Computer Systems Fundamentals
Learning Objectives Students will learn about: - the functions and properties of the major components of a computer system and how these components interact together to perform tasks;
- the functions and properties of major peripheral devices, and their uses in specific situations;
- the use of different utility programs in managing systems and files; and
- the capabilities of different operating systems, and the basic concepts of a computer network and its applications.
This module comprises three topics: “Basic Machine Organisation”, “System Software” and “Computer Systems”.
2nd Term Projects
Choose a topics below and prepare a presentation. - 2 - 3 in a group (5 groups)
- Create a Google Presentation under the Shared folder. (1st student)
- share it with your partner (2nd student & 3rd student) for edit.
- discuss how you share your workload.
- Prepare a 20 minutes presentation per group.
You will be asked to present in the 9 May, 2018 (Triple Lesson)
| Topics | Text Book | Students | | CPU | Chapter 11
excluding
fetch-decode-execute |
| | Main Memory | Chapter 11 |
| | Input Devices | Chapter 12 |
| | Output Devices | Chapter 12 |
| | Secondary Storage | Chapter 13 |
| | System software | Chapter 14 | | Application software
| Chapter 14 |
|
- the classification of (hardware / software)
- the major spec of hardware / functions of software.
- the advantage and disadvantages.
- the development trends.
Below are copied from EDB documents | Learning Outcome | | | Explain the functions of hardware within a computer system, namely input and output devices, the central processing unit, bus system and storage devices (both primary and secondary).
| | | Explain the structure and functions of a central processing unit (CPU) and its components.
| | | Outline the steps in the fetch-decode-execute cycle and store using a single processor, and describe the roles of and the interdependence among components, registers and buses in the machine cycle
| | | Describe the functions and characteristics of Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM) and memory cache. Realise the relationship among the size of the memory, the memory address, word length and the performance of the computer.
| | | Describe the features, advantages, disadvantages and applications of the input and output devices. Select and justify the use of appropriate devices for collecting and displaying information in a given context.
| | Describe the functional characteristics of storage devices in terms of random or sequential access, volatile or non-volatile, data transfer rate and storage capacity. | | | Outline the latest developments in computer systems including processor capabilities, primary memory technologies, secondary storage devices and data communications. | |
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