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Introduction to Computer Science

HES 213

Course CodeHES 213
ECTS5

Course Description

Hardware and software components, the fetch-execute cycle, operating systems, data representation and storage, and choosing and maintaining a system.

Course Objectives

To introduce how computer systems work: hardware, software, operating systems and the representation of data.

Key Topics

  1. LO1: Understand the fundamentals of computer systems.
  2. LO2: Understand the role of operating systems.
  3. LO3: Understand how data is represented digitally.

Course Outline

WeekTopics
1What is a computer system?
2Hardware: the parts of a computer
3Software: system and application software
4The CPU and the fetch-execute cycle
5Memory: RAM, ROM and cache
6What an operating system does
7Comparing operating systems
MidtermMidterm evaluation
9Bits and bytes: units of storage
10Storing text: ASCII and Unicode
11Storing images: pixels and colour depth
12Storing sound: sampling
13Storage devices
14Choosing a computer for a job
15Review and coursework completion
FinalFinal assessment and submission

Learning Outcomes

  1. LO1 Understand the fundamentals of computer systems.
  2. 1.1 Describe the role of hardware and software components.
  3. 1.2 Explain the fetch-execute cycle at a basic level.
  4. LO2 Understand the role of operating systems.
  5. 2.1 Explain the function of an operating system.
  6. 2.2 Compare common operating systems.
  7. LO3 Understand how data is represented digitally.
  8. 3.1 Explain how text, images and sound are represented in binary.
  9. 3.2 Describe units of data storage (bit, byte, KB, MB, GB).
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