 8
- 90 minute exam (25% of A level)
Paper 2 – Problem-solving and Programming
- Sections 9 to 12
- 120 minute exam (25% of A level)
- Includes writing algorithms in code *, Pseudocode & Flowcharts
Year 13
Paper 3 – Advanced Theory
- Sections 13 to 20
- 90 minute exam (25% of A level)
Paper 4 – Practical
- Sections 19 to 20
- 150 minute exam (25% of A level)
- Answered on computer
- Students will submit program code* and evidence of testing
- No email or internet access
* Permitted Programming languages – Java, VB.net or Python. No other languages are allowed.
Exam Practice
Past Papers, Mark Schemes & Specimen Papers
Paper 4 Practice Tasks
Paper 4 Programming Skills CheckList
Course Book
Course Book for 9618 Specification
Hodder Education: Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science Course Book.
This is the book we will be using from 2020 onward, as it is tailored towards the specific requirements of the course and offers a full structured approach to the CIE A level Computer Science 9618 course content.
The Hodder Education CIE Computer Science book for the new 2021 -2023 Specification. Available on paper and Kindle.