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Topic
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Key content
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1.1 Systems Architecture
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- Fetch-execute-cycle
- Role and purpose of components in the CPU
- The purpose of registers
- The difference between storing data and addresses
- The effects of changing any of the common characteristics on system performance.
- What embedded systems are
- Typical characteristics of embedded systems
- Familiarity with a range of different embedded systems
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1.2 Memory and storage
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- Why computers have primary storage
- Key characteristics of RAM and ROM
- Virtual Memory
- Secondary Storage
- The units of data storage
- Binary
- Hexadecimal
- How characters are represented in binary
- Character Sets
- How images are represented on a computer
- How sound is represented on a computer
- Types of Compression
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1.3 Computer networks, connections and protocols
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- Types of networks
- Factors that affect the performance of networks
- The role of client-server and peer to peer networks
- The hardware needed to connect stand-alone computers into a LAN
- The internet as a worldwide collection of computer networks
- Star and Mesh network topologies
- Modes of connection
- Encryption
- IP addressing and MAC addressing
- Standards
- Common protocols
- The concept of layers
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1.4 Network Security
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- Threats to computer systems and networks
- Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities
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1.5 Systems Software
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- Operating systems
- Utility software
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1.6 Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts of digital technology
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- Impacts of digital technology on a wider society
- Legislation relevant to computer science
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Programming Project
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- 20 HOUR python programming project that includes:
- Input
- Output
- Sequencing
- Selection
- Iteration
- Functions
- Procedures
- Validation
- File manipulation
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