Information and Communication Technology (ICT) content

Topic 1: Digital Devices

Topic 2: Connectivity
Topic 3: Operating Online
Topic 4: Online Goods and Services
Topic 5: Applying Information and Communication Technology
Topic 6: Software Skills

Topic 1: Digital Devices

Students need to know about the range of digital devices available. Developments in the features and
functionality of digital devices are rapid and this impacts on the way that they are used by individuals,
organisations and society. Students need to understand the principles of these devices and to be able to
select suitable devices and associated hardware and software to use used in particular situations.

Digital Devices Students should:

1.1 Types of digital devices 1.1.1 Be aware that mainframe computers are used
Students need to know about computers for complex processing tasks and microprocessors are
and other digital devices. They need to embedded in products such as washing machines.
understand how each type of device is used
but not the technology behind their 1.1.2 Understand that laptop and desktop computers
operation. are types of personal computers.
Some laptops are used as desktop replacements.

1.1.3 Know about types of mobile phones;

smartphones and specialist phones and how they
connect to the network (SIM).

1.1.4 Know about tablet devices.

1.1.5 Be able to describe the purpose and use of

other digital devices such as:
• cameras and camcorders
• games consoles
• home entertainment systems
• Media players.

1.1.6 Know about navigation aids and how they are

used.

1.1.7 Understand the terms ‘multifunctional’ (e.g.

mobile phones that include a camera, have limited
game playing functionality and GPS) and
 convergence’ (e.g. functionality of smartphones and
tablet devices becomes more similar) in the context
of digital devices.

1.2 Features of digital devices 1.2.1 Understand features of digital devices:

Portability, performance, storage, user interface,
connectivity, media support, energy consumption,
expansion capability, security features.

1.2.2 Be able to discuss the features of identified

digital devices.

1.3 Software 1.3.1 Be able to identify the purpose of systems

Students need to know the types of software and applications software.
software used in digital devices.
They need to be able to identify the 1.3.2 Know about operating systems and system
differences between system software and software tools such as utilities.
application software.
They need to know the types of software 1.3.3 Know about the role/function of the
applications that are available. operating system, including basic knowledge of:
• single user and network
• memory management
• resource management
• security
• print spooling.

1.3.4 Know about software applications (apps),

including office-productivity tools, web authoring,
image and sound editing, presentation software,
control software, project management software.

1.3.5 Know about software licensing types (free/open

source and proprietary software).

1.3.6 Understand that the purpose of communication

software is to provide remote access to systems and
to exchange files and messages in text, images, audio
and/or video formats between different computers or
users.

1.3.7 Know why software is updated, how it is done

and possible risks to data/systems.
1.4 Types of peripheral devices – input and 1.4.1 Know about types of output peripheral such as
output monitor (screen size, resolution), printer (laser, inkjet,
3D), plotter, data projector, speaker, control device
and when they would be used.

1.4.2 Know about types of input peripheral such as

keyboard, mouse, tracker ball, joystick, graphics
tablet, scanner, digital camera, webcam, microphone,
touch screen, OMR reader, OCR reader, bar code
scanner, biometric scanner, magnetic stripe reader,
chip and pin, sensor and when they would be used.

1.5 Types of peripheral 1.5.1 Be able to differentiate between storage devices

devices – storage and the media used to store data.

1.5.2 Know the characteristics of hard disk drives

(HDD), solid state drives (SSD), optical disk drives.

1.5.3 Know that storage devices can be internal or

external.

1.5.4 Know about types of storage media such as

hard disks, optical disks (CD, DVD, Blu-ray), flash
memory devices, magnetic tape

1.5.5 Know that storage media can be recordable /

write once (R) and rewritable (R/W)

1.5.6 Understand the terms describing the capacity of

storage such as bit, byte and multiples of these
(kibibytes, mebibytes, gibibytes, tebibytes) (using
1KiB = 1024 bytes).

1.6 Memory 1.6.1 Know that RAM stands for Random Access
Memory and that ROM stands for Read Only
Memory.

1.6.2 Be able to describe the characteristics of RAM

and ROM, the differences between them and the
impact on the user of the size of ROM/RAM.

1.6.3 Be able to describe the characteristics and uses

of flash memory.
1.7 Processors 1.7.1 Understand the function of the processing unit
(CPU).

1.7.2 Know how the speed of a processor is

measured.

1.8 ICT systems to meet 1.8.1 Be able to identify digital devices and associated
specified needs peripheral devices that meets particular needs,
including accessibility.

1.8.2 Be able to identify appropriate software that

meets specified needs.

1.8.3 Understand that settings of ICT systems can be

configured to meet the accessibility needs of
individuals.

1.8.4 Be able to justify choices made in identifying

and configuring hardware and software.