Full syllabus

Topic 03 — Hardware

What this topic covers, what it does not, and how it is assessed.

Scope. The physical components of a computer system, organised by the job each performs in the information processing cycle; how devices connect; the health and environmental consequences of using and discarding them; and how systems verify who is using them.

Prior knowledge assumed. Topic 01: what a computer is and the five components of a system. Topic 02: what a driver does.

Duration. 3 lessons plus a checkpoint · Weeks 7–8

Content

Lesson 1 — The information processing cycle and input

• The information processing cycle in full: input, processing, output, storage
• Communication as a further stage where data moves between systems
• Applying the cycle to unfamiliar devices to classify their components

• Processing: the CPU, clock speed in GHz, cores; RAM as volatile working space; the distinction between RAM and storage

• Input devices by category and the data each captures:

  • keyboards
  • pointing devices: mouse, touchpad, stylus, touchscreen
  • scanners and readers: flatbed scanner, barcode and QR reader, card reader
  • cameras: webcam, document camera, phone camera
  • microphones
  • sensors: fingerprint, GPS, accelerometer, temperature
• Manual data capture versus automatic data capture
• Factors in choosing an input device: purpose, volume, accuracy, environment, cost
• Devices that perform both input and output

Lesson 2 — Monitors, printers and storage

• Output and the difference between softcopy and hardcopy

• Display devices: LCD and LED panels, screen size, resolution, aspect ratio, refresh rate, touch capability; projectors and the specifications that matter in a lit room

• Printers: inkjet and laser compared on quality, speed in ppm, resolution in dpi, running cost per page, and suitability of purpose; multifunction devices; 3D printers in outline

• Other output devices: speakers, headphones, actuators

• Storage capacity units and their relationship: KB, MB, GB, TB
• Primary storage versus secondary storage; volatile versus non-volatile

• Secondary storage compared on speed, capacity, cost per gigabyte, portability and durability: hard disk drive, solid-state drive, flash memory and memory cards, optical discs, cloud storage

• Estimating the storage a given set of files requires

• Backup: why a second copy in a different place is required, and why synchronisation is not a backup

Lesson 3 — Connecting devices, health and environment issues, authentication

• Ports and connectors and what each carries: USB and its types, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet (RJ45), audio jack, power

• Wired versus wireless connection: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and when each is appropriate

• How a device becomes usable: connection, driver, recognition
• Troubleshooting an unrecognised device in order: power, cable, port, driver

• Health and ergonomics: screen position, seating and posture, keyboard and mouse position, lighting, eye strain and the 20-20-20 rule, repetitive strain injury, the importance of breaks

• Environmental issues: energy consumption and power settings, paper use, consumables, e-waste and the heavy metals it contains, recycling and responsible disposal, green computing practices

• Wiping personal and institutional data before any device is disposed of

• Authentication and the three factors: something you know, something you have, something you are

• Passwords: what makes one strong, what makes one weak, why reuse is the central risk

• PINs, security questions, tokens and one-time passwords, biometric methods
• Two-factor and multi-factor authentication, and what each adds
• Access control and user rights: why not every user gets the same permissions

Key terminology

input · processing · output · storage · communication · CPU · core · clock speed · RAM · volatile · primary storage · secondary storage · softcopy · hardcopy · resolution · dpi · ppm · HDD · SSD · flash memory · optical disc · cloud storage · backup · port · connector · driver · Bluetooth · ergonomics · repetitive strain injury · e-waste · green computing · authentication · biometric · two-factor authentication · access control

Not examinable in this topic

• Internal architecture of the processor beyond cores and clock speed
• Network topologies, protocols and configuration
• Cryptography and how encryption works internally
• Dismantling or physically repairing hardware

Assessment

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Checkpoint weighting across the course