Computer Appreciation & Applications

Syllabus

Hardware and data

• Clear distinction between data and program, data and options/parameters, programmer and user
• General configuration of a computer and components of the CPU (ALU, memory, control)
• Directions of data flow
• Types of memory (ROM, RAM, cache, video)
• Features of a modern PC
• Input devices – general survey with emphasis on use rather than how the device works – OCR, OMR, MICR devices, bar code reader, types of keyboards, optical scanner, digitiser, voice input device, ATM, touch screen, mouse
• Distinction between uses of keyboard and mouse
• Output devices – range of current printer types (laser, dot matrix, ink jet etc.) – relative speeds/costs/quality VDU, plotters, microfilm
• For a given application, select the most appropriate input/output devices or method of data capture
• Data validation – definition and purpose
• Identify validation possible with particular data
• Check digits
• Data types – integer, decimal, text/character, logical, date, currency etc.
• The need to define data by type

Business Applications

• Accounts
• The component parts of an accounts package
• Typical input and output documents
• Stock control and its purpose
• Typical input and output data
• Contents of the stock file
• Sales and concept of customer, sales orders, purchase orders and supplier files (and stock file) and contents of these files
• Concept of cross-referencing (customer number linking sales order with customer file)
• General appreciation of who would supply input data and use output data and why (e.g. stores clerk would use a re-order list to place orders with suppliers for restocking)

Files and File Access

• Magnetic and optical storage devices and media – their limitations
• Definitions of file, record and field and examples taken from particular situations
• File organisation defined as organisation of records on a file
• Consideration of serial, sequential and indexed sequential organisation
• The stages of accessing a particular record from serial, sequential or indexed sequential files
• Contents of a particular file – fields, data types, sizes, purpose of being on the file
• Concept of master and transaction file
• System diagram for a general update of a master file using a transaction file
• Security of data files
• Backups, environmental conditions, restricted access, administrative controls
• Distinction between different types of files – program, data, text, parameter files

Software

• The role of the operating system in controlling the computer
• Basic features of an operating system (command or GUI)
• Distinction between general purpose software (e.g. database) and special purpose software (e.g. payroll)
• Examples of special purpose packages
• Word processing – options available / how to use them (in general terms) / margins, fonts, special effects (underline/centre/bold etc.), spell check, grammar check / standard phrases / inclusion of graphics
• Databases – how to create a new file, add records, edit records, delete records, selective search by particular criteria, rearrange data, produce reports
• Spreadsheets – formatting a model (decimal places, alignment, extra rows/columns etc.) / adding simple formulae / simple functions such as sum/average / replicating a formula / absolute and relative addresses
• Graphics – features available in graphics/drawing/CAD package / standard shapes / moving, enlarging, rotating, stretching, colouring, hatching, dimensioning, layering

Systems and Programming

• Brief review of system life cycle
• Methods of fact finding
• An overview of the role of the analyst – to investigate, design and supervise installation of a new system
• An overview of the role of the programmer – to convert a systems specification into a program by devising a logical structure, coding into a language, testing and documenting
• Distinction between development programmer and maintenance programmer
• Distinction between high and low level languages
• Brief survey of common high level languages and typical uses

People, Computers and Society

• Brief overview of tasks performed by computing personnel – data processing manager, systems analyst, programmer, ancillary staff/data input clerks
• Social effects of computers – changes in lifestyle, changes at work, need for training, crime and crime prevention, data protection acts treated in outline

Communication

• Spread of networks – reasons and advantages
• Data transmission
• Differences between LAN and WAN
• Electronic mail using a provider’s central system
• Outline of internet features