Information Technology Fundamentals

• ITF1
  Computer Concepts: Ideas of Information, Information Processing and Data. The Data Processing Cycle. Examples of computer applications. Definition of Hardware; broad classes of computers (mainframe, mini and microcomputers) and networks. Computer programs. The computer as a programmable device. Classes of software (system and application). Programming languages: purpose, facilities and common examples.
• ITF2
  Computer Hardware: The Central Processing Unit (Control Unit, Arithmetic and Logic Unit, Main Memory). Peripherals. The organisation of a simple computer. The storage of programs and data. Data and Control paths in the computer. The Fetch-execute Cycle.
• ITF3
  Data - its Representation and Input: The Stages (collection, preparation, verification, input methods). Input Devices and Media. On-line and Off-line peripherals. Verification and Validation methods.
• ITF4
  Input Devices: Description of common input devices and media (such as keyboards, light pens, mice, magnetic stripe readers, punched media, magnetic and optical character recognition, mark readers...), including simple physical principles of operation and practical applications.
• ITF5
  Output Methods, Devices and Media: Description of Displays, Printers, Plotters and Computer Output on Microfilm, including simple physical principles of operation and applications.
• ITF6
  Computer Storage: Levels of storage: register, main and backing store. Units of storage (bytes and words) and capacities (Kbytes, Mbytes and Gbytes). Definition of Access Time. Principles of construction of magnetic tape drives, magnetic disc drives (floppy and hard drives), CD-ROM and DVD.
• ITF7
  The Binary System. Reasons for employing binary in a computer. The advantages and disadvantages of binary. The binary representation of numbers, characters and program instructions. Octal and Hexadecimal forms. Conversion between decimal, binary, octal and hexadecimal integers. Binary addition. Arithmetic overflow. Boolean logic. Simple AND, OR and NOT functions in two and three variables. Truth Tables. Half-adder and Full-adder logic. Logic diagrams.
• ITF8
  Programming Languages: Ideas of generations of programming languages: fourth generation (4GL), third generation (‘high level'), assembly and binary machine code. Suitable applications for each level; comparisons between the levels. Translater programs - compilers, interpreters and assemblers; source code and object code. The concept of ‘visual' languages. Java and the platform independence of its programs.
• ITF9
  Data Files: Definitions of file, record, field and character. The concepts of file organisation, file access and file processing (updating). The main types of data file such as master and transaction. Serial, sequential and indexed sequential organisation. Direct access and serial access. Updating sequential (tape or disc) files and indexed sequential files. Concepts of a simple database.
• ITF10
  Simple Telecommunications: Serial and Parallel transmission compared. Simplex, Half-duplex and Duplex modes. Modems and Multiplexors. Simple Interfaces. Character Codes. Basic communications facilities and the concept of bandwidth.
• ITF11
  Common Applications of Computer Systems: Non-technical descriptions (purpose, hardware, data, processes, outputs, advantages and limitations) in banking, education, engineering, police, hospitals, credit reference, meteorology, airline reservation and stock control.
• ITF12
  Networking and the Internet: Concepts of Local Area Networks, Wide Area Networks and the Internet. The World Wide Web: the concept, its uses and possible disadvantages. Internet Service Providers. Web pages: construction and access; the role of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Java. The concept of electronic mail and its basic uses. The basic functions of browsers.