Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives Upon successful completion of the subject, students should have developed knowledge and understanding in relation to the nature, role, and functioning of the hardware, system software, and storage media components of a computer system; common applications software such as wordprocessor, database, spreadsheet; the interrelation of software and hardware. Students should have developed practical skills in the use of input and output devices and storage media; systems software and common utilities; wordprocessing, database, and spreadsheet software.
Synopsis This subject provides an introduction to significant computer characteristics and applications. Computer awareness: the development of a conceptual model of a computer system; hardware, software and their interrelationships. The processor: arithmetic and logic unit; control unit; primary and secondary memory; RAM and ROM; the flow of data. Magnetic media and their structure. Peripheral devices. Types of computers: modes of processing; operating systems and common utilities. User skills/applications software: the development of understanding and user skills in relation to an integrated package containing wordprocessor, database and spreadsheet modules; the use of common utilities - formatting disks, backing-up disks and files.
Assessment Practical exercises (3500 words): 35% + Examination: 65%