F03 COMPUTING AWARENESS

Prerequisites None

Assessment By a single 2 1 / 2 hour externally set examination paper.

Aims
  1. Understand the role of computer-based technology in contemporary life.
  2. Understand the basic principles of information processing in relation to the business environment.
  3. Know the range and use of technological equipment used in information processing.
  4. Know the range the range of software available.
  5. Understand communication devices and networks
  6. Understand the task of computer personnel.

Objectives

1.1 Be aware of the variety of ways in which computer-based technology is employed in everyday life.

1.1.1 Office Automation

Candidates should have used the following packages

  • Wordprocessing
  • Spreadsheets & Graphics Packages
  • File handling packages or Database Packages
  • Art packages
  • DTP (Desk Top Publishing)
  • Electronic mail

Be aware that special purpose packages are available for administrative and design tasks, for example

  • CAD (Computer Aided Design)
  • Accounting Packages
  • Payroll
  • Project Management Packages
  • Etc.

The use of these packages will not be tested

1.1.2 Computerised Control Systems

Candidates should be able to

  • Explain the terms (a) sensor (b) control signal (c) feedback.
  • Distinguish between Analogue and Digital signals and explain the need to convert from one to the other.
  • Use specific examples to explain the use of computerised control systems including feedback, e.g. traffic lights; environment control systems in a greenhouse, office or factory; automobile engine management system, etc.
  • Be able to interpret a digital signal given a suitable key.

1.2 Be aware of the convergence of computer and communications technologies and possible implications of this convergence for everyday life.

1.2.1 Customer use e.g. remote banking, home shopping, booking theatre or travel tickets.

1.2.2 Information Retrieval system; Teletext (TV broadcast systems), Viewdata, Internet, e-mail, bulletin boards, conferencing systems, interactive video, on-line database.

1.2.3 Be aware of the implications that the convergence of database technology and communications technology holds for the possible abuse of personal privacy.

1.2.4 Candidates should be aware of the importance of electronic information exchange in commerce and industry, e.g.

  • ATM (Automatic Teller Machine)
  • EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer)
  • EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale terminals)
  • Automatic ticket dispensers
  • Credit Card/Debit Card transaction processing in supermarkets
  • Inventory control in large shops
  • Just in Time purchasing systems 

Objectives 

1.3 Be aware of how computer-based technology is changing the pattern of life.

1.3.1 Describe the ways in which employment patterns are changing

1.3.2 Discuss the effects of computers on peoples’ working lives

1.3.3 Describe social changes that have been caused by the developments in Information Systems

1.3.4 Leisure (Home computers, Computer games)

2.1 Data Creation

2.1.1 Source Documents. Candidates should be able to:

  1. distinguish between good and bad data capture forms
  2. design a simple data capture form for a given application

2.1.2 Data Capture. Candidates should know where, when and why the following are used.

Data logging, MICR, OCR, bar codes, magnetic strip

2.1.3 Direct Data Entry Candidates should

  1. be able to distinguish between good and bad data entry screens
  2. be able to design a simple data entry screen for a given application
  3. know that the data may be transmitted from a remote source or entered to a portable computer.

2.2 Errors

2.2.1 Candidates should be aware of the common sources of errors; mistakes in data entry, transmission errors due to noise, etc.

2.2.2 The main methods of error detection should be known

  1. Verification. Either double keying and a comparison of the two by software or a comparison of a screen display (or printout) of a data file with source documents. The terms control total and hash total should be known.
  2. Validation. Candidates should know the main types of check; presence, field length, character, format, reasonableness, check digit.

2.3 Information

2.3.1 Candidates should be able to recognise good information. Complete but not excessive, accurate, communicated to the person who needs it, easily understood format, provided at the right time, etc.

2.3.2 Recognise the need for operational, tactical, and strategic information

2.4 Coding

2.4.1 Know that it is sometimes necessary to code data to make it more manageable. (Reduce size of the file, facilitate retrieval)

2.4.2 Be able to devise a simple coding scheme for a given situation.

2.5 Data Storage

2.5.1 The basic structure of a file, characters, keys, indexes.

2.5.2 Field types, Number, Numeric Character, Alphanumeric, Date and Time, Text, Memo, Boolean (yes/no)

2.5.3 File size and its implications for storage. Candidates should know that fields can be fixed or variable length. They must be able to recall the advantages of using fixed and variable field lengths. Candidates should be able to calculate the length of a record given the field lengths and hence calculate the size of the file.

2.5.4 Methods of file organisation and access: serial, sequential, indexed, indexed sequential and random. Distinguish between these methods in terms of relative speeds of access, their suitability in relation to particular applications, the storage medium used and recovery methods if the file is corrupted.

