1.1
Unit 1.1 – Information Representation
1.1.1 Data Representation
- Binary, Denary and Hexadecimal Number Bases
- Binary and Decimal Prefixes
- One’s Compliment and Two’s Compliment
- Binary Addition and Subtraction
- Binary Coded Decimal
- ASCII, Extended ASCII and Unicode
1.1.2 Multimedia – Graphics, Sound
1.1.3 Compression
1.2
Unit 1.2 – Communication
1.2.1 Networks including the internet
- LAN vs WAN
- Client-Server vs Peer to Peer
- Thin and Thick Clients
- Wired and Wireless Networks
- Network Hardware
- Bit Streaming
- WWW and the Internet
- Internet Hardware
1.2.2 IP Addressing
1.2.3 Client & Server Side Scripting
1.3
Unit 1.3 – Hardware
1.3.1 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
1.3.2 Logic Gates and Logic Circuits
1.4
Unit 1.4 – Processor Fundamentals
1.4.1 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Architecture
- VON Neumann Architecture
- Registers
- ALU,CU,IAS, System Clock
- Busses
- CPU Performance Factors
- Motherboard Ports
- Fetch – Execute Cycle
- Interrupts
1.4.2 Assembly Language
- Assembly Language Vs Machine Code
- Assembly Process Stages
- Grouping Instruction Sets
- Modes of addressing
1.4.3 Bit manipulation
- Binary Shifts
- Bit Manipulation
1.5
Unit 1.5 – System Software
1.5.1 Operating System
1.5.2 Language Translators
- Assembler Software
- Compilers
- Interpreters
1.6
Unit 1.6 – Security, privacy and data integrity
1.6.1 Data Security
- Security, Privacy and Integrity
- Data and System Security
- Computer & Network Threats
- Security / Threat reduction measures
1.6.2 Data Integrity
1.7
Unit 1.7 – Ethics and Ownership
1.7.1 Ethics and Ownership
- Need for ethics and purpose
- Copyright legislation
- Software Licences
- Ethical implications of artificial intelligence
1.8
Unit 1.8 – Databases
1.8.1 Database Concepts
- Limitations of file based systems
- Features of a relational database
- Relational database model
- Entity relationship diagram
- Normalisation process
- First, Second, Third Normal Form
1.8.2 Database Management System (DBMS)
- Features of a database management system
- DBMS Software Tools
1.8.3 Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation
Language (DML)
2.1
Unit 2.1 – Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving
2.1.1 Algorithms
- Computational thinking:
- Abstraction, Decomposition, Sequencing
- Algorithms
- Identifier names and tables
- Pseudo-code
- Step-wise refinement
- Logic statements
2.1.2 Structure Chart
2.1.3 Corrective Maintenance
2.1.4 Adaptive Maintenance
2.2
Unit 2.2 – Data Representation
2.2.1 Data Types
- Selection of data types
- Record Structures
2.2.2 Arrays
- 1 Dimensional Arrays
- 2 Dimensional Arrays
- Linear Search and Bubble Sort Algorithms
- Lower and Upper Bounds
2.2.3 Files
- Read and writing read files
2.2.4 Introduction to Abstract Data Types (ADT)
- Introduction to abstract data types
- Stack, Queue and Linked List
2.3
Unit 2.3 – Programming
2.3.1 Programming Basics
- Writing Pseudocode
2.3.2 Transferable skills
2.3.3 Selection
2.3.4 Iteration
2.3.5 Built in functions
2.3.6 Structured Programming
- Procedures
- Functions
- Input Parameters
- Efficient code
2.4
2.4 – Software Development
2.4.1 Programming
Integrated Development Environments
2.4.2 Program Testing
Syntax, Runtime & Logical Errors
2.4.3 Testing Strategies
Syllabus
Past Papers