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hardware

software

documentation

standard ways of working.

This involves understanding the purpose of significant pieces of computer equipment and

their links with other components. You will practise choosing and setting up different

combinations of components for a range of purposes and potential users.

To select and install hardware, you must understand the purpose of each of the components

and be able to connect them. How you connect them will depend on the required outcome.

Sometimes you will be given the components and asked to assemble them.

On other occasions you will be required to choose, from a selection of given components,

those that meet the requirements of a particular user’s needs.

These activities require a good knowledge and understanding of the hardware components of

an ICT system. You will need to be able to specify, using reference materials, any of the

following components to create an ICT system to meet specified user requirements:

main processing unit

keyboard

mouse

VDU

processor (CPU)

connectors

video card

sound card

network card

disk drives

optical drive

printer

scanner

serial port

parallel port

microphone

speaker

SCSI controller.

From your experience you will learn how different systems meet different purposes and also

the importance of particular components. You will also learn to judge the effectiveness of

systems designed for similar purposes. Examples are how different types of RAM are more

efficient and how different sound cards and speakers affect the quality of sound coming from

a multimedia system.

Technical terms are used extensively in ICT. You do not need to acquire extensive

theoretical knowledge about these terms, but you will need to understand how they are used

in system specifications and how the items listed below affect the selection and installation

of a system.  

Terms relating to memory such as:

bit

byte

Kb, Mb, Gb, Tb

RAM

address

buffer

ROM

volatility

cache.

Terms relating to the main processing unit such as:

tower, desk unit

motherboard

processor (CPU)

co-processor

ISA, PCI, etc

controller

card

bus (address, data)

clock

serial port

parallel port

expansion slot.

Terms relating to disk drive storage systems such as:

floppy disk

hard disk

optical disk

write protect

data compression

rotation speed

access time

capacity

IDE, SCSI, etc.

Terms relating to optical disks such as:

CD ROM

DVD-ROM/RAM

CD-RW.

Terms relating to printers, plotters and VDUs such as:

resolution

flatbed

ink jet

laser

buffer

colour mode (bits)

scan frequency

interlace

refresh rate.

Terms relating to connector plugs and sockets such as:

centronics

BNC

Coaxial

RJ series

DB series

DIP, DIL switches

USB

jumpers and settings.  

You will need to be able to safely install, configure and test complete systems and individual

components of a system, including:

main processing unit

keyboard

mouse

VDU

speaker and microphone

scanner

disk or optical drive

printer

application software

connecting cables

expansion cards (video, sound or network).

You will need to be able to configure hardware such as:

printer settings

DIP, DIL switches

jumper positions.

Computer systems use consumable materials. You must be able to identify and use suitable

materials such as:

paper

tone

floppy disks

ribbons.

software operates the computer system as soon as it is switched on. You must know

about the minimum software needed in a computer to enable a user to communicate with it.

You must be able to change (configure) various settings, such as setting the right time and

date and more important settings such as establishing a password that users must enter for the

system to work, calling up a device driver or choosing between alternative operating systems.

Some incorrect configurations are easily put right. Others could delete all the existing data

and make the system unusable. You have to learn to configure systems safely.

There are many different types of software. You will need to know what is available and

understand the purpose of each type, including:

ROM-BIOS start-up software

operating systems

graphic user interfaces (GUIs)

applications.

The ROM-BIOS is used when the hardware first powers up. Access has to be initiated on

starting the system. You will need to understand what this start-up software controls and be

able to set or define parameters to meet requirements, such as:

select start-up (boot) disk drive

define a new disk drive

set system password

configure a new card (for example, video).

time and date

password properties

scheduled tasks

virus protection configuration

directory (folder) structure and settings

checking and setting system properties

system monitoring

printer, mouse and keyboard configuration

multimedia configuration

GUI desktop and display set-up

application software icons

disk diagnostics and tools

network facilities and configuration

power management.

There is a wide variety of applications software to meet user needs. You will need to know

which type of software suits a particular processing activity. You will have to be able to

select, install and configure software most suited to a specified need, including:

document (word) processing

desktop publishing

multimedia reference

programming languages

database (record structure)

spreadsheet (numeric structure)

vector graphics (eg geometric objects)

bit-map graphics (eg photo images).

To enable users to make immediate and effective use of the system you will also need to be

able to configure the application software in different ways, including preparing or setting

items such as:

preferences (or configuration files)

macros

toolbars and the buttons available

directory structures and defaults

data templates

saving and backup security

menu layout and contents

borders, rules and scroll bars.

ICT systems and software occasionally crash. You must learn to record common problems

and your attempts, successful or not, at solutions. Records of this nature provide useful

reference material for you and others when problems occur repeatedly.

It is also important that you record your experiences in setting up and configuring ICT

systems, including:

dates of undertaking work

specifications used

components installed

configuration tasks undertaken

faults and problems experienced

solutions applied

support services accessed

diagnostic software used.