2.5.5 Machine representation of data. Be able to use the terms bit, byte and word.

2.5.6 Databases. Candidates should know that data can be extracted from a database to produce many different reports and that data from different files (tables) in the database can be used to produce a single report.

Objectives

2.6 Processing Data

2.6.1 Updating, searching, sorting and merging files

2.6.2 Methods of searching databases. Candidates should be able to use the logical operators AND, OR and NOT in the construction of queries or filters.

2.7 File Maintenance This might include adding a new field to each record, deleting an unwanted field, altering the format in which a field is stored or its maximum length, adding an index, changing the access controls, etc.

Modes of Operation Transaction processing, batch, real time, single user, multi-user, multiprogramming

2.8 Recognise the importance of files of data to organisations and know why the integrity and confidentiality of these files should be maintained.

2.8.1 Be able to describe both physical and software hazards to stored data.

2.8.1.1 Know the physical precautions needed to protect media including protection from heat, magnetic fields, water, rough handling.

2.8.1.2 Know how computer viruses are spread, what a virus might do, and how systems can be protected from infection.

2.8.2 Know the steps that should be taken so that files can be recovered if damage occurs: generation backup system and use of file dumps and transaction log files for on-line systems

2.8.3 Prevention of unauthorised access to data

2.8.3.1 Physical methods such as restriction of access to the computer room or terminals, ensuring that printouts are delivered to an authorised user, shredding reports, etc. after they have been used.

2.8.3.2 Software methods such as passwords, magnetic strip cards, terminal identification, and encryption to prevent the use of stolen cards.

3.1 Be able to name the basic hardware components (input, output, processor, and backing store) of a computer system and draw a block diagram showing the flows of data and control signals between them.

3.1.1 Describe the functions of the IAS, ALU, and control unit.

3.1.2 Know what is meant by cycle frequency and why this might be important. Be able to explain what the unit MHz means.

3.2 Memory

3.2.1 Describe the functions of RAM and ROM. Explain what GB and MB means.

3.2.2 Compare the main disk and tape storage devices in terms of speed, storage capacity, mode of access; can records be overwritten, can the medium be reused. The devices required are floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, CD-ROM, optical disks.

3.2.3 Candidates should know the distinction between volatile and non volatile memory.

3.3 Input and Output Devices, Buffers

3.3.1 Candidates must understand the use of the following input devices; keyboards (including specialised keyboards), mouse, touch sensitive screen, microphone, OMR, OCR, MICR, bar code readers, magnetic strip readers, graphics digitiser (scanner), light pen, sensors used to collect data for data logging.

3.3.2 Candidates must understand the use of the following output devices; screen (VDU). Printers (dot matrix, laser, inkjet), plotters, speakers, motors, and switched output to control systems

3.3.3 Define the term buffer and state why these are required.

3.4 Be able to distinguish between mainframes, minicomputers, micro-computers (PC), and laptops/ notebooks

4.1 Operating System

Candidates must know that the operating system provides

  • a means of communicating between software and hardware
  • manages system resources such as memory, allocation of CPU time, etc.
  • data transfers to and from peripherals
  • system security

Candidates should be aware that different operating systems exist, that applications packages may require a specific operating system. Candidates should be able to describe the special features of multi-user and multi-tasking systems.

Objectives

4.2 Utilities. Candidates should be able to define the term and give examples of application, independent functions such as disk formatting, copying, renaming, deleting, backup, sorting.

4.3 Types of computer languages; machine codes, assembly language, third generation high level procedural languages, fourth generation languages.

4.4 Language translators: compilers, interpreters, assemblers.

4.5 Algorithms and their description by flowcharts, structured language or pseudo code. Be able to represent the grandparent/ parent/ child method by a flowchart or structured language or pseudo code.

4.6 Candidates must know that interfaces can be command driven, menu driven or graphical user interfaces.

4.6.1 Candidates should be able to give the advantages and disadvantages of each of these types of user interface for different categories of user.

4.6.2 Candidates should be able to design simple user interfaces and distinguish a good design from a bad design.

5.1. Definition of a modem as a device that connects a computer system to a telephone system

5.2 Networks

5.2.1 LAN and WAN

5.2.2 Network topologies; bus, ring, star

5.2.3 The functions of the file server and print server

5.2.4 Advantages of networks over separate (stand alone) systems.

6.1 Candidates should be able to describe the jobs done by the following staff; data preparation staff, computer operators, systems analysts, programmers, managers, software maintenance staff, hardware maintenance staff